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Excerpt

Excerpt from Robert Louis Stevenson: A Record, an Estimate, and a Memorial, by Alexander H. Japp

I. INTRODUCTION AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS
II. TREASURE ISLAND AND SOME REMINISCENCES
III. THE CHILD FATHER OF THE MAN
IV. HEREDITY ILLUSTRATED
V. TRAVELS
VI. SOME EARLIER LETTERS
VII. THE VAILIMA LETTERS
VIII. WORK OF LATER YEARS
IX. SOME CHARACTERISTICS
X. A SAMOAN MEMORIAL OF R. L. STEVENSON
XI. MISS STUBBS' RECORD OF A PILGRIMAGE
XII. HIS GENIUS AND METHODS
XIII. PREACHER AND MYSTIC FABULIST
XIV. STEVENSON AS DRAMATIST
XV. THEORY OF GOOD AND EVIL
XVI. STEVENSON'S GLOOM
XVII. PROOFS OF GROWTH
XVIII. EARLIER DETERMINATIONS AND RESULTS
XIX. MR EDMUND CLARENCE STEDMAN'S ESTIMATE
XX. EGOTISTIC ELEMENT AND ITS EFFECTS
XXI. UNITY IN STEVENSON'S STORIES
XXII. PERSONAL CHEERFULNESS AND INVENTED GLOOM
XXIII. EDINBURGH REVIEWERS' DICTA INAPPLICABLE TO LATER WORK
XXIV. MR HENLEY'S SPITEFUL PERVERSIONS
XXV. MR CHRISTIE MURRAY'S IMPRESSIONS
XXVI. HERO-VILLAINS
XXVII. MR G. MOORE, MR MARRIOTT WATSON, AND OTHERS
XXVIII. UNEXPECTED COMBINATIONS
XXIX. LOVE OF VAGABONDS
XXX. LORD ROSEBERY'S CASE
XXXI. MR GOSSE AND MS. OF TREASURE ISLAND
XXXII. STEVENSON PORTRAITS
XXXIII. LAPSES AND ERRORS IN CRITICISM
XXXIV. LETTERS AND POEMS IN TESTIMONY
APPENDIX

CHAPTER I--INTRODUCTION AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS

My little effort to make Thoreau better known in England had one result
that I am pleased to think of. It brought me into personal association
with R. L. Stevenson, who had written and published in The Cornhill
Magazine an essay on Thoreau, in whom he had for some time taken an
interest. He found in Thoreau not only a rare character for originality,
courage, and indefatigable independence, but also a master of style, to
whom, on this account, as much as any, he was inclined to play the part
of the "sedulous ape," as he had acknowledged doing to many others--a
later exercise, perhaps in some ways as fruitful as any that had gone
before. A recent poet, having had some seeds of plants sent to him from
Northern Scotland to the South, celebrated his setting of them beside
those native to the Surrey slope on which he dwelt, with the lines--

Explanation

This excerpt is the opening of Chapter I—"Introduction and First Impressions" from Robert Louis Stevenson: A Record, an Estimate, and a Memorial (1895) by Alexander H. Japp, a Scottish writer, editor, and friend of Stevenson’s. The book is a posthumous tribute—a blend of biography, literary criticism, and personal reminiscence—compiled after Stevenson’s death in 1894. Japp’s work aims to defend Stevenson’s reputation, explore his literary methods, and offer intimate glimpses into his character through letters, anecdotes, and analyses of his works.

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt

1. Context and Purpose

Japp begins by establishing his own connection to Stevenson through a shared admiration for Henry David Thoreau, the American transcendentalist and author of Walden (1854). This connection is significant because:

Thoreau’s Influence on Stevenson: Stevenson had written an essay on Thoreau for The Cornhill Magazine (1880), praising his originality, independence, and prose style. Japp’s mention of this essay frames Stevenson as a discerning reader and stylist who actively engaged with literary predecessors.
Japp’s Role as a Mediator: Japp had previously worked to promote Thoreau in England (likely through his own writings or editorial efforts). This shared interest in Thoreau becomes the catalyst for his friendship with Stevenson, lending credibility to Japp’s later observations about Stevenson’s character and work.

The passage also subtly positions Japp as an insider—someone with direct access to Stevenson’s thoughts and creative process—thereby lending authority to his memoir.

2. Key Themes in the Excerpt

A. Literary Inheritance and Imitation

Japp highlights Stevenson’s habit of emulating admired writers, a practice Stevenson himself described as being a "sedulous ape" (a phrase borrowed from a 17th-century poet, likely Robert Herrick or Ben Jonson). This refers to the deliberate, almost obsessive imitation of stylistic models as a means of honing one’s craft. Stevenson was known to have "aped" writers like:

Daniel Defoe (for adventure narratives),
Walter Scott (for historical romance),
Edgar Allan Poe (for Gothic horror and psychological depth),
Thoreau (for concise, evocative prose and philosophical independence).

Significance:

Stevenson’s eclectic imitation was not plagiarism but a method of apprenticeship. He absorbed techniques from diverse sources and synthesized them into his own voice.
Japp’s framing of this as a "fruitful exercise" suggests that Stevenson’s later originality (e.g., Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) emerged from this disciplined mimicry.

B. Originality Through Assimilation

The excerpt implies that Stevenson’s genius lay in his ability to transform influence into innovation. The analogy of the poet planting seeds from Northern Scotland alongside native Surrey plants (likely a reference to a contemporary poem, possibly by Andrew Lang or Robert Bridges) reinforces this idea:

The "seeds" symbolize borrowed styles or ideas.
Their transplantation and growth in a new environment (Stevenson’s mind) produce something hybrid and vital.
The contrast between the "Northern" (harsh, rugged—like Thoreau’s asceticism or Scott’s historical grandeur) and the "Surrey" (softer, more cultivated—like Stevenson’s own refined prose) suggests a fusion of influences.

Literary Device: Extended Metaphor (seeds/planting) to illustrate creative growth.

C. Stevenson’s Self-Awareness as a Writer

Japp notes that Stevenson acknowledged his imitative phase, indicating humility and a theory of artistic development. This aligns with Stevenson’s own essays (e.g., "A Gossip on Romance"), where he discusses the craft of writing as a blend of tradition and personal vision.

3. Literary Devices

Allusion:
- "Sedulous ape": A literary term for imitation, originating from ancient rhetoric (e.g., Horace’s ars poetica). Stevenson’s use of it signals his engagement with classical and Renaissance traditions.
- Thoreau: Invoking Thoreau’s reputation for nonconformity and stylistic precision sets up Stevenson as a kindred spirit.
Metaphor:
- The planting of seeds (literary influences) in new soil (Stevenson’s work) visualizes how writers absorb and adapt predecessors’ techniques.
Juxtaposition:
- "Northern Scotland" vs. "Surrey slope": Contrasts rugged and refined influences, mirroring Stevenson’s blend of adventure (e.g., Kidnapped) and psychological nuance (e.g., Jekyll and Hyde).
Irony:
- Stevenson, often seen as a romantic original, is revealed to be a deliberate copyist—yet this very imitation fuels his originality.

4. Significance of the Passage

A. Stevenson’s Creative Process

Japp’s anecdote demystifies Stevenson’s genius by showing it as rooted in labor and study, not just innate talent. This challenges the Romantic myth of the "inspired" artist.

B. Defense Against Critics

Later chapters (e.g., XXIV. "MR HENLEY’S SPITEFUL PERVERSIONS") suggest Stevenson faced accusations of derivativeness or superficiality. Japp preemptively counters this by framing imitation as a necessary stage in artistic growth.

C. Thoreau as a Lens for Stevenson

By linking Stevenson to Thoreau, Japp emphasizes:

Independence: Both writers rejected conventional paths (Thoreau’s cabin at Walden Pond; Stevenson’s travels to Samoa).
Style as Ethics: Thoreau’s moral clarity and precision in prose parallel Stevenson’s ethical concerns (e.g., duality in Jekyll and Hyde) and stylistic rigor.

D. Foreshadowing Later Themes

Travel and Exile: The "Northern" vs. "Surrey" contrast hints at Stevenson’s later physical and artistic migrations (e.g., his move to Samoa, discussed in Chapter V. "TRAVELS").
Hybridity: The idea of combining disparate elements prefigures Stevenson’s genre-blending (adventure + Gothic, realism + fantasy).

5. Broader Implications

Literary Biography as Apologia: Japp’s memoir is partly a rebuttal to critics (e.g., William Ernest Henley, Stevenson’s former friend turned detractor) who dismissed his work as lightweight or imitative. The Thoreau anecdote serves as evidence of Stevenson’s seriousness and depth.
The Writer’s Workshop: The passage offers a practical model for aspiring writers—imitation as a pathway to originality—echoing later theories (e.g., T.S. Eliot’s "tradition and the individual talent").
Posthumous Legacy: By starting with Thoreau, Japp aligns Stevenson with transcendentalist individualism, elevating him from a mere "storyteller" to a philosophical artist.

Conclusion: Why This Matters

This brief excerpt encapsulates Japp’s central argument: Stevenson was a conscious craftsman, not a naive romantics. His imitation of masters was a strategic, transformative act, leading to a body of work that was both rooted in tradition and radically innovative. The passage also sets the tone for the memoir—personal yet analytical, defensive yet celebratory—as Japp seeks to immortalize Stevenson not just as a writer of boys’ adventures, but as a complex, evolving artist.

For modern readers, this glimpse into Stevenson’s method underscores the collaborative nature of creativity: even the most original voices are shaped by dialogue with the past.

Questions

Question 1

The passage’s depiction of Stevenson’s engagement with Thoreau primarily serves to:

A. illustrate the superficiality of Stevenson’s early literary influences, which he later transcended through originality.
B. position Stevenson as a writer whose creative development was rooted in deliberate, transformative imitation.
C. contrast Stevenson’s romantic sensibilities with Thoreau’s austere transcendentalism, highlighting their irreconcilable differences.
D. suggest that Stevenson’s admiration for Thoreau was largely performative, intended to align himself with intellectual trends.
E. argue that Stevenson’s later works were direct reproductions of Thoreau’s themes, merely repackaged for a British audience.

Question 2

The metaphor of planting "seeds" from Northern Scotland alongside those native to Surrey most effectively conveys:

A. the futility of transplanting foreign literary traditions into an incompatible cultural context.
B. the idea that Stevenson’s synthesis of disparate influences produced a uniquely vital literary hybrid.
C. Stevenson’s preference for rugged, untamed narratives over the refined conventions of English literature.
D. the inevitability of artistic decline when a writer abandons their native literary heritage.
E. a critique of Thoreau’s isolationism, which Stevenson sought to correct through more cosmopolitan storytelling.

Question 3

Japp’s characterization of Stevenson as a "sedulous ape" is most likely intended to:

A. undermine Stevenson’s reputation by framing him as a mere copyist lacking original thought.
B. align Stevenson with a long-standing literary tradition that values slavish adherence to classical models.
C. emphasize the playful, almost whimsical nature of Stevenson’s early experiments in prose.
D. present imitation as a disciplined, generative phase in Stevenson’s artistic evolution.
E. suggest that Stevenson’s greatest works were those in which he most closely mimicked his predecessors.

Question 4

The passage’s juxtaposition of "Northern Scotland" and "Surrey slope" functions primarily to:

A. highlight the geographical determinism that shaped Stevenson’s literary style.
B. reinforce the idea that Stevenson’s work was fundamentally divided between two incompatible aesthetic impulses.
C. illustrate the superiority of Scottish literary traditions over those of England.
D. argue that Stevenson’s later works abandoned the ruggedness of his early influences in favor of polished sophistication.
E. symbolize the fusion of contrasting influences in Stevenson’s writing, mirroring his creative synthesis.

Question 5

The underlying tone of Japp’s narrative in this excerpt is best described as:

A. wistful, as he reflects on a lost era of literary camaraderie.
B. defensive, seeking to shield Stevenson from accusations of intellectual shallowness.
C. analytical yet affectionate, blending critical insight with personal admiration.
D. dismissive of Thoreau’s influence, positioning Stevenson as the more significant figure.
E. ironic, subtly undermining Stevenson’s claims to originality while appearing to praise him.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: B

Why B is most correct: The passage explicitly frames Stevenson’s engagement with Thoreau as part of a broader practice of "sedulous" imitation—a deliberate, productive strategy in his creative development. Japp presents this not as a flaw but as a foundational phase that contributed to Stevenson’s later originality. The phrase "as fruitful as any that had gone before" underscores that this imitation was generative, not limiting.