Appearance
Excerpt
Excerpt from Moral Emblems, by Robert Louis Stevenson
Thus ‘Moral Emblems’ came out; ninety copies, price sixpence. Its
reception might almost be called sensational. Wealthy people in the
Hotel Belvidere bought as many as three copies apiece. Friends in
England wrote back for more. Meanwhile the splendid artist was
assiduously busy. He worked like a beaver, saying that it was the best
relaxation he had ever found. The little boy once overheard him
confiding to a visitor: ‘I cannot tell you what a Godsend these silly
blocks have been to me. When I can write no more, and read no more, and
think no more, I can pass whole hours engraving these blocks in blissful
contentment.’ These may not have been the actual words, but such at
least was their sense.
Thus the second ‘Moral Emblems’ came out; ninety copies, price ninepence.
The public welcomed it as heartily as the first, the little boy becoming
so prosperous that he accumulated upwards of five pounds. But let it
never be said that he spurned the humble mainstay of his beginnings. He
printed the weekly programmes as usual, and bore the exactions of the
black-bearded gentleman with fortitude. When he made such a trifling
mistake, for instance, as ‘The Harp that Once Through Tara’s Hells,’ he
dutifully climbed the hill to his freezing room, and ran off a whole
fresh set. Two francs fifty was two francs fifty. Every business man
appreciates the comfort of a small regular order which can be counted on
like the clock.
But one day there was no black-bearded gentleman. ‘Oh, he was dead. Had
had a hemorrhage three days before and had died.’ I don’t know whether
the little boy mourned for him particularly, but it was a shock to lose
that two francs fifty centimes. The little boy was worried until he
found a lady who had substituted herself for the gentleman with the black
beard. She was a very kind lady; you could print anything for that lady,
and ‘get away with it’ as Americans say. But she was frolicsome and
lacked poise; she was vague about appointments, and had a disheartening
way of saying: ‘Oh, bother,’ when the little boy appeared; she would
insist on kissing him amid circumstances of the most odious publicity;
was so abased a creature besides, that she often marred the programmes by
making pen-and-ink corrections. In contrast, the little boy looked back
on the black-bearded gentleman almost with regret.
Explanation
Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Moral Emblems by Robert Louis Stevenson
This passage is an autobiographical sketch from Robert Louis Stevenson’s (1850–1894) Moral Emblems (1882), a collection of woodcut illustrations paired with short moralistic verses. The excerpt, however, is not from the Emblems themselves but from Stevenson’s preface or a related memoir, where he reflects on the book’s creation, its reception, and his early experiences as a young printer in France. The tone is wry, nostalgic, and slightly satirical, blending personal anecdote with observations on art, labor, and economic survival.
Context of the Excerpt
Stevenson wrote Moral Emblems while convalescing in Davos, Switzerland, and later in Hyères, France, where he struggled with poor health (likely tuberculosis). The book was a collaboration with his stepson, Lloyd Osbourne, who helped with the woodcuts, and possibly with Walter Crane, a renowned illustrator of the time. The passage describes:
- The modest but enthusiastic reception of the book.
- Stevenson’s joy in the creative process (engraving as a respite from writing).
- His early struggles as a young printer in France, balancing artistic ambition with financial necessity.
- The loss of a reliable client (the "black-bearded gentleman") and the frustrations of a new, less professional one.
The excerpt is semi-fictionalized autobiography—Stevenson often blurred fact and fiction in his essays, using a childlike or naive narrator (the "little boy," likely himself) to add humor and pathos.
Themes
Art as Escape and Labor as Comfort
- Stevenson presents engraving as a therapeutic distraction from the mental exhaustion of writing ("When I can write no more... I can pass whole hours engraving these blocks in blissful contentment").
- The physical, repetitive nature of engraving contrasts with the intellectual strain of literature, offering a meditative, almost childlike joy.
- This reflects Stevenson’s Romantic-era belief in art as both craft and solace, a theme he explores in essays like "A Gossip on Romance."
Economic Precariousness and the Artist’s Hustle
- The passage highlights the financial instability of artistic life. The "little boy" (Stevenson) relies on small, regular orders (like printing programs) to survive.
- The two francs fifty is treated with ironic seriousness—it’s a trivial sum, but its reliability is as comforting as a clock, emphasizing how artists depend on mundane, unglamorous work.
- The death of the black-bearded gentleman symbolizes the fragility of income sources, a reality many freelance artists face.
Nostalgia for Professionalism
- The black-bearded gentleman represents old-world reliability and dignity—he may have been strict, but he was consistent and respectful.
- The new client (the "kind lady") is erratic, informal, and unprofessional, embodying the frustrations of amateurism. Her pen-and-ink corrections and public kisses undermine the boy’s pride in his craft.
- Stevenson subtly critiques modern informality—the lady’s "Oh, bother" dismisses the boy’s labor, while the gentleman’s silent expectations were at least predictable.
The Paradox of Success
- The Moral Emblems are a minor success (wealthy tourists buy copies, friends request more), but the real victory is personal—the joy of creation and the small financial independence it brings (the boy saves five pounds).
- Yet, the artist’s life remains precarious; even prosperity doesn’t free him from menial tasks (printing programs, dealing with difficult clients).
Literary Devices & Style
Irony & Understatement
- The sensational reception of Moral Emblems is comically undercut: "wealthy people... bought as many as three copies apiece"—hardly a bestseller, but treated as a triumph.
- The black-bearded gentleman’s death is delivered abruptly and indifferently: "Oh, he was dead. Had had a hemorrhage three days before and had died." The lack of emotional reaction makes it darkly humorous.
Juxtaposition
- Art vs. Commerce: The bliss of engraving contrasts with the drudgery of printing programs.
- Old vs. New Clients: The stern but reliable gentleman vs. the flighty, affectionate lady—one is professional, the other personal but unprofessional.
Childlike Narrator
- The naive, observant tone ("the little boy") adds humor and pathos. Stevenson downplays his own struggles by framing them through a youthful, slightly bewildered perspective.
- The matter-of-fact descriptions (e.g., "Two francs fifty was two francs fifty") mimic a child’s literal understanding of money, making the financial anxiety more poignant.
Symbolism
- The engraving blocks symbolize creative freedom—they are "silly" but saving.
- The black beard of the gentleman suggests authority and tradition, while the lady’s vagueness represents modern chaos.
Colloquial & Conversational Tone
- Phrases like "get away with it" (American slang) and "Oh, bother" give the prose a casual, almost oral quality, making it feel intimate and immediate.
Significance of the Passage
Autobiographical Insight
- Stevenson rarely wrote directly about his struggles, but this passage reveals his financial anxieties, health battles, and the small joys of art.
- It humanizes the Romantic ideal of the "starving artist"—showing that even minor successes (90 copies sold) were meaningful.
Meta-Commentary on Art and Labor
- The passage challenges the myth of the "pure artist"—Stevenson embraces commercial work (printing programs) without shame.
- It celebrates the dignity of small, regular labor, a theme that resonates with working-class writers and freelance artists.
Humor as a Coping Mechanism
- Stevenson uses dry wit to soften hardship—the death of a client is treated as an inconvenience rather than a tragedy, reflecting his resilient, ironic worldview.
Influence on Later Writers
- The blend of memoir and fiction anticipates modern autofiction (e.g., Knausgård, Sheila Heti).
- The focus on mundane details (printing errors, small payments) influenced minimalist and realist writers who find dramas in everyday life.
Key Takeaways from the Text Itself
- The engraving blocks are a lifeline—not just artistically, but emotionally ("a Godsend").
- Financial survival is precarious but manageable through small, reliable jobs (the two francs fifty).
- Professionalism is nostalgic—the black-bearded gentleman, though strict, was dependable; the new client’s informality is disruptive.
- Success is relative: Selling 90 copies is a victory, but the real reward is the joy of creation and the small independence it brings.
Final Thought
This excerpt is Stevenson at his most charmingly human—neither fully a Romantic genius nor a starving hack, but a practical dreamer who finds beauty in blocks of wood and comfort in two francs fifty. It’s a love letter to the small, stubborn acts of creation that keep artists afloat, both financially and spiritually.