f merchant sailors, not well led in the first attack, not led
at all in the second, could only by an accident have taken the
round-house by attack; and since the defenders had firearms and food, it
is even doubtful if they could have been starved out. The only doubtful
point with me is whether the seamen would have ever ventured on the
second onslaught; I half believe they would not; still the illusion of
numbers and the authority of Hoseason would perhaps stretch far enough
to justify the extremity.--I am, dear Mr. Watts, your very sincere
admirer,

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.

TO ALISON CUNNINGHAM

_Skerryvore, Bournemouth, September 1886._

MY DEAR CUMMY,--I am home from a long holiday, vastly better in health.
My wife not home yet, as she is being cured in some rather boisterous
fashion by some Swedish doctors. I hope it may do her good, as the
process seems not to be agreeable in itself.

Your cupboard has come, and it is most beautiful: it is certainly worth
a lot of money, and is just what we have been looking for in all the
shops for quite a while: so your present falls very pat. It is to go in
our bedroom I think; but perhaps my wife will think it too much of a
good thing to be put so much out of the way, so I shall not put it in
its place till her return. I am so well that I am afraid to speak of it,
being a coward as to boasting. I take walks in the wood daily, and have
got back to my work after a long break. The story I wrote you about was
one you read to me in Cassell's Family Paper long ago when it came out.
It was astonishing how clearly I remembered it all, pictures,
characters, and incidents, though the last were a little mixed and I had
not the least the hang of the story. It was very pleasant to read it
again, and remember old days, and the weekly excursion to Mrs. Hoggs
after that precious journal. Dear me, lang syne now! God bless you, dear
Cummy.--Your afft. boy,

R. L. STEVENSON.

TO FREDERICK LOCKER-LAMPSON

Mr. Locker-Lampson, better known as Frederick Locker, the friend of
Tennyson and most accomplished writer of _vers de societe_ in his
time, had through their common friend Mr. Andrew Lang asked Stevenson
for a set of verses, and he had sent the following--which were first
printed, I believe, at the head of a very scarce volume:--"_Rowfant
Rhymes_, by Frederick Locker, with an introduction by Austin Dobson.
Cleveland, The Rowfant Club, 18