s Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks; it is a mighty good
place too, and I mean it shall do me good. Indeed the dreadful
depression and collapse of last summer has quite passed away; it was a
thorough change I wanted; I wonder perhaps if it wouldn't pick you
up--if you are not picked up already; you have been a long time in Great
Britain; and that is a slow poison, very slow for the strong, but
certain for all. Old Dr. Chepmell told Lloyd: any one can stay a year in
England and be the better for it, but no one can stay there steadily and
not be the worse.

I have had a very curious experience here; being very much made of, and
called upon, and all that; quite the famous party in fact: it is not so
nice as people try to make out, when you are young, and don't want to
bother working. Fame is nothing to a yacht; _experto crede_. There are
nice bits of course; for you meet very pleasant and interesting people;
but the thing at large is a bore and a fraud; and I am much happier up
here, where I see no one and live my own life. One thing is they do not
stick for money to the Famed One; I was offered L2000 a year for a
weekly article; and I accepted (and now enjoy) L720 a year for a monthly
one: 720/12 (whatever that may be) for each article, as long or as short
as I please, and on any mortal subject. I am sure it will do me harm to
do it; but the sum was irresistible. See calculations on verso of last
page, and observe, sir, the accuracy of my methods.

Hulloh, I must get up, as I can't lose any time. Good-bye, remember me
to her ladyship and salute the Kids.--Ever your friend,

R. L. S.

12 : 10 :: 72 : _x_, and this results in the same problem. Well--tackle
it.

12)720(60
72

Is it possible?

L60!!??

Let us cheque it by trying it in dollars, $3500 per an.

12)3500(291. 80
24
---
110
108
---
20

Well : $291.80

then divide by 5 for a rough test

5)291(58.4.4
25 add 80 cents = 40d. = 3. 4d.
--
3.4
-------
L58. 7.8

Well, call it
L58.10.
======
and be done with it!

TO EDMUND GOSSE

The following refers to a review by Mr. Gosse of Stevenson's volume
of verse called _Underwoods_. The book had been published a few weeks
previously, and is dedicated, as readers will re