ours very truly,

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.

TO E. L. BURLINGAME

[_Saranac Lake, February 1888._]

DEAR MR. BURLINGAME,--Will you send me (from the library) some of the
works of my dear old G. P. R. James? With the following especially I
desire to make or to renew acquaintance: _The Songster_, _The Gipsy_,
_The Convict_, _The Stepmother_, _The Gentleman of the Old School_, _The
Robber_.

_Excusez du peu._

This sudden return to an ancient favourite hangs upon an accident. The
"Franklin County Library" contains two works of his, _The Cavalier_ and
_Morley Ernstein_. I read the first with indescribable amusement--it was
worse than I had feared, and yet somehow engaging; the second (to my
surprise) was better than I had dared to hope: a good, honest, dull,
interesting tale, with a genuine old-fashioned talent in the invention
when not strained; and a genuine old-fashioned feeling for the English
language. This experience awoke appetite, and you see I have taken steps
to stay it.

R. L. S.

TO E. L. BURLINGAME

[_Saranac Lake, February 1888._]

DEAR MR. BURLINGAME,--1. Of course then don't use it. Dear Man, I write
these to please you, not myself, and you know a main sight better than I
do what is good. In that case, however, I enclose another paper, and
return the corrected proof of _Pulvis et Umbra_, so that we may be
afloat.

2. I want to say a word as to the _Master_. (The _Master of Ballantrae_
shall be the name by all means.) If you like and want it, I leave it to
you to make an offer. You may remember I thought the offer you made when
I was still in England too small; by which I did not at all mean, I
thought it less than it was worth, but too little to tempt me to undergo
the disagreeables of serial publication. This tale (if you want it) you
are to have; for it is the least I can do for you; and you are to
observe that the sum you pay me for my articles going far to meet my
wants, I am quite open to be satisfied with less than formerly. I tell
you I do dislike this battle of the dollars. I feel sure you all pay too
much here in America; and I beg you not to spoil me any more. For I am
getting spoiled: I do not want wealth, and I feel these big sums
demoralise me.

My wife came here pretty ill; she had a dreadful bad night; to-day she
is better. But now Valentine is ill; and Lloyd and I have got breakfast,
and my hand somewhat shakes after washing dishes.--Yours ve