The impression of a kind of tragic fatality was but added to when Stevenson would speak of his father in such terms of love and admiration as quite moved one, of his desire to please him, of his highest respect and gratitude to him, and pride in having such a father.It was most characteristic that when, in his travels in America, he met a gentleman who expressed plainly his keen disappointment on learning that he had but been introduced to the son and not to the father - to the as yet but budding author - and not to the builder of the great lighthouse beacons that constantly saved mariners from shipwreck round many stormy coasts, he should record the incident, as his readers will remember, with such a strange mixture of a pride and filial gratitude, and half humorous humiliation.Such is the penalty a son of genius often pays in heart-throbs for the inability to do aught else but follow his destiny - follow his star, even though as Dante says:-
"Se tu segui tua stella Non puoi fallire a glorioso porto." (3)
What added a keen thrill as of quivering flesh exposed, was that Thomas Stevenson on one side was exactly the man to appreciate such attainments and work in another, and I often wondered how far the sense of Edinburgh propriety and worldly estimates did weigh with him here.
Mr Stevenson mentioned to me a peculiar fact which has since been noted by his son, that, notwithstanding the kind of work he had so successfully engaged in, he was no mathematician, and had to submit his calculations to another to be worked out in definite mathematical formulae.Thomas Stevenson gave one the impression of a remarkably sweet, great personality, grave, anxious, almost morbidly forecasting, yet full of childlike hope and ready affection, but, perhaps, so earnestly taken up with some points as to exaggerate their importance and be too self-conscious and easily offended in respect to them.But there was no affectation in him.
He was simple-minded, sincere to the core; most kindly, homely, hospitable, much intent on brotherly offices.He had the Scottish PERFERVIDUM too - he could tolerate nothing mean or creeping; and his eye would lighten and glance in a striking manner when such was spoken of.I have since heard that his charities were very extensive, and dispensed in the most hidden and secret ways.He acted here on the Scripture direction, "Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth." He was much exercised when I saw him about some defects, as he held, in the methods of Scotch education (for he was a true lover of youth, and cared more for character being formed than for heads being merely crammed).Sagacious, with fine forecast, with a high ideal, and yet up to a certain point a most tolerant temper, he was a fine specimen of the Scottish gentleman.His son tells that, as he was engaged in work calculated to benefit the world and to save life, he would not for long take out a patent for his inventions, and thus lost immense sums.I can well believe that: it seems quite in keeping with my impressions of the man.There was nothing stolid or selfishly absorbed in him.He bore the marks of deep, true, honest feeling, true benevolence, and open-handed generosity, and despite the son's great pen-craft, and inventive power, would have forgiven my saying that sometimes I have had a doubt whether the father was not, after all, the greater man of the two, though certainly not, like the hero of IN MEMORIAM, moulded "in colossal calm."
In theological matters, in which Thomas Stevenson had been much and deeply exercised, he held very strong views, leading decisively to ultra-Calvinism; but, as I myself could well sympathise with such views, if I did not hold them, knowing well the strange ways in which they had gone to form grand, if sometimes sternly forbidding characters, there were no cross-purposes as there might have been with some on that subject.And always I felt I had an original character and a most interesting one to study.
This is another very characteristic letter to me from Davos Platz:
"CHALET BUOL, DAVOS, GRISONS, SWITZERLAND.(NO DATE.)
"MY DEAR DR JAPP, - You must think me a forgetful rogue, as indeed I am; for I have but now told my publisher to send you a copy of the FAMILIAR STUDIES.However, I own I have delayed this letter till I could send you the enclosed.Remembering the night at Braemar, when we visited the picture-gallery, I hoped they might amuse you.
"You see we do some publishing hereaway.
"With kind regards, believe me, always yours faithfully, ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON."
"I shall hope to see you in town in May."
The enclosed was the second series of MORAL EMBLEMS, by R.L.
Stevenson, printed by Samuel Osbourne.My answer to this letter brought the following:
"CHALET-BUOL, DAVOS, APRIL 1st, 1882.
