robert louis stevenson-第26章

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story　in　serial　parts。　　Long　before　this　essay　was　written　or　　published；　I　had　been　struck　by　this　phantasmal　dream…like　quality　　in　some　of　Stevenson's　works；　which　I　was　puzzled　to　account　for；　　until　I　read　this　extraordinary　explanation；　for　explanation　it　　undoubtedly　affords。　　Anything　imagined　in　a　dream　would　have　a　　tendency；　when　retold；　to　retain　something　of　its　dream…like　　character；　and　I　have　on　doubt　one　could　trace　in　many　instances　　and　distinguish　the　dreaming　and　the　waking　Stevenson；　though　in　　others　they　may　be　blended　beyond　recognition。　　The　trouble　with　　the　Brownies　or　the　dream…Stevenson　WAS　HIS　OR　THEIR　WANT　OF　MORAL　　SENSE；　so　that　they　sometimes　presented　the　waking　author　with　　plots　which　he　could　not　make　use　of。　　Of　this　Stevenson　gives　an　　instance　in　which　a　complete　story　of　marked　ingenuity　is　vetoed　　through　the　moral　impossibility　of　its　presentment　by　a　writer　so　　scrupulous　（and　in　some　directions　he　is　extremely　scrupulous）　as　　Stevenson　was。　　But　Stevenson　admits　that　his　most　famous　story；　　THE　STRANGE　CASE　OF　DR　JEKYLL　AND　MR　HYDE；　was　not　only　suggested　　by　a　dream；　but　that　some　of　the　most　important　and　most　criticised　　points；　such　as　the　matter　of　the　powder；　were　taken　direct　from　　the　dream。　　It　had　been　extremely　instructive　and　interesting　had　　he　gone　more　into　detail　and　mentioned　some　of　the　other　stories　　into　which　the　dream…element　entered　largely　and　pointed　out　its　　influence；　and　would　have　given　us　a　better　clue　than　we　have　or　　now　ever　can　have。

〃Even　in　THE　SUICIDE　CLUB　and　the　RAJAH'S　DIAMOND；　I　seem　to　feel　　strongly　the　presence　of　the　dream…Stevenson。　。　。　。　AT　CERTAIN　　POINTS　ONE　FEELS　CONSCIOUS　OF　A　CERTAIN　MORAL　CALLOUSNESS；　SUCH　AS　　MARKS　THE　DREAM　STATE；　AS　IN　THE　MURDER　OF　COLONEL　GERALDINE'S　　BROTHER；　THE　HORROR　OF　WHICH　NEVER　SEEMS　TO　COME　FULLY　HOME　TO　US。　　　But　let　no　one　suppose　these　stories　are　lacking　in　vividness　and　　in　strangely　realistic　detail；　for　this　is　of　the　very　nature　of　　dreaming　at　its　height。　。　。　。　While　the　DRAMATIS　PERSONAE　play　　their　parts　with　the　utmost　spirit　while　the　story　proceeds；　they　　do　not；　as　the　past　creations　do；　seem　to　survive　this　first　　contact　and　live　in　our　minds。　　This　is　particularly　true　of　the　　women。　　They　are　well　drawn；　and　play　the　assigned　parts　well　　enough；　but　they　do　not；　as　a　rule；　make　a　place　for　themselves　　either　in　our　hearts　or　memories。　　If　there　is　an　exception　it　is　　Elvira；　in　PROVIDENCE　AND　THE　GUITAR；　but　we　remember　her　chiefly　　by　the　one　picture　of　her　falling　asleep；　after　the　misadventures　　of　the　night；　at　the　supper…table；　with　her　head　on　her　husband's　　shoulder；　and　her　hand　locked　in　his　with　instinctive；　almost　　unconscious　tenderness。〃



CHAPTER　XXVII　…　MR　G。　MOORE；　MR　MARRIOTT　WATSON　AND　OTHERS



FROM　our　point　of　view　it　will　therefore　be　seen　that　we　could　not　　have　read　Mr　George　Moore's　wonderfully　uncritical　and　misdirected　　diatribe　against　Stevenson　in　THE　DAILY　CHRONICLE　of　24th　April　　1897；　without　amusement；　if　not　without　laughter　…　indeed；　we　　confess　we　may　here　quote　Shakespeare's　words；　we　〃laughed　so　　consumedly〃　that；　unless　for　Mr　Moore's　high　position　and　his　　assured　self…confidence；　we　should　not　trust　ourselves　to　refer　to　　it；　not　to　speak　of　writing　about　it。　　It　was　a　review　of　THE　　SECRET　ROSE　by　W。　B。　Yeats；　but　it　passed　after　one　single　touch　to　　belittling　abuse　of　Stevenson　…　an　abuse　that　was　justified　the　　more；　in　Mr　Moore's　idea；　because　Stevenson　was　dead。　　Had　he　been　　alive　he　might　have　had　something　to　say　to　it；　in　the　way；　at　　least；　of　fable　and　moral。　　And　when　towards　the　close　Mr　Moore　　again　quotes　from　Mr　Yeats；　it　is　still　〃harping　on　my　daughter〃　to　　undo　Stevenson；　as　though　a　rat　was　behind　the　arras；　as　in　HAMLET。　　　〃Stevenson；〃　says　he；　〃is　the　leader　of　these　countless　writers　who　　perceive　nothing　but　the　visible　world；〃　and　these　are　antagonistic　　to　the　great　literature；　of　which　Mr　Yeats's　SECRET　ROSE　is　a　　survival　or　a　renaissance；　a　literature　whose　watchword　should　be　　Mr　Yeats's　significant　phrase；　〃When　one　looks　into　the　darkness　　there　is　always　something　there。〃　　No　doubt　Mr　Yeats's　product　all　　along　the　line　ranks　with　the　great　literature　…　unlike　Homer；　　according　to　Mr　Moore；　he　never　nods；　though　in　the　light　of　great　　literature；　poor　Stevenson　is　always　at　his　noddings；　and　more　than　　that；　in　the　words　of　Leland's　Hans　Breitmann；　he　has　〃nodings　on。〃　　　He　is　poor；　naked；　miserable　…　a　mere　pretender　…　and　has　no　share　　in　the　makings　of　great　literature。　　Mr　Moore　has　stripped　him　to　　the　skin；　and　leaves　him　to　the　mercy　of　rain　and　storm；　like　Lear；　　though　Lear　had　a　solid　ground　to　go　on　in　self…aid；　which　　Stevenson　had　not；　he　had　daughters；　and　one　of　them　was　Cordelia；　　after　all。　　This　comes　of　painting　all　boldly　in　black　and　white：　　　Mr　Yeats　is　white；　R。　L。　Stevenson　is　black；　and　I　am　sure　neither　　one　nor　other；　because　simply　of　their　self…devotion　to　their　art；　　could　have　subscribed　heartily　to　Mr　Moore's　black　art　and　white　　art　theory。　　Mr　Yeats　is　hardly　the　truest　modern　Celtic　artist　I　　take　him　for；　if　he　can　fully　subscribe　to　all　this。

Mr　Marriott　Watson　has　a　little　unadvisedly；　in　my　view；　too　like　　ambition；　fallen　on　'tother　side；　and　celebrated　Stevenson　as　the　　master　of　the　horrifying。　（11）　　He　even　finds　the　EBB…TIDE；　and　　Huish；　the　cockney；　in　it　richly　illustrative　and　grand。　　〃There　　never　was　a　more　magnificent　cad　in　literature；　and　never　a　more　　foul…hearted　little　ruffian。　　His　picture　glitters　（！）　with　life；　　and　when　he　curls　up　on　the　island　beach　with　the　bullet　in　his　　body；　amid　the　flames　of　the　vitriol　he　had　intended　for　another；　　the　reader's　shudder　conveys　something　also；　even　（！）　of　regret。〃

And　well　it　may！　　Individual　taste　and　opinion　are　but　individual　　taste　and　opinion；　but　the　EBB…TIDE　and　the　cockney　I　should　be　　inclined　to　cite　as　a　specimen　of　Stevenson's　all　too　facile　make…　believe；　in　which　there　is　too　definite　a　machinery　set　agoing　for　　horrors　for　the　horrors　to　be　quite　genuine。　　The　process　is　often　　too　forced　with　Stevenson；　and　the　incidents　too　much　of　the　　manufactured　order；　for　the　triumph　of　that　simplicity　which　is　of　　inspiration　and　unassailable。　　Here　Stevenson；　alas！　all　too　often；　　PACE　Mr　Marriott　Watson；　treads　on　the　skirts　of　E。　A。　Poe；　and　　that　in　his　least　composed　and　elevated　artistic　moments。　　And　　though；　it　is　true；　that　〃genius　will　not　follow　rules　laid　down　by　　desultory　critics；〃　yet　when　it　is　averred　that　〃this　piece　of　work　　fulfils　Aristotle's　definition　of　true　tragedy；　in　accomplishing　　upon　the　reader　a　certain　purification　of　the　emotions　by　means　of　　terror　and　pity；〃　expectations　will　be　raised　in　many　of　the　new　　generation；　doomed　in　the　cases　of　the　more　sensitive　and　　discerning；　at　all　events；　not　to　be　gratified。　　There　is　a　　distinction；　very　bold　and　very　essential；　between　melodrama；　　however　carefully　worked　and　staged；　and　that　tragedy　to　which　　Aristotle　was　there　referring。　　Stevenson's　〃horrifying；〃　to　my　　mind；　too　often　touches　the　trying　borders　of　melodrama；　and　　nowhere　more　so　than　in　the　very　forced　and　unequal　EBB…TIDE；　　which；　with　its　rather　doubtful　moral　and　forced　incident　when　it　　is　good；　seems　merely　to　borrow　from　what　had　gone　before；　if　not　a　　very　little　even　from　some　of　what　came　after。　　No　service　is　done　　to　an　author　like　Stevenson　by　fatefully　praising　him　for　precisely　　the　wrong　thing。


〃Romance　attracted　Stevenson；　at　least　during　the　earlier　part　of　　his　life；　as　a　lodestone　attracts　the　magnet。　　To　romance　he　　brought　the　highest　gifts；　and　he　has　left　us　not　only　essays　of　　delicate　humour〃　（should　this　not　be　〃essays　FULL　OF〃　OR　　〃characterised　by〃？）　〃and　sensitive　imagination；　but　stories　also　　which　thrill　with　the　realities　of　life；　which　are　faithful　　pictures　of　the　times　and　tempers　he　dealt　with；　and　which；　I　　firmly　believe；　will　live　so〃　（should　it　not　be　〃as〃？）　〃long　as　our　　noble　English　language。〃


Mr　Marriott　Watson　sees　very　clearly　in　some　things；　but　　occasionally　he　misses　the　point。　　The　problem　is　here　raised　how　　two　honest；　far…seeing　critics　could　see　so　very　differently　on　so　　simple　a　subject。

Mr　Baildon　says　about　the　EBB…TIDE：


〃I　can　compare　his　next　book；　the　EBB…TIDE　（in　collaboration　with　　Osbourne）　to　little　better　than　a　mud…bath；　for　we　find　ourselves；　　as　it　were；　unrelieved　by　dredging　among　the　scum　and　dregs　of　　humanity；　the　'white　trash'　of　the　Pacific。　　Here　we　have　　Stevenson's　masterly　but　utterly　revolting　incarnation　of　the　　lowest；　vilest；　vulgarest　villainy　in　the　cockney；　Huish。　　　Stevenson's　other　villains　shock　us　by　their　cruel　and　wicked　　conduct；　but　there　is　a　kind　of　fallen　satanic　glory　about　them；　　some　shining　threads　of　possible　virtue。　　They　might　have　been　　good；　even　great　in　goodness；　but　for　the　malady　of　not　wanting。　　　But　Huish　is　a　creature　hatched　in　slime；　his　soul　has　no　true　　humanity：　　it　is　squat　and　toad…like；　and　can　only　spit　venom。　。　。　　。　He　himself　felt　a　sort　of　revulsive　after…sickness　for　the　story；　　and　calls　it　in　one　passage　of　his　VAILIMA　LETTERS　'the　ever…to…be…　execrated　EBB…TIDE'　（pp。　　178　and　184）。　。　。　。　He　repented　of　it　　like　a　debauch；　and；　as　with　some　men　after　a　debauch；　felt　cleared　　and　strengthened　instead　of　wrecked。　　So；　after　what　in　one　sense　　was　his　lowest　plunge；　Stevenson　rose　to　the　greatest　height。　　That　　is　the　tribute　to　his　virtue　and　strength　indeed；　but　it　does　not　　change　the　character　of　the　EBB…TIDE　as　'the　ever…to…be…　execrated。'〃


Mr　Baildon　truly　says　（p。　49）：


〃The　curious　point　is　that　Stevenson's　own　great　fault；　that　　tendency　to　what　has　been　called　the　'Twopence…coloured'　style；　is　　always　at　its　worst　in　books　over　which　he　collaborated。〃

〃Verax；〃　in　one　of　his　〃Occasional　Papers〃　in　the　DAILY　NEWS　on　　〃The　Average　Reader〃　has　this　passage：

〃We　should　not　object　to　a　writer　who　could　repeat　Barrie　in　A　　WINDOW　IN　THRUMS；　nor　to　one　who　would　paint　a　scene　as　Louis　　Stevenson　paints　Attwater　alone　on　his　South　Sea　island；　the　　approach　of　the　pirates　to　the　harbour；　and　their　subsequent　　reception　and　fate。　　All　these　are　surely　specimens　of　brilliant　　writing；　and　they　are　brilliant　because；　in　the　first　place；　they　　give　truth。　　The　events　described　must；　in　the　supposed　　circumstances；　and　with　the　given　characters；　have　happened　in　the　　way　stated。　　Only　in　none　of　the　specimens　have　we　a　mere　　photograph　of　the　outside　of　what　took　place。　　We　have　great　　pictures　by　genius　of　the　…　to　the　prosaic　eye　…　invisible　　realities；　as　well　as　of　the　outward　form　of　the　actions。　　We　　behold　and　are　made　to　feel　the　solemnity；　the　wildness；　the　　pathos；　the　earnestness；　the　agony；　the　pity；　the　moral　squalor；　　the　grotesque　fun；　the　delicate　and　minute　beauty；　the　natural　　loveliness　and　loneliness；　the　quiet　desperate　bravery；　or　whatever　　else　any　of　these　wonderful　pictures　disclose　to　our　view。　　Had　we　　been　lookers…on；　we；　the　average　readers；　could　not　have　seen　these　　qualities　for　ourselves。　　But　they　are　there；　and　genius　enables　us　　to　see　them。　　Genius　makes　truth　shine。

〃Is　it　not；　therefore；　probable　that　the　brilliancy　which　we　　average　readers　do　not　want；　and　only　lau