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Memories and Portraits
by Robert Louis Stevenson
NOTE
THIS volume of papers； unconnected as they are； it will be better
to read through from the beginning； rather than dip into at random。
A certain thread of meaning binds them。 Memories of childhood and
youth； portraits of those who have gone before us in the battle …
taken together； they build up a face that 〃I have loved long since
and lost awhile；〃 the face of what was once myself。 This has come
by accident； I had no design at first to be autobiographical； I was
but led away by the charm of beloved memories and by regret for the
irrevocable dead； and when my own young face （which is a face of
the dead also） began to appear in the well as by a kind of magic； I
was the first to be surprised at the occurrence。
My grandfather the pious child； my father the idle eager
sentimental youth； I have thus unconsciously exposed。 Of their
descendant； the person of to…day； I wish to keep the secret： not
because I love him better； but because； with him； I am still in a
business partnership； and cannot divide interests。
Of the papers which make up the volume； some have appeared already
in THE CORNHILL； LONGMAN'S； SCRIBNER； THE ENGLISH ILLUSTRATED； THE
MAGAZINE OF ART； THE CONTEMPORARY REVIEW； three are here in print
for the first time； and two others have enjoyed only what may he
regarded as a private circulation。
R。 L S。
CONTENTS
I。 THE FOREIGNER AT HOME
II。 SOME COLLEGE MEMORIES
III。 OLD MORALITY
IV。 A COLLEGE MAGAZINE
V。 AN OLD SCOTCH GARDENER
VI。 PASTORAL
VII。 THE MANSE
VIII。 MEMORIES OF AN ISLET
IX。 THOMAS STEVENSON
X。 TALK AND TALKERS： FIRST PAPER
XI。 TALK AND TALKERS： SECOND PAPER
XII。 THE CHARACTER OF DOGS
XIII。 〃A PENNY PLAIN AND TWOPENCE COLOURED〃
XIV。 A GOSSIP ON A NOVEL OF DUMAS'S
XV。 A GOSSIP ON ROMANCE
XVI。 A HUMBLE REMONSTRANCE
CHAPTER I。 THE FOREIGNER AT HOME
〃This is no my ain house；
I ken by the biggin' o't。〃
Two recent books （1） one by Mr。 Grant White on England； one on
France by the diabolically clever Mr。 Hillebrand； may well have set
people thinking on the divisions of races and nations。 Such
thoughts should arise with particular congruity and force to
inhabitants of that United Kingdom； peopled from so many different
stocks； babbling so many different dialects； and offering in its
extent such singular contrasts； from the busiest over…population to
the unkindliest desert； from the Black Country to the Moor of
Rannoch。 It is not only when we cross the seas that we go abroad；
there are foreign parts of England； and the race that has conquered
so wide an empire has not yet managed to assimilate the islands
whence she sprang。 Ireland； Wales； and the Scottish mountains
still cling； in part； to their old Gaelic speech。 It was but the
other day that English triumphed in Cornwall； and they still show
in Mousehole； on St。 Michael's Bay； the house of the last Cornish…
speaking woman。 English itself； which will now frank the traveller
through the most of North America； through the greater South Sea
Islands； in India； along much of the coast of Africa； and in the
ports of China and Japan； is still to be heard； in its home
country； in half a hundred varying stages of transition。 You may
go all over the States； and … setting aside the actual intrusion
and influence of foreigners； negro； French； or Chinese … you shall
scarce meet with so marked a difference of accent as in the forty
miles between Edinburgh and Glasgow； or of dialect as in the
hundred miles between Edinburgh and Aberdeen。 Book English has
gone round the world； but at home we still preserve the racy idioms
of our fathers； and every county； in some parts every dale； has its
own quality of speech； vocal or verbal。 In like manner； local
custom and prejudice； even local religion and local law； linger on
into the latter end of the nineteenth century … IMPERIA IN IMPERIO；
foreign things at home。
In spite of these promptings to reflection； ignorance of his
neighbours is the character of the typical John Bull。 His is a
domineering nature； steady in fight； imperious to command； but
neither curious nor quick about the life of others。 In French
colonies； and still more in the Dutch； I have read that there is an
immediate and lively contact between the dominant and the dominated
race； that a certain sympathy is begotten； or at the least a
transfusion of prejudices； making life easier for both。 But the
Englishman sits apart； bursting with pride and ignorance。 He
figures among his vassal in the hour of peace with the same
disdainful air that led him on to victory。 A passing enthusiasm
for some foreign art or fashion may deceive the world； it cannot
impose upon his intimates。 He may be amused by a foreigner as by a
monkey； but he will never condescend to study him with any
patience。 Miss Bird； an authoress with whom I profess myself in
love； declares all the viands of Japan to be uneatable … a
staggering pretension。 So； when the Prince of Wales's marriage was
celebrated at Mentone by a dinner to the Mentonese； it was proposed
to give them solid English fare … roast beef and plum pudding； and
no tomfoolery。 Here we have either pole of the Britannic folly。
We will not eat the food of any foreigner； nor； when we have the
chance； will we eager him to eat of it himself。 The same spirit
inspired Miss Bird's American missionaries； who had come thousands
of miles to change the faith of Japan； and openly professed their
ignorance of the religions they were trying to supplant。
I quote an American in this connection without scruple。 Uncle Sam
is better than John Bull； but he is tarred with the English stick。
For Mr。 Grant White the States are the New England States and
nothing more。 He wonders at the amount of drinking in London； let
him try San Francisco。 He wittily reproves English ignorance as to
the status of women in America； but has he not himself forgotten
Wyoming？ The name Yankee； of which he is so tenacious； is used
over the most of the great Union as a term of reproach。 The Yankee
States； of which he is so staunch a subject； are but a drop in the
bucket。 And we find in his book a vast virgin ignorance of the
life and prospects of America； every view partial； parochial； not
raised to the horizon； the moral feeling proper； at the largest； to
a clique of states； and the whole scope and atmosphere not
American； but merely Yankee。 I will go far beyond him in
reprobating the assumption and the incivility of my countryfolk to
their cousins from beyond the sea； I grill in my blood over the
silly rudeness of our newspaper articles； and I do not know where
to look when I find myself in company with an American and see my
countrymen unbending to him as to a performing dog。 But in the
case of Mr。 Grant White example were better than precept。 Wyoming
is； after all； more readily accessible to Mr。 White than Boston to
the English； and the New England self…sufficiency no better
justified than the Britannic。
It is so； perhaps； in all countries； perhaps in all； men are most
ignorant of the foreigners at home。 John Bull is ignorant of the
States； he is probably ignorant of India； but considering his
opportunities； he is far more ignorant of countries nearer his own
door。 There is one country； for instance … its frontier not so far
from London； its people closely akin； its language the same in all
essentials with the English … of which I will go bail he knows
nothing。 His ignorance of the sister kingdom cannot be described；
it can only be illustrated by anecdote。 I once travelled with a
man of plausible manners and good intelligence … a University man；
as the phrase goes … a man； besides； who had taken his degree in
life and knew a thing or two about the age we live in。 We were
deep in talk； whirling between Peterborough and London； among other
things； he began to describe some piece of legal injustice he had
recently encountered； and I observed in my innocence that things
were not so in Scotland。 〃I beg your pardon；〃 said he； 〃this is a
matter of law。〃 He had never heard of the Scots law； nor did he
choose to be informed。 The law was the same for the whole country；
he told me roundly； every child knew that。 At last； to settle
matters； I explained to him that I was a member of a Scottish legal
body； and had stood the brunt of an examination in the very law in
question。 Thereupon he looked me for a moment full in the face and
dropped the conversation。 This is a monstrous instance； if you
like； but it does not stand alone in the experience of Scots。
England and Scotland differ； indeed； in law； in history； in
religion； in education