to Sidney Colvin

[Edinburgh, August 1877.]

MY DEAR COLVIN,—I’m to be whipped away to-morrow to Penzance, where at the post-office a letter will find me glad and grateful.  I am well, but somewhat tired out with overwork.  I have only been home a fortnight this morning, and I have already written to the tune of forty-five Cornhill pages and upwards.  The most of it was only very laborious re-casting and re-modelling, it is true; but it took it out of me famously, all the same.

Temple Bar appears to like my ‘Villon,’ so I may count on another market there in the future, I hope.  At least, I am going to put it to the proof at once, and send another story, ‘The Sire de Malétroit’s Mousetrap’: a true novel, in the old sense; all unities preserved moreover, if that’s anything, and I believe with some little merits; not so clever perhaps as the last, but sounder and more natural.

My ‘Villon’ is out this month; I should so much like to know what you think of it.  Stephen has written to me apropos of ‘Idlers,’ that something more in that vein would be agreeable to his views.  From Stephen I count that a devil of a lot.

I am honestly so tired this morning that I hope you will take this for what it’s worth and give me an answer in peace.—Ever yours,

Louis Stevenson.