to Andrew Lang

Vailima, Samoa, December 1, 1894.

MY DEAR LANG,—For the portrait of Braxfield, much thanks!  It is engraved from the same Raeburn portrait that I saw in ’76 or ’77 with so extreme a gusto that I have ever since been Braxfield’s humble servant, and am now trying, as you know, to stick him into a novel.  Alas! one might as well try to stick in Napoleon.  The picture shall be framed and hung up in my study.  Not only as a memento of you, but as a perpetual encouragement to do better with his Lordship.  I have not yet received the transcripts.  They must be very interesting.  Do you know, I picked up the other day an old Longman’s, where I found an article of yours that I had missed, about Christie’s?  I read it with great delight.  The year ends with us pretty much as it began, among wars and rumours of wars, and a vast and splendid exhibition of official incompetence.—Yours ever,

R. L. Stevenson.