The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson – Swanston Edition. Volume 23. Robert Louis Stevenson

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      5

      Aikman’s Annals of the Persecution in Scotland.

      6

      Thomas Stevenson.

      7

      See Scott himself, in the preface to the Author’s edition.

      8

      i. e. on his book, The Reign of Law.

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1

From 1876 to 1879 – see p. 185.

2

The point was one on which Stevenson himself felt strongly. In a letter of instructions to his wife found among his posthumous papers he writes: “It is never worth while to inflict pain upon a snail for any literary purpose; and where events may appear to be favourable to me and contrary to others, I would rather be misunderstood than cause a pang to any one whom I have known, far less whom I have loved.” Whether an editor or biographer would be justified in carrying out this principle to the full may perhaps be doubted.

3

It was the father who, from dislike of a certain Edinburgh Lewis, changed the sound and spelling of his son’s second name to Louis (spoken always with the “s” sounded), and it was the son himself who about his eighteenth year dropped the use of his third name and initial altogether.

4

See a paper on R. L. Stevenson in Wick, by Margaret H. Roberton, in Magazine of Wick Literary Society, Christmas 1903.

5

Aikman’s Annals of the Persecution in Scotland.

6

Thomas Stevenson.

7

See Scott himself, in the preface to the Author’s edition.

8

i. e. on his book, The Reign of Law.