Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great

Little Journeys to the Homes of
the Great,
by Elbert Hubbard

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Title: Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great, Vol. 13 Little Journeys
to the Homes of Great Lovers
Author: Elbert Hubbard
Release Date: November 12, 2007 [EBook #23458]
Language: English
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LITTLE JOURNEYS TO THE HOMES OF THE GREAT, VOLUME
13
Little Journeys to the Homes of Great Lovers
by
ELBERT HUBBARD
Memorial Edition
New York
1916.

CONTENTS
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON AND FANNY OSBOURNE JOSIAH
AND SARAH WEDGWOOD WILLIAM GODWIN AND MARY
WOLLSTONECRAFT DANTE AND BEATRICE JOHN STUART
MILL AND HARRIET TAYLOR PARNELL AND KITTY O'SHEA
PETRARCH AND LAURA DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI AND
ELIZABETH ELEANOR SIDDAL BALZAC AND MADAME
HANSKA FENELON AND MADAME GUYON FERDINAND
LASSALLE AND HELENE VON DONNIGES LORD NELSON
AND LADY HAMILTON

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON AND FANNY OSBOURNE
We thank Thee for this place in which we dwell; for the love that unites
us; for the peace accorded us this day; for the hope with which we
expect the morrow; for the health, the work, the food, and the bright
skies that make our lives delightful; for our friends in all parts of the
earth, and our friendly helpers in this foreign isle. Give us courage and
gaiety and the quiet mind. Spare to us our friends, soften to us our
enemies. Bless us, if it may be, in all our innocent endeavors. If it may

not, give us the strength to encounter that which is to come, that we be
brave in peril, constant in tribulation, temperate in wrath, and in all
changes of fortune, and down to the gates of death, loyal and loving
one to another.
--Vailima Prayers
[Illustration: ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON]
There is a libel leveled at the Scotch and encouraged, I am very sorry to
say, by Chauncey Depew, when he told of approaching the docks in
Glasgow and seeing the people on shore convulsed with laughter, and
was told that their mirth was the result of one of his jokes told the year
before, the point just being perceived.
Bearing on the same line we have the legend that the adage, "He laughs
best who laughs last," was the invention of a Scotchman who was
endeavoring to explain away a popular failing of his countrymen.
An adage seems to be a statement the reverse of which is true--or not.
In all the realm of letters, where can be found anything more
delightfully whimsical and deliciously humorous than James Barrie's
"Peter Pan"? And as a writer of exquisite humor, as opposed to English
wit, that other Scotchman, Robert Louis Stevenson, stands supreme.
To Robert Louis life was altogether too important a matter to be taken
seriously. The quality of fine fooling shown in the creation of a
mythical character called "John Libbel" remained with Stevenson to the
end of his days.
Stevenson never knew the value of money, because he was not brought
up to earn money. Very early he was placed on a small allowance,
which he found could be augmented by maternal embezzlements and
the kindly co-operation of pawnbrokers.
Once on a trip from home with his cousin he found they lacked just five
shillings of the required amount to pay their fare. They boarded the
train and paid as far as they could. The train stopped at Crewe fifteen

minutes for lunch. Lunch is a superfluity if you haven't the money to
pay for it--but stealing a ride in Scotland is out of the question. Robert
Louis hastily took a pair of new trousers from his valise and ran up the
main street of the town anxiously looking for a pawnshop. There at the
end of the thoroughfare he saw the three glittering, welcome balls. He
entered, out of breath, threw down the trousers and asked for five
shillings. "What name?" asked the pawnbroker. "John Libbel," was the
reply, given without thought. "How do you spell it?" "Two b's!"
He got the five shillings and hastened back to the station, where his
cousin Bob was anxiously awaiting him. Robert Louis did not have to
explain that his little run up the street was a financial success--that
much was understood. But what pleased him most was that he had
discovered a new man, a very important man,