"Memories and Portraits" by Robert Louis Stevenson is a collection of autobiographical essays written in the early 20th century. This volume brings together reflections on both personal memories from his youth and sketches of various characters and places that have enriched his life, providing readers with a tapestry of nostalgia and insight into his formative years and the people who shaped them. At the start of the book, Stevenson introduces the theme of immigration and cultural difference, reflecting on his experience as a Scot navigating the complexities of English society. He shares poignant and comedic observations about the English sense of superiority, their ignorance of other cultures, especially the Scottish, and the significance of language and regional identity. Through this lens, Stevenson also reminisces about his childhood memories and captures vivid encounters with individuals, such as a Scottish gardener and various college friends. This opening age sets the tone for a deeply introspective journey through the joys and challenges of his formative experiences, revealing the interplay between the past and present as he reflects on personal and societal themes. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
The foreigner at home -- Some college memories -- Old mortality -- A college magazine -- An old Scotch gardener -- Pastoral -- The manse -- Memoirs of an islet -- Thomas Stevenson -- Talk and talkers: first paper -- Talk and talkers: second paper -- The character of dogs -- "A penny plain and twopence coloured" -- A gossip on a novel of Dumas's -- A gossip on romance -- A humble remonstrance.
Credits
Transcribed from the 1912 Chatto and Windus edition by David Price
