Thereisanindescribableairofdistinction，whichis，andisnot，oneandthesamethingwithstyle，breathingfromallhisworks。
Evenwhenheisleastinspired，hisbearingandgaitcouldneverbemistakenforanotherman’s。Allthathewritesisremovedbythewidthofthespheresfromthepossibilityofcommonplace，andheavoidsmostofthesnaresandpitfallsofgeniuswithnobleandunconsciousskill。
Ifheeverfellintooneofthese—whichmayperhapsbedoubted—
itwasthroughtooimplicitaconfidenceinthepowersofstyle。
HisopenlettertotheRev。Dr。HydeinvindicationofFatherDamienisperhapshisonlyliterarymistake。Itisamatchlesspieceofscornandinvective，notinferiorinskilltoanythingheeverwrote。Butthatitwaswelldoneisnoproofthatitshouldhavebeendoneatall。’IrememberUzzahandamafraid，’saidthewiseErasmus，whenhewasurgedtoundertakethedefenceofHolyChurch；’itisnoteveryonewhoispermittedtosupporttheArkoftheCovenant。’AndtheonlydisquietudesuggestedbyStevenson’sletterisadoubtwhetherhereallyhasaclaimtobeFatherDamien’sdefender，whetherFatherDamienhadneedoftheassistanceofaliteraryfreelance。TheSaintwhowasbitteninthehandbyaserpentshookitoffintothefireandstoodunharmed。AsitwasintheMediterraneansoitwasalsointhePacific，andthereissomethingofficiousintheintrusionofaspectator，somethingirrelevantintheplentifulpronounsofthefirstpersonsingulartobefoundsprinkledoverStevenson’sletter。ThecursespokeninEden，’Uponthybellyshaltthougo，anddustshaltthoueatallthedaysofthylife，’surelycoveredbyanticipationthecaseoftheRev。Dr。Hyde。