Robert Louis Stevenson Memorial - Cornish, NH
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neoc1
N 43° 30.074 W 072° 22.062
18T E 712806 N 4819844
A relief art memorial for Robert Louis Stevenson is located in the New Gallery at the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site in Cornish, NH.
Waymark Code: WMHP04
Location: New Hampshire, United States
Date Posted: 07/29/2013
Views: 1
Robert Louis Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist, and travel writer. His is most famous for his novels Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He also produced an extensive collection of poems.
Complete list of poems by Robert Louis Stevenson
Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Robert Louis Stevenson were close friends. When Stevenson died in 1894 Saint-Gaudens produced a bronze relief memorial for St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. The plaster cast for this memorial is located at the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site.
A large rectangular plaster relief about 7' wide by 6' high depicts Stevenson reclining on a lounge chair. A blanket wrapped around his legs. He holds a pen in his right hand and a sheet of paper on his knees. The relief has an upper and lower inscription.
Inscribed over the portrait:
GIVES GRACE AND STRENGTH TO FORBEAR AND TO PERSEVERE; 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 MAY BE BRAVE IN PERIL CONSTANT IN TRIBULATION, TEMPERATE IN WRATH, AND IN ALL CHANCES OF FORTUNE, AND DOWN TO THE GATES OF DEATH, LOYAL AND LOVING TO ONE ANOTHER.
Inscribed below the portrait:
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
BORN AT VIII HOWARD PLACE EDINBURGH, NOVEMBER XIII MDCCL DIED AT VAILIMA, ISLAND OF POLU, SAMOA DECEMBER II MDCCCXCIV. THIS MEMORIAL IS ERECTED IN HIS HONOUR BY READERS IN ALL QUARTERS OF THE WORLD, WHO ADMIRE HIM AS A MASTER OF ENGLISH AND SCOTTISH LETTERS, AND TO WHOM HIS CONSTANCY UNDER INFIRMATY AND SUFFERING, AND HIS SPIRIT OF MIRTH, COURAGE, AND LOVE, HAVE ENDEARED HIS NAME UNDER THE WIDE ANS STARRY SKY. DIG THE GRAVE AND LET ME LIE. THIS BE THE VERSE YOU GRAVE FOR ME HERE HE LIES WHERE HE LONGED TO BE. GLAD DID I LIVEAND GLADLY DIE, AND I LAID ME DOWNWITH A WILL HOME IS THE SAILOR, HOME FROM THE SEA, AND HUNTER HOME FROM THE HILL. (Image of a caravel}
A brass plaque to the right of the relief is inscribed:
Robert Louis Stevenson
Third version, for St. Giles Cathedral Edinburgh
Plaster, 1900-1903
Gift of Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York 1961
SAGA 936