Father Damien was a Belgian, Roman Catholic Missionary who devoted his life to helping at a leper sanctuary in Hawaii. Eventually Father Damien would die of the illness more than twenty years after arriving at the sanctuary. This letter by Stevenson is in fact a response to the Reverend of Hawaii, who following Damien’s death began attacking his character, something Stevenson took huge problem with.
This letter is a beautiful example of the kind of soul Stevenson was, in this letter he refutes the reverend’s gross statements point by point. Stevenson targets the hypocrisy of the reverend, his lack of moral character and his failure in his spiritual duties. This letter is a potent moral statement stemming from a desire to be good and to do better.
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894), was an author with a formidable legacy. You will be hard pressed to find anyone alive today who has not come across his work in one form or another. The brilliant mind behind ‘Treasure Island’ and the ‘Strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’, has had a profound impact on every aspect of entertainment to this day with his brilliant creations. Despite dealing with ill health all his life he was a prolific traveller, spending his later years in Samoa where he fought vigorously for the rights of the natives, earning their love and respect. R.L Stevenson was a character in his own right, passionate and adventurous, his spirit shines through in his work, from his novels to his travel guides. You simply owe it to yourself to experience his creations, he was a true titan of literature on whose shoulders we all stand.