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Thursday 31 October 2013

Robert Louis Stevenson by the Water of Leith

A handsome new statue commemorating Robert Louis Stevenson was recently unveiled outside Colinton Parish Church (where Stevenson's grandfather was a church minister), very close to the Water of Leith.

There's an inscription on the statue taken from his essay collection, Memories and Portraits, which reads: “All through my boyhood and youth, I was known and pointed out for the pattern of an idler; and yet I was always busy on my own private end, which was to learn to write. I kept always two books in my pocket, one to read, one to write in.”


 On the churchyard wall behind the statue there's a map showing a Robert Louis Stevenson trail that you can follow round Colinton Village.

Meanwhile inside the churchyard there is a yew tree, where Stevenson had a swing when he was young.

You can read more about the statue on the Water of Leith Conservation trust website.

11 comments:

  1. He has always been very popular here in Italy, maybe one of my very ( few!) readings ( in Italian only it goes without saying ) in the first fifteen years of my life!

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  2. Happy Halloween!xx Speedy

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  3. It is a beautiful place to remember this wonderful author.

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  4. It's about time! Great work.

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  5. looking up
    from my book . . .
    windblown leaves

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  6. What a great sentiment. When I was on a tour in Scotland ten years ago, the guide pointed out an inn where he was supposed to have done some of his writing. I believe it was under a bridge near the Firth of Forth.

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  7. I have just read about Stevenson Juliet. I think you make far more of your writers in Scotland than we do down here - that is such a good thing.

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  8. Hi Juliet,

    A wonderful statue to a great Author. I liked that he had two books in his pocket, one to read and one to write in.
    Happy weekend
    hugs
    Carolyn

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  9. Anonymous8:39 am

    oh wonderful - good on him :)

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