. . .Island.”  He is an amateur of boyish pleasures of masterpieces at a penny plain and twopence coloured.  Probably he had looked at the stories of adventure in penny papers which only boys read, and he determined sportively to compete with their unknown authors.  “Treasure Island” came out in such a periodical, with the emphatic woodcuts which adorn them.  It is said that the puerile public was not greatly stirred.  A story is a story, and they rather preferred the regular purveyors.  The very faint archaism of the style may have alienated them.  But, when “Treasure Island” appeared as a real book, then every one who had a smack of youth left was a boy again for some happy hours.  Mr. Stevenson had entered into another province of his realm: the king had come to his own again.

They say the seamanship is inaccurate; I care no more than I do for the year 30.  They say too many people are killed.  They al. . . Read More