Introduction

In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde the London lawyer Utterson finds that his old friend, the respected Dr Jekyll, has left his whole fortune by will to a man named Hyde, a small, sinister figure who arouses instinctive loathing in all who see him, who trampled a little girl one night and later savagely beat an old member of Parliament to death. Utterson investigates and at last learns the terrible truth from the confession Jekyll leaves behind: Jekyll has made a drug that separates the evil side of human nature and turns him into another man; but he is less and less able to control the change... Stevenson is said to have had the idea in a dream and written the first draft in three days. Treasure Island is the adventure of young Jim Hawkins, who sails in search of a pirate's treasure; the one-legged pirate Long John Silver is among the most unforgettable villains in literature. This volume contains both works.