The Map of Treasure Island
In preparing "Treasure Island" for book publication Stevenson altered it a little. No member of the editorial staff who had to do with his books is left at the Yard, but some years ago a correspondent of the Academy wrote that the alterations were inconsiderable. "Here and there he struck out a paragraph, here and there added one. He softened down the boastfulness of Jim Hawkins's personal narrative, and Dr. Livesey, who was originally somewhat frivolous and familiar in his language, he made more staid, as became one of his own profession. In only one instance was a chapter heading altered—'At the Sign of the Spy Glass' being substituted for 'The Sea Cook.'"
One of the characters of the story was, in a sense, moulded from W. E. Henley, to whom Stevenson thus gaily confesses the sin: "I will now make a confession. It was the sight of your maimed strength and masterfulness that begot 'John Silver.' Of course, he is not in any other quality or feature the least like you; but the idea of the maimed man, ruling and dreaded by the sound, was entirely taken from you." There are still many in the House who remember the thump of Henley's crutches along the corridors, but the suggestion that Henley was "dreaded" is playfully aloof from truth.
Something must be said about the map that appears in "Treasure Island." No map was used in Young Folks, and it seems pretty certain that the one in the book was not done from the original sketch which Stevenson drew with such glee from young Lloyd Osbourne's rough outline, for there are those at La Belle Sauvage who remember a wordy storm which raged around its loss before it had been reproduced. Another was drawn, and the later destination of this second drawing was for long uncertain. Its existence, however, was traced in an unexpected manner. A few weeks before Christmas, 1915, a desire was expressed by a private person to secure and sell the map for the benefit of the Red Cross War Fund. Inquiries were made, but without success, among those still living who were associated with Stevenson's work, but on
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