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Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Author Biography

Robert Louis Stevenson was born inEdinburgh, Scotland, on November 13, 1850, to Thomas, a civil engineer, and Margaret Isabella (Balfour) Stevenson. He was six years old when he first displayed his literary talents during a competition against his cousins. After the competition, one of his uncles presented him with a prize for his history of Moses. At sixteen, his father published his first work, The Pentland Rising, an account of a 1666 rebellion by Covenanters. Both works had a religious focus, reflecting the influence of his parents. However, while attendingEdinburgh University, Stevenson denounced his Presbyterian upbringing and declared himself to be agnostic. His parents were further disappointed when he discarded his plans to become an engineer and spent a good deal of his time at the university exploring the brothels and pubs ofEdinburgh. During his university years, Stevenson gained a reputation for outrageous behavior and earned the name "Velvet Jacket"...
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