WILLIAM WILKIE COLLINS, an English novelist, was born in London, January, 1824. His father, William Collins, was an eminent artist, and his mother was also talented in art. He was educated in a private school, then spent several years in Italy. For four years he was in the employ of a mercantile firm, but left this for the study of law. In 1848 he published "Memoirs of the Life of William Collins." In 1850 appeared his first novel,
"Antonina." Then followed "Rambles Beyond Railways," "Basil;" "Mr. Ray's Cash Box;" "Hide and Seek;" "After Dark;" "The Dead Secret;" "The Queen of Hearts;" "No Name;" "The Woman in White;" "My Miscellanies;" "Armadale;" "The Moonstone;" "Man and Wife;" "Poor Miss Finch;" "New Magdalen;" "The Law and the Lady;" "Two Destinies;" "The Haunted Hotel;" "The Fallen Leaves;" "Jezebel's Daughter," and "The Black Robe."
His novels are most skillfully written, entertaining, and absorbing. Many of them are translated into other languages. Always a hard worker, he continued his arduous literary labors, in spite of ill health, until within a short time previous to his death, which occurred in 1889. He was a great friend of Charles Dickens. His brother married Miss Kate Dickens, daughter of the novelist, in 1860.
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Great authors of 19th century literature >