Page:Cartoon portraits and biographical sketches of men of the day.djvu/138



subject of our cartoon, Mr. Wilkie Collins, is one of the most successful novel writers of the day.

He is the eldest son of the late Mr. W. Collins, R.A., an artist of great ability in the delineation of rustic landscapes. Mr. Wilkie Collins was born in London in the year 1824, and received his education at a private school. He was associated with the late Charles Dickens in the celebrated amateur performances at Tavistock House. In 1859-60, his famous story of 'The Woman in White' appeared in 'All the Year Round.'

Besides 'The Woman in White,' Mr. Collins is the author of the following works of fiction: 'The Queen of Hearts,' 'No Name,' 'The Moonstone,' 'My Miscellanies,' 'Mr. Wray's Cash Box; or the Mask and the Mystery: a Christmas Sketch,' 'Man and Wife,' 'Poor Miss Finch', 'Miss or Mrs.,' 'Hide and Seek,' 'The Dead Secret,' 'Basil: a Story of Modern Life,' 'Armadale,' 'Antonina; or the Fall of Rome,' 'After Dark;' and he was, jointly with Charles Dickens, the author of two of the Christmas stories published as supplementary numbers of 'All the Year Round.'

He has written also a life of his father, Mr. W. Collins. R.A., published in 1848, entitled 'Memoirs of the Life of William Collins, with Selections from his Journal and Correspondence;' and a book of sketches called 'Rambles beyond Railways; or Notes in Cornwall taken a-Foot.'

As a writer of fiction, Mr. Collins is remarkable for the ingenuity of his plots, and for the air of mystery that he contrives to throw over commonplace events. He—in striking contrast to many writers of much greater eminence and merit—devotes the utmost care to keeping his story 'close together.' Everything in his books has a bearing on the issue of the plot. Not a window is opened, a door shut, or a nose blown, but, depend upon it, the act will have something to do with the end of the book. Yet no book of Mr. Collins's can compare in this respect with Scott's 'Bride of Lammer-