LDEST son of the late William Collins, R.A., the distinguished painter of rural life and coast scenery, was born in London in 1824. After being educated at a private school, and spending two years with his parents in Italy, he entered the office of a firm in the tea trade. Exchanging commerce for law, he was
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student of Lincoln’s Inn at the time of his father’s death, and his
earliest literary performance was an admirable biography of his father, with
selections from his journals and correspondence (1848). Mr. Collins now
devoted himself exclusively to literature, and published in succession:
“Antonina, or the Fall of Rome,” a romance of the fifth century;
“Rambles beyond Railways,” an account of a pedestrian tour he made in
Cornwall; “Basil,” a story of modern life; “Hide and Seek, or the
Mystery of Mary Grice;” “After Dark;” “The Dead Secret;” “The
Queen of Hearts;” “The Woman in White”(1860); “No Name;” “My
Miscellanies” (2 vols.
1863), being a collection of his contributions to periodical literature;
“Armadale;” “The Moonstone;” “Man and Wife ;“ “Poor Miss
Finch,” a domestic story; “Miss or Mrs ?” “The New Magdalen;”
“The Law and the Lady;” “The Two Destinies,” a romance; “The
Fallen Leaves;” “A Rogue’s Life from his Birth to his Marriage;”
“The Haunted Hotel,” a mystery of modern Venice; and “Jezebel’s
Daughter,” recently published. Many of Mr. Collins’s novels originally
appeared as serials in “Household Words,” “All the Year Round,”
“The Cornhill Magazine,” and other periodicals. His principal works have
passed through several editions, both in this country and the United States,
and have been translated into French, Italian, German, Dutch, Danish, and
Russian. He is a member of the Guild of Literature and Art, and took a
prominent part in the amateur performances which were got up for its
benefit. He wrote the “Lighthouse,” a drama, first played in private at
Tavistock House, and afterwards produced at the Olympic Theatre. In 1857 his
unpublished drama, entitled “The Frozen Deep,” was first produced at
Tavistock House; Mr. Dickens and other amateurs performing it with great
success. It was afterwards brought out with the same cast at the Gallery of
Illustration, for the benefit of the “Jerrold Fund;” the Queen having
previously witnessed a private representation at that place. Dramatic
versions, by Mr. Collins himself, of “The Moonstone,” “Man and
Wife,” “The Woman in White,” “Armadale,” and “The New
Magdalen,” have been performed in England, in the United States, and on
the Continent of Europe. About seven years ago Mr. Collins visited the
United States, where he gave public readings from his works in the principal
cities.
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