New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-06-28
DEATH OF G.. p. X. JAMES.

We announced the death Of Mr.. George Paine Rains
ford James, the novelist The TRIBUNE of yesterday.
Mr.. James was born in London in 1901. He was edu-
Gated at Greenwich in a school kept by French emf
grant and at the age of Is was sent to France where
he passed several years. While boy he manifested
decided literary tastes and in the habit of writing
small pieces in prose and verse for the amusement of
himself and his friends. He also became an anony-
NOUS contributor to the magazines. Some of his pro-
auctions having come under the notice of Washington
Irving, James was urged by him to attempt a work
of mo e importance. Thus encouraged he produced in
1922 life of Edward the Black Prince the first book
bearing his name. Previous to this, VIXEN but IL
years old he wrote collection Of Eastern stories
which were published under the title of the String Of
Pearls' in 1882. His first essay novelist, Richie
heu written in 1873, but not published until 1893,
showed the influence of Scotts historical romances
species of fiction which he thenceforth cultivated
almost exclusively 1t met with considerable success
and encouraged the author 10 pursue literary career,
a which indeed was rendered necessary BY the
death of the Earl of Liverpool friend of his father,
and whom his prospects greatly depended.
" Richelieu was followed by "Darnley' and DE
L'Ome" 1880, "Phlp Augustus' assn, Henry
MasteftOn' (lS,2), "Mary of Burgundy 1884, and
long list of other romanees coming down to the pres
ent time, in the composition Of which the author has
generally drawn his principal scenes and ncdentsfrom
history, alt ough he has given them a cooring not
always III dCcOTuhuCc WIFI IlbJOrlCdl uuIl however
well adapted to his purpose. In spite of monotony
of and repetition Of incident, his works have
been widely read in England and the United States,
and the earlier regarded as standard novels
The list of original works Of all descriptions published
under his amounts at present TO nearly so, in
over 1870 volumes, the last being "The Cavalier"
1852; instance of literary fecundity perhaps with
out parallel in any other author who has written the
English language II is said that his method of
position is by dctation TO an amanuensis Among his
works several volumes Of poetry, and many of
history and biography, includingthe History of Chiv
airy" and lives Of Charlemagne, Richard Cour de
Lion, Henry w. of France and Louis XIV, written
in popular style. In addition to these he has edited
a variety of miscellaneous works and has published
enough stories and articles in periodicals to ill or 10
volumes. In 1852 he wrote in conjunction with
Mr.. Maunsell b. Field Of New. York, novel entitled
Adrian the Clouds of the Mind" For very
brief period he held the position of historiographer Of
England by the appointment of William ". About
1850 he removed to the United States with his family
fixing his residence in Stockbridge, Berkshire County,
Mass. In 1852 he was appointed British Consul in
Norfolk, Va, where he rem aimed until his appoint
ment in 1853 TO be Consul at Venice. Among the
novels suggested by his experiences of American life
and history are Tconderoga" 1854 and "The Old
Dominion (lS56.) A collected edition of his works.
commencing in 1874, has been published in London,
and of nearly all his novels cheap reprints have APP
peared in the United States. The greater part of them
have been translated into German.