Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-09-26

LONDON, Sept. 23.-Wilkie Collins,
the novelist, who has been seriously i'll
for some time, died to-day. Probably
no English writer of to-day Is more IA
nous than Wilkie Collins. His father
was a. celebrated painter of rustic scenes
and his mother was one Of a very dis
tinguished family of artists. William
Wnkie was, born in January, 1924,
and nature seems to have given
him as clear title to the genius OF his
ancestors as to their estates. He re-
ceived his education under the most COM
petent instruction in private school of
London, where the family resided, and
on completing his studies went on a trip
TO Italy with his parents. During the
two years of his stay abroad Will
kie, as he has since declared, re-
ceived the most valuable part of
his education. Upon their return,
and after considerable debate in the fam
lily circle, he was articled for four years
to a tea merchant, and Immediately set
to work in his office. He soon tired of
commercial life. 1t was not dull but its
liveliness was of a decidedly uninteTest-
ing and prosaic kind. He thought upon
the whole he had rather be a lawyer, and
entered Lincoln s Inn as a student. He
plunged into the law with great
vigOr, but like a man who pIInges
under the water, he soon ascertained
that he was out of his element and was
not at all contented to remain there. In
the cosy retreat of that old court Inn he
began to try his pen in short tales, which
were frequently published in some Of the
small periodicals of the city. In about
six weeks he gave up the study of law
but remained nominaIly a student at
Lincoln $ Inn, writing q serial. The
story was soon completed, but the young
author, like other young authors, failed
to find anyone who was willing to pub
lish his first ambitious effort. He set
about rewriting the story, changed the
scene to Rome and in 1850, it was pub
lished as, ''Antonina, or the Fall of
Rome. - 1t had good sale and evoked
the most favorable criticism.
William Collins, the painter, died in
IS41EPnd the next year his biography
aRpsared, written by his son Wilkie. 1t
WIS "A manly production, alive with the
fresh fire and yigor of young writer.
sf1'he Woman in White, - which is prob
ANY the best story he has ever written,
WIS pubafshed III 1860; No Name in
lSe24 fSArmadal III 1866, ''The New
Magdalen - in 1873, ''The Law and the
Lady, in 1875, and 1.-The Black Robe''
in 1881. He has also contributed fire.
queutIy TO Household Words and other
weU-known periodicals.
Willlie Collins was the most cherished
friend of Charles Dickens, to whom he
was related by marriage. Almost every
dav when they were both in London this
distinguished couple might be seen walk
Ing arm-in-arm along the Strand or sit
ting tete tete oyer chops and coffee in
Verrey 5 restaurant on Regent street.
Dickens enjoyed quite a reputation as an
amateur actor in London, and was par
ticularly clever in the dramas of his
friend Collins. ''The Light House, -
undoubtedly the best play that Willlie
Collins ever attempted to write, was
acted in Dickens private house, and
also at Camden house, Kensington.
Dickens was the light house keeper and
his sister-in-law, Miss Hogarth, played
leading business with him. This is said
to have given rise to that domestic in
felicity which finally separated the great
novelist and his wife.
In the opinion of the best critics, VIII
lie Collins has never produced a really
great work, but al MS productions dis
play genius. He is a master manipu-
lator Of circumstances, and is most
skillful in developing plot.