Little Novels (1887): Novels

Wilkie Collins

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William Wilkie Collins (8 January 1824 - 23 September 1889) was an English novelist, playwright, and short story writer, best known for The Woman in White (1859), No Name (1862), Armadale (1866) and The Moonstone (1868). The last has been called the first modern English detective novel. Born to the family of painter William Collins in London, he grew up in Italy and France, learning French and Italian.'Miss Morris and the Stranger' ('How I Married Him')Originally published as 'How I Married Him' in The Spirit of the Times, 24 December 1881 and Belgravia, January 1882.Nancy Morris, a shopkeeper's daughter from Sandwich, becomes a governess with the help of a benefactor, Sir Gervase Damian. One day she helps a stranger whose advances she gently rebuffs, only to meet him again when she takes a new position in the North. Sir Gervase leaves Nancy £70,000 which she renounces in favour of the only other heir, his nephew. He turns out to be the stranger, Sextus Sax, who refuses the fortune until Nancy, in a Leap Year, proposes that he should accept both her and the money.'Mr Cosway and the Landlady' ('Your Money or Your Life')Originally published as 'Your Money or Your Life' in the Belgravia Annual, Christmas 1881; the People's Library, 17 December 1881; and in The Seaside Library (vol. 57, No 1164), 1881. Collins acknowledged that the first part of the story where the landlady forces her young creditor into marriage was taken from Lockhart's The Life of Sir Walter Scott (1825).When Edwin Cosway hears that the wife he was tricked into marrying has died, he falls in love with Adela Restall. Her father objects and their elopement is foiled by the malicious Miss Benshaw who turns out to be Edwin's wife with her name changed to inherit the family fortune. She is drowned and her will leaves half a million pounds to Adela provided that she does not marry Edwin, a condition that Adela happily ignores.'Mr Medhurst and the Princess' ('Royal Love')Originally published as 'Royal Love' in Longman's Magazine, Christmas 1884.Ernest Medhurst is unwittingly caught up in a minor political intrigue while second secretary to a small German Court. The Princess falls in love with him and to avoid the possibility of scandal affecting her forthcoming marriage her father ensures that Medhurst is duped into leaving the country. This ultimately works to Medhurst's advantage as he then marries Jeanne, the daughter of his old singing master.'Mr Lismore and the Widow' ('She Loves and Lies')Originally published as 'She Loves and Lies' in The Spirit of the Times, 22 December 1883; and in Tales from Many Sources, vol 4, 1885. Collins presented the manuscript of the story to A. P. Watt in January 1884. Ernest Lismore is in financial difficulties. In return for a token marriage, he is offered help by the elderly Mrs Callender whom years before he saved from a fire. Lismore eventually agrees and they live abroad as mother and son until he meets an attractive girl in an art gallery. Forced to decide between the girl and his wife, he chooses the older woman only to find they are one and the same person. The artifice was to ensure that Lismore loves her rather than her money....

Book Details

Publisher: Independently Published
Publish Date: Feb 8th, 2019
Pages: 246
Language: English
Edition: undefined - undefined
Dimensions: 10.00in - 8.00in - 0.52in - 1.09lb
EAN: 9781796422252
Categories: • General