Date of Birth: January 8, 1824
Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
Date of Death: September 23, 1889
Biography
William Wilkie Collins was an influential English novelist, playwright, and short story writer, best known for his pioneering works in the mystery and detective fiction genres. Born in London, Collins was the son of the noted landscape painter William Collins. Despite a somewhat rocky start in life, including a brief stint in the tea trade, Collins eventually found his calling in literature. He began writing in the early 1850s and quickly established himself as a prominent figure in the literary world. His most famous works include “The Woman in White” (1859), which is often considered one of the first mystery novels, and “The Moonstone” (1868), which is frequently cited as the first modern English detective novel. Collins was a close friend and collaborator of Charles Dickens, and his works often appeared in Dickens’s periodicals. Collins’s life was marked by both professional success and personal challenges. He never married but maintained long-term relationships with two women, Caroline Graves and Martha Rudd, with whom he had children. Despite suffering from various health issues, including gout, Collins continued to write prolifically until his death in 1889.
5 Interesting Facts about Wilkie Collins
1. Wilkie Collins was named after his father, William Collins, a well-known landscape artist.
2. “The Moonstone” is considered by many to be the first modern English detective novel.
3. Collins suffered from gout and became addicted to laudanum, an opium-based painkiller.
4. He wrote over 30 novels, more than 50 short stories, at least 15 plays, and over 100 non-fiction pieces.
5. Collins never married but maintained long-term relationships with two women, Caroline Graves and Martha Rudd.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Wilkie Collins
1. “The best men are not consistent in good—why should the worst men be consistent in evil?”
2. “Nothing in this world is hidden forever.”
3. “I have always maintained that the surest way to win love is to ask for it.”
4. “The horrid mystery hanging over us in this house gets into my head like liquor, and makes me wild.”
5. “It is the nature of truth to struggle to the light.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
At the peak of his career, Wilkie Collins’s net worth was estimated to be approximately £10,000, a significant sum in the 19th century.
Children
Wilkie Collins had three children with Martha Rudd: Marian, Harriet, and William Charles.
Relevant Links
1. [Wikipedia: Wilkie Collins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilkie_Collins
2. [Biography on Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Wilkie-Collins
3. [The Wilkie Collins Website](http://www.wilkie-collins.info/
5. [The Moonstone – Full Text](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/155
