E-TEXTS OF WORKS

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Many of Collins's books and stories are now available electronically. Always try to check which edition is being offered, though it is not always obvious or even known. Many are taken from later editions and US editions which may not be authoritative.

Novels
Publication dates are from the title page of the first edition in book form. Most were published earlier in periodicals or newspapers. Books published late in the year sometimes bore the date of the following year. The e-texts are usually from later editions.

1. Antonina First published 1850
   
2. Armadale First published 1866
   
3. Basil First published 1852
   
4. The Black Robe First published 1881
   
5. Blind Love First published 1889. Chapters 1-48 by Collins, rest completed by Walter Besant from Wilkie's notes. 
6. The Dead Secret first published 1856
   
7. The Evil Genius First published 1886
   
8. The Fallen Leaves First published 1879
   
9. The Guilty River First published 1886
   
10. The Haunted Hotel First published 1878
    
11. Heart and Science First published 1883
    
12. Hide and Seek First published 1854
    
13. "I Say No" First published 1884
    
14. Jezebel's Daughter First published 1880
    
15. The Law and The Lady First published 1875
    
16. The Legacy of Cain First published 1889
    
17. Man and Wife First published 1870
    
18. Miss or Mrs? First published 1873
    
19. The Moonstone First published 1868. Also available as a text or a zip file.
    
20. Mr Wray's Cash Box First published 1852
    
21. My Lady's Money First published as 'My Lady's Money. An episode in the life of a young girl' Illustrated London News LXXI Nos 2005-2006 Christmas 1877, and in book form with The Haunted Hotel 1879
22. The New Magdalen First published 1873
    
23. No Name First published 1862
    
24. Poor Miss Finch First published 1872
    
25. A Rogue's Life: from his birth to his marriage First published in book form 1879. Originally published as 'A Rogue's Life - written by Himself' in Household Words XIII 1-29 March 1856
    
26. The Two Destinies First published 1876
    
27. The Woman in White First published 1860. Also available as a text or a zip file.
    

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Collections of short stories

1. After Dark First published in this form 1856. The stories are linked by the story of Leah, itself a substantial story and each has a prologue. Collins's preface is also included.
   Contains the following separate stories
   1. Leaves from Leah's Diary First published After Dark 1856
   2. The Traveler's Story of "A Terribly Strange Bed" Originally published as 'A Terribly Strange Bed' Household Words V no.109 pp129-137 24 April 1852
   3. The Lawyer's Story of "A Stolen Letter" Originally published as 'The Fourth Poor Traveller' in 'The Seven Poor Travellers' Christmas Number of Household Words Christmas 1854 pp19-26. Also published as 'A Lawyer's Story' Harper's New Monthly Magazine X, no.57, 385-391 February 1855
   4. The French Governess's Story of "Sister Rose" Originally published as 'Sister Rose' in Household Words XI nos.263-266 7 - 28 April 1855
   5. The Angler's Story of "The Lady of Glenwith Grange" First published After Dark 1856
   6. The Nun's Story of "Gabriel's Marriage" Originally published as 'Gabriel's Marriage' Household Words VII nos.160-161 16-23 April 1853
   7. The Professor's Story of "The Yellow Mask" Originally published as 'The Yellow Mask' in Household Words XI, nos.276-279, 7-28 July 1855
       
2. Little Novels First published in this form 1887
   Contains
   1. Miss Bertha and the Yankee First published as 'The Duel in Herne Wood' in Spirit of the Times 22 December 1877
      
   2. Mr. Cosway and the Landlady First published as 'Your Money or Your Life' People's Library 17 December 1881
      
   3. Mr. Captain and the Nymph First published as 'The Captain's Last Love' in The Spirit of the Times 23 December 1878 and in Belgravia January 1877. Reprinted in Little Novels 1887
      
   4. Miss Dulane and My Lord First published as 'An Old Maid's Husband' in Belgravia Annual Christmas 1887 and in Spirit of the Times 25 December 1886
      
   5. Miss Jéromette and the Clergyman First published in Canadian Monthly August-September 1875 and reprinted in Little Novels 1887
      
   6. Mr. Lepel and the Housekeeper First published as 'The Girl at the Gate Spirit of the Times 6 December 1884 and The English Illustrated Magazine January and February 1885
      
   7. Mr. Lismore and the Widow First published as 'She Loves and Lies' in Spirit of the Times 22 December 1883
      
   8. Mr. Marmaduke and the Minister First published as 'The Mystery of Marmaduke' in Spirit of the Times 28 December 1878 and reprinted in Little Novels 1887
      
   9. Mr. Medhurst and the Princess First published as 'Royal Love' in Longman's Magazine Christmas 1884 and reprinted in Little Novels 1887
      
   10. Miss Mina and the Groom First published as 'A Shocking Story' Barnes' International Review November-December 1878 and reprinted in Little Novels 1887
       
   11. Miss Morris and the Stranger First published as 'How I Married Him' in Belgravia Annual 1882 and in Spirit of the Times 24 December 1881.
       
   12. Mr. Percy and the Prophet First published as 'Percy and the Prophet' in All The Year Round New Series, extra summer number, Summer 1877.
       
   13. Mr. Policeman and the Cook First published as 'Who Killed Zebedee' in Spirit of the Times 25 December 1880
       
   14. Mrs. Zant and the Ghost First published as 'The Ghost's Touch' in Harper's Weekly 23 October 1885
       
       
3. The Queen of Hearts First published in this form 1859. Ten stories with a linking narrative. Includes Collins's dedication to Emile Forgues. The e-text here is arranged in two parts - clicking on any of the first five stories brings up the first half of the book. Clicking on any of the last five brings up the second half of it.
   Contains
   1. Brother Owen's Story of The Black Cottage First published as 'The Siege of the Black Cottage' Harper's New Monthly Magazine XVI No.81 pp334-341 February 1857
      
   2. Brother Griffith's Story of The Family Secret First published as 'Uncle George or The Family Mystery' National Magazine I No.1 pp10-15 November 1856
      
   3. Brother Morgan's Story of The Dream Woman First published in a slightly different form as 'The Ostler' in 'Holly Tree Inn' the extra Christmas number of Household Words pp9-18 Christmas 1855. Republished in expanded versions as 'The Dream Woman: A Mystery in Four Narratives' in The Frozen Deep and other Stories, London 1874 and as the title story in Alicia Warlock, (A Mystery) and Other Stories, Boston 1875.
      
   4. Brother Griffith's Story of Mad Monkton First published as 'The Monktons of Wincott Abbey' Fraser's Magazine LII Nos.311-312 November-December 1855. This story was originally written in 1853 for Household Words but Dickens rejected it because of its theme of hereditary madness.
      
   5. Brother Morgan's Story of The Dead Hand First published as 'The Doctor's Story' part of 'The Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices' which was written jointly with Charles Dickens in Household Words XVI No.394 pp340-349 10 October 1857
      
   6. Brother Griffith's Story of The Biter Bit First published as 'Who is the Thief?' in The Atlantic Monthly I No.6 pp706-722 April 1858
      
   7. Brother Owen's Story of The Parson's Scruple First published as 'A New Mind' Household Words XIX No.458 pp.107-114
      
   8. Brother Griffith's Story of A Plot in Private Life First published as 'A Marriage Tragedy' in Harper's New Monthly Magazine XVI No.93 pp.334-357 February 1858
      
   9. Brother Morgan's Story of Fauntleroy First published as 'A Paradoxical Experience' in Household Words XVIII No.451 pp.516-522 13 November 1858
      
   10. Brother Owen's Story of Anne Rodway First published as 'The Diary of Anne Rodway' Household Words XIV Nos.330-331 19, 26 July 1856
       

Separate Short Stories

1. The Biter Bit First published as 'Who is the Thief' Atlantic Monthly, I, April 1858
   
2. The Black Cottage First published as 'The Siege of the Black Cottage' in Harper's New Monthly Magazine XIV pp334-341, February 1857 and in an amended form in The Queen of Hearts 1859.
   
3. Blow Up With the Brig! First published as 'The Ghost in the Cupboard Room' in 'The Haunted House' All The Year Round Christmas 1859
   
4. Brother Morgan's Story of the Dream Woman First published in this form in The Queen of Hearts 1859. The story also appeared in an earlier form as 'The Ostler' in Holly Tree Inn the Christmas number of Household Words 1855 and in an expanded form as The Dream Woman: a Mystery in four narratives' in The Frozen Deep and other stories 1874.
   
5. The Dead Alive First published as 'John Jago's Ghost' The Home Journal 27 December 1873
   
6. The Dead Hand First published in 'The Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices', chapter II Household Words XVI pp340-349 10 October 1857 and in The Queen of Hearts 1859
   
7. The Devil's Spectacles First published Spirit of the Times 20 December 1879. Also as 'The Magic Spectacles' in The Seaside Library June 1880.
8. The Dream Woman First published as 'The Ostler' in 'Holly Tree Inn' the extra Christmas number of Household Words pp9-18 Christmas 1855. This version is taken from the expanded version, worked out for Wilkie's American tour in 1873 and first published as 'The Dream Woman: A Mystery in Four Narratives' in The Frozen Deep and other Stories, London 1874 and as the title story in Alicia Warlock, (A Mystery) and Other Stories, Boston 1875. This version is contained in a longer text of Stories by Modern English Authors
9. A Fair Penitent First published in Household Words XVI July 1857.
10. The Family Secret First published as 'Uncle George or the Family Mystery' in The National Magazine I, November 1856 (NB some bibliographies cite this wrongly) reprinted in The Queen of Hearts 1859 as 'Brother Griffith's Story of The Family Secret'
    
11. Farmer Fairweather First published Youth's Companion LIX 19 August 1886 and in Boy's Own Paper 26 February 1887
12. The Fatal Cradle First published as 'Picking up Waifs at Sea' in 'Tom Tiddler's Ground' All The Year Round Christmas 1861
13. A Fatal Fortune First published All The Year Round New Series XIII, 17-24 October 1874
    
14. Fie! Fie! or The Fair Physician First published in Spirit of the Times 23 December 1882 and in Pictorial World Christmas Supplement December 1882
15. The First Officer's Confession First published Spirit of the Times 24 December 1887
16. The Frozen Deep First published Temple Bar XLII August-October 1874
    
17. The Hidden Cash First published Youth's Companion LX, 21 April 1887
18. The Lady of Glenwith Grange First published as 'The Angler's Story of the Lady of Glenwith Grange' in After Dark 1856.
    
19. The Last Stage Coachman First published Illuminated Magazine I August 1843 pp209-211
20. Love's Random Shot First published Seaside Library 12 February 1884
21. The Midnight Mass (a translation of Balzac's 'Une Épisode sous la Terreur') First published Bentley's Miscellany XXXI June 1852
    
22. Nine O'Clock! First Published Bentley's Miscellany XXXII August 1852
23. A Passage in the Life of Mr. Perugino Potts First published Bentley's Miscellany XXXI February 1852
24. The Poetry Did It First published Spirit of the Times 26 December 1885 and in English Illustrated Magazine XXVIII January 1886
25. A Sad Death and a Brave Life First published Youth's Companion LIX 16 December 1886 and in Boy's Own Paper 23 October 1886
26. A Terribly Strange Bed First published Household Words V 24 April 1852
    
27. The Twin Sisters First Published Bentley's Miscellany XXIX March 1851

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Plays

Wilkie Collins wrote a least 13 plays, many based on his own books. The texts of these plays are very hard to find in printed form. Five are now available in e-texts.

1. Black and White - a Love Story First performed 29 March 1869 at the Adelphi Theatre
2. The Moonstone First performed 17 September 1877 at the Olympic Theatre
3. No Name First published 1863. Written by Bayle Bernard with WC's approval but never performed in England.
4. No Thoroughfare First performed 26 December 1867 at the Adelphi Theatre
5. The Woman in White First performed 9 October 1871 at the Olympic Theatre

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Non-fiction

Collection
Only one collection of Collins's non-fiction was published during his life. My Miscellanies, 1863. It contained 25 essays drawn from his work for Household Words and All The Year Round together with a preface. A US version was published in 1874 in New York by Harper and a second edition was published in London in 1875, omitting one of the essays.

My Miscellanies 1863
    Contains

1. Preface First published in My Miscellanies 1863
2. The Bachelor Bedroom First published in All The Year Round 6 August 1859 I 355-360
3. Bold Words by a Bachelor First published in Household Words 13 December 1856 XIV 505-507
4. The Cauldron of Oil First published in All The Year Round 11 May 1861 V 162-168
5. Douglas Jerrold First published in Household Words 5 February 1859 XIX 217-222
6. Dramatic Grub Street First published in Household Words 6 March 1858 XVII 265-270
7. Give us Room! First published in Household Words 13 February 1858 XVII 193-196
8. The Great (Forgotten) Invasion First published in Household Words 12 March 1859 XIX 337-341
9. A Journey in Search of Nothing First published in Household Words 5 September 1857 XVI 217-223
10. Laid up in Lodgings First published in Household Words 7 &14 June 1856 481-486 & 517-523
11. Memoirs of an Adopted Son First published in All The Year Round 24 April 1861 V 90-96
12. Mrs Badgery First published in Household Words 26 September 1857 XVI 289-293
13. Mrs Bullwinkle First published in Household Words 17 April 1858 XVII 409-411
14. My Black Mirror First published in Household Words 6 September 1856 XIV 169-175
15. My Spinsters First published in Household Words 23 August 1856 XIV 121-126
16. Portrait of an author, painted by his publisher First published in All The Year Round 18 & 25 June 1859 184-189 & 205-210
17. Pray Employ Major Namby! First published in All The Year Round 4 June 1859 I 136-141
18. A Queen's Revenge First published in Household Words 15 August 1857 XVI 156-162
19. A Petition to the Novel-Writers First published in Household Words 6 December 1856 XIV 481-485
20. The Poisoned Meal First published in Household Words 18, 25 September & 2 October 1858 XVIII 313-318, 347-352, & 380-384
21. A Remarkable Revolution First published in Household Words 1 August 1857 XVI 100-104
22. Save Me From My Friends First published in Household Words 16 January 1858 XVII 97-102
23. A Shockingly Rude Article First published in Household Words 28 August 1858 XVIII 241-245
24. Talk-Stoppers First published in Household Words 25 October 1856 XIV 337-342
25. To Think or Be Thought For First published in Household Words 13 September 1856 XIV 193-198
26. The Unknown Public First published in Household Words 21 August 1858 217-222

Separate articles from original sources

1. American hospitality. Wilkie Collins's speech to the Lotos Club, New York City, 27 September 1973. First published in Modern Eloquence: I, After Dinner Speeches, A-D, ed. Thomas Reed, John D Morris [1900], Philadelphia
   
2. The Caldron of Oil. First published All The Year Round V 11 May 1861
   
3. Considerations on the Copyright Question Addressed to an American Friend. Diatribe against lack on international copyright law in the USA. First published in International Review June 1880
   
4. The Cruise of the Tomtit Account of a trip to the Scilly Isles. First published Household Words XII 22 December 1855   Footnoted text   Introduction  Illustrated text
5. Deep Design on Society social satire. First published Household Words XVII 2 January 1858
   
6. The Exhibition of the Royal Academy. Review of the 1851 Summer Exhibition. First published Bentley's Miscellany XXIX June 1851
   
7. Laid Up in Two Lodgings Illness in Paris and London. First published in Household Words XIII 7 and 14 June 1856.
8. Written with Charles Dickens The Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices First published Household Words in five parts, XVI 3-31 October 1857.
   
9. Magnetic Evenings at Home First published The Leader January-March 1852
10. Memoirs of an Adopted Son First published All The Year Round V 20 April 1861.
    
11. A Pictorial Tour to St. George Bosherville a painting trip. First published Bentley's Miscellany XXIX May 1851
    
12. A Plea for Sunday reform Polemical work calling for art galleries to be opened on Sundays. First published in The Leader 27 September 1851 vol II, no.79 pp925-926
13. The Poisoned Meal. First published Household Words XVIII 18, 25 September, 2 October 1856.
    
14. Prefaces to The Woman in White including the preface to the French translation La Femme en Blanc
    

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Jointly with Charles Dickens

1. The Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices First published in Household Words XVI October 1857.
2. No Thoroughfare First published as the Christmas number of All The Year Round Christmas 1868.

Other links
Some of these links take you to the pages of James Rusk who has now completed his task of transferring all of Wilkie's non-copyright novels into electronic form, mainly from the Peter Fenelon Collier edition of The Works of Wilkie Collins. Despite its title this US edition published around 1895 is not quite the whole works of Collins, omitting all his plays, most of his non-fiction, many of his short stories and a couple of shorter novels. Nevertheless, it is the closest that exists to a printed complete Works and at 30 volumes transferring the bulk of it into electronic form has been a major service to the Collins community. James has also provided the text of The Letters of Charles Dickens to Wilkie Collins prepared by Dickens's sister-in-law Georgina Hogarth and his literary agent A P Watt and published in 1892, together with other letters from Dickens to Collins taken from The Letters of Charles Dickens published in 1880.

Other useful pages are those of Promo.net which lists the texts available through Project Gutenberg. Many of James Rusk's texts are there but as text or zip files rather than web pages. Twelve of Wilkie's short stories are available from this Australian site in .pdf .zip and .html format.

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Not available
The following books are not available yet in electronic form

1. Iolani 1999
2. Memoirs of the Life of William Collins, Esq., R.A. 1848
3. Rambles Beyond Railways; or, Notes in Cornwall Taken A-Foot 1851

Many of WC's non-fiction pieces and most of his plays are also unavailable electronically at present.

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E-texts 16 June 2004 vs 4.00