Wilkie Collins
British writer (1824-1889)
1824–1889, born in London
- Born
- 8 January 1824
- Birthplace
- London
- Died
- 23 September 1889
From their work
"Ask yourself if there is any explanation of the mystery of your own life and death."
Read the opening of The Moonstone · about 1 min
I address these lines—written in India—to my relatives in England.
My object is to explain the motive which has induced me to refuse the right hand of friendship to my cousin, John Herncastle. The reserve which I have hitherto maintained in this matter has been misinterpreted by members of my family whose good opinion I cannot consent to forfeit. I request them to suspend their decision until they have read my narrative. And I declare, on my word of honour, that what I am now about to write is, strictly and literally, the truth.
The private difference between my cousin and me took its rise in a great public event in which we were both concerned—the storming of Seringapatam, under General Baird, on the 4th of May, 1799.
In order that the circumstances may be clearly understood, I must revert for a moment to the period before the assault, and to the stories current in our camp of the treasure in jewels and gold stored up in the Palace of Seringapatam.
Read the whole book free on Project Gutenberg Beautifully formatted edition on Standard Ebooks
Quotes from Wikiquote (CC BY-SA 4.0). Texts of this author are in the public domain in the UK.