Men of the Time, eleventh edition/Black, William
BLACK, William, was born at Glasgow in 1841, and received his education at various private schools. His youthful ambition was to become an artist, and he studied for a short time in the Government School of Art in his native city, but eventually he drifted into journalism, becoming connected with the Glasgow Weekly Citizen while yet in his teens. In 1864 he came to London, and wrote for magazines. He was attached, in the following year, to the staff of the Morning Star, and was special correspondent for that paper during the Franco-Austrian war of 1866, scenes from which appeared in his first novel, "Love or Marriage," published in 1867. This novel dealt too much with awkward social problems, and was not successful, but the author's next work of fiction was more favourably received. It was entitled "In Silk Attire" (1869), and a considerable portion of it was devoted to descriptions of peasant life in the Black Forest. Then followed "Kilmeny" and "The Monarch of Mincing Lane," the former dealing mostly with Bohemian artistic life in London. But his first real hold of the novel-reading public was obtained by "A Daughter of Heth" (1871), which went through many editions. Next came "The Strange Adventures of a Phaeton" (1872), which literally described a driving excursion that the author made from London to Edinburgh, with a thread of fiction interwoven. It is said that a good many Americans, amongst others, have adopted this plan of exploring the English counties, and have taken the "Adventures" as a sort of guide-book. In 1873 was published "A Princess of Thule." It was followed by "The Maid of Killeena and other Stories," 1874; "Three Feathers," 1875, the scene of which was laid in Cornwall; "Madcap Violet," 1876; "Green Pastures and Piccadilly," 1877; "Macleod of Dare," 1878; "White Wings: a Yachting Romance," 1880; "Sunrise: a story of these Times," 1881; "The Beautiful Wretch," 1882; and "Shandon Bells," 1883. For four or five years Mr. Black was assistant editor of the Daily News, but he practically ceased his connection with journalism some years ago.