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    "source_title": "Encyclopaedia Britannica (1911)",
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    "chunk_id": "1911:black:6b17172b7317",
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    "verified_text": "black, william (1841-1898), british novelist, was born at glasgow on the 9th of november 1841. his early ambition was to be a painter, but he made no way, and soon had recourse to journalism for a living. he was at first employed in newspaper offices in glasgow, but obtained a post on the _morning star_ in london, and at once proved himself a descriptive writer of exceptional vivacity. during the war between prussia and austria in 1866 he represented the _morning star_ at the front, and was taken prisoner. this paper shortly afterwards failed, and black joined the editorial staff of the _daily news_. he also edited the _examiner_, at a time when that periodical was already moribund. after his first success in fiction, he gave up journalism, and devoted himself entirely to the production of novels. for nearly thirty years he was successful in retaining the popular favour. he died at brighton on the 10th of december 1898, without having experienced any of that reaction of the public taste which so often follows upon conspicuous successes in fiction. black's first novel, _james merle_, published in 1864, was a complete failure; his second, _love or marraige_ (1868), attracted but very slight attention. _in silk attire_ (1869) and _kilmeny_ (1870) marked a great advance on his first work, but in 1871 _a daughter of heth_ suddenly raised him to the height of popularity, and he followed up this success by a string of favourites. among the best of his books are _the strange adventures of a phaeton_ (1872); _a princess of thule_ (1874); _madcap violet_ (1876); _macleod of dare_ (1878); _white wings_ (1880); _sunrise_ (1880); _shandon bells_ (1883); _judith shakespeare_ (1884); _white heather_ (1885); _donald ross of heimra_ (1891); _highland cousins_ (1894); and _wild eelin_ (1898). black was a thoroughgoing sportsman, particularly fond of fishing and yachting, and his best stories are those which are laid amid the breezy mountains of his native land, or upon the deck of a yacht at sea off its wild coast. his descriptions of such scenery are simple and picturesque. he was a word-painter rather than a student of human nature. his women are stronger than his men, and among them are many wayward and lovable creatures; but subtlety of intuition plays no part in his characterization. black also contributed a life of oliver goldsmith to the _english men of letters_ series.",
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