(1853-)
Thomas Henry Hall Caine was born on the Isle of Man, of Manx and
Cambrian parentage. He began his career as an architect in Liverpool,
and made frequent contributions to the Builder and Building News.
Acquiring a taste for literary work, he secured an engagement on the
Liverpool Mercury, and shortly afterward formed an intimate friendship
with Dante Gabriel Rossetti which was of incalculable benefit to the
young writer, then twenty-five years of age. At eighteen he had already
published a poem "of the mystical sort" under a pseudonym, and two years
later he received L10 for writing the autobiography of some one else.
[Illustration: HALL CAINE]
About 1880 Caine settled in London, living with Rossetti until the
poet's death in 1882. The same year he produced 'Recollections of
Rossetti' and 'Sonnets of Three Centuries,' which were followed by
'Cobwebs of Criticism' and a 'Life of Coleridge.' In 1885 he published
his first novel, 'The Shadow of a Crime,' which was successful. Speaking
of the pains he took in the writing of this story, the author says:
"Shall I ever forget the agonies of the first efforts?... It took me
nearly a fortnight to start that novel, sweating drops as of blood at
every fresh attempt." The first half was written at least four times;
and when the book was finished, more than half of it was destroyed so
that a fresh suggestion might be worked in. This wonderful capacity for
taking infinite pains has remained one of the chief characteristics of
this novelist. In 1886 Mr. Caine brought out 'A Son of Hagar,' and this
was followed by 'The Deemster' (1887), afterwards dramatized under the
title of 'Ben-Ma'-Chree'; 'The Bondman' (1890); 'The Scapegoat' (1891);
'The Last Confession,' 'Cap'n Davy's Honeymoon' (1892); and 'The
Manxman' (1894). The last story has achieved the widest popularity, its
theme being the unselfishness of a great love. He has also written a
history of his native island.
Mr. Caine visited Russia in 1892 in behalf of the persecuted Jews, and
in 1895 traveled in the United States and Canada, where he represented
the Society of Authors, and obtained important international copyright
concessions from the Dominion Parliament. He makes his principal home at
Greeba Castle on the Isle of Man, where he is greatly endeared to the
natives.