'Fancy's Following,' which appeared in 1896, was published at the instigation of the poet Robert Bridges, by the Oxford University Press. In 1897 a selection from these was issued with additions. But it was the appearance in that year of 'The King with Two Faces' (10th. edit. 1908), an historical romance centering round Gustavus III of Sweden, which established her reputation. Its atmosphere of adventure tinged with mysticism lent it immediate success.
In 1900 'Non Sequitur' appeared, a volume of essays, literary and personal; in 1901 'The Fiery Dawn,' a story dealing with the Duchesse de Berri; in 1904 'The Shadow on the Wall,' and in 1906 'The Lady on the Drawing-room Floor.' Meanwhile she contributed reviews and articles regularly to the 'Monthly Review,' the 'Guardian,' and, from 1902 onwards, to 'The Times Literary Supplement,' as well as three short stories to the 'Cornhill Magazine.' She also wrote a critical preface to Canon Dixon's 'Last Poems' (1905). Her literary work did not absorb her. She devoted much time to teaching working-women in her own home and gave lessons on English literature at the Working Women's College.
She died at Harrogate, unmarried, on 25 Aug. 1907, after a sudden illness. She had just finished a short 'Life of Holman Hunt' ('Masterpieces in Colour' series), undertaken at that painter's request and printed soon after her death. Her 'Poems, New and Old' were collected at the end of 1907 under the editorship of Mr. Henry Newbolt, and 'Gathered Leaves,' a volume of stories and essays hitherto unpublished or little known, and of extracts from letters and diaries, came out in May 1910, with a preface by the present writer.
Two portraits belong to her father, Mr. A. D. Coleridge, 12 Cromwell Place, S.W. one at about twenty by Miss Skidmore; the other painted after her death, by Mr. Frank Carter.
[Prefaces to collected Poems, 1907; Gathered Leaves, 1910; art. in Cornhill, by Mr. Robert Bridges, Nov. 1907.]
COLLEN, Sir EDWIN HENRY HAYTER (1843–1911), lieutenant-general, born on 17 June 1843 at Somerset Street, London, was son of Henry Collen, miniature painter, of Holywell Hill, St. Albans, by his wife Helen Dyson. Educated at University College School, Collen passed to Woolwich, and was gazetted lieutenant in the royal artillery on 1 July 1863. He first served in the Abyssinian war of 1867–8, for which he received the medal. After passing through the Staff College with honours, he was transferred to the Indian army in 1873, and attained the rank of captain on 1 July 1875. The efficient manner in which he discharged the duties of secretary of the Indian ordnance commission of 1874 led to his entering the military department of the government of India as assistant-secretary in 1876. The next year Collen acted as deputy assistant quartermaster-general at the Delhi durbar (1 Jan. 1877) when Queen Victoria was proclaimed empress of India, and in 1878 he was nominated secretary of the Indian army organisation commission. His administrative talents were recognised in the later phases of the second Afghan war of 1880, when as assistant controller-general he was mainly responsible for the smooth and efficient working of the supply and transport system. He was mentioned in despatches and was awarded the medal. Collen's routine work in the military department was interrupted by a short spell of active service. Promoted major on 1 July 1883, he joined the Eastern Soudan expedition of 1885, and served with distinction in the intelligence department and as assistant military secretary to General Sir Gerald Graham [q. v. Suppl. I], He took part in the actions at Tamai (2 April 1885) and Thakul (5 May); he was mentioned in despatches and received the medal with clasp, the bronze star, and the brevet of lieutenant-colonel (15 June 1885). On his return to India Collen was appointed successively accountant-general in 1886, and in the following year military secretary to the government of India, a post he retained for the unusual period of nine years. On 15 June 1889 he became full colonel and in April 1896 succeeded Sir Henry Brackenbury as military member of the governor-general's council. During his administration many improvements were effected in the composition of commands and regiments, in military equipment and mobilisation. The defects in army administration revealed by the South African war of 1899–1902 gave fresh impetus to Collen's activities, but many desirable reforms had to be postponed owing to financial difficulties. In the debate on the budget in the legislative council on 27 March 1901 Collen summarised the measures of army improvements with which he had been connected. The Indian army was being rearmed with the latest weapons; the building of factories for the manufacture of war material had already
