Editing Wilkie Collins (section)

==Later years==
[[File:Sarony, Napoleon (1821-1896) - Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) in 1874 2.JPG|thumb|left|upright|Photograph of Collins by [[Napoleon Sarony]], 1874]]
In 1870, Collins' novel ''[[Man and Wife (novel)|Man and Wife]]'' was published. That year [[Charles Dickens]] died, which caused him great sadness. He said of the friends' early days together, "We saw each other every day, and were as fond of each other as men could be."{{sfn |Klimaszewski |2011 |p=97}}

''[[The Woman in White (novel)|The Woman in White]]'' was dramatised and produced at the Olympic Theatre in October 1871. Collins's novel ''Poor Miss Finch'' was serialised in ''Cassell's Magazine'' from October to March 1872. His short novel ''Miss or Mrs.?'' was published in the 1871 Christmas number of the ''Graphic''. His novel ''The New Magdalen'' was serialised from October 1872 to July 1873. His younger brother, Charles Allston Collins, died later in 1873 at the age of 45. Charles had married Dickens's younger daughter, [[Kate Perugini|Kate]].<ref name="Chronology"/>

[[File:(William) Wilkie Collins by Rudolph Lehmann.jpg|thumb|upright|Portrait by [[Rudolf Lehmann (artist)|Rudolph Lehmann]], 1880]]
In 1873–74, Collins toured the United States and Canada, giving readings of his work. The American writers he met included [[Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.]], and [[Mark Twain]]. He began a friendship with photographer [[Napoleon Sarony]], who took several portraits of him.{{sfn|Klimaszewski|2011|pp=104–105}}

His novel ''The Law and the Lady'', serialised in the ''Graphic'' from September to March 1875, was followed by a short novel, ''The Haunted Hotel'', which was serialised from June to November 1878. His later novels include ''Jezebel's Daughter'' (1880), ''The Black Robe'' (1881), ''Heart and Science'' (1883), and ''The Evil Genius'' (1886). In 1884, Collins was elected vice-president of the Society of Authors, which had been founded by his friend and fellow novelist [[Walter Besant]].<ref name="Chronology"/>

The inconsistent quality of Collins's dramatic and fictional works in the last decade of his life was accompanied by a general decline in his health, including diminished eyesight. He was often unable to leave home and had difficulty writing. During these last years, he focused on mentoring younger writers, including the novelist [[Hall Caine]]. He also used his legal background to help protect other writers from copyright infringement of their works. His writing became a way for him to fight his illness without allowing it to keep him bedridden. His step-daughter Harriet also served as an [[amanuensis]] for several years. His last novel, ''Blind Love'', was finished posthumously by Walter Besant.{{sfn |Klimaszewski |2011 |pp=113–131}}