HOWITT, William and Mary, English au thors commonly named together; the one pub lishing 50 works and the other over 100. Wu. LIAM (b. Heanor, Derbyshire, 18 Dec. 1792; d. Rome, Italy, 3 March 1879), showed such a bias to literature that he published verses at 13. In 1821 he married MARY BOTHAM (b. Coleford, Staffordshire, 12 March 1799; d. Rome, 30 Jan. 1888), who wrote both by herself and with her husband. Their firstjoint work, a volume of poems, (The Forest Minstrel,' was published in 1823, and 1827 appeared 'The Desolation of Eyam.' The best lines in these are by Mrs. Howitt, Howitt himself having no great poetic gift. In 1871, however, he published a volume entitled 'The Mad War Planet and Other Poems.' William and Mary Howitt settled first in Staffordshire. In 1823 they removed to Nottingham, where they resided till 1837, and in 1840 visited Germany, where they resided for three years. Results of their residence in Ger many appeared in Life of Germany> (1841) and (Rural and Domestic Life of Ger many' (1842), which being translated into Ger man acquired flattering popularity. While at
Heidelberg Mrs. Howitt set herself to trans late the tales of Frederika Bremer into Eng lish, and later the works of Hans Andersen. Their most ambitious work is
Literature and Romance of the North' (1852). • Howitt's best works are those in which English history and life are treated in connection with English scenery. The earliest of these was the 'Book of the Seasons' (1831), which acquired great popularity;
Life in England' (1838) was also well received. Still others are
to Remarkable Places' (1840); 'Homes and Haunts of the British Poets> (1847); (The Year Book of •the Country' (1850), and
Northern Heights of London' (1869). With his wife he published volumes on
Ruined ,Abbeys and Castles of Great Britain.' Mrs. Howitt's books for young people were long popular in the United States, and