Ann Radcliffe, an English novelist, born in London, July 9, 1764, died there, Feb. 7, 1823. Her maiden name was Ward. At the age of 22 she married Mr. William Radcliffe, a student of law, who afterward became editor and proprietor of " The English Chronicle," a weekly newspaper. Her first novel, " The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne" (1789), gave little indication of her powers, though it had the wild and improbable plot and the unnatural characters which distinguish her later writings. "The Sicilian Romance" (1790) is much better, and the "Romance of the Forest" (1791) is sufficient to place her at the head of all writers of melodramatic romance. "The Mysteries of Udolpho" (1794) is generally regarded as her masterpiece. About the time this work was produced she made a tour through Germany, and in 1795 published "Journey through Holland," etc, with some observations on the lake district of England. Her last novel, " The Italian," which deals with racks, tortures, dungeons, confessionals, monks, and inquisitors, appeared in 1797. After her death there were published "Gaston de Blondeville, a Romance," "St. Alban's Abbey, a Metrical Tale," and some poems, together with a memoir by T. N. Talfourd (4 vols., 1826); and a collection of her poems appeared in 1834.