George Payne R. James

George Payne Rainsford James (1799–1860) was a prolific English novelist and historical writer, son of a London physician, who initially studied medicine but turned to literature, publishing his first novel Richelieu in 1829 and producing nearly 100 volumes inspired by Sir Walter Scott.[2][1] He served as British Historiographer Royal and later as consul in the United States (Massachusetts and Norfolk, Virginia) before becoming consul-general at Venice, where he died of a stroke.[2][8] Known for his rapid output of historical romances, he lived in the US from 1850 and wrote works on American themes.[1]