Charles William Heckethorn

[6] Heckethorn's first book was Exercises in French orthography, published in 1850 while he was working at Mr. Bass's School Ryde, Isle of Wight.

The papal anecdotes were found to be amusing but a strong antithesis to the church was noted throughout the work that condemned the waste of teaching the dimensions of Solomon's temple while the "laws of nature and scientific truths" were neglected.

[7] Heckethorn then produced books at regular intervals including poetry and children's stories, and a history of the Lincoln's Inn Fields area.

The book was criticised in The Spectator for its arrogant view of the past which condemned earlier generations as "barbarians in manners, and in morals reprobates" and contained the claim that "nothing will elevate man but science".

Heckethorn also pseudonymously co-authored, with Henry Vizetelly, The gambling world : anecdotic memories and stories of personal experience in the temples of hazard and speculation, with some mysteries and iniquities of stock exchange affairs.