Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) was born in Salem Massachusetts. His ancestors include John Hathorne the only judge involved in the Salem witch trials who never repented of his actions. Nathaniel later added a 'w' to make his name 'Hawthorne' in order to hide this relation. The Scarlet Letter his most famous novel was published in 1850 followed by a succession of other novels including The House of the Seven Gables and various short stories. 'The British Matron' is a satirical essay.