This is Nathaniel Hawthorne's last tale - an old legend, a ghost, and an English estate. It was published posthumously and edited by his son. It is something of a gothic tale, set in New England and England early in the 19th century. Hawthorne's portrayal of the archetypal mad scientist gives a minor science fiction theme to this romance. Nathaniel Hawthorne ( born Nathaniel Hathorne; July 4, 1804 - May 19, 1864) was an American novelist, Dark Romantic, and short story writer.