What one reviewer at amazon said about Basil:
Wilkie Collins came to fame with 'The Woman in White', followed by a succession of 'suspense' novels which are his trademark. 'Basil' is an earlier yet surprisingly mature work, and it is not a suspense novel. 'Basil' chronicles the life of a young, foolish man who falls in love (literally) at first sight with a young woman. He then discovers, too late, that this 'sweet young thing' is not as she first appeared. The author captures Basil's anguish perfectly. While some people might find the entire story to be a bit contrived, I found the emotional element of writing to greatly outweigh this 'love at first' kitsch.
So in conclusion, 'Basil' should have a wider appeal beyond the Wilkie Collins fan club. Folks who love mid-Victorian writing will find much to enjoy with 'Basil'.
Download Basil from Project Gutenberg
or find a hard copy