Macfarlane's most substantial work was the
Civil and Military History of England, part of Knight's
Pictorial History of England, edited by
George Lillie Craik, 8 vols. 1838-44. An abridgment, with a continuation bringing it up to date, was published under the title of
The Cabinet History of England, 26 vols. London, 1845-7. Another edition, with the title changed to
The Comprehensive History of England, appeared under the editorship of
Thomas Napier Thomson, 4 vols. London, 1856–61, and again in 1876–8; and a third, with a continuation to 1884, by Thomas Archer, was issued as
The Popular History of England, 3 vols. London, 1886. For Knight also, Macfarlane compiled anonymously two volumes called
The Book of Table Talk, 1836 (another edition 1847), for which
James Robinson Planché wrote a brief history of
stage costume. •
Barba Yorghi (or Uncle George), the Greek Pilot, in vol. i. of ''The Sisters' Budget'', London, 1831. •
The Romance of History; Italy, 3 vols. London, 1832 (and 1872). •
The Seven Apocalyptic Churches, etchings by T. Knox, London, 1832. •
The Lives and Exploits of Banditti and Robbers in all parts of the World, 2 vols. London, 1833 (1837, in ''
Murray's Family Library''). •
The French Revolution, 4 vols. London, 1844–5, in ''Knight's Library for the Times''. •
Our Indian Empire, London, 1844, in the same series. •
The Camp of Refuge (anon.), 2 vols. London, 1844 (also 1880–1887); a tale of the conquest of the Isle of Ely. Features
Hereward the Wake as a character. •
A Legend of Reading Abbey (anon.), London, 1845, in ''Knight's Weekly
, No. 62. Historical novel about the conflict between King Stephen and Empress Matilda. (Knight's Weekly''), Nos. 81, 111. •
Popular Customs, Sports, and Recollections of the South of Italy, London, 1846, in ''Knight's Monthly Volume
, originally contributed to the Penny Magazine'' between 1834 and 1845. •
A Glance at Revolutionized Italy, 2 vols. London, 1849. • ''Sicily, her Constitutions, and Viscount Palmerston's Sicilian Blue-Book'', London, 1849, an appendix to the above. •
Turkey and its Destiny, 2 vols. London, 1850. •
The Neapolitan Government and Mr. Gladstone, London, 1851. •
A History of British India, London, 1852 (1857, 1858, and 1881). •
Japan, an account Geographical and Historical … With Illustrations from Designs by A. Allom, London, 1852. •
The Catacombs of Rome, with Illustrations, London, 1852 (1854 and 1855). •
The Great Battles of the British Army, London, 1853 (2nd edit. 1854). •
Kismet, or the Doom of Turkey, London, 1853. •
The Camp of 1853, with Hints on Military Matters for Civilians, London, 1853. •
Patriots of China, London, 1853. •
The Chinese Revolution, with details of the Habits, Manners, and Customs of China and the Chinese, London, 1853. •
Reminiscences of a literary life, ed. J. F. Tattersall, London, 1917. He also translated
Adolphe Desbarrolles'
Two French Artists in Spain, 1851. ==Family==