COLLINS. 1720-1759. Born at Chichester-Educated at Winchester and Oxford-Publishes' Oriental Eclogues' and Odes on several Descriptive and Allegoric subjects-Publishes Proposals for a 'History of the Revival of Learning'-Publishes a Poem on Thomson's Death-Dies insane, and Buried in St. Andrew's Church, Chichester-Works and Character. WILLIAM COLLINS was born at Chichester on the 25th day of December, 1720. His father was a hatter of good reputation. He was, in 1733, as Dr. Warton has kindly informed me, admitted scholar of Winchester College, where he was educated by Dr. Burton. His English exercises were better than his Latin. He first courted the notice of the public by some verses to a 'Lady weeping,' published in 'The Gentleman's Magazine.'' In 1740 he stood first in the list of the scholars to be received in succession at New College, but unhappily there was no vacancy. He became a Commoner of Queen's College, probably with a scanty maintenance; but was, in about half a year, elected a Demy of Magdalen College, where he continued till he had taken a Bachelor's degree, and then suddenly left the University, for what reason I know not that he told. He now (about 1744) came to London a literary adventurer, with many projects in his head, and very little money in his pocket. He designed many works; but his great fault was irresolution, or the frequent calls of immediate necessity broke his schemes and suffered him to pursue no settled purpose. A man doubtful of his dinner, or trembling at a creditor, is not much disposed to abstracted meditation, or remote inquiries. He published proposals for a History of the Revival of Learning; and I have heard him speak 1 For January, 1789. They are signed 'Amasius.' The other Amasius of the Magazine at that time was Dr. Swan, the translator of Sydenham. (See 'Gent.'s Mag.' for January, 1789, p. 43, and Johnson's note to Nichols in 'Gent.'s Mag.' for January, 1785.) with great kindness of Leo the Tenth, and with keen resentment of his tasteless successor. But probably not a page of his history was ever written. He planned several tragedies, but he only planned them. He wrote now and then odes and other poems, and did something, however little." About this time I fell into his company. His appearance was decent and manly; his knowledge considerable, his views extensive, his conversation elegant, and his disposition cheerful. By degrees I gained his confidence; and one day was admitted to him when he was immured by a bailiff that was prowling in the street. On this occasion recourse was had to the booksellers, who, on the credit of a translation of Aristotle's 'Poetics,' which he engaged to write with a large commentary, advanced as much money as enabled him to escape into the country. He showed me the guineas safe in his hand. Soon afterwards his uncle, Mr. Martin, a lieutenant-colonel, left him about two thousand pounds; a sum which Collins could scarcely think exhaustible, and which he did not live to exhaust. The guineas were then repaid, and the translation neglected. But man is not born for happiness. Collins, who, while he studied to live, felt no evil but poverty, no sooner lived to study' than his life was assailed by more dreadful calamities, disease and insanity. Having formerly written his character,' while perhaps it was yet more distinctly impressed upon my memory, I shall insert it here. "Mr. Collins was a man of extensive literature, and of vigorous faculties. He was acquainted not only with the learned tongues, a See Warton's 'Essay on Pope,' i., 186. • Only one gentleman, Mr. Collins, who had lived some time at Richmond, but forsook it when Mr. Thomson died, wrote an ode to his memory.-MURDOCH: Life of Thomson. This fine ode was printed in folio, "London: R. Manby and H. S. Cox, 1749 " [June], and "inscribed" by the author to "George Lyttelton, Esq." Mr. Collins was in stature somewhat above the middle size; of a brown complexion; keen, expressive eyes; and a fixed, sedate aspect, which, from intense thinking, had contracted an habitual frown.-LANGHORNE. • Lieutenant-Colonel Martin Bladen, stigmatised, It is said, by Pope in 'The Dunciad,' Book iv., 560. (See Warton's 'Pope,' v., 284.) Colonel Martin Bladen died 15th Feb., 1745–6, and was buried at Stepney. • For we that live to please, must please—to live. JOHNSON: Prologue on opening Drury Lane Theatre, In Fawkes and Woty's 'Poetical Calendar,' vol. xii. p. 110. but with the Italian, French, and Spanish languages. He had employed his mind chiefly upon works of fiction, and subjects of fancy; and, by indulging some peculiar habits of thought, was eminently delighted with those flights of imagination which pass the bounds of nature, and to which the mind is reconciled only by a passive acquiescence in popular traditions. He loved faries, genii, giants, and monsters; he delighted to rove through the meanders of enchantment, to gaze on the magnificence of golden palaces, to repose by the waterfalls of Elysian gardens. "This was, however, the character rather of his inclination than his genius; the grandeur of wildness, and the novelty of extravagance, were always desired by him, but were not always attained. Yet, as diligence is never wholly lost, if his efforts sometimes caused harshness and obscurity, they likewise produced in happier moments sublimity and splendour. This idea which he had formed of excellence led him to Oriental fictions and allegorical imagery; and per haps, while he was intent upon description, he did not sufficiently cultivate sentiment. His poems are the productions of a mind not deficient in fire, nor unfurnished with knowledge either of books or life, but somewhat obstructed in its progress by deviation in quest of mistaken beauties. “His morals were pure, and his opinions pious; in a long continuance of poverty, and long habits of dissipation, it cannot be expected that any character should be exactly uniform. There is a degree of want by which the freedom of agency is almost destroyed; and long association with fortuitous companions will at last relax the strictness of truth, and abate the fervour of sincerity. That this man, wise and virtuous as he was, passed always unentangled through the snares of life, it would be prejudice and temerity to affirm'; but it may be said that at least he preserved the source of action unpolluted, that his principles were never shaken, that his distinctious of right and wrong were never confounded, and that his faults had nothing of malignity or design, but proceeded from some unexpected pressure, or casual temptation. "The latter part of his life cannot be remembered but with pity and sadness. He languished some years under that depression of mind which enchains the faculties without destroying them, and |