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. He shewed me the guineas safe in his hand. On this occasion recourse was had to the booksellers, who, on the credit of a translation of Aristotle's Poeticks, which he engaged to write with a large commentary, advanced as much money as enabled him to escape into the country. 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. His appearance was decent and manly his knowledge considerable, his views extensive, his conversation elegant, and his disposition chearful. He wrote now and then odes and other poems, and did something, however little.Ībout this time I fell into his company. He planned several tragedies, but he only planned them. But probably not a page of the History was ever written. He published proposals for a History of the Revival of Learning, and I have heard him speak with great kindness of Leo the Tenth, and with keen resentment of his tasteless successor. A man, doubtful of his dinner, or trembling at a creditor, is not much disposed to abstracted meditation or remote enquiries. 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. He now (about 1744) came to London a literary adventurer, with many projects in his head, and very little money in his pocket.

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. This was the original misfortune of his life. 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 first courted the notice of the publick by some verses To a Lady weeping, published in The Gentleman's Magazine. His English exercises were better than his Latin. Warton has kindly informed me, admitted scholar of Winchester College, where he was educated by Dr. His father was a hatter of good reputation. WILLIAM COLLINS was born at Chichester on the twenty-fifth of December, about 1720.

How sleep the brave download