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CHARACTER

Mr. WILLIAM COLLINS.

M

R. Collins was a Man of extenfive Literature, and of vigorous Faculties. He was acquainted not only with the learned Tongues, 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 fome peculiar Habits of Thought, was eminently delighted with those Flights of Imagination which pafs the Bounds of Nature, and to which the Mind is reconciled only by a paffive Acquiefcence in popular Traditions. He loved Fairies, Genii, Giants, and Monsters; he delighted to rove through the Meanders of Inchantment, to gaze on the Magnificence of gol en Palaces, to repofe by the Waterfalls of Elyfian Gardens.

This was however the Character rather of his Inclination than his Genius; the Grandeur of Wildnefs, and the Novelty of Extravagance, were always defired by him, but were not always attained. But Diligence is never wholly loft; if his Efforts fometimes caused Harshness and Obscurity, they likewife produced in happier Moments Sublimity and Splendour. This Idea which he had formed of Excellence, led him to oriental Fictions and allegorical Imagery; and perhaps, while he was intent upon

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Description, he did not fufficiently cultivate Sentiment. His Poems are the Productions of a Mind not deficient in Fire, nor unfurnished with Knowledge either of Books or Life, but fomewhat obftructed in its Progrefs, by Deviation in Queft of miftaken Beauties.

His Morals were pure, and his Opinions pious: In a long Continuance of Poverty, and long Habits of Diffipation, it cannot be expected that any Character fhould be exactly uniform. There is a Degree of Want by which the Freedom of Agency is almoft deftroyed; and long Affociation with fortuitous Companions will at laft relax the Strictness of Truth, and abate the Fervour of Sincerity. That this Man, wife and virtuous as he was, paffed always unentangled through the Snares of Life, it would be Prejudice and Temerity to affirma; but it may be faid that at least he preferved the Source of Action unpolluted, that his Principles were never fhaken, that his Diftinctions of Right and Wrong were never confounded, and that his Faults had nothing of malignity or Defign, but proceeded from fome unexpected Preffure, or cafual Temptation.

The latter Part of his Life cannot be remembered, but with Pity and Sadnefs. He languifhed fome Years under that Depreffion of Mind which enchains the Faculties without deftroying them, and leaves Reason the Knowledge of Right without the Power of pursuing it. Thefe Clouds which he found gathering on in his Intellects, he endeavoured to difperfe by Travel, and paffed into France; but found himself conftrained to yield to his Malady, and returned. He was for fome Time confined in a Houfe of Lunatics, and afterwards retired to the Care of his Sifter in Colchester, where Death at laft came to his Relief.

After his Return from France, the Writer of this Character paid him a Vifit at Ifington, where he

was

was writing for his Sifter, whom he had directed to meet him: there was then nothing of Disorder difcernible in his Mind by any but himself, but he had then withdrawn from Study, and travelled with no other Book than an Englifo Teflament, fuch as Children carry to the School; when his Friend took it into his Hand, out of Curiofity to fee what Companion a Man of Letters had chofen; I have but one Book,' fays Collins, but that is the • beft.

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MY LORD,

Would not thus have addrefs'd your Lordship, in public, but that in thefe our Days the Prefs is the only Method by which I could gain Admiffion to you, or have the Opportunity, to use our old College Phrafe, of a little CONFAB: Bishops and Curates are, I believe, at present feldom feen together, except in the Prayer for the Clergy. Fortune, my Lord, who brought us fo clofe together at the University, where, you may remember, we were Chums, has at Length

Savo lata negotio,

as the old Bard fings, in one of her ftrange Freaks, thrown us from the most intimate Connection into Stations of Life at the utmost Distance from each other, by making your Lordship a Bishop, and me Afliftant Curate. I think, my Lord, I have

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fomewhere

fomewhere read, that in the Roman Triumphs a Perfon was always appointed to attend the Conqueror, and as he paffed along to repeat to him

Thou art a Man, The following Pages may be confidered as a falutary Hint of the fame Nature, and were only meant to lay on your Lordfhip's Table, and as you flip on your Lawn, to whifper to you--- Thou art a Clergyman.'

Though I do not (to use the Phrase of a certain Right Reverend) bask in the Sunshine of the Gospel, you will perceive, notwithstanding, in the Course of this Letter, I am not fo much hurt by Difappointments, but that I can laugh at a proper Opportunity; at prefent, however, I am perfectly ferious, and do from my Heart think and declare, that the leaft grateful Acknowledgement which our dignified Clergy can make, for the Honours and Rewards conferred on them, is to affift their diftreffed Brethren; to make ufe of their beft Endeavours to fupport the Dignity of the minifterial Office; and to gain them fome Deference and Respect, if they can, or will, procure them nothing else: and yet this, my Lord, I will not fay wherefore, or by. whom, is of late Years, moft ihamefully neglect

ed.

Your Lordship, I am convinced by Experience, is not without Humanity; I have known fome Bifhops, (formerly I mean) who had not a Grain of it in their whole Compofition; but that is not your, Cafe; I have therefore taken the Liberty to appeal to you, in Behalf of the inferior Clergy of thefe Kingdoms, who, I believe, are the moft diftreffed, deferted, and defpifed Body of Men, at prefent, on the Face of the Earth: into the Caufes of this, I propofe cooly and candidly to examine, and to confult with your Lordship concerning the most probable Method of removing them. R

VOL. II.

I have

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