COLLINS (William), an admirable poet, was born at Chichester, about the year 1724. He received his classical education at Winchester; after which he studied at New college, in Oxford, was admitted a commoner of King's college in the same university, and was at length elected a demy of Magdalene college. While at Oxford, he applied himself to the study of poetry, and published his Oriental Eclogues; after which he came to London. He was naturally possessed of an ear for all the varieties of harmony and modulation; his heart was susceptible of the finest feelings of tenderness and humanity, and was particularly carried away by that high enthusiasm which gives to imagination its strongest colouring; and he was at once capable of soothing the ear with the melody of his numbers, of influencing the passions by the force of the pathos, and of gratifying the fancy by the luxury of description. With these powers, he attempted lyric poetry; and in 1746, published his Odes, descriptive and allegorical: but the sale of this work being not at all answerable to its merit, he burnt the remaining copies in indignation. Being a man of a liberal spirit and a small fortune, his pecuniary resources were unhappily soon exhausted; and his life became a miserable example of necessity, indolence, and dissipation. He projected books which he was well able to execute; and became in idea an historian, a critic, and a dramatic poet; but wanted the means and encouragement to carry these ideas into execution. Day succeeded day, for the support of which he had made no provision; and he was obliged to subsist, either by the repeated contributions of a friend, or the generosity of a casual acquaintance. His spirits became oppressed, and he sunk into a fullness of despondence. While in this gloomy state of mind, his uncle colonel Martin died, and left him a considerable fortune. But this came too late for enjoyment; he had been so long harassed by anxiety and distress, that he fell into a nervous disorder, which at length reduced the finest understanding to the most deplorable childishness. In the first stages of this disorder, he endeavoured to relieve himself by travelling, and passed into France; but the growing malady obliged him to return; and having continued, with short intervals, in this pitiable state till the year 1756, he died in the arms of his sister. The ingenious Mr Longhorne has published his poetical works, with memoirs of the author, in one volume duodecimo.