COLLINS, ANTHONY, a polemical writer, born at Heston near Hounslow in the county of Middlesex in 1676, was the son of Henry Collins, a gentleman of about 1500l. a-year. He was first bred at Eton college, and then went to King's college Cambridge, where he had for his tutor Mr Francis Hare, afterwards bishop of Chichester. He was afterwards a
VOL. VI. Part I. †
student of the Temple; but not relishing the law, soon abandoned that study. He was an ingenious man, and author of several curious books. His first remarkable piece was published in 1707, "An Essay concerning the use of reason in propositions, the evidence whereof depends on human testimony." In 1702, he entered into the controversy between Mr Clark and Dr Dodwell, concerning the immortality of the soul. In 1713, he published his discourse on free-thinking, which made a prodigious noise. In 1725, he retired into the county of Essex, and acted as a justice of peace and deputy lieutenant for the same county, as he had done before for that of Middlesex and liberty of Westminster. The same year, he published a "Philosophical Essay concerning human liberty." In 1718, he was chosen treasurer of the county of Essex; and this office he discharged with great honour. In 1724, he published his "Historical and critical Essay on the 39 Articles." Soon after, he published his "Discourse of the Grounds and reasons of the Christian religion;" to which is prefixed, "An Apology for free debate and liberty of writing; which piece was immediately attacked by a great number of authors. In 1726 appeared his "Scheme of literary prophecy considered, in a view of the controversy occasioned by a late book entitled, A discourse of the grounds;" &c. In this discourse he mentions a MS. dissertation of his, to show the Sibylline oracles to be a forgery made in the times of the primitive Christians, who, for that reason, were called Sibyllists by the Pagans; but it never appeared in print. His Scheme of literary Prophecy was replied to by several writers; and particularly by Dr John Rogers, in his "Necessity of divine revelation asserted." In answer to which our author wrote, "A letter to the Reverend Dr Rogers, on occasion," &c. His health began to decline some years before his death, and he was very much afflicted with the stone, which at last put an end to his life at his house in Harley square in 1729. He was interred in Oxford chapel, where a monument was erected to him, with an epitaph in Latin. His curious library was open to all men of letters, to whom he readily communicated all the assistance in his power; he even furnished his antagonists with books to confute himself, and directed them how to give their arguments all the force of which they were capable. He was remarkably averse to all indecency and obscenity of discourse; and was, independent of his scepticism, a sincerely good man.