COLLINS, John, an eminent accountant and mathematician, born in 1624, and bred a bookseller at Oxford. Besides several treatises on practical subjects, he communicated some curious papers to the Royal Society, of which he was a member, which are to be found in the early numbers of the Philosophical Transactions; and was the chief promoter of many other scientific publications in his time. He died in 1683; and about 25 years after, all his papers coming into the hands of the learned William Jones, Esq. F. R. S. it appeared that Mr Collins held a constant correspondence for many years with all the eminent mathematicians; and that many of the late discoveries in physical knowledge, if not actually made by him, were yet brought forth by his endeavours.