Anthony (1676–1729), a famous sceptical writer, was born of a wealthy family at Heston, near Hounslow, Middlesex. He received his preliminary education at Eton, and afterwards went to King's College, Cambridge, where his tutor was Francis Hare, subsequently Bishop of Chichester. On leaving college he became a student of the Temple, but devoted himself principally to literary pursuits. He carried on an intimate correspondence with Locke, who seems to have regarded him with peculiar affection, and at his death bequeathed to him a considerable sum of money. In 1707 Collins wrote his Essay concerning the Use of Reason in Propositions, the Evidence whereof depends on Human Testimony, and engaged in controversy with Clarke in support of Dodwell's book against the immortality of the soul. Two years later he began the controversy in regard to the 20th article of the Church of England, which led him afterwards to publish his Historical and Critical Essay on the Thirty-nine Articles. His Vindication of the Divine Attributes was written in reply to the Archbishop of Dublin, and advocated the necessitarian scheme which was more fully developed in his Philosophical Inquiry concerning Liberty and Necessity. In 1711 Collins went to Holland, where he matured his Discourse on Free-thinking, which was published on his return to England. In 1718 he was made treasurer of the county of Essex; and in the same year wrote his Grounds and Reasons of the Christian Religion, which called forth numerous replies, and was afterwards defended by the author in his Scheme of Literal Prophecy. His last work was written in 1727, and consisted of an answer to Dr Rogers' eight sermons on the necessity of revelation and truth of Christianity. His health began to decline some time before his death, which was caused by a violent attack of the stone. He was buried in Oxford Chapel, where a monument was erected to his memory. (For an account of his philosophical opinions, see the First Preliminary Dissertation of this work.)

Collins, William, a celebrated English poet, was the son of a hatter at Chichester, and there he was born, December 25, 1720. He received his classical education at Winchester; after which he studied at New College, Oxford, was admitted a commoner of King's College in the same university, and at length elected a demy of Magdalene College. Whilst at Oxford he applied himself to the study of poetry, and published his Oriental Eclogues. He thence proceeded 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 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 commensurate with its merits, he, from a feeling of indignation, burnt the remaining copies. Being a man of a liberal spirit, and 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 he 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 friends or the generosity of casual acquaintances. His spirits became oppressed, and he sunk into a sudden despondency. Whilst in this gloomy state of mind, his uncle Colonel Martin died, and left him a considerable fortune. But this came too late for enjoyment; for he had so long been harassed by anxiety and distress, that he fell into a nervous disorder, which at length reduced the finest understanding to the most deplorable imbecility. In the first stages of this disorder he endeavoured to find relief in travel, and passed into France; but his growing malady obliged him to return; and having, with short intervals, continued in this pitiable state till the year 1756, he died at a lunatic asylum in the arms of his sister.

The following character of the poetry of Collins is drawn by Mrs Barbauld, and is extracted from an essay prefixed to an edition of his works published in 1797:—"He will be acknowledged to possess imagination, sweetness, bold and figurative language. His numbers dwell on the ear, and easily fix themselves in the memory. His vein of sentiment is by turns tender and lofty, always tinged with a degree of melancholy, but not possessing any claim to originality. His originality consists in his manner, in the highly figurative garb in which he clothes abstract ideas, in the felicity of his expressions, and his skill in embodying ideal creations. He had much of the mysticism of poetry, and sometimes became obscure, by aiming at impressions stronger than he had clear and well-defined ideas to support. Had his life been prolonged, and had he with life enjoyed that ease which is necessary for the undisturbed exercise of the faculties, he would probably have risen far above most of his contemporaries." See Poetry.

Collins, William (1788-1847), an English landscape painter, born in London. Like most artists who have risen to eminence, his taste manifested itself in early boyhood. In 1807 he was admitted as a student of the Royal Academy; and two years after obtained the silver medal for a drawing from life. In 1813 he was elected an associate, and in 1820 a Royal Academician. At the persuasion of Wilkie, he visited Italy in 1830. During his tour he prosecuted his studies with the same assiduous perseverance as at home. It is not believed that he increased his reputation much by the Italian figures pieces which he now produced; but he learned from his sojourn in Italy a truer conception of nature and a higher idea of art. His health began to fail during the tour, and soon after his return to England he died of disease of the heart. Collins is principally known as a painter of coast and cottage scenes. His biography appeared in 1848, in 2 vols.