William Collins

Bran Nicol (University of Surrey)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.05: English Writing and Culture from the Glorious Revolution to the French Revolution, 1689-1789.
Vol. editors: Paul Baines (University of Liverpool), Daniel Cook (University of Dundee), Pat Rogers (University of South Florida), Nicholas Seager (University of Keele)

Dates

Born 25 Dec 1721
Died 12 Jun 1759
Activity 1739-1759

Places

Born in England
Active in England

Activities

Primary

Clergyman
Poet

Resources

Collins' Works

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Biographically, William Collins is an elusive figure. We know the bare facts of his life, but these lead to many more questions than answers. He was born on Christmas Day 1721 in Chichester, West Sussex, to fairly elderly parents. His father, William Collins, was a hatter by trade, who had twice been Mayor of Chichester. From 1725 to 1733 Collins was probably educated at the Prebendal School in the town. At the end of his time there, two crucial events occurred: on 30 September 1733 his father died. Around five months later Collins was admitted as a Scholar to Winchester School in Hampshire, where his contemporaries included Joseph Warton, who became a fellow poet, and remained Collins's close friend throughout his life. Indeed a feature of Collins's biography is the significance of…

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1555 words

Citation: Nicol, Bran. "William Collins". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 08 January 2001 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=963, accessed 21 November 2024.]