MEMOIR OF COLLINS.
xxxix
weak eyes. His mind was deeply imbued with classical literature, and he understood the Italian, French, and Spanish languages. He was well read, and was particularly conversant with early English writers, and, to an ardent love of literature he united, as is manifest from many of his pieces, a passionate devotion to Music, that
"———Sphere-descended maid,
Friend of Pleasure, Wisdom's aid."
Friend of Pleasure, Wisdom's aid."
His family, which were very respectable, were established at Chichester in the sixteenth century as tradesmen of the higher order, and his immediate ancestor was mayor of that city in 1619:[1]
- ↑ Dallaway's Sussex, vol. i. p. 185—The arms of the family of Collins are there said to have been, "Azure a griffin segreant or;" but in Sir William Burrell's MS. Collections for a History of Sussex, in the British Museum, the field is described as being vert. From those manuscripts which are marked "Additional MSS." Nos. 5697 to 5699, the following notices of the Poet's family have been extracted.REGISTER OF ST. ANDREW'S CHICHESTER.BAPTISM.
Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. George Collins, 8th October, 1763.
BURIALS.
Mrs. Elizabeth Collins [the poet's mother], 6th July, 1744.
William Collins, Gent. [the Poet], 15th June, 1759.REGISTER OF ST. PETER THE GREAT, CHICHESTER.BAPTISMS.
Charles, son of Roger Collins, 8th February, 1645.
George, son of Mr. George Collins, 28th December, 1647.
Humphrey, son of Mr. Richard Collins, 20th Dec. 1648.
