Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/1163

COL editions—and of various other useful works, was born in 1682, and died in 1760. Sir Egerton Brydges published an edition of the "Peerage" in 1812. Besides editing with remarkable care and judgment various collections of family papers, Collins compiled a "Baronetage of England" in 1720 and 1741, and "The English Baronage" in 1727.—J. S., G.  * COLLINS,, son of William Collins, born in 1828, and remarkable as one of the original band of young painters who, assuming the affected title of pre-Raffaellite Brethren, have done much to revolutionize, and let it be added, to benefit English art. His most important work is his "Convent Thoughts," first exhibited at the academy in 1850, and subsequently at the Manchester Art Treasures exhibition in 1857. Since this Mr. Collins has exhibited no picture of mark, devoting himself rather to literary than art pursuits.—W. T.  COLLINS,, an eminent mathematician, a native of Wood-Eaton, near Oxford, was born in 1624, and died in 1683. His father, a nonconformist minister, sent him to Oxford to learn the trade of a bookseller; but, during the civil war, he went to sea and saw some service on board a man-of-war in the Mediterranean. On his return to England he adopted the profession of an accountant, the laborious duties of which did not prevent him from pursuing with great success his favourite studies. Becoming known to the public as the author and editor of various mathematical works, he was soon on terms of friendship with most of the eminent scientific men of his day; and so much advantage did he derive from his immense correspondence, that he came to be considered "the register of all the new improvements made in the mathematical sciences." Most of Collins' once popular works are now completely antiquated.—J. S., G.  COLLINS,, a minor poet of the last century, was born at Chichester in the year 1721. His father was a hatter and an alderman of that ancient city. He was a scholar on the foundation at Winchester school for seven years, and afterwards in 1740 went up to Oxford, entering first as a commoner at Queen's college. He soon obtained a demy-ship at Magdalen college. His talent for versification had shown itself even at school; and while at Magdalen in 1742 he published some "Oriental Eclogues," but they were not successful. The consciousness of intellectual power, added to a considerable portion of vanity and ambition, led him to abandon the career marked out for him at Oxford and go up to London in search of distinction. But indolence, coupled with irresolution, caused the failure of his hopes and marred the bright promise of his genius. He planned several tragedies, besides other works, but, as Dr. Johnson says, only planned them. He became involved in debt, out of which he had not sufficient energy to extricate himself. In 1746 he published his "Odes, Descriptive and Allegorical." Miller, his bookseller, gave him a good price for the copyright, but the sale was insignificant, and Collins, as soon as he was able to afford it, repaid Miller, and caused the unsold copies of the impression to be burnt. Soon after this his uncle, Colonel Martin, died, and left him two thousand pounds. His long struggle with poverty was thus ended, but idle desultory habits long protracted, and the kind of intellectual self-indulgence to which he had yielded through life, now brought on a nervous disorder which, before long, incapacitated him from all sustained mental exertion. Finding the disease growing upon him he took to dram-drinking; but this only made matters worse. He was for some time the inmate of a lunatic asylum; after which he lived under the care of his sister at Chichester, where he died in 1756, at the early age of thirty-five years. Collins' poems form one very small volume. His once celebrated odes are now in a fair way to be forgotten.—T. A.  COLLINS,, was born in Great Titchfield Street, London, on the 18th September, 1788. His father, a native of Wicklow, was a picture dealer and cleaner, and the author of a three volume novel called "Memoirs of a Picture," and of a Life of his friend Morland the painter. At an early age William Collins evidenced a love of art, received lessons from Morland, and was afterwards formally despatched to the academy to pursue his studies. "Collins and myself," wrote Mr. Etty, "started as probationers in the same week. He drew the Laocoon and I the Torso. His drawings were remarkable for their careful finish and good effect." When twenty-one, Collins commenced to exhibit at the academy, and for years afterwards he continued to be a constant exhibitor. He rapidly attamed success. He was very careful what as well as how he painted. He lived an easy, successful, uneventful life—hard-working, but well paid. In 1815 he was elected an associate of the Royal Academy. He married in 1822 the daughter of Mr. Geddes, A.R.A., and the sister of Mrs. Carpenter, the portrait painter. In 1820 he had been elected an academician, presenting as his diploma-picture the work called "The Young Anglers." For sixteen years he continued to exhibit without losing a year. He then made a mistake—following Wilkie's advice, he travelled on the continent for two years with the view of changing his style. His great successes had been coast scenes. "The Shrimpers;" "Fishermen coming Ashore before Sunrise;" "Getting out the Nets;" "Mussel Gatherers;" Haunts of the Seafowl"—the names of his works bespeak their character. He now sought to render Italian scenes and scriptural subjects. He exhibited for some years the fruits of his Italian travels—mediocre landscapes, and worse than mediocre scripture illustrations. Before long he judiciously resumed his first line of subjects. The public welcomed back his "coast scenes" with acclamations. These works are very perfect of their class. His peasant groups are singularly happy, full of repose and quiet settled unconsciousness. His execution was extremely careful—no slovenliness ever disfigured his canvas. His colour was quiet but agreeable, with pleasant atmospheric effects, hinted at rather than forcibly insisted on. Altogether it would be hard to find more reliable renderings of English coast life. This of itself, apart from technical qualities, would always maintain the value of the works of William Collins. The highest price he ever received was five hundred guineas from Sir Robert Peel for his "Frost Scene." In 1840 Collins was appointed librarian to the academy, but resigned the office not long afterwards, finding it absorbed his attention too much. In 1844 first became apparent the symptoms of the heart disease, which resulted in his death on the 17th February, 1847, at his house in Devonport Street, Hyde Park Gardens. William Collins had two sons, Wilkie and Charles Allston.—W. T.  * COLLINS,, a dramatic author, biographer, and novelist, was born in London in 1825. He is the eldest son of the late William Collins, R.A., his mother being a daughter of Geddes the painter. Mr. Collins' literary career began with the publication of "Memoirs of William Collins, R.A.," 1848. This well-executed biography was succeeded by "Antonina; a novel," 1850; "Rambles beyond Railways, or Notes in Cornwall taken a-foot," 1851; "Basil, a Story of modern life," 1852; "Hide and Seek," 1854; "After Dark," 1856. Besides these works, Mr. Collins has written "Mr. Wray's Cash-box, or the Mask and the Mystery;" numerous tales for the various leading magazines and serials of the metropolis (amongst which Household Words and Fraser may be especially mentioned) and two very remarkable dramas, "The Light-house" "and "The Frozen Deep," which have been put on the stage with decided success.  COLLINSON,, an English botanist, was born in Westmoreland on 14th January, 1693, and died on 11th August, 1768. He devoted himself early to botanical pursuits, and cultivated many rare plants. He imported a number of useful species from America. He also transmitted European plants to the American continent, and is said to have introduced the culture of the vine into Virginia. He appears to have aided Franklin in his electrical experiments, and to have supplied him with instruments. He was a great antiquarian, and investigated the antiquities of England. He also contributed articles to the Gentleman's Magazine. Linnæus named the genus Collinsonia after him.—J. H. B.  COLLOT D'HERBOIS,, one of the most prominent and sanguinary agents in the French revolution, was born at Paris in 1750. He was originally a strolling player, and performed with little success in the principal towns of France and Holland. When the Revolution broke out he repaired to Paris, and rendered himself conspicuous by the violence of his harangues. He was one of the principal instigators of the conflict of 10th August, and of the massacres of September. He was deputed by the convention in November, 1793, to punish the revolt of Lyons, and not only battered down the walls, and strove utterly to destroy the city, but in conjunction with Fouché, put to death upwards of sixteen hundred of the inhabitants—six hundred of whom were shot in one day. On his return to Paris he associated himself with Robespierre, on all occasions supported the most violent and sanguinary measures, and voted for the death of Louis XVI., and the abolition of the <section end="1163Zcontin" />