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

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First published 08 January 2001

Citation: Nicol, Bran. "William Collins". The Literary Encyclopedia. 8 January 2001.
[http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=963, accessed 9 February 2010.]