u will see a very pretty one of Collins's, on the Death
of Colonel Ross before Tournay. It is addressed to a lady who was
Ross's intimate acquaintance, and who, by the way, is Miss Bett
Goddard. Collins is not to publish the odes unless he gets ten
guineas for them. I returned from Milford last night, where I left
Collins with my mother and sister, and he sets out to-day for
London. I must now tell you, that I have sent him your imitation
of Horace's Blandusian Fountain, to be printed amongst ours, and
which you shall own or not, as you think proper. I would not have
done this without your consent, but because I think it very
poetically and correctly done, and will get you honour. You will
let me know what the Oxford critics say. Adieu, dear Tom,

"I am your most affectionate brother,
"J. WARTON."

Like so many of Collins's projects this was not executed; but the reason
of its failure is unknown.

On the death of Thomson, in August, 1748, Collins wrote an ode to his
memory, which is no less remarkable for its beauty as a composition,
than for its pathetic tenderness as a memorial of a friend.

The Poet's pecuniary difficulties were removed in 1749, by the death of
his maternal uncle, Lieutenant-Colonel Edmund Martyn, who, after
bequeathing legacies to some other relations, ordered the residue of his
real and personal estate to be divided between his nephew William
Collins, and his nieces Elizabeth and Anne Collins, and appointed the
said Elizabeth his executrix, who proved her uncle's will on the 30th of
May, 1749. Collins's share was, it is said, about two thousand pounds;
and, as has been already observed, the money came most opportunely: a
greater calamity even than poverty, however, shortly afterwards
counterbalanced his good fortune; but the assertion of the writer in the
Gentleman's Magazine, that his mental aberration arose from his having
squandered this legacy, appears to be unfounded.

One, and but one, letter of Collins's has ever been printed; nor has a
careful inquiry after others been successful. It is of peculiar
interest, as it proves that he wrote an Ode on the Music of the Grecian
Theatre, but which is unfortunately lost. The honour to which he
alludes was the setting his Ode on the Passions to music.

"TO DR. WILLIAM HAYES, PROFESSOR OF MUSIC, OXFORD.

"SIR,

"MR. BLACKSTONE of Winchester some time since informed me of the
honour you had done me at Oxford la