presuppose an accidental or artificial state of mind. An imitation
of Spenser is nothing to a reader, however acute, by whom Spenser
has never been perused. Works of this kind may deserve praise, as
proofs of great industry and great nicety of observation; but the
highest praise, the praise of genius, they cannot claim. The
noblest beauties of art are those of which the effect is co-extended
with rational nature, or at least with the whole circle of polished
life; what is less than this can be only pretty, the plaything of
fashion, and the amusement of a day.

There is in the Adventurer a paper of verses given to one of the
authors as Mr. West's, and supposed to have been written by him. It
should not be concealed, however, that it is printed with Mr. Jago's
name in Dodsley's Collection, and is mentioned as his in a letter of
Shenstone's. Perhaps West gave it without naming the author, and
Hawkesworth, receiving it from him, thought it his; for his he
thought it, as he told me, and as he tells the public.



COLLINS.

William Collins was born at Chichester, on the 25th day of December,
about 1720. His father was a hatter of good reputation. He was in
1733, as Dr. Warton has kindly informed me, admitted scholar of
Winchester College, where he was educated by Dr. Burton. His
English exercises were better than his Latin. He first courted the
notice of the public by some verses to a "Lady weeping," published
in The Gentleman's Magazine (January, 1739).