the foundation of Winchester, under Dr. Sandby. Here, together with two
of his school-fellows, of whom Collins was one, he became a contributor
to the Gentleman's Magazine. Johnson, who then assisted in editing that
miscellany, had sagacity enough to distinguish, from the rest, a few
lines that were sent by Collins, which, though not remarkable for
excellence, ought now to take their place among his other poems.

In 1740, Warton being superannuated at Winchester, was entered of Oriel
College, Oxford; and taking his bachelor's degree, in 1744, was ordained
to his father's curacy at Basingstoke. Having lost his father about a
year after, he removed to the curacy of Chelsea, in February, 1746. Near
this time, I suppose a letter, that is without date of time or place, to
have been written to his brother. As it informs us of some particulars
relating to Collins, of whom it is to be wished that more were known, I
am tempted to transcribe it.

Dear Tom,--You will wonder to see my name in an advertisement next
week, so I thought I would apprize you of it. The case was this.
Collins met me in Surrey, at Guildford races, when I wrote out for him
my Odes, and he likewise communicated some of his to me: and being
both in very high spirits, we took courage, resolved to join our
forces, and to publish them immediately. I flatter myself, that I
shall lose no honour by this publication, because I believe these
Odes, as they now stand, are infinitely the best things I ever wrote.
You 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