Anthony Collins, an English philosophical and skeptical writer, born at Heston, Middlesex, June 21, 1676, died in London, Dec. 13, 1729. He was educated at Eton and at King's college, Cambridge, and was afterward entered a student in the Temple at London, but applied himself chiefly to literary studies. In 1703 he began a correspondence with Locke, who cherished an enthusiastic affection for him, admiring in him "as much of the love of truth for truth's sake as ever he met with in anybody." In 1707 he published a treatise concerning the use of reason in propositions depending on human testimony, and in the same year engaged in the controversy between Dod-well and Dr. Samuel Clarke concerning the natural immortality of the soul. In 1709 he published "Priestcraft in Perfection," assailing the 20th article of the church of England, which affirms the power of the church to decree rites and ceremonies and to determine controversies of faith. Numerous answers were written to this work, the most noted of which was by Dr. Bennet, to which Collins replied in his "Essay on the Thirty-nine Articles." He advocated the necessitarian scheme in his "Vindication of the Divine Attributes" (1710), which views he developed more fully in his "Philosophical Inquiry concerning Liberty and Necessity" (1715). Though he endeavors to prove that man is a necessary agent morally as a clock is physically, he yet does not deny the power in man of doing as he wills and pleases; and in several of his views he anticipated Jonathan Edwards, the ablest subsequent champion of necessity.

In answer to his opinions Dr. Clarke published in a tract one of the most important of his metaphysical arguments. In 1711 Collins resided in Holland, where in the society of Le Clerc and others he matured his " Discourse on Free Thinking," which was published on his return in 1713, and excited much animadversion. Its aim was to show that in all ages the most intellectual men and most admirable characters have been free thinkers, relying rather on philosophical thought than established opinion. The most remarkable of the numerous answers to it were by Bentley in England and Crousaz in France. In 1718 he became treasurer of the county of Essex, and soon after published his "Grounds and Reasons of the Christian Religion," maintaining that though Christianity is founded upon Judaism, and the assertions of the New Testament are proved in part by propositions from the Old, yet there is nothing in the latter which has a direct or other than a typical or allegorical bearing upon anything in the former. Within two years 35 answers appeared to this work, among others, by Whiston and Drs. Clarke, Sykes, and Sherlock; to which Collins replied finally in his "Scheme of Literal Prophecy." His last work was written in 1727, in reply to eight sermons by Dr. Rogers on the necessity of a divine revelation.

Collins was a subtle and ingenious rather than a profound writer. His personal amiability was remarked even by his opponents, and his large and very curious library was open to all men of letters.