[1]A. F. Griffith, _Bibliotheca Anglo-Poetica_ (1815), p. 67. Griffith
quotes the first two stanzas of "The Preface" as "detailing the cause
of the poems being written."
[2]Sir Egerton Brydges, ed., _Restituta_ (1815), IV, xi. Brydges reprints
passages from "The Preface," "To the Reader," "The Discourse," "A Song
declaring that a Christian may finde tru Love only where tru Grace
is," "A Song shewing the Mercies of God to his people...," "Another
Song exciting to spirituall Mirth," "Another Song (II)," and "The
Fifth Meditacion," III, 123-127, 180-184.
[3]_Catalogue of the Splendid, Curious, and Extensive Library of Sir Mark
Masterman Sykes_ (1824), p. 39. Thorpe bought a very large percentage
of the books in the Sykes collection.
[4]S. Austin Allibone, _A Critical Dictionary of English Literature_
(1878), I, 411.
[5]I. A. Williams, "Bibliographical Notes and News," _London Mercury_, IX
(1924), 529.
[6]Her poem on the Civil War suggests that she was not in sympathy with
the left wing of the Puritan movement.
[7]"The Discourse" relates Miss Collins' interest in "Theologicall
employments," especially as these filled her once empty life. There
are 29 stanzas treating of the nature of the Trinity and the Law. In
ten more stanzas, she paraphrases each of the ten Commandments. The
remaining 34 stanzas summarize the steps to salvation, and the joys of
the Christian life. These theological verses follow the initial 26
stanzas, which are repetitious of "The Preface" in their
autobiographical matter and pious observations. In addition to "The
Discourse," the following titles have not been reprinted here:
A Song demonstrating The vanities of Earthly things;
A Song manifesting The Saints eternall Happinesse;
A Song exciting to spirituall Alacrity;
A Song composed in time of Civill Warr, when the wicked did much
insult over the godly;
The third Meditacion;
The fourth Meditacion;
The fifth Meditacion;
Verses on the twelvth Chapter of Ecclesiastes.
Divine
SONGS
and
MEDITACIONS
Composed
By
_An Collins_.
_LONDON_,
Printed by _R. Bishop_. Anno Dom. 1653