hey so much dreaded--a democracy more unbridled than their most
constitutional wishes--a political economy to be tried for half a
century, and then to be discarded--a revolutionary fervor which should
plough up Europe, and then give place to a Communism, which the
first founders of this national agitation would have gazed upon with
amazement, and shrunk from with despair. Such is the progress of change.
The rise of the Deistic movement may be defined in a sentence. It was
the old struggle of speculative opinion shifting its battle-ground from
theology to philosophy, prior to the one being discarded, and the other
developed into positive science.

Amongst the most distinguished of these reformers, stands the name of
Anthony Collins.

Who and what he was, we have little opportunity of knowing, save from
the scattered notices of contemporaries; but sufficient is left on
record to prove him one of the best of men, and the very Corypheus of
Deism. The twin questions of Necessity and Prophecy have been examined
by him perhaps more ably than by any other liberal author. There are
slight discrepancies in relation to the great events of his life. The
Abbe Lodivicat says he was born June 21st, 1676, of a rich and noble
family, at Heston, in Middlesex, and was appointed treasurer of the
county; but another account says "Hounslow," which we think was the more
likely place. He was educated at Eton and Cambridge. He studied for
the bar for sometime, but (being wealthy) ultimately renounced
jurisprudence, while his youthful studies admirably fitted him for
his subsequent magisterial duties. He was clever, honest, learned, and
esteemed by all who knew his character. The elder D'Israeli says, "that
he was a great lover of literature, and a man of fine genius, while his
morals were immaculate, and his personal character independent."

The friendship of Locke alone is sufficient to stamp the character of
Collins with honor, and he was one of the most valued friends of this
great man. In a volume published by P. Des Maizeaux (a writer we shall
have occasion to notice) in the year 1720, containing a collection of
the posthumous works of Locke, there are several letters addressed to
Collins which fully substantiate our opinion. Locke was then an old man,
residing in the country, and Collins was a young man in London, who took
a pleasure in executing the commissions of his illustrious friend. In
one of them, dated October 29th, 1703, he say