an
whom he had thought worthy of confidence, and one who professed to be a
disciple of Collins, he bequeathed them to Des Maizeaux, then a popular
author and editor. He had edited the correspondence of Locke and
Collins, written the lite of Bayle, and subsequently edited Toland. The
idea of Collins was to give his work to Des Maizeaux for a recompense
for the trouble of publishing them, while he would derive the whole
profits of their sale, which no doubt would be very large. It appears
that the widow of Collins was much younger than himself--in league with
the Church of England; and was in rather a suspicious friendship with
more than one clerical antagonist of her late husband. Des Maizeaux
being worked upon conjointly by Mrs. Collins and a person named
Tomlinson, was induced to accept a present of fifty guineas, and
relinquished the possession of the manuscripts. It was not long,
however, before his conscience accused him of the great wrong done to
the memory of his benefactor, and to the Free-thinking cause. His regret
was turned into the most profound compunction for his crime; and in this
state of mind he wrote a long letter to one who had been a mutual friend
to Collins and himself, acknowledging that he had done "a most wicked
thing," saying--"I am convinced that I have acted contrary to the will
and intention of my dear deceased friend; showed a disregard to the
particular mark of esteem he gave me on that occasion; in short, that
I have forfeited what is dearer to me than my own life--honor and
reputation.... I send you the fifty guineas I received, which I do now
look upon as the wages of iniquity, and I desire you to return them to
Mrs. Collins, who, as I hope it of her justice, equity, and regard to
Mr. Collinses intentions, will be pleased to cancel my paper."

This appeal (which proved that Des Maizeaux, if he was weak-minded, was
not absolutely dishonest) had no effect on Mrs. Collins. The manuscripts
were never returned. What their contents were, no one now can inform us.
We are justified, however, in supposing that as those eight volumes were
the crowning efforts of a mind which in its youth was brilliant in no
common degree, must have been even superior to those books which roused
England from its dreamy lethargy, and brought about a revolution
in controversy. Whether they touched upon miracles, or the external
evidences, or the morals of Christism, is unknown. The curtain was
drawn over the scene of