COLLIER, Jeremy, English bishop: b. Stow Quy, Cambridgeshire, 23 Sept. 1650; d. London, 26 April 1726. He was educated at Caius College, Cambridge, entered the Anglican Church in 1677 and was rector of Ampton, Suffolk in 1679. The revolution of 16138 found in him a most zealous opponent; and he not only IA refused to take the oaths to the government of William and Mary, but came boldly forward in defense of his non-juring principles, and sub jected himself to repeated imprisonment, both for writings and other overt acts, which a more tyrannical government might easily have con strued into treason. His political writings have almost been forgotten; but he wrote two other works, which have preserved his name, and prove him to have been a writer of distin guished ability. The one entitled (Essays Upon Several Moral Subjects' (1697) is distin guished by learning and wit, and an easy flow ing style; the other, entitled (Short View of the Immorality and Profaneness of the English Stage" (1698), is unquestionably a masterpiece, and is still perhaps the best work written on the subject. It enjoyed great popularity not
withstanding the fierce opposition it encountered especially from Congreve and Vanbrugh, and is said to have had the effect of greatly purifying both the sentiments and the language of the theatre. The only other work of Collier de serving of special notice is his 'Ecclesiastical History of Great Britain to the End of the Reign of Charles II' (1708 and 1714). It cost him many years of labor and displays much ability, but is strongly tinctured with his non juring views. In 1713 he was consecrated bishop among the non-jurors. Consult 'The Ec clesiastical History,' edited by Lathbury (Lon don 1852).