The Poetical Works of William Collins

Introduced, by the editor of this volume, into the text of the Ode to Evening, and the Ode to a Lady on the Death of Col. Ross, it may be necessary here to explain his authority for so doing. The Ode to Evening first appeared in the little volume of Collinses Odes, publbhed by Millar in December, 1746. The Ode on the death of Col. Boss (first printed in Dodsleys Museum, in June of that year), was also inserted in the volume referred to. Collins never republished his Odes in an independent form; but these two poems, with considerable variations, were subsequently inserted in the second edition of Dodsleys Collection, published in 1748. Such variations could not have been introduced by Dodsley without authority; or without calling forth a protest from the author.