Description

Rev. William Lucas Collis (1815-87) was a Church of England priest, essayist and author. Born at Oxwich near Swansea, he was educated at Rugby School before entering Jesus College, Oxford where he matricualted in 1833, obtained a BA in Literae Humaniores in 1838, and his MA in 1841. He was ordained in 1840 and held the benefice of the parish of Cherlton, Swansea from 1840-67, also holding positions as curate of Great Houghton, Northants (1853-62), a diocesan inspector of education, rector of St Peter's, Lowick (1873 to his death), and vicar of Slipton, Northants (1876 to his death). He was also an honorary Canon of Peterborough Cathedral from 1870. In addition to his work within the church he was a regular contributor of articles on university life and public schools to Blackwood's Magazine and also produced several volumes for John Blackwood's Ancient Classics for English Readers series, and for their Foreign and Philosophical Classics series. This work on Virgil was originally to be undertaken by English classical scholar John Conington (1825-69) but following his untimely death was instead prepared by Collins using extracts from Conington's translation of Virgil's Æneid. First published in 1870.