John Payne Collier

The son of John Dyer Collier (editor of the Critical Review), John Payne Collier studied at the Middle Temple (1811) and was a writer for the Morning Chronicle when he helped to record Coleridge's lectures of 1811-12. Collier, who contributed articles on Elizabethan literature to the Critical Review (1816-17), was an antiquarian friend of Charles Lamb, a bibliophile, and founder of the Shakespeare Society (1841). Collier was accused of forgery and falsifying documents; though the extent of his culpability has been disputed, he spent his last years living in shame. He edited Spenser's Works in 1862.

TEXT RECORDS:

1811 ca.[Diary Entry: Coleridge on Spenser.]
1820The Poetical Decameron.
1822Preface to The Poet's Pilgrimage.
1822The Poet's Pilgrimage. Canto II.
1822The Poet's Pilgrimage. Canto III.
1822The Poet's Pilgrimage. Canto IV.
1822The Poet's Pilgrimage; an Allegorical Poem.

PUBLICATIONS:

Trilogy on the emendations of Shakespeare's text. 1814.
Criticisms on the Bar. 1819.
The poetical decameron. 2 vols, 1820.
The poet's pilgrimage: an allegorical poem. 1822.
Select collection of old plays [Dodsley], ed. Collier. 12 vols, 1825-27.
Punch and Judy ... an account of its origin. 1828.
The history of English dramatic poetry. 3 vols, 1831.
New facts regarding the life of Shakespeare. 1835.
New particulars regarding the works of Shakespeare. 1836.
A catalogue, bibliographical and critical, of early English literature. 1837.
Further particulars regarding Shakespeare and his works. 1839.
The Egerton papers: a collection of public and private documents. 1840.
Reasons for a new edition of Shakespeare's works. 1841.
Memoirs of Edward Alleyn. 1841.
Memoirs of the principal actors in the plays of Shakespeare. 1846.
Notes and emendations to the text of Shakespeare's plays. 1852.
Reply to Mr. N. E. S. Hamilton's Inquiry into the imputed Shakespeare forgeries. 1860.
Poetical works of Edmund Spenser [ed. Collier]. 5 vols, 1862.
Illustrations of early English popular literature. 2 vols, 1863-64.
A bibliographical and critical account of the rarest books in the English language. 2 vols, 1865.
Illustrations of Old English literature. 3 vols, 1866.
Odds and ends. 1870.
An old man's diary, forty years ago. 1871.

PROFILE AND
ASSOCIATES:

English
Anglican

Middle Temple
Inns of Court

lawyer
antiquary
poet
essayist
editor
journalist

Gentleman's Magazine
London Magazine
The Morning Chronicle
The Critical Review
The Literary Gazette
The Times
Forget-Me-Not
The Amulet

Thomas Barnes
Charles Cowden Clarke
Francis Egerton
William Godwin
William Hazlitt
Charles Lamb

REFERENCE:

DNB; NCBEL; CBEL (3rd ed).

S. W. Singer, The Text of Shakespeare Vindicated from the Interpolations and Corruptions Advocated by J. P. Collier (1853); Allibone, Critical Dictionary of English Literature (1858-71; 1882); Henry Crabb Robinson, in Diary (1869); John Payne Collier, An Old Man's Diary (1871-72); Chambers's Cyclopaedia of English Literature 3rd ed. (1876); Illustrated London News 83 (1883) 309 [portrait]; Antiquarian Magazine 4 (1883) 272-75; H. B. Wheatley, Notes on the Life of John Payne Collier (1884); Frederic Boase, Modern English Biography (1892-1921); Dewey Ganzel, Fortune and Men's Eyes (1982); Prance, Companion to Charles Lamb (1983); Arthur and Janet Ing Freeman, John Payne Collier (2004).

COMMENTARY RECORDS
for John Payne Collier:

1.	1819  Henry Crabb Robinson, 16 June 1819; Diary, Reminiscences, and Correspondence (1870; 1872) 1:330.
2.	1820  Charles Lamb to John Payne Collier, 16 May 1820; Letters, ed. Lucas (1935) 2:275.
3.	1825  Anonymous, Review of Collier, The Poet's Pilgrimage; The Literary Chronicle 7 (2 July 1825) 427.
4.	1832  Henry Hart Milman, in "Collier's History of English Dramatic Poetry" Quarterly Review 46 (January 1832) 477-79.
5.	1834  Robert Aris Willmott, in Lives of Sacred Poets (1834) 73n.
6.	1878  Charles and Mary Cowden Clarke, in Recollections of Writers (1878) 95-96.

BIOGRAPHY RECORDS
for John Payne Collier:

1.	1858  Samuel Austin Allibone, in Critical Dictionary of English Literature (1858-71; 1882) 1:410.
2.	1876  Robert Carruthers, in Chambers's Cyclopaedia of English Literature, 3rd ed. (1876; 1879) 8:374-75.
3.	1892  Frederic Boase, Modern English Biography (1892-1921) 1:677-78.

AUTHOR AS CRITIC:
(commentary records)

1.	1820  Robert Allott:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:17.
2.	1820  Thomas Blenerhasset:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 104-05.
3.	1820  Richard Brathwait:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 2:54-55.
4.	1820  Lodowick Bryskett:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:99-100.
5.	1820  Thomas Churchyard:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 2:89-90.
6.	1820  Rev. John Donne:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:155.
7.	1820  Rev. Charles Fitzgeffrey:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:18.
8.	1820  Edward Guilpin:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:229.
9.	1820  Sir John Harington:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:201-02.
10.	1820  Thomas Heywood:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:322.
11.	1820  Dr. Thomas Lodge:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:171-71.
12.	1820  Gervase Markham:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:59.
13.	1820  Christopher Marlowe:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:128.
14.	1820  Rev. John Marston:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:230-33.
15.	1820  Thomas Middleton:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:100-101.
16.	1820  George Peele:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:48.
17.	1820  Francis Rous the Elder:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:71.
18.	1820  Matthew Roydon:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:99.
19.	1820  Robert Tofte:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:59.
20.	1820  William Vallans:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:127.
21.	1820  George Whetstone:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Decameron (1820) 1:61-62, 64.
22.	1862  Richard Barnfield:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Works of Spenser (1862; 1875) 2:cv-cvi.
23.	1862  John Chalkhill:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Works of Spenser (1862; 1875) 1:clxvii n.
24.	1862  Matthew Roydon:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Works of Spenser (1862; 1875) 1:cx-xi n.
25.	1866  Robert Allott:   John Payne Collier, "Englands Parnassus" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 3:132-36.
26.	1866  Richard Barnfield:   John Payne Collier, "Lady Pecunia, or the Praise of Money" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:58-62.
27.	1866  William Basse:   John Payne Collier, "Great-Britaines Sunnes-set" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:70-73.
28.	1866  Rev. Nathaniel Baxter:   John Payne Collier, "Sir Philip Sydneys Ourania" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:75-77.
29.	1866  John Bodenham:   John Payne Collier, "Bel-Vedere" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:89-90.
30.	1866  John Bodenham:   John Payne Collier, "Englands Helicon" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:90-93.
31.	1866  Richard Brathwait:   John Payne Collier, "A Strappado for the Divell" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:4-97.
32.	1866  Richard Brathwait:   John Payne Collier, "Shepherds Tales, 1623" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 4:26-28.
33.	1866  Nicholas Breton:   John Payne Collier, "The Pilgrimage to Paradise" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:104-07.
34.	1866  Christopher Brooke:   John Payne Collier, in "Britannia's Pastorals" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:114-15.
35.	1866  William Browne of Tavistock:   John Payne Collier, "Britannia's Pastorals" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:113-15.
36.	1866  Sir George Buc:   John Payne Collier, "An Eclog treating of Crownes, and of Garlandes" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:117-19.
37.	1866  Richard Carew:   John Payne Collier, "A Herrings Tale" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:133-44.
38.	1866  John Chalkhill:   John Payne Collier, "Thealma and Clearchus" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:144-46.
39.	1866  Henry Chettle:   John Payne Collier, "Englands Mourning Garment" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:160-62.
40.	1866  Thomas Collins:   John Payne Collier, "The Teares of Love" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:184-85.
41.	1866  Anthony Copley:   John Payne Collier, in "Wits, Fits, and Fancies" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:195.
42.	1866  Samuel Daniel:   John Payne Collier, "Delia" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:210-13.
43.	1866  Sir John Davies:   John Payne Collier, "Orchestra, or a Poeme of Dauncing" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:234-37.
44.	1866  John Davies of Hereford:   John Payne Collier, "Mirum in Modum" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:224-25.
45.	1866  Francis Davison:   John Payne Collier, "A Poetical Rapsodie" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:230-34.
46.	1866  Thomas Dekker:   John Payne Collier, "A Knight's Conjuring" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:244-47.
47.	1866  Michael Drayton:   John Payne Collier, "Idea. The Shepheards Garland" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:274-78.
48.	1866  Michael Drayton:   John Payne Collier, "Endimion and Phoebe" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:278-83.
49.	1866  Michael Drayton:   John Payne Collier, "The Owle" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:283-84.
50.	1866  William Drummond:   John Payne Collier, "Forth Feasting" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 1:290-91.
51.	1866  Edward Fairfax:   John Payne Collier, "Godfrey of Bulloigne" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 2:1-4.
52.	1866  Edward Guilpin:   John Payne Collier, "Skialethia" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 2:99-102.
53.	1866  William Habington:   John Payne Collier, "Castara" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 2:99-102.
54.	1866  Bp. Joseph Hall:   John Payne Collier, "Virgidemiarum" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 2:114-16.
55.	1866  William Harbert:   John Payne Collier, "Prophesie of Cadwallader" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 2:114-16.
56.	1866  Dr. Thomas Lodge:   John Payne Collier, "Phillis: honoured with Pastorall Sonnets" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 2:247-51.
57.	1866  Henry Lok:   John Payne Collier, "Ecclesiastes" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 2:262-66.
58.	1866  Rev. John Marston:   John Payne Collier, "Scourge of Villanie" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 2:320-22 & n.
59.	1866  Thomas Middleton:   John Payne Collier, "The Ant and the Nightingale" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 2:333-35.
60.	1866  Thomas Nashe:   John Payne Collier, "Pierce Penilesse his Supplication to the Divell" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 3:8-11.
61.	1866  Thomas Nashe:   John Payne Collier, "Strange Newes of the intercepting certaine Letters" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 3:11-13.
62.	1866  Thomas Nashe:   John Payne Collier, "Have with you to Saffron-Waldon" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 3:21-25.
63.	1866  Richard Niccols:   John Payne Collier, "Epicedium. A Funeral Oration" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 3:41-44.
64.	1866  Richard Niccols:   John Payne Collier, "The Beggers Ape" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 3:44-48.
65.	1866  Richard Niccols:   John Payne Collier, "The Cuckow" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 3:48-49.
66.	1866  Rev. Samuel Nicholson:   John Payne Collier, "Acolastus his After-witte" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 3:58-60.
67.	1866  Martin Parker:   John Payne Collier, in "A True Tale of Robin Hood" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 3:114-16.
68.	1866  Martin Parker:   John Payne Collier, "The Poet's Blind mans bough" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 3:123-25.
69.	1866  Henry Peacham:   John Payne Collier, "Prince Henrie Revived" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 3:166-69.
70.	1866  Henry Reynolds:   John Payne Collier, "Mythomystes" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 2:352-55.
71.	1866  Rev. Thomas Scott:   John Payne Collier, "Philomythie or Philomythologie" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 4:26-28.
72.	1866  William Smith:   John Payne Collier, "Chloris" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 4:68-71.
73.	1866  John Taylor the Water Poet:   John Payne Collier, "Praise of Hemp-Seed" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 4:135-37.
74.	1866  Robert Tofte:   John Payne Collier, "Alba" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 4:159-60.
75.	1866  William Vallans:   John Payne Collier, "The Honorable Prentice: or The Taylor is a man" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 4:189-91.
76.	1866  Richard Vennar:   John Payne Collier, in Venner, An Apology; Illustrations of Old English Literature (1866) 3:ii.
77.	1866  Richard Vennar:   John Payne Collier, "An Apology written by Richard Vennar" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 4:193-96.
78.	1866  William Warner:   John Payne Collier, "The first and second Parts of Albions England" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 4:213-17.
79.	1866  Thomas Watson:   John Payne Collier, "The Tears of Fancie" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 4:220-24.
80.	1866  Thomas Watson:   John Payne Collier, "Mellibaeus Thomae Watsoni" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 4:224-25.
81.	1866  John Weever:   John Payne Collier, "Epigrammes in the oldest cut and newest fashion" in Bibliographical and Critical Account of the Rarest Books (1866) 4:227-30.

AUTHOR AS CRITIC:
(biography records)

1.	1862  George Puttenham:   John Payne Collier, in Poetical Works of Spenser (1862; 1875) 1:clxvi n.
2.	1870  William Basse:   John Payne Collier, introduction to Basse, Pastorals and other Works (1870) i-iv.