William Collins
James Beattie to William Forbes, 4 May 1770; Forbes, Life and Writings of James Beattie (1806) 1:159.
It is very true, that living authors are often hardly dealt with by their contemporaries; witness Milton, Collins the poet, and many others: but I believe it is equally true, that no good piece was ever published, which did not sooner or later obtain the public approbation.