An Collins facts for kids
An Collins (who was active around 1653) was a poet we don't know much about. She is known for writing a book of poems and thoughtful writings called Divine Songs and Meditacions. This book was published in London in 1653.
About Divine Songs and Meditacions
The poems and writings in Divine Songs and Meditacions are quite different from each other. Most of them are about religious topics. However, some pieces, like "A song composed in time of the Civill Warr, when the wicked did much insult over the godly," focus on the political situation in England during the English Civil War. This was a time when different groups in England fought against each other.
Collins' writing style has interested many experts. They have studied the way she uses different poem structures. For example, she used a style called Rime royal in The Preface. Her book is also important historically. It is one of the first collections of poems by a woman published in the 1600s. It gives us a peek into the life of a woman writer from that time. It also shows us what politics, society, and religion were like in 17th-century England. Some experts also see her work as part of a tradition of writing about one's own spiritual journey.
An Collins' Beliefs: Religion and Politics
Many people have written about An Collins' religious and political ideas. Some early writers thought she was a "quietist." This means they believed she was a very religious person who stayed away from worldly things. But more recent experts have found her writings to be more complex.
Experts Ostovich and Sauer have noted that An Collins' religious beliefs have been described in many ways. People have called her anti-Puritan, Calvinist, Catholic, anti-Calvinist, and even Quaker. All these ideas have been seen in Divine Songs. For example, The Discourse explains basic Protestant teachings. Its focus on sin has made some experts think she might have been a Calvinist. However, the book doesn't talk much about predestination. This makes the Calvinist idea less likely.
Some scholars also think Divine Songs and Meditacions shows signs of Catholicism. Collins' "meditations" seem to follow a method from a Catholic bishop named Francis de Sales. He wrote a popular book called Introduction to the Devout Life. This book had been translated into English many times by 1613. In the end, there is no clear agreement on what type of Christianity Collins followed.
Just like her religious beliefs, there are different ideas about Collins' political views. She has been described in many ways. Some say she was against certain radical groups in Parliament. Others say she supported the Commonwealth government. Still others believe she was against the Commonwealth or even supported the Royalists (the king's side).
How An Collins' Work Lived On
It was hard for An Collins' work to become widely known because it was not easy to find. There is only one copy of her original book left today. It is kept at the Huntington Library. This suggests that not many copies were printed or shared back then.
However, her book has been published again three times in modern times. These new editions have made Divine Songs and Meditacions available to new readers and scholars. This means more people can now discover and study her important work.
