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letters. The letters and essays which pertained to his metaphysical studies, as well as to the details of his life, were collected and published by Benson.
The awakened interest in Collier evidenced itself at the same time in a second edition of the "Clavis." The copies numbered forty, and were "exclusively bestowed as presents."[1] The third and last edition of the "Clavis Universalis," still accessible in the large libraries, was brought out in 1837 in a small volume prepared by Dr. Parr, entitled "Metaphysical Tracts of the Eighteenth Century." Dr. Parr had in his "remarkable library" rare metaphysical tracts of English authorship. Realizing their interest, he had thrown off a small impression of five of them, with an abridgment of the sixth. He intended to publish these, with an introduction which should include "an historical disquisition on Idealism, with special reference to the philosophy of Collier." But his death interrupted the work before it was completed. His library was sold, and the impression of the six tracts was purchased by a Mr. Lumley, a respectable London bookseller,[2] who was about to publish the "Memoirs of Arthur Collier" which Benson had prepared.[3] This collection of tracts, in which the
- ↑ Benson's "Memoirs," Preface, page XIV.
- ↑ "Idealism; with Reference to the Scheme of Arthur Collier" by Sir Wm. Hamilton (published originally in the Edinburgh Review in April, 1839), in "Discussions on Philosophy and Literature," London, 1852, p. 187.
- ↑ Dr. Parr's "Collection of Metaphysical Tracts" Advertisement.