A Discourse of Free-thinking, Occasion'd by the Rise and Growth of a Sect Call'd Free-Thinkers

by Anthony 1676-1729 Collins

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466 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1713

Reviews

[Prooost Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anthony Collins wrote this in 1713, and published it anonymously, along with advice that his publisher also be anonymous.

Thus, sir, I have endeavored to execute your commands, and give you free leave to make any use you please of what I have written, with this limitation, that if you think so well of it as to commit it to the press, you would conceal your name, and let it go abroad without the credit of your approbation: For I think it virtue enough to endeavor to do good, only within the bounds of doing yourself no harm.

Anthony Collins published all of his works anonymously, probably to avoid prosecution.

Collins was no atheist. He lumped atheism and superstition together as things to be despised. He presents himself as a good Anglican, but advises his readers to use their reason to decide what to believe and how to live, rather than relying on received wisdom, especially from priests. He points out that priests don't agree on what the truth is, and that they also lie. He comes across as a Deist, which is how his contemporaries saw him, I believe. Reading this work made me wonder what other things Collins might have believed, that he thought wise to keep to himself.

[Matti Marin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most important essays to read for anyone interested in learning about the origins of modern Freethought.