Paul Collin (12 July 1843 – 5 February 1915) was a French poet, writer, translator and librettist.
In the 18th and early 19th centuries, his family produced administrative officers in the military, mail and law service as well as physicians.
He started a professional career as a lawyer before marrying one of the daughters of the French chemist Theodore Gobley.
Poetry proved to be Collin's real vocation, and he went on to write libretti and song lyrics for a number of operas and cantatas, collaborating with contemporary composers of the second half of the 19th century including Tchaikovsky, who used several of his shorter poetry works for songs.
[2] Collin also wrote as a music critic for the journal Le Ménestrel.