Family and Situation
The senior Mr. Collins is the father of Rev. William Collins. He was also a “cousin” (unclear what precisely this means) of Mr. Bennet before his death, prior to the beginning of the novel. Since his son is within the entail of Longbourn as well as the fact that he does not bear the surname Bennet, it is likely that Mr. Collins Senior is descended from an aunt or great aunt of Mr. Bennet.
Character
From the few pieces of information we’re given, we know that Mr. Collins and Mr. Bennet barely spoke because of a longstanding quarrel of some kind. The narrator also tells us that Mr. Collins was “illiterate” and “miserly” and brought up his son in “subjugation.”
