132 SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE. 



make himself so far acquainted with the French as to read, cor- 

 respond and compose in it with facility and correctness ; but for 

 this end he should be enabled to devote several hours a day to 

 the study. He would however, for the sake of acquiring a good 

 pronunciation, recommend the study of this language at an early 

 age, and did not consider that it would interfere with other 

 branches of education. He next drew a comparison between the 

 advantages possessed by those who have paid attention to the 

 elementary principles of the French Language in studying it: 

 and the disadvantages which persons labour under who have con- 

 tented themselves by acquiring a superficial knowledge. 



The Lecturer subsequently entered into a consideration of the 

 Systems of Cobbett, Hamilton, Dufief, Jacotot, and De Porquet, 

 pointing out what he considered to be good in the method of each ; 

 and lastly, he showed, by examples, the benefit of tracing the 

 analogy between the ancient and modem languages. 



SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE. 



Coleridge, the Philosopher and Poet, whose recent death 

 has created such a sensation of regret in the literary world, was a 

 Western Worthy: he was born, in 1773, at Ottery St. Mary, 

 where his father was vicar ; he was a man of learning, and had 

 previously been a schoolmaster at South Molton ; he contributed 

 many papers^ to periodical publications, and assisted Doctor Ken- 

 nicot in collecting his papers for a Hebrew bible ; he also pub- 

 lished a Latin Grammar and a dissertation on the " Logos." He 

 died, much regretted, in 1782, aged 62 years ; leaving a numerous 

 family of which the poet was the youngest. 



As the smallness of his father's income, and his large family, 

 rendered economy necessary, young Coleridge was educated at 

 Christ's Hospital School, London. Where he thevved that he 

 possessed talent and acuteness, which were, however, united with 

 eccentricity. 



The Rev. J. Bowyer, who was at the head of that institution, 

 was very severe in his discipline, but at the same time he did not 

 neglect to encourage genius whenever he met with it; by him 

 Coleridge was instructed in the beauties of the Greek, Roman, 

 and English poets; and also in correctness of taste and purity of 

 style. 



i 



