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BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR OF THE LATE SAMUEL TAYLOR 

 COLERIDGE. 



The death of a philosopher and poet is not only a grievous loss, but a nation; I 

 calamity, because the paucity of such men, in comparison with other orders, occasions 

 a chasm in philosophy and literature which is not easily filled up. We do not mean, 

 in this noon-day brightness of the arts and sciences, to affirm that there is a scarcity 

 of high-rate and commanding talent, of lofty and imperishable genius, and of 

 sound and extensive learning — for never, in the history of the world, did genius, and 

 erudition, and science, present such a bold and imposing front as at the present 

 period — but all liberal and enlightened minds will feel and acknowledge that the 

 removal of Coleridge from the arena of this life, where his mental powers shone 

 with such resplendent lustre, is a bitter loss to the world of letters of which he was 

 so illustrious an ornament. 



Samuel Taylor Coleridge was born at Ottery St. Mary, Devonshire, in 1773, of 

 the parish church of which town, his father, the Rev. John Coleridge, previously a 

 schoolmaster at South Molton, was Vicar. He was educated at Christ's Hospital, 

 London, under the strict discipline of the Rev. J. Bowyer, who possessed the almost 

 singular merit of sending his pupils to the University excellent Greek and Latin 

 scholars, with some knowledge of Hebrew, and a considerable insight into the con- 

 struction and beauties of their vernacular language and its most distinguished 

 writers — a rare addition to their classical acquirements in such foundations. From 

 thence, when eighteen years of age, he removed to Jesus College, Cambridge, where 

 it does not appear that he obtained or even struggled for academic honours — indeed 

 he quitted the University without taking a degree, having been a Collegian little 

 more than two years. To this inconsiderate step he was induced by the pressure of 

 pecuniary difficulties, and by a romantic attachment which he had formed for a 

 young lady, the sister of a school-fellow. He set off for London with a party of 

 Collegians, and passed a short time there in joyous conviviality ; on his return to 

 Cambridge, he remained but a few days, and then abandoned it for ever. 



Again he directed his steps towards the metropolis, where, after indulging some- 

 what freely in the pleasures of the bottle, and wandering about the various streets 

 and squares in a state of mind nearly approaching to phrenzy, he finished his wild 

 and unsettled career by enlisting in the 15th Dragoons, under the name of Clumber- 

 bacht. In this ungenial position he continued some time, the wonder of his 

 comrades, and a subject of mystery and curiosity to his officers. While engaged 

 in watching a sick comrade, which he did night and day,, he became entangled in a 

 dispute with the regimental surgeon ; but the disciple of iEsculapius had no chance 

 with the follower of the muses — he was astounded and put to flight by the profound 

 erudition and astonishing eloquence of his antagonist. At length his friends found 

 him out, and procured his discharge. 



Coleridge's first volume of poems appeared in 1794, which, although abounding 

 in obscurities and epithets too common with young writers, obtained the praise of 

 the critics of the time. In the same year, while residing at Bristol, he also 

 published, in conjunction with Southey, " The Fall of Robespierre, an Historic 

 Drama," which displayed considerable talent. It is related, but we are disposed 

 somewhat to doubt the accuracy of the statement, that this drama was commenced 

 on the evening of one day, completed on the morning of the next, and printed and 

 published on the following day. Thus it would appear that its contemplation, 

 execution, and printing, occupied a space of little more than two days ! There is a 

 vigour in the language, a correctness in the versification, and a fitness in the 

 contexture, which most writers would imagine to be at variance with such com- 

 positions as are formed in immaturity and haste. In the winter of the same year, 

 at Bristol, Coleridge delivered a course of lectures on the P'rench Revolution — and 

 subsequently published two pamphlets, one entitled " Consciones ad Populum, or 

 Addresses to the People;" the other "A Protest against certain Bills (then 

 pending) for Suppressing Seditious Meetings." 



