Experience into Thought: Perspectives in the Coleridge Notebooks 9781442652958

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Experience into Thought Coleridge is admired as a genius and derided as an opium addict and plagiarist, The aim here has been to examine his experiences, moods, thoughts, and reactions as a whole and their relation to poems such as Christabely the Ancient Mariner, and the Dejection ode, and to his prose works, and also to look at many of his own statements made mainly in the privacy of his notebooks about his aims and purposes. The result of the new compound should alter some of the uninformed and prejudiced generalizations about Coleridge. The new picture is of a man and poet more human, more inquiring, more sceptical, whose strength and intellectual stature can fully be understood only against a background of suffering and loneliness; a critical, radical imagination is seen not only struggling to survive but to achieve creatively in the process. One of the world's pre-eminent Coleridge scholars, Kathleen Coburn brings a long association with and intimate knowledge of Coleridge's writings, both published and unpublished, to this sensitive study of a complex mind and personality. The Alexander Lectures, 1977 KATHLEEN COBURN is Emeritus Professor of English in the University of Toronto. She is General Editor of the Collected Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, editor of the Notebooks of Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Inquiring Spirit. She is also author of In Pursuit of Coleridge.

T H E A L E X A N D E R The

Alexander

Lectureship

LECTURES

was

founded

in

honour

of

Professor W . J . A l e x a n d e r , w h o h e l d the C h a i r o f E n g l i s h at U n i v e r s i t y C o l l e g e , U n i v e r s i t y o f T o r o n t o , f r o m 1889 to 1926.

The

Lectureship

brings

to

the

university

a

dis-

t i n g u i s h e d s c h o l a r o r c r i t i c to give a course o f lectures o n a subject r e l a t e d to E n g l i s h

literature.

KATHLEEN COBURN

Experience into Thought P E R S P E C T I V E S IN T H E COLERIDGE NOTEBOOKS

U N I V E R S I T Y Toronto

O F T O R O N T O Buffalo

London

P R E S S

© University of Toronto Press 1979 Toronto

Buffalo

London

Printed in Canada

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Coburn, Kathleen. Experience into thought. ( T h e A l e x a n d e r lectures) I n c l u d e s b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l references a n d i n d e x . 1. C o l e r i d g e , S a m u e l T a y l o r , 1772 - 1834. N o t e b o o k s .

2. C o l e r i d g e , S a m u e l T a y l o r , 1772 - 1834 - C r i t i c i s m a n d interpretation.

I. T i t l e . II. S e r i e s : T o r o n t o . U n i v e r s i t y .

A l e x a n d e r F o u n d a t i o n . T h e A l e x a n d e r lectures. PR4483. A393C58

821'. 7

I S B N 0-8020-5449-8

78-32099

This book has been published with the help of grants from the Canadian Federation for the Humanities, using funds provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and the Publications Fund of University of Toronto Press.

T o the m e m o r y o f P E L H A M

EDGAR

and GEORGE

SIDNEY

BRETT

t w o teachers w i t h creative i m a g i n a t i o n

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CONTENTS

Abbreviations xi Lecture O n e 1 Lecture T w o 27 Lecture Three 55 Index 87

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Mr.

C o l e r i d g e talks of himself without b e i n g a n egotist, for

in h i m the i n d i v i d u a l is always m e r g e d i n the abstract a n d

general.

Hazlitt

W h e n I got there, the o r g a n was p l a y i n g the 1 0 0 t h psalm a n d , w h e n it was done, M r . C o l e r i d g e rose a n d gave out his text, 'And

he went u p into the m o u n t a i n to pray, H I M S E L F , A L O N E . '

As he gave out his text, his voice 'rose like a steam o f r i c h dis­

tilled perfumes,' a n d w h e n he c a m e to the two last words, w h i c h

he p r o n o u n c e d loud, deep, a n d distinct, it seemed to me, w h o

was then y o u n g , as if the sounds h a d echoed from the b o t t o m

of the h u m a n heart, a n d as if that p r a y e r m i g h t have floated in solemn silence t h r o u g h the universe. Hazlitt

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ABBREVIATIONS

CC

The Collected Works of S. T

Coleridge

( B o l l i n g e n Series L X X V L o n d o n a n d P r i n c e t o n 1969-) CL

Coleridge e d E . L .

Collected Letters of Samuel Taylor

G r i g g s ( O x f o r d a n d N e w Y o r k 1956) CN

ed

The Notebooks of Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Kathleen Coburn (New York and L o n d o n 1 9 5 7 - ) . References to p u b l i s h e d n o t e b o o k entries are b y serial n u m b e r , entries by notebook EHC

unpublished

number.

E r n e s t H a r t l e y C o l e r i d g e (1846-1920)

Samuel

Taylor Coleridge's grandson Friend

(CC)

The Friend e d B a r b a r a E . R o o k e : The Works of S. T

Collected

Coleridge (2 v o l s B o l l i n g e n

S e r i e s L X X V L o n d o n a n d P r i n c e t o n 1969)

HNC

H e n r y N e l s o n C o l e r i d g e (1798-1843)

Samuel

Taylor Coleridge's nephew and son-in-law IS

Inquiring

Spirit:

A New Presentation

from His Published

and Unpublished

of

Coleridge

Prose

Writings

e d K a t h l e e n C o b u r n ( r e v i s e d e d T o r o n t o 1979) PL

The Philosophical

Lectures of Samuel

Taylor

Coleridge e d K a t h l e e n C o b u r n ( L o n d o n a n d New SM

(CC)

Y o r k 1949)

The Statesman's Manual

e d R J . W h i t e : The

ted Works of S. T Coleridge ( B o l l i n g e n S e r i e s STC

L X X V L o n d o n a n d P r i n c e t o n 1972) S a m u e l T a y l o r C o l e r i d g e (1772-1834)

Collec­

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LECTURE ONE

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LECTURE ONE

I

T IS A C O M M O N D E L U S I O N t h a t C o l e r i d g e is w e l l - k n o w n . ' T h a t w a s s a i d i n t h e 1850s i n C a m b r i d g e , C o l e r i d g e ' s o w n

university, by F . J . A . H o r t . T h o u g h C o l e r i d g e was always m u c h cited, quoted, a n d either honoured or reviled, Hort's d i c t u m a b o u t h i m a n d h i s p u b l i c is s t i l l t o d a y a l m o s t as t r u e as it w a s t h e n , b u t n o t q u i t e . T h e v e r y i n v i t a t i o n t o l e c t u r e o n 1

h i m i n t h i s d i s t i n g u i s h e d series is e v i d e n c e o f a c h a n g e s i n c e the 1930s w h e n b o t h i n this u n i v e r s i t y a n d i n O x f o r d

the

a u t h o r i t i e s t r i e d t o d i s s u a d e m e f r o m s t u d y i n g C o l e r i d g e as a thinker, a n d to t u r n m y post-graduate w o r k t o w a r d s W o r d s w o r t h ; there were n o supervisors r e a d y to consider C o l e r i d g e a serious subject i n himself. N o r w e r e they p e c u l i a r i n this. T h e situation was the same almost everywhere. Y e t G . S . Brett and P e l h a m E d g a r h a d aroused m y curiosity about Coleridge first

as a p h i l o s o p h e r a n d c r i t i c . I g r a t e f u l l y t a k e t h i s o p p o r -

t u n i t y o n h o m e g r o u n d to r e c o r d m y debt to t h e m . W h e n I asked m y friend B a r k e r Fairley w h a t I should speak a b o u t i n these lectures, he s a i d , ' T e l l w h a t interests y o u i n C o l e r i d g e . ' O t h e r s less p o l i t e l y h a v e s o m e t i m e s

asked,

' H o w o n e a r t h h a v e y o u s t o o d h i m a l l these years?' I n fact, I h a v e b e e n i n c r e a s i n g l y i n t e r e s t e d t o

find

Cole-

r i d g e a person a n d t h i n k e r v e r y different f r o m the h i s t o r i c a l and p u b l i c impression o f h i m - m o r e lonely, m o r e rebellious, more

sceptical, m u c h w i d e r i n range,

and

more

deeply

human. C o l e r i d g e w a s b o r n i n 1 7 7 2 , a n d a l l h i s life r e b e l l e d i n a 1 In October 1975,1 noticed one of the candidates in a BBC quiz chose as his special subject, ' T h e Life and Works of S.T. Coleridge.' A n d in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in J u l y 1977, of 400 shows Coleridge was the inspiration for two - a new play by Leonard M a g u i r e and a dancemime interpretation of the Ancient

Mariner.

m u l t i t u d e o f ways, but especially against the n a r r o w r a t i o n a l i s m o f t h e e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y , ' t h i s e n l i g h t e n e d c e n t u r y ' as h e scoffingly c a l l e d it, i n t o w h i c h he w a s b o r n . L i k e most rebels he also p a r t o o k o f the mother's m i l k he rejected, a n d never

free

o f the

inevitable conflicts a n d

was

inconsistencies.

T h e r e are therefore m a n y C o l e r i d g e s . I f I m a y assume

(as

C o l e r i d g e i n m y place w o u l d have done) that m y books are largely unread, little

list

perhaps I m a y risk repetition i n g i v i n g a

o f the

various dynamos

that

go b y the

name

'Coleridge.' F i r s t the poet (but k n o w n chiefly for o n l y three m i r a c u l o u s p o e m s a n d a b o u t three others); t h e n the l i t e r a r y critic, w i t h o u t w h o m t h e h i s t o r y o f E n g l i s h l i t e r a r y c r i t i c i s m as w e k n o w i t is i n c o n c e i v a b l e ; t h e c r i t i c o f s c i e n c e , t h e 'so-so c h e m i s t ' as he c a l l e d himself, whose role i n s h a r i n g the struggle o f D a v y a n d others o v e r the concepts a n d t e r m i n o l o g y o f m o d e r n c h e m i s t r y a n d b i o l o g y is j u s t b e g i n n i n g t o b e a p p r e c i a t e d ; t h e l o g i c i a n , w h o s e h i t h e r t o u n p u b l i s h e d Logic, e d i t e d b y P r o f e s s o r R o b i n J a c k s o n , is i n t h e h a n d s o f t h e p r i n t e r s ; t h e j o u r n a l 2

ist, t h e t o p l e a d e r - w r i t e r o f h i s d a y i n t h e Morning Post a n d t h e Courier, w h o s e t h r e e v o l u m e s o f n e w s p a p e r c o n t r i b u t i o n s w i l l reappear any day now;

3

the social a n d p o l i t i c a l critic, w h o

w r o t e t h e first a n a l y s i s i n E n g l i s h o f a p o s t - w a r e c o n o m i c depression

at

the

close o f the

N a p o l e o n i c wars,

a

work

a d m i r e d b y M a y n a r d K e y n e s ; the psychologist, w h o grasped t h e n o t i o n o f a s u b c o n s c i o u s m e n t a l life a n d o f v a r y i n g l e v e l s o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s , w h o c o i n e d t h e w o r d s psycho-analytical*

and

psycho-somatic

(as w e l l as h u n d r e d s o f o t h e r w o r d s n o w i n o u r

dictionaries),

who

5

dreams;

anticipated

2 To be published Autumn 1979 3 Published in 1978 4 CATH2670 5

the

twentieth

century

on

the educationist, w h o believed i n c u l t i v a t i n g the

/S§52

4

initiative i n c h i l d r e n a n d attacked the c o n v e n t i o n a l negative controls b y p u n i s h m e n t ; i n theology the ' h i g h e r critic,' w h o p l o u g h e d m e t h o d i c a l l y t h r o u g h dozens o f the heavy G e r m a n volumes of E i c h h o r n , Michaelis, a n d their ilk, a n d advocated a n h i s t o r i c a l a p p r o a c h to J u d a i s m a n d C h r i s t i a n i t y , d e n o u n c i n g w h a t he c a l l e d the 'superstitious' r e a d i n g o f the S c r i p tures; a n d o n e o f the m o s t i n f l u e n t i a l o f a l l C o l e r i d g e s , the a n a l y s t o f t h e c h u r c h as b o t h a s p i r i t u a l a n d a

temporal

society, a n d o f the o b l i g a t i o n s o f b o t h c h u r c h a n d state to the n a t i o n a l c u l t u r e ; a n d t h e r e is C o l e r i d g e t h e E n g l i s h m a n w h o was a determined

' c o s m o p o l i t e ' (to use a n o t h e r

word

he

c o i n e d ) , w h o d r e w u p a p l a n for a league o f n a t i o n s ( a d m i t tedly w i t h a proviso - a l t h o u g h the N a p o l e o n i c wars over-that

no

Frenchman

be

a l l o w e d to

settle

were

outside

F r a n c e o r h e r c o l o n i e s ) . A n d I see I h a d a l m o s t f o r g o t t e n t h e philosopher! Y e t he d e l i v e r e d possibly the

first

course o f

p u b l i c lectures b y a n E n g l i s h m a n o n the history o f that subj e c t - f o r m o n e y (not m u c h m o n e y ) . W h y , I a m often asked, h a v e w e not been m o r e a d e q u a t e l y a w a r e o f these m a n y C o l e r i d g e s ? O n e r e a s o n is t h a t C o l e r i d g e w a s l o n g a g o a p p r o p r i a t e d b y t h e l i t e r a r y a n d - f r e q u e n t l y t h e fate o f p o e t s - w a s t h e r e f o r e c o n s i d e r e d s o m e t h i n g o f a f r e a k i n o t h e r fields. E v e n n o w t h e m o n o g r a p h s i s s u i n g f r o m E n g l i s h d e p a r t m e n t s o n h i m as p o e t a n d l i t e r a r y c r i t i c f a r e x c e e d i n n u m b e r a l l t h e rest, c r e a t i n g the i m p r e s s i o n t h a t there lies his c h i e f i m p o r t a n c e . S o m e o f the most l e a r n e d C o l e r i d g i a n s - O w e n B a r f i e l d a n d T h o m a s McFarland

for i n s t a n c e - d o

n o t t h i n k so. W i l f r e d

s a i d , i n h i s h i s t o r y o f t h e Morning

Hindle

Post, t h a t t h e b e s t m e m o r i a l

t h a t c o u l d be raised to C o l e r i d g e w o u l d be the r e p u b l i c a t i o n o f his c o n t r i b u t i o n s to t h a t paper;

i n a survey of E n g l i s h

religious o p i n i o n i n the nineteenth century B e r n a r d R e a r d o n s a i d o f h i s p r e - e m i n e n c e as a r e l i g i o u s t h i n k e r , ' v i r t u a l l y a l l o f his i m m e d i a t e B r i t i s h c o n t e m p o r a r i e s 5

seem to b e l o n g to a

different [ a n d b y i m p l i c a t i o n , inferior] i n t e l l e c t u a l w o r l d . '

6

A s l o n g a g o as 1 9 2 9 J o s e p h N e e d h a m i n a v o l u m e o f essays e n t i t l e d The Sceptical Biologist w a s m o v e d t o w r i t e o n e o f t h e t e n essays o n ' C o l e r i d g e as a P h i l o s o p h i c B i o l o g i s t ' a n d w h i l e he gives a g r a d e o f a b o u t a B p l u s to C o l e r i d g e he credits h i m as b i o l o g i s t w i t h s o m e p r o f u n d i t y i n h i s a t t a c k s o n c o n t e m p o r a r y s c i e n c e a n d its l o g i c , a n d w i t h h a v i n g a n t i c i p a t e d i n a general w a y the i d e a o f emergent e v o l u t i o n . W i l l i a m W a l s h sees C o l e r i d g e ' s c h i e f c o n t r i b u t i o n t o h i s o w n a n d m o r e r e c e n t t i m e s as l y i n g i n h i s w r i t i n g s o n e d u c a t i o n a n d t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f h i s g e n e r a l v i e w s i n t h a t field. T h e r e a r e m a n y s u c h s p e c i a l ist t r e a t m e n t s o f C o l e r i d g e - b u t v e r y f e w a t t e m p t s t o see t h e broader picture.

W e a r e a l l i m p r e s s e d w i t h Coleridge's

7

Var­

iety* b u t w h o h a s c o p e d w i t h t h a t v a r i e t y ? T h e f a u l t m a y l i e i n o u r s e l v e s , b u t i t l i e s a t l e a s t p a r t l y i n C o l e r i d g e ' s stars. W h e n h e d i e d i n 1 8 3 4 at t h e a g e o f s i x t y - t w o h e left t o h i s executors, the s u r g e o n J o s e p h H e n r y G r e e n , his s o n - i n - l a w a n d n e p h e w H e n r y N e l s o n C o l e r i d g e , a n d his son D e r w e n t , a vast chaos o f m a n u s c r i p t s ; m a n y m o r e h a d been

scattered

c a s u a l l y to the w i n d s i n the c h a n c y possession o f friends a n d relations. T h e r e were some seventy notebooks, about eight hundred

a n n o t a t e d b o o k s ( s o m e h e a v i l y so) a n d s h o a l s o f

sibylline

leaves

detached

from

any

mooring

whatsoever,

together w i t h c e r t a i n v o l u m e s o f m a n u s c r i p t s k n o w n to be parts o f projected works (either i n Coleridge's h o l o g r a p h o r d i c t a t e d b y h i m to v a r i o u s a m a n u e n s e s ) . M r G r e e n w a s to p r e p a r e for p u b l i c a t i o n the p h i l o s o p h i c a l remains, the R e v e r e n d D e r w e n t the theological, a n d H e n r y N e l s o n C o l e r i d g e 6 From Coleridge to Gore (1971) 72 7 Yet see Gordon Mackenzie Organic Unity in Coleridge (1939); Richard Haven Patterns of Consciousness (1969); Owen Barfield What Coleridge Thought (1971).

8 T h e title of a collection of bicentenary lectures in Cambridge in 1972 edited by J o h n Beer 6

t h e l i t e r a r y m a t e r i a l s - a n d so r i g h t t h e r e t h e d i v i d i n g u p o f Coleridge into departments

began.

I n t h e first t h r e e y e a r s o f t h e i r l a b o u r s t w o e v e n t s t o o k p l a c e w h i c h i n f l u e n c e d t h e i r d e c i s i o n s . T h e first n o w s e e m s u n i m portant

enough,

but

not to t h e m . I n 1837 J o s e p h C o t t l e

p u b l i s h e d h i s Early Recollections Chiefly Relating

to the Late S. T.

Coleridge. T h i s b e n e f a c t o r o f t h e y o u n g C o l e r i d g e a n d W o r d s -

w o r t h a n d S o u t h e y , w h o s e r e a l c l a i m to fame p u b l i s h e d t h e Lyrical

Ballads,

is t h a t

he

was a generous but v a i n a n d

i l l - e d u c a t e d m a n . H e g l o w e d i n the s t i m u l a t i n g c o m p a n y o f the y o u n g poets, b u t p e r h a p s l a t e r t o o k s o m e k i n d o f v e n g e a n c e for t h e i r ( h a r d l y c o n c e a l e d ) j o k e s at his expense. ( E . g . C o l e r i d g e : 'strange there are no female philosophers.' Cottle: 'what about M o l l Branche?') Possibly Cottle, h a v i n g picked some w i n n e r s , w a s just u s i n g his m e m o i r s to g a t h e r i n the r e t u r n s o n h i s bets. H o w e v e r i t w a s , h e s p i l l e d g a r r u l o u s l y i n p r i n t the tale o f w h a t he c a l l e d , w i t h t y p i c a l i n a c c u r a c y , C o l e r i d g e ' s ' u n h a p p y passion for O p i u m . ' T h e n , a

decade

l a t e r , as a r e s u l t o f t h e e n s u i n g f e u d , h e p o u r e d s a l t o n t h e s c r a t c h e s , p u b l i s h i n g i n 1 8 4 7 h i s Reminiscences of Coleridge

and

Southey. T h a t C o t t l e a l s o s a i d C o l e r i d g e ' s ' f r a n t i c p a s s i o n f o r o p i u m w a s e v e n t u a l l y o v e r c o m e ' d i d n o t m i t i g a t e his crassness i n t h e eyes o f t h e first f a m i l y e d i t o r s . H e m a d e t h e m n o t o n l y cautious b u t defensive a n d selective. T h e second event, V i c t o r i a ' s ascent to the t h r o n e i n 1837, m e a n t t h a t t h e i r task c o i n c i d e d w i t h the onset o f the V i c t o r i a n v i r t u e s . S T C , o r U n c l e S a m , as t h e y c a l l e d h i m , t h e b e s t k n o w n a n d most conspicuously b r i l l i a n t m e m b e r o f the f a m i l y , h a d t o b e p r e s e n t e d t o t h e p u b l i c i n as r e s p e c t a b l e a l i g h t as p o s s i b l e . M a n y Wilberforce, decades

for

highly regarded citizens took o p i u m instance.

b e e n n o secret

-

Coleridge's addiction had

for

to his w i d e circle o f friends,

but

C o t t l e ' s r e v e l a t i o n s o m e h o w b e s m i r c h e d h i m i n p r i n t . A n d as C o t t l e the benefactor m a d e clear, C o l e r i d g e a n d 7

Southey

w o r e the a d d i t i o n a l disgrace o f h a v i n g been penniless radicals i n y o u t h , even t h o u g h S o u t h e y was n o w the poet laureate a n d C o l e r i d g e i n t h e l a t e r y e a r s o f h i s life h a d b e e n s o u g h t o u t b y the most respectable

visitors f r o m a l l o v e r the w o r l d .

No

w o n d e r the e d i t i n g o f the m a n u s c r i p t materials, to w h i c h the f a m i l y h a d f u l l access, p r e s e n t e d p r o b l e m s o f s e l e c t i o n w h i c h t h e y s o l v e d a c c o r d i n g t o t h e i r V i c t o r i a n tastes. C o l e r i d g e h a d a l w a y s been a blot o n the f a m i l y escutcheon. T h e y w o u l d n o w w h i t e n his r e p u t a t i o n to m a t c h the s i l v e r y l o c k s o f the O r a c l e of Highgate. S o t h e first w o r k p r o d u c e d a f t e r C o l e r i d g e ' s d e a t h - a p a r t f r o m t h e 1 8 3 4 Poems e v e n t h e n i n t h e p r e s s - w a s t h e Talk

Table

(1835). H N C h a d the w i t to m a k e h i m s e l f his u n c l e ' s

B o s w e l l , b u t C o l e r i d g e ' s elder son, H a r t l e y , protested o n p u b l i c a t i o n t h a t h i s f a t h e r h a d b e e n m o r e l i b e r a l , n o t so H i g h C h u r c h a n d T o r y as t h e Table Talk m a d e h i m . C r a b b R o b i n -

s o n a l s o c o m p l a i n e d a g a i n s t it t h a t S T C h a d a l w a y s d i s t i n g u i s h e d b e t w e e n goodiness a n d goodness, a n d t h a t H N C h a d

m a d e h i m ' a g o o d y m a n . ' I t is n o t n e c e s s a r y f o r m e t o r e c i t e t h e w h o l e s t o r y o f t h e e a r l y e d i t i n g , b u t suffice it t o s a y t h a t t h e e d i t o r s ' s e l e c t i o n s w e r e m a d e a c c o r d i n g t o t h e i r tastes a n d times, a n d i n general were unconsciously distorted i n the direction o f m a i n t a i n i n g the family views. S a r a C o l e r i d g e ('the m o s t b e a u t i f u l a n d the m o s t l e a r n e d w o m a n o f h e r d a y ' it w a s said) s h a r e d w i t h h e r f a t h e r a taste a n d a r e p u t a t i o n for o b s c u r e e r u d i t i o n a n d she w o u l d h a v e f o u n d i t n a t u r a l t o stress t h a t r e p u t a t i o n . N o d o u b t t h e y d i d n o t a l w a y s g r a s p the

scope

o f some

of Coleridge's more

far-sighted

and

c o m p r e h e n s i v e o b s e r v a t i o n s - n o t e v e n S a r a , the best o f the ???????????????? ??????? ? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ?????? o f his insights especially i n p s y c h o l o g i c a l matters. M u c h o f the best, m o s t l i v e l y , a n d m o s t o r i g i n a l m a t e r i a l w a s left u n p u b lished. E v e n w h e n some o f it was p r i n t e d , i n the four v o l u m e s o f Literary

Remains f o r i n s t a n c e ( u n d e r t h a t m o r g u e - l i k e t i t l e ) , 8

somehow, b y little touchings-up, the fragments, m a r g i n a l i a , a n d l e c t u r e notes lost i n the process s o m e o f the c r a c k l e a n d flash o f t h e i r l i g h t n i n g . F r o m o n e c a u s e o r a n o t h e r t h e i m p r e s sion o f C o l e r i d g e was the o l d P e a c o c k i a n v i e w that saw h i m l i v i n g i n M r Flosky's clouds r a t h e r t h a n i n the real w o r l d .

9

In

the t w e n t i e t h century, o n the other h a n d , L o w e s , C e c i l B a l d , Herbert R e a d , H u m p h r y House, J o h n Bayley, L A . Richards, L.C.

K n i g h t s - t o r e f e r t o t h e e l d e r s o n l y - a l l stress C o l e -

r i d g e ' s gift f o r p r e c i s i o n a n d see h i s m e t h o d as r o o t e d i n t h e specific p e r c e i v e d w o r l d . O n e m u s t be c h a r y h o w e v e r i n c r i t i c i z i n g b y h i n d s i g h t these e a r l y a t t e m p t s at p u t t i n g a g i a n t w i t h

seven-league

boots w i t h i n the confines o f p r i n t a n d book covers. ( F o r one t h i n g , one's o w n t u r n w i l l come!) T h e early editors h a d a f o r m i d a b l e , irrepressible p o l y m a t h to p u t i n o r d e r ; t h e i r assid u i t y a n d d e v o t i o n w e r e as e n e r g e t i c as t h e i r c i r c u m s t a n c e s ( a n d healths) a l l o w e d . B u t J o h n Stuart M i l l said r i g h t l y , i n 1840,

the m o o d o f the t i m e was not r e a d y for C o l e r i d g e .

M i l l w r o t e o n e o f t h e b e t t e r e a r l y essays o n C o l e r i d g e , b u t h e w a s g r e a t l y i n f l u e n c e d b y H N C ' s r e v i e w o f t h e 1 8 3 4 Poems i n the

Quarterly

Review

(to a l l i n t e n t s

a n d purposes

his o w n

e d i t i o n w h e n C o l e r i d g e w a s a t d e a t h ' s d o o r ) a n d so e v e n M i l l w a s t a k e n i n b y H N C ' s T o r y e m p h a s i s . It is i n f a c t a m a r k o f M i l l ' s b r i l l i a n c e ( a n d C o l e r i d g e ' s power) that C o l e r i d g e the i n q u i r e r s t a n d s so h i g h i n M i l l ' s e s t i m a t e . W e m u s t r e g a r d t h e p r e j u d i c e s o f t h e f a m i l y e d i t o r s as a w a r n i n g t o o u r s e l v e s , b u t a l s o as a n e x p l a n a t i o n o f w h y , m o r e t h a n a h u n d r e d y e a r s o n , t h e r e is a p a r t i c u l a r n e e d o f a n e w C o l e r i d g e . T h e C o l e r i d g e o f the notebooks, the m a r g i n a l i a , m a n y m a n u s c r i p t

fragments,

the u n p u b l i s h e d 'opus m a x i m u m ' a n d m a n y other u n k n o w n s ,

9 There was a short period of fresh interest, near the turn of the century,

around the publication of the Letters and Anima Poetae by Coleridge's

grandson. Walter Pater, e.g., was aware of Coleridge's unusual sensibility. 9

is a s t r o n g e r C o l e r i d g e . E v e n s o m e p r o s e w o r k s l o n g i n p r i n t , a n d some o f the poems, w i l l take o n a different l i g h t w h e n seen t h e n e w p e r s p e c t i v e . T h e Collected Works s p o n s o r e d b y

in

Bollingen

Foundation will

r u n to m o r e t h a n

twenty-five

v o l u m e s , n o t c o u n t i n g t h e five v o l u m e s o f Notebooks. B u t t h e n Coleridge himself said that each generation must rediscover the poets anew. T o justify the adjective 'stronger' I o n c e t h o u g h t to r e p l y at this p o i n t to the t w o c o m m o n attacks o n C o l e r i d g e , r e v i v e d quite recently - o p i u m addiction a n d plagiarisms from

the

G e r m a n s . B u t I r e m e m b e r e d a n o t e b o o k e n t r y t h a t fits t h e case, i n w h i c h C o l e r i d g e q u o t e s B l u m e n b a c h as s a y i n g o f t h e attacks o f a m e d i c a l adversary, ' M u l t u m hie veri, m u l t u m n o v i ; s e d q u o d est v e r u m , n o n n o v u m est, q u o d est n o v u m non

v e r u m est.' ( M u c h h e r e is t r u e , m u c h n e w , b u t w h a t is

t r u e is n o t n e w a n d w h a t is n e w is n o t t r u e . ) N o . A n y o n e w h o has l i v e d his w a y t h r o u g h the m a r g i n a l i a a n d the notebooks, e s p e c i a l l y , b u t t h e p u b l i s h e d w o r k s as w e l l , w i l l b e t h e l a s t t o cry

'cheat.' F a r m o r e interesting t h a n the pursuit of all the charges a n d

a c c u s a t i o n s , w h e t h e r C o l e r i d g e is v u l n e r a b l e t o t h e m o r n o t , is t o l o o k a t w h a t h e d i d w i t h t h e facts o f h i s e x p e r i e n c e s as h e e n c o u n t e r e d t h e m , i n b o o k s o r o n h i s flesh. I t is n o t C o l e r i d g e the critic, the poet, the p h i l o s o p h e r , the p u b l i c servant, the n e w s p a p e r m a n , the psychologist I w i s h chiefly to present i n these lectures; a l l these m e n , a l l c a l l e d C o l e r i d g e , w i l l a p p e a r i n d i r e c t l y , b u t I w o u l d h a v e y o u see h i s r a r e c a p a c i t y t o experience, to recognize, a n d to p a r t i c i p a t e i n the experiences life b r o u g h t t o h i m a n d h e b r o u g h t t o life. I n t h e n o t e b o o k s and

m a r g i n a l i a he c o m m a n d e d a r e m a r k a b l e a b i l i t y to a r t i c -

u l a t e t h e m . T h e r e is a s p e c i a l q u a l i t y i n h i s c u r i o s i t y , a c e r t a i n toughness o f m i n d , a s c e p t i c i s m i f y o u w i l l , a n d o v e r it a l l his o r i g i n a l ways o f r e l a t i n g one t h o u g h t to another. I n the r e m a i n d e r o f this lecture I s h o u l d like to r e a d some 10

n o t e b o o k e n t r i e s t h a t s h o w t h e e a r l y d e v e l o p m e n t o f a sense o f isolation, c o n t r i b u t i n g to that awareness

of experience i n

w h i c h c e r t a i n creative trends o f consciousness d e v e l o p e d , c e r t a i n a c t i v i t i e s o f m i n d , a n d i n p a r t i c u l a r a n a c u t e sense o f the gap between a p p e a r a n c e s - o n a l l f r o n t s - a n d reality. I n a n outsize 'notebook' called the ' F o l i o N o t e b o o k ' (Coler i d g e is f u l l o f c o n t r a d i c t i o n s ) t h e r e is a n a u t o b i o g r a p h i c a l f r a g m e n t w r i t t e n t w o years before his d e a t h for his friend a n d m e d i c a l adviser J a m e s G i l l m a n . C o l e r i d g e was sixty years old

at

the

time.

The

entry

begins

with

characteristic

particularity. Friday Night, 9 M a r c h 1832 M e m . Capital bronzed Pen from M r Bage's.

C o l e r i d g e h a d g e n e r a l l y used q u i l l pens, often filched for h i m b y C h a r l e s L a m b from the I n d i a H o u s e . T h e r e follows

a

desperate a t t e m p t at o r d e r : Retrospect, fragments of, 1. Early Childhood. T h e last child, the

youngest Child of T e n by the same Mother [and he names them

all]... and the 13th taking in the three Sisters by my dear Father's

first Wife...

T h e youngest Child, possibly inheriting the commencing decay of musculo-arterial Power in my Father who died in his 62nd year when I had not yet reached my 7th... I skip some q u a i n t physiological terms a n d speculations that s h o w h e felt h e w a s t h e r u n t o f t h e l i t t e r . H e t h e n goes o n : A n d certainly, from the Jealousy of old Molly [the nurse] and by the infusions of her Jealousy into my Brother's [Francis's, the next older sibling's] mind, I was in earliest childhood lifted away from the enjoyments of muscular activity - from P l a y - t o take refuge at my 11

mother's side on my little stool, to read my little books and to listen to

the Talk of my E l d e r s - I was driven from Life in Motion to Life in Thought and sensation. I never played except by myself, and then

only acting over what I had been reading or fancying, or half one,

half the other, with a stick cutting down the Weeds & Nettles, as one

of the Seven Champions of Christendom. Alas! I had all the simplic­ ity, all the docility of a little Child; but none of the Child's H a b i t s - I

never thought as a Child; never had the language of a Child. N o t e the solitariness, the p a r a n o i a ,

the a c t i n g out o f the

fantasy o f the strong m a n , c h a m p i o n o f the oppressed. I forget whether it was in my 5th or 6th year, but I believe the latter,

in consequence of some quarrel between me and my Brother, it was

in the first week of October, I ran away - from fear of being whipt

and passed the whole night, a night of rain and storm, on the bleak

side of a H i l l on the River Otter, & was found, alive but without the power of my limbs, at day-break about six yards from the naked

banks of the R i v e r - T h e consequence, a remittent, and then a

rheumatic fever -

N o t e that h a l f a c e n t u r y later, the child's l o n g d a r k night o f r u n a w a y m i s e r i e s is s t i l l v i v i d . H e t h e n t e l l s o f his f a t h e r ' s d e a t h o f w h i c h h e h a d p r e m o n i t i o n s t h a t f r i g h t e n e d h i m a n d m a d e h i m feel h a l f - g u i l t y o f i t . He

was then placed i n Christ's H o s p i t a l j u n i o r school. T h e

b l u e u n i f o r m w a s ( a n d s t i l l is) a n o r p h a n a g e c o s t u m e d a t i n g back to the f o u n d a t i o n i n 1552. ... O what a change! -Deprest, moping, friendless poor O r p h a n ,

half-starved (at that time the portion of food given to the Blue-coats

was cruelly insufficient for those who had no friends to supply

them-from 8 to 14 I was a playless Day-dreamer, an Helluo Librorum, my appetite for which was indulged by a singular Inci12

dent, a stranger who struck by my conversation made me free of a [...]

great Circulating Library in King's Street, Cheapside -1 read thro the

whole Catalogue, folios and all - whether I understood them or did

not understand them - running all risks, in skulking out, to get the two Volumes which I was entitled to have daily-Conceive what I must have been at 14-1 had never played-I was in a continued low

fever - my whole Being was with eyes closed to every object of present

sense - to crumple myself up in a sunny Corner, and read, read, read,

- finding myself in Rob. Crusoe's Island, finding a Mountain of Plum

Cake, and eating out a room for myself, and then eating it into the shapes of Chairs & T a b l e s - H u n g e r and F a n c y -

T h e playless d a y d r e a m e r again, u n d e r n o u r i s h e d w i t h food substituting

the

oral

activity

of

excessive

reading-

b e c o m i n g a R o b i n s o n C r u s o e o f t h e m i n d , 'eyes c l o s e d to e v e r y o b j e c t o f sense.' B u t n o t e t h e d a y d r e a m o f making; t h e p l u m - c a k e r o o m h a d tables a n d chairs, i n the p l u r a l , for sociability. H e confesses t o c l a s s r o o m p r e c o c i o u s n e s s o v e r a n d a b o v e the other boys, a n d b e m o a n s the measureless difference between me and them in the wide, wild wilderness

of useless,

unarranged Book-knowlege, and book-

thoughts... at 14 or at 12 I should have made as pretty a juvenile Prodigy as was ever emasculated & ruined by fond and idle wonder­ ment. Thank Heaven! I was flogged, instead of flattered.

N o t i c e his awareness o f the lack o f m o t i v a t i o n , to w h i c h he o f t e n r e f e r r e d l a t e r as h i s d i s e a s e d W i l l ; a l s o t h e r e s e r v a t i o n s a b o u t k n o w l e d g e t h a t is ' B o o k - k n o w l e g e , ' a n d t h o u g h t s t h a t are ' B o o k - T h o u g h t s . ' T h e first w e l c o m e e x c i t e m e n t s o f m o t i v a t i o n ( b u t h e r e c o g n i z e s i t as f l e e t i n g ) c a m e w h e n o n S a t u r d a y s h e w a s a l l o w e d t o w a l k the L o n d o n H o s p i t a l w i t h his brother L u k e - a n d was 13

a l l o w e d t o assist a t a b e d s i d e ! S u d d e n l y h e h a d a n a i m , b e g a n to r e a d

everything

medical-English, Latin,

and

Greek-

a n d w h e n t h a t p r o v e d ' a w i l d d r e a m ' his r e a d i n g t u r n e d metaphysics,

sceptical

metaphysics-and

to

theology-Cato's

Letters, Voltaire. I n m y 16th y e a r I h a d m a d e f r i e n d s - a W i d o w L a d y , w h o h a d a S o n , w h o m I as u p p e r B o y h a d protected, took to m e & t a u g h t m e w h a t it was to h a v e a M o t h e r . I l o v e d her as s u c h - s h e h a d three d a u g h t e r s - & I, o f course, fell i n l o v e - & w i t h the e l d e s t - & f r o m this t i m e to m y 19th w h e n I q u i t t e d S c h o o l for Jesus, C a m b r i d g e , was the aera o f poetry & love. N o t e t h a t he fell i n love w i t h the f a m i l y w a r m t h he

had

missed. P o s s i b l y m u c h too m u c h has b e e n r e a d i n t o the failure o f the M a r y E v a n s affair. O n e m u s t p e r h a p s a d d t h a t i f the l o v e w a s as c o m m o n p l a c e as t h e p o e t r y h e w r o t e a t t h e t i m e ( 1 7 8 8 - 9 1 ) o n e c a n e s t i m a t e t h e a f f a i r as p a l l i d . H o w e v e r , h e does describe

this p e r i o d o f p u b e r t y

as b r i n g i n g a

great

c h a n g e for the b e t t e r B u t f r o m the e x u b e r a n c e of m y a n i m a l Spirits, w h e n I h a d burst forth f r o m m y misery & m o p e r y , a n d the indiscretions resulting f r o m these s p i r i t s , - e x gr. s w i m m i n g i n the N e w R i v e r i n m y C l o t h e s & r e m a i n i n g i n t h e m full h a l f the t i m e - f r o m 17 to 18 was passed i n the S i c k W a r d , J a u n d i c e , a n d R h e u m a t i c F e v e r Youth & commencing M a n h o o d W e n t to Jesus [ C o l l e g e C a m b r i d g e ] - for the first t e r m , & as l o n g as M i d d l e t o n was at P e m b r o k e (later B i s h o p o f C a l c u t t a ) r e a d h a r d , got the G r e e k O d e H e m e a n s he w o n a p r i z e for a G r e e k ode o n the slave trade. N o t e the c a p a c i t y for w o r k i f a friend was n e a r by; the c h i e f

14

p o i n t o f l i t e r a r y i n t e r e s t i n t h e G r e e k o d e is C o l e r i d g e ' s p e r s o n a l i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h the slaves. T h e n there was the s t u p i d episode o f letting some tradesm a n f u r n i s h his r o o m s - i n t o t a l i g n o r a n c e o f the

correct

p r o c e d u r e s - a n d g e t t i n g i n t o w h a t felt l i k e v e r y d e e p d e b t . The

g u i l t w a s - as u s u a l w i t h C o l e r i d g e - a b s u r d l y o u t

of

p r o p o r t i o n t o t h e d e e d , a n d as h e says h e became miserable - d r a n k b a d w i n e - & v o l u n t e e r e d the credit o f vices o f w h i c h I was not g u i l t y - A d r e a r y t i m e o f self-reproach, a n d b e w i l d e r m e n t f o l l o w e d . . . i n the a g i t a t i o n o f m i n d & its consequences m y C o n s t i t u t i o n assuredly was arrested i n its efforts to establish itself. H e passes o v e r t h e e p i s o d e o f t h e f l i g h t f r o m C a m b r i d g e t o t h e L i g h t D r a g o o n s , a n d so m a y w e - e x c e p t t o a d d t h a t o n e o f the most p r o l o n g e d h a u n t i n g s t h a t c a m e out o f it was that he was e x t r i c a t e d f r o m the m i l i t a r y b y his f a m i l y o n g r o u n d s o f insanity. It was a f a c e - s a v i n g d e v i c e for o f f i c i a l d o m a n d the f a m i l y p r e f e r r e d t o t h i n k o f h i m as ' m a d ' r a t h e r t h a n ' b a d . ' B u t t h a t f e a r o f i n s a n i t y n e v e r left h i m . T h e r e are b u t few lines m o r e o f this a u t o b i o g r a p h y , chief further

comments

the

b e i n g o n his ' d o m e s t i c s o r r o w &

u n q u i e t , ' a fine e u p h e m i s m f o r h i s c r u e l l y u n l u c k y m a r r i a g e , a n d t h e n o n his i l l h e a l t h a n d the o p i u m - t a k i n g . Subject to b o w e l c o m p l a i n t s - a m o n g the least, uneasiness o f m i n d was not felt i n the m i n d but i n the lesser bowels, o r a b o v e the r e g i o n of the h e a r t - A t last, m y knees b e g a n to s w e l l - & for some m o n t h s after m y r e t u r n f r o m G e r m a n y & m y establishment at G r e t a H a l l , K e s w i c k , I h a d been a l l but b e d - r i d d e n ; w h e n m y o l d taste r e t u r n i n g , for the study o f m e d i c a l works, h a v i n g b o r r o w e d a l o a d o f o l d M e d i c a l Journals from m y M e d i c a l Attendant, M r Edmonson, I

15

found - i.e. I fancied I found a case precisely like my own - in

which a marvellous cure had been effected by rubbing in laudanum,

at the same time that a dose was administered i n w a r d l y - / I tried it-It answered like a c h a r m / i n a day I was alive-all

alive!-

Wretched Delusion! - but I owe it in justice to myself to declare before G o d , that this-the curse and slavery of my life, did not

commence in any low craving for sensation, in any desire or wish to

stimulate or exhilarate myself- in fact, my nervous spirits and my

mental activity was such as never required i t - b u t wholly in rash­

ness, and delusion, and presumptuous Quackery, and afterwards in

pure terror -not

lured, but goaded!-Bad enough as it

is-God

forgive me-the Penance has been most bitter-. [Folio Notebook]

G i l l m a n k n e w a l l t h e rest, t o o w e l l . N o r is i t m y i n t e n t i o n t o inflict o n y o u m u c h m o r e o f that biographical-psychological a p p r o a c h o f w h i c h O w e n B a r f i e l d c o m p l a i n s , rightly, t h a t it c a n b e c o m e a substitute for t r y i n g to u n d e r s t a n d w h a t C o l e ridge k n e w a n d thought. H o w e v e r , one can perhaps advantageously i n the notebooks grasp i n context w h a t was a n d was not k n o w l e d g e t o C o l e r i d g e , w h a t w a s b o o k - k n o w l e d g e a n d w h a t were book-thoughts, real knowledge a n d real thoughts. I n other w o r d s w e d o also need to look closely at his o w n a n a l y s i s o f h i s ' m o d e o f b e c o m i n g ' if, as h e s a i d i n t h e l a s t c h a p t e r o f Biographia

Liter aria,

w e k n o w only ' b y the act o f

becoming.' C o l e r i d g e ' s ' m o d e o f b e c o m i n g ' has far too often

been

t r a c e d s o l e l y t o h i s r e a d i n g . I f t h e Notebooks as p r i n t e d h a v e d i s t o r t e d f u r t h e r t h e i m p r e s s i o n o f C o l e r i d g e as ' a n

Helluo

LibrorunC - h i s o w n n i c k n a m e s f o r h i m s e l f h a d a w a y o f s t i c k i n g a n d t h e y w e r e a l m o s t a l l p e j o r a t i v e - p e r h a p s these lectures give m e the o p p o r t u n i t y to p u t the e m p h a s i s right. F o r it is m y m a i n c o n c e r n h e r e t o s h o w t h a t C o l e r i d g e experienced w h a t h e t h o u g h t a n d thought o n l y w h a t h e e x p e r i e n c e d . W h e n h e m e t h i s o w n t h o u g h t o r a s i m i l a r e x p e r i e n c e i n a b o o k , as i n 16

a f r i e n d , h e j u m p e d f o r j o y . I n r e a d i n g as i n e x p e r i e n c i n g h i s w a s t h e g r e a t a r t o f r e c o g n i t i o n , a s u r p r i s i n g l y r a r e gift t h a t goes w i t h a c u t e l o g i c a l i t y . The

autobiographical entry makes evident Coleridge's

o w n a w a r e n e s s o f a split i n his c h i l d h o o d e x p e r i e n c e s - at least o n e s p l i t . O n t h e o n e h a n d t h e r e w a s t h e sense o f t h e o u t e r h u m a n w o r l d , largely painful, a n d v e r y l o n e l y - to the p o i n t o f d e p r i v i n g h i m o f m a n y o f the sheer p h y s i c a l sunshine j o y s o f c h i l d h o o d . O n the other there w e r e the t r a u m a s o f i n n e r states, b o t h p a i n f u l a n d p l e a s a n t , f r o m f a n t a s i e s a n d d a y dreams. H i s o w n a c c o u n t s m a k e i t c l e a r t h a t C o l e r i d g e ' s m e n t a l life i n c h i l d h o o d w a s p r e c o c i o u s , far i n a d v a n c e o f his sensory experiences.

When

those

did

(rarely)

come,

they

were

rapturous: ... I remember, that at eight years old I walked with him (my father)

one winter evening from a farmer's house, a mile from Ottery - & he

told me the names of the stars-and how Jupiter was a thousand

times larger than our world - and that the other twinkling stars were

Suns that had worlds rolling round them - & when I came home, he shewed me how they rolled round - / . I heard him with a profound

delight & admiration; but without the least mixture of wonder or incredulity. For from my early reading of Faery Tales, & Genii & c

& c - my mind had been habituated to the Vast - & I never regarded my

senses in any way as the criteria of my belief ... [CL I 354-5]

B u t t h e n t h e r e c a m e i n h i s s i x t e e n t h y e a r t h e effect o f m a k i n g f r i e n d s f o r t h e first t i m e - ' a b u r s t i n g f o r t h f r o m m i s e r y & mopery'

i n t o the p h y s i c a l w o r l d the sensations o f w h i c h

w e r e a l l t h e m o r e e x u b e r a n t f o r h a v i n g b e e n so l o n g d a m m e d u p , so a c u t e t h a t t o a c o n s c i e n c e p r e - d i s p o s e d t o g u i l t t h e y were almost u n b e a r a b l e . B y the t i m e he was t w e n t y - t w o he w a s w r i t i n g to a f r i e n d : ' I w o u l d t o G o d , t h a t I too possessed 17

the t e n d e r irritableness o f u n h a n d l e d [Punbridled] S e n s i b i l i t y - m i n e is a s e n s i b i l i t y g a n g r e n e d w i t h i n w a r d c o r r u p t i o n a n d 'the keen searching o f the a i r f r o m w i t h o u t ! '

1 0

T h a t t h e stresses o f i n n e r c o n f l i c t d i d n o t d e s t r o y h i m w a s o w i n g i n the m a i n , I believe, to t w o characteristics t h a t h e l p t o m a k e h i m i n t e r e s t i n g n o w , as t h e y d i d t o h i s f r i e n d s i n h i s o w n time. H i s r e b e l l i o n against the i n t e l l e c t u a l c o m p l a c e n c y a n d s o c i a l c o r r u p t i o n o f h i s d a y , h a r d e n e d as t h e s o c i a l ' c a k e o f c u s t o m ' w a s i n t h e s e e m i n g l y e n d l e s s r e i g n o f G e o r g e III, h i s distrust o f the d i s p a r i t y b e t w e e n outer a p p e a r a n c e a n d l i v i n g reality, m a d e h i m a n o r i g i n a l a n d independent critic o f that s o c i e t y o n e v e r y f r o n t . I t is a m i s t a k e t o t h i n k o f C o l e r i d g e as a r e b e l o n l y i n his y o u t h ; he was i n some respects r a d i c a l a l l his life. T h e r a d i c a l i s m o f his C a m b r i d g e d a y s , w i l d l y i d e a l i s t i c a n d u n r e a l i s t i c t h o u g h it m a y h a v e been, p r o b a b l y h e l p e d to stabilize his sanity. It gave a n o v e r - i n t r o s p e c t i v e l a d those saving o u t w a r d thrusts o f m i n d , f r o m s y m p a t h y towards

the

u n c o n f o r m i n g , the martyrs, the unrespected outcasts o f v a r ious hues a n d times. T h e o t h e r , less c o n s p i c u o u s b u t v e r y p o t e n t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c (it h a d its d a r k u n d e r s i d e ) w a s a gift f o r m i n u t e a n d s e a r c h i n g observation, a n intellectual but not m e r e l y cerebral exercise that gave the m e n t a l a n d e m o t i o n a l thrusts i n w a r d a q u a l i t y s u c h as t h e w o r l d h a s s e l d o m s e e n , e v e n a m o n g p o e t s . I t is impossible

to

exaggerate Coleridge's uncertainties

about

h i m s e l f a n d e q u a l l y impossible to u n d e r s t a n d h o w , b y w h a t m e n t a l a n d p h y s i c a l powers he was able, i n the

swirling

waters o f self-doubt o f w h i c h he was the vortex, to m a i n t a i n the degree a n d range o f curiosity, p s y c h o l o g i c a l insight, a n d a p e c u l i a r l y o b j e c t i v e i n t r o s p e c t i o n n e c e s s a r y t o h i m as p o e t ,

10 CLi 62, where the punctuation appears to be misleading: I have substituted a dash for a comma. 18

c r i t i c , a n d p h i l o s o p h e r . W e l o o k a t it n o t as a t a n i n t e r e s t i n g case study, b u t because o u t o f this self-scepticism a n d c r i t i c a l observation Coleridge built a poetry and a philosophy; a n d f r o m it h e r e a c h e d o u t t o o t h e r m i n d s i n w h i c h h e s a w s i m i l a r struggles b e h i n d q u i t e different

achievements.

I t is d i f f i c u l t i n o u r p o s t - F r e u d t i m e s t o c o n c e i v e w h a t it w a s l i k e t w o h u n d r e d years a g o to t h i n k a b o u t m e n t a l a n x i e ties a n d illnesses. D r B a t t i e ' s Treatise on Madness ( 1 7 3 8 ) a n d h i s treatment o f the m e n t a l l y i l l i n asylums a n d ' m a d

houses'

w e r e s t i l l so l i t t l e u n d e r s t o o d f o r d e c a d e s as t o g i v e h i s n a m e , B a t t i e , i n c r u e l p o p u l a r u s a g e , t o h i s p a t i e n t s . W h a t d i d it mean

then

to i n q u i r e ' h o w m u c h

C o n s c i o u s n e s s ' (CJVI

lies below [ m a n ' s ] o w n

1554), a c o n c e p t not easily grasped

at

a n y time? Y e t i n 1794 C o l e r i d g e referred to ' d e p t h s o f B e i n g , b e l o w , & r a d i c a t i v e of, a l l C o n s c i o u s n e s s ' (CN inquiries came

out o f his o w n experiences,

I 6). S u c h

i n c l u d i n g the

horrors o f the night. I n the f o l l o w i n g notebook entry C o l e r i d g e is w r i t i n g a b o u t m a r i t a l u n h a p p i n e s s , a n d t h e f r i g h t e n i n g c o m b i n e d effect i n s l e e p o f ' D e s p a i r ' a n d ' H o p e , '

and

' G u i l t . ' S o m e t h i n g a bit like M a c b e t h ' s vision o f B a n q u o ' s ghost, o r H a m l e t ' s o f his father, seems to be present. ... Hence even in dreams of Sleep the Soul never is, because it either

cannot or dare not be, any < O N E > T H I N G ; but lives in approaches -touched by the outgoing pre-existent Ghosts of many feelings-It

feels for ever as a blind man with his protended Staff dimly thro' the

medium of the instrument by which it pushes off, & in the act of repulsion, O for the eloquence ofShakspeare, who alone could feel &

yet know how to embody these conceptions, with as curious a felicity as the thoughts are subtle. As if the finger which I saw with eyes had,

as it were, another finger invisible-Touching me with a ghostly

touch, even while I feared the real Touch from it. What if in certain

cases Touch acted by itself, co-present with vision, yet not coalesc­ i n g - then I should see the finger as at a distance, and yet feel a finger 19

touching which was nothing but it & yet was not it / the two senses

cannot co-exist without a sense of causation / the touch must be the

effect of that Finger, I see, yet it's not yet near to me, it is it in an imaginary preduplication.

N.B. there is a passage in the second Part of Wallenstein, expressing

not explaining the same feeling-The Spirits of great Events Stride

on before the events - it is in one of the last two or 3 Scenes.

How few would read this Note - nay, any one? / and not think the

writer mad or drunk!

[CNII3215]

T h e richness a n d v a r i e t y o f C o l e r i d g e ' s notes o n sleep a n d d r e a m i n g , as s e e n i n t h e n o t e b o o k s , is a s u b j e c t i n i t s e l f f o r a n e x p e r i e n c e d analyst w i t h the soul o f a poet a n d a w i d e r e a d i n g e q u a l to C o l e r i d g e ' s o w n . N o w o n d e r n o o n e has e x p l o r e d it. O n e c a n s c a r c e l y i m a g i n e w h a t it w a s l i k e to w r i t e o r t h i n k l i k e this a b o u t d r e a m s at a t i m e w h e n d r e a m s w e r e t r e a t e d i n the c o n t e x t o f p r o p h e c y , f o r e b o d i n g , t a b u s , a n d ghosts. A s t o n ishingly prescient

about

what

he c a l l e d 'the afflictions o f

s l e e p , ' C o l e r i d g e s a i d , ' E v e r y D r e a m h a s its s c h e m e , ' t r a s t i n g d r e a m w i t h d e l i r i u m i n t h i s r e s p e c t (CNv).

con-

W h a t are

t h e l i n k s w i t h s u c h f e e l i n g s as fear, t e r r o r , a n d r a g e , h e w o n d e r s (CN III 4 0 4 6 ) . T h e ' D r e a m a t i s P e r s o n a e a r e c o m b i n e d w i t h motives, g e n e r a l l y s u g g e s t e d b y t h e P a s s i o n s ' (CNv).

Again

he compares d r e a m s w i t h n i g h t m a r e a n d w i t h reverie. H e h a d a s s e r t e d t h e d o g m a , h e says, t h a t ' t h e F o r m s & F e e l i n g s o f s l e e p a r e always

the reflections & confused E c h o e s o f o u r

w a k i n g T h o u g h t s & E x p e r i e n c e s ' b u t n o w h e w o n d e r s i f t h i s is so. H e h a s a l s o b e e n c u r i o u s a b o u t t h e l i n k b e t w e e n b o d i l y p a i n , a c r a m p , a n y p h y s i c a l sensation, a n d nightmares;

he

c o n c l u d e s that 'the T e r r o r does not arise out o f a p a i n f u l S e n s a t i o n b u t is i t s e l f a s p e c i f i c s e n s a t i o n ' (CN III 4 0 4 6 ) . H e asks, w h e n c e t h e w e e p i n g a n d s e l f - p i t y i n d r e a m s ? H e is a w a r e o f s e x u a l e l e m e n t s (CN II 2 0 5 5 , 2 6 0 0 ) . A n d h e w o n d e r s w h y c e r t a i n k i n d s o f d r e a m s o f fear a n d a n g e r r e g u l a r l y go b a c k to 20

school days a n d Christ's H o s p i t a l (CJVlI 2613). B u t there are

about three h u n d r e d entries o n dreams a n d sleep, i n w h i c h

the very questions he asks himself point to the slenderness o f

o u r knowledge of o u r inner life.

I t u r n here to some other kinds of self-examination, also

typical. M a n y o f us c a n recognize this one:

If one thought leads to another, so often does it blot out another -

This I find, when having lain musing on my Sopha, a number of interesting Thoughts have suggested themselves, I conquer my bod­

ily indolence & rise to record them in these books, alas! my only

Confidants. - T h e first Thought leads me on indeed to new ones; but

nothing but the faint memory of having had them remains of the

others, which had been even more interesting to me. -1 do not know,

whether this be an idiosyncracy, a peculiar disease, of my particular memory-but so it is with m * - M y Thoughts crowd each other to

death. [CN ill 3342]

T h a t was written i n 1808 w h e n C o l e r i d g e was thirty years o l d , and

already,

himself.

H a m l e t - l i k e , a p p l y i n g the

w o r d disease

to

T h r e e years earlier he h a d jotted d o w n a n example of this

form o f forgetfulness:

. . . W h a t is the right, the virtuous Feeling, and consequent action,

when a man having long meditated & perceived a certain T r u t h

finds another & a foreign Writer, who has handled the same with an

approximation to the T r u t h , as he conceived

it? - Joy! - Let T r u t h make her Voice audiblel While I was preparing

the pen to write this remark, I lost the train of Thought which had

led me to it. I meant to have asked something else, now forgotten: for

the above answers itself-it needed no new answer, I trust, in my

Heart. 14 April, 1805-

[CJVu 2546] 21

In fact I suspect the 'train of T h o u g h t ' he lost track o f was i n the observation i m m e d i a t e l y p r e c e d i n g o n the page overleaf!

Saturday Night, A p r i l 14, 1805-In looking at objects of Nature

while I am thinking, as at yonder moon dim-glimmering thro' the dewy window-pane, I seem rather to be seeking, as it were asking, a

symbolical language for something within me that already and

forever exists, than observing any thing new. Even when that latter is the case, yet still I have always an obscure feeling as if that new

phaenomenon were the dim Awaking of a forgotten or hidden T r u t h

of my inner Nature / It is still interesting as a W o r d , a Symbol! It is

Aoyoq, the Creator! [CN II 2546]

T h e active p a r t i c i p a t i n g response to the book of nature is b o t h projective

and

receptive:

inner a n d outer worlds

come

together i n the W o r d , the S y m b o l . Perhaps the d a r i n g a p p l i ­

cation o f the w o r d L o g o s to himself m a d e h i m d r o p the subject, i n fright.

H e reflects o n the nature o f habit o n w h i c h he h a d once

proposed to write a n essay:

O f Habit - O how miserable this makes me, not only as recalling an evil habit, but as recalling one of its consequences - what glorious,

original Notions I had of this untreated of subject 5 years ago - &

nothing done: - & I understand it less now by far, than I did then -

A l l the dim Analoga of Habit in Inanimate forms [are] either the Effect of some actual alteration in the substance of the thing-ex. gr.

an old V i o l i n as giving a mellower sound than new wood - or act only

defectively, as the rumple in a Leaf of long continuance - None of these seem even to give a decent Simile for the increase (almost

indefinite) of Power by Practice in a vital Being-the muscular

motions of a capital Performress on the Piano Forte, or (O bless the

fair white arms of dear departed L a u r a Montague!) on the Pedal H a r p - & c & c & c . - [CN m 3361]

22

(It w o u l d b e c h e a t i n g t o s p a r e y o u t h e c o m e d y o f s o m e o f Coleridge's sentimental illustrations.) C l e a r l y he k n e w he was b l o c k e d b y his o w n emotions c o n n e c t e d w i t h this subject o f habit. T h e introspective i n i t i a t i v e is p a t e n t l y c l e a r , b u t n o t i c e h o w i t m o v e s o u t w a r d s , t o t h e more objective general question o f the physiology o f habit - a n d h o w d o e s p r a c t i c e i n c r e a s e power - e v e n m u s c u l a r l y ? I f

o n l y h e c o u l d u n d e r s t a n d - and a p p l y t h a t !

T h e sense o f c o n t r a d i c t i o n t h e n , b e t w e e n t h e w o r l d w i t h i n h i m a n d the w o r l d w i t h o u t , w a s there f r o m earliest days a n d seems to h a v e fostered a c a p a c i t y f o r a s k i n g questions t h a t w e n t o n d e v e l o p i n g t h r o u g h o u t h i s life. S o m e t i m e s s i m p l y inquisitive, sometimes rebellious, spontaneous inquiry o f a l l sorts w a s s e c o n d n a t u r e t o C o l e r i d g e ; i t b r o u g h t s o m e k i n d o f f o c u s i n g o f the sensory, the m e n t a l , t h e p h y s i c a l , t h e p e r s o n a l restlessness.

N o t h i n g is t o o m i n u t e o r t r i v i a l ; n o t h i n g t o o

f u n d a m e n t a l o r vast. 1. Feb. 1805. Friday. Malta. O f the Millions that use the Pen, how

many (quere) understand the theory of this simple machine, the

action of the Slit, Etc? -1 confess, ridiculous as it must appear to those

who do understand it, that I have not been able to answer the

question off-hand to myself, having only this moment thought of it. [CNII 2423]

O n e c o l d d a m p M a l t a m o r n i n g i nJ a n u a r y 1805 h a v i n g just recorded that he has been a p p o i n t e d P u b l i c Secretary p r o ???? ?? ???????? ?? ??? ???? ???? ?? ??? ?????????? O n a heap of glowing wood embers throw a quantity of large and small Chips and Shavings - & they will all quietly and moulderingly

change into the substance of fire - but apply even the smallest M a t c h with the faintest blue flame and tho' with a thousandfold less Heat it

will set the whole instantly on flame. - A good Simile for sympathy of 23

a predisposed multitude with the courage of some Massaniello [a seventeenth-century Spanish demagogue who led a revolt]-but

physically, what is the reason of this phaenomenon! that flame is ignited vapor says nothing till one knows what it is that ignites vapor.

C a n it be supposed that the tapering blue flame of a match or even of

a bit of phosphorus is more intensef than that of a whole Hearth of glowing Embers?-Is not

some business of affinity

concerned

here / the heat in the flame existing in a state of greater repulsion & therefore more eager to combine with bodies out of itself-

[CNII

2409]

T h e n h e p u t s a f o o t n o t e t o t h e w o r d intense:^ ' a b i t o f p h o s p h o r u s is m o r e i n t e n s e t h a n t h a t o f a w h o l e H e a r t h o f g l o w i n g E m b e r s ? ' s a y i n g to himself, ' Y e s ! t h a n e q u a l space o f embers.' T h e physics o f his a n s w e r m a y be d u b i o u s b u t the q u e s t i o n is t h e t h i n g . T h e p h e n o m e n o n f a s c i n a t e d h i m first as a j u x t a p o s i t i o n o f o p p o s i t e s , t h e n as a s i m i l e f o r m o b p s y c h o l o g y ( t h e demagogue

match

and

the

mass o f embers

ready

to

be

i n f l a m e d ) . B u t f r o m there he takes off a n d pursues the subject o f flame ( t h e t r i a n g u l a r s y m b o l o f h i s p e r s o n a l s e a l is a m o n g o t h e r t h i n g s a flame s y m b o l ) . ' W h a t is i n f l a m m a b i l i t y ? ' h a d b e e n a t h e m e i n H u m p h r y D a v y ' s first c h e m i s t r y l e c t u r e s i n the R o y a l I n s t i t u t i o n i n 1802. H e r e C o l e r i d g e ' s n o t e b o o k question to h i m s e l f comes w i t h a t o u c h o f i r o n y - the single l i t t l e m a t c h a n d t h e w h o l e b e d o f e m b e r s . W h a t is t h e p r i n c i ple here, g o v e r n i n g the r e l a t i o n b e t w e e n bodies?

Affinity?

R e p u l s i o n ? Is t h e p h r a s e , ' a n d t h e r e f o r e m o r e eager t o c o m bine w i t h bodies out o f itself merely a n e x a m p l e o f pathetic f a l l a c y , o r is it a n u n c o n s c i o u s p e r s o n a l m e t a p h o r ? Eager is surely a n emotive w o r d . T h i s is o n e a s p e c t o f w h a t

I m e a n b y suggesting

C o l e r i d g e ' s t h i n k i n g is r o o t e d i n p e r s o n a l e x p e r i e n c e ,

that the

m i n u t i a e as w e l l as t h e w i d e r a r c s . H i s c u r i o s i t y a r i s e s f r o m a

24

combination of mental concentration, observation, a n d

an

i n e x p l i c a b l e p e r s o n a l d r i v e . T h e d i r e c t i o n s it takes are

not

necessarily personal; they m a y w e l l be a n escape f r o m

the

personal, for m u c h o f that f r o m c h i l d h o o d o n w a r d s was p a i n f u l a n d i n t r o s p e c t i v e . Y e t C o l e r i d g e ' s sense o f i s o l a t i o n d i d n o t destroy h i m . It fostered creative a c t i v i t y . It has m o r e t h a n o n c e b e e n s a i d t h a t a m o n g E n g l i s h poets C o l e r i d g e was the great poet o f c h i l d h o o d , a n d o f love. T h a t C o l e r i d g e u n d e r s t o o d these o u t o f p a i n r a t h e r t h a n d i d not b l o c k the d e t a c h m e n t

pleasure

necessary to a r t i c u l a t e

them.

H e is a l s o t h e p o e t o f l o n e l i n e s s , t h e e m o t i o n a l s e t t i n g o f m a n y o f h i s finest p o e m s , i n c l u d i n g t h e g r e a t e s t l y r i c a l b a l l a d o f loneliness i n the l a n g u a g e . H i s l o n e l y c h a r a c t e r s m a y be seen s h a r p l y i n contrast w i t h W o r d s w o r t h ' s solitaries - those m u c h m o r e self-possessed

and harmonious L e e c h Gatherers

Solitary Reapers. Coleridge's Ancient M a r i n e r and

and

Chris-

t a b e l a r e sufferers, i n c o m p l e t e i n t h e i r r e l a t i o n t o life, s e a r c h i n g for someone

to t a l k to. L i k e t h e i r c r e a t o r .

Hence

the

d i a l o g u e , a c t u a l o r i m p l i c i t i n so m a n y o f t h e p o e m s . H e n c e the n e e d (faute de m i e u x ) to m a k e the n o t e b o o k s his c o n f i dants. C o l e r i d g e was l o n e l y because he was a w a r m l y gregarious m a n . A line i n q u o t a t i o n marks, b u r i e d i n a notebook entry, gave m e m a n y a fruitless search. ' I a m n o t a g o d t h a t I s h o u l d s t a n d a l o n e . ' F i n a l l y after a b o u t t w o d e c a d e s o f h u n t i n g , u p m a n y b l i n d a l l e y s , it a p p e a r e d

i n a C o l e r i d g e sale; h e q u o t e d i t

c a s u a l l y i n a m a n u s c r i p t l e t t e r as f r o m a n u n p u b l i s h e d p o e m of his own\ H i s d e e p p e r s o n a l sense o f t h e g o d l i k e a n d u n g o d l i k e i n l o n e l i n e s s r e f i n e d h i s i n s i g h t s , e.g. i n t o

Shakespeare's

t r a g i c h e r o e s as t h e y e n d u r e o r d o n o t e n d u r e t h e i r i s o l a t i o n ; i t is p a r t o f h i s p a i n f u l c r i t i c a l sense o f t h e

i m a g i n a t i o n as

c r e a t o r . T o b e free t o i n i t i a t e i t m u s t b e free e n o u g h t o s t a n d a l o n e . H e h a d n o c o n f i d e n c e t h a t h e h i m s e l f c o u l d d o so, y e t i t

25

is, I b e l i e v e , a n o v e r l o o k e d n o b i l i t y i n C o l e r i d g e - h i s f r a i l t i e s a r e m o r e o b v i o u s - t h a t h e w a s a b l e so o f t e n t o t u r n h i s p e r s o n a l l o n e l i n e s s t o c r e a t i v e use. T h e p o e m s , t h e l i t e r a r y c r i t i cism, the p h i l o s o p h y , a l l were w r e n c h e d out of a c o m p l e x t o t a l experience. F a i l u r e to u n d e r s t a n d

t h i s is f a i l u r e t o

come

a n y w h e r e n e a r the t r u t h a b o u t C o l e r i d g e . T o u n d e r s t a n d it m a k e s most o f the charges against h i m t r i v i a l . T h e basis o f his s t r e n g t h seems to m e to be his awareness o f the difficulties o f r e c o n c i l i n g e v e r y w h e r e those opposites w h i c h he

first

met

w i t h i n himself. I n the s e c o n d l e c t u r e I s h o u l d l i k e to l o o k at s o m e o f the strange paths a l o n g w h i c h Coleridge's curiosity about

and

a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h o t h e r m i n d s t o o k h i m , as f o r e x a m p l e h i s interest i n i m a g i n a t i v e originals like B e h m e n , Paracelsus, a n d B r u n o . I n the t h i r d l e c t u r e I s h a l l say s o m e t h i n g m o r e a b o u t his o w n p o e t i c a n d

p h i l o s o p h i c i m a g i n a t i o n e s p e c i a l l y as

it is e x h i b i t e d i n t h e

notebook-keeper.

26

LECTURE TWO

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LECTURETWO

I

N T H E FIRST L E C T U R E I suggested that the circumstances o f C o l e r i d g e ' s e a r l y life as h e d e s c r i b e d t h e m e n c o u r a g e d i n h i m

the constant q u e s t i o n i n g o f the appearances o f things, a n d a sense o f c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n i n n e r a n d o u t e r w o r l d s . H e b e c a m e , as h e s a i d , a n o d d i t y , a n u n w i l l i n g s o l i t a r y , a g a i n s t t h e g r a i n o f a sociable temper. I t is w e l l k n o w n

that he b e c a m e also one o f the

most

o m n i v o r o u s o f E n g l i s h readers, o n e w i t h a taste for c e r t a i n k i n d s o f e c c e n t r i c s . O r w a s it a taste a n d a s e a r c h for s o m e t h i n g else? C o l e r i d g e w a s n o t a l t o g e t h e r t h e l i t e r a r y D o n Q u i x o t e h e is s o m e t i m e s m a d e o u t t o b e . A s h i s g r a n d s o n E r n e s t H a r t l e y C o l e r i d g e said, ' C o l e r i d g e for a l l his e c c e n t r i c ities w a s t h e sanest o f m o r t a l s . ' I s h o u l d like n o w to e x a m i n e some e x a m p l e s o f his c u r i o u s r e a d i n g a n d the v a r i o u s d r i v e s b e h i n d it w h i c h w e r e m o r e p o s i t i v e a n d l o g i c a l t h a n a m e r e taste for o t h e r s o c i a l rejects s u c h o b s c u r e y e t n o t o r i o u s r e b e l s o f e a r l i e r t i m e s as J a c o b B e h m e n , a n d Bruno, a n d Paracelsus - a n d certain intellectual o d d - m e n - o u t i n his o w n day. Coleridge approached other independent minds keenly alive to their loneliness a n d courage, a n d w i t h

immense

respect for t h e m . I n N o v e m b e r 1803, a s o u l - d e s t r o y i n g t i m e o f self-flagellation, he w r o t e i n N o t e b o o k 2 1 : With a deep groan from the Innermost of my Heart, in the feeling of self-humiliation, & a lively sense of my own weakness, & the distrac­ tion of my mind, which is indeed 'always doing something else,' I yet write down the names of the Works that I have planned, in the order in which I wish to execute them, with a fervent prayer that I may build up in my Being enough of manly Strength & Perseverence to ?? ??? ????? ?? ? ???? ? ???? ?????

T h e r e f o l l o w s a l i s t o f v a s t w o r k s ; t h e first w a s o n ' M a n , a n d the p r o b a b l e D e s t i n y o f the H u m a n R a c e . ' T h e n i n t h a n d tenth were to be o n ' R e v o l u t i o n a r y M i n d s , T h o m a s A q u i n a s , Scotus, L u t h e r , [ R i c h a r d ] B a x t e r . . . Socinus, G . F o x . . . G i o r d a n o B r u n o , J a c o b B o e h m e n , S p i n o z a . ' T h a t r e s o l u t i o n is succeeded i n the notebook b y another

entry:

It has been long my sincere wish, & (for that all our Habits partake of human Frailty) my pride, to try to understand, in myself, & to make intelligible to others, how great men may err wildly, yet not be

m a d - t h a t a l l opinions that can be understood & are not contra­ dictory] in terms have more to be said for them than Bigots & Pedants & Sciolists suppose. [CjVl 1647]

' H o w great m e n m a y e r r w i l d l y , yet not be m a d . ' T h o u g h he d i d n o t t h i n k o f h i m s e l f as a g r e a t m a n - ( ' I h a v e a sense o f power

without

strength'

was

a

sincere

and

repeated

confession) - he d i d k n o w w h a t it w a s to ' e r r w i l d l y yet not be m a d , ' a t l e a s t n o t so m a d as b r o t h e r G e o r g e c h o s e t o t h i n k h i m . H e also k n e w t h a t i m a g i n a t i o n was i n his s c h e m e o f t h i n g s a c o n c o m i t a n t o f g e n i u s , b u t so o f t e n s u s p e c t e d o f m a d n e s s t h a t a m a n o f i m a g i n a t i o n h a d to be b r a v e also. O f h i s ' R e v o l u t i o n a r y M i n d s ' i t is h a r d t o s a y w h e t h e r i t w a s their i m a g i n a t i o n o r their temerity he a d m i r e d most. C o l e r i d g e w a s a n e a r l y a p p r e c i a t o r o f the h i s t o r i c a l fact t h a t the i m a g i n a t i o n is s o m e t i m e s p r o p h e t i c , s e i z i n g i n t u i t i v e l y o n truths that science later, w i t h m i g h t i e r a c c u m u l a t i o n s of other k i n d s o f e v i d e n c e , l a b o u r s to b r i n g forth. O n e o f his earliest heroes was J a c o b B o h m e o r B e h m e n , the G e r m a n theosophist shoemaker (1575-1624) whose works i n four large quarto volumes were published i n English translat i o n a b o u t the t i m e o f Coleridge's b i r t h . T h e y were h e a v i l y a n n o t a t e d b y C o l e r i d g e at several r e a d i n g s till n e a r l y the e n d o f h i s life; b u t l o n g b e f o r e h e o b t a i n e d t h e m a n d w h i l e h e w a s 30

still a s c h o o l b o y , he r e a d o r r a t h e r he said, ' c o n j u r e d o v e r

(a

???? ???????????? ???????? ?????????? ???????? ??? ??? ?? the m o r e difficult o f B e h m e n ' s v i s i o n a r y works. N o d o u b t part o f the early a t t r a c t i o n was B e h m e n ' s personal

misfortunes.

Dismissed from

his s h o e m a k i n g

shop

because o f the u n c o n t r o l l e d intensity o f his m y s t i c a l e x p e r i e n ces a n d h e t e r o d o x t e a c h i n g s , h e b e c a m e a w a n d e r i n g j o u r n e y m a n a n d a l t h o u g h q u i t e u n e d u c a t e d was a t t a c k e d b y the o r t h o d o x a u t h o r i t i e s w i t h a v i g o u r a n d r u t h l e s s n e s s as d i f f i c u l t t o c o m p r e h e n d as t h e w r i t i n g s t h a t p r o v o k e d t h e m . B u t to a y o u t h like C o l e r i d g e , a l r e a d y g i v e n to i n n e r e x p l o r a t i o n , and

therefore

w i t h s o m e sense o f a w o r l d o f f a n t a s y

and

s y m b o l , B e h m e n set f o r t h , o f t e n i n h i g h l y p a r a d o x i c a l a p h o r i s m s , a m y s t i c a l v i s i o n o f t h e forces b e h i n d t h e life o f t h e senses. H i s counsel was no doubt

c o m f o r t i n g a n d p a c i f y i n g to a

p r e c o c i o u s adolescent t r o u b l e d b y his o w n conflicts o v e r the discrepancies between outer a n d i n n e r realities. C o n c e n t r a t e o n the i n w a r d , B e h m e n u r g e d , ' l e a r n to d i s t i n g u i s h b e t w e e n t h e T h i n g , a n d t h a t w h i c h is o n l y a n i m a g e t h e r e o f ,

between

t h e s o v e r e i g n t y w h i c h is s u b s t a n t i a l a n d i n t h e i n w a r d g r o u n d o f N a t u r e , a n d t h a t w h i c h is i m a g i n a r y a n d i n o u t w a r d f o r m o f s e m b l a n c e ; b e t w e e n t h a t w h i c h is p r o p e r l y a n g e l i c a l , a n d t h a t w h i c h is n o m o r e t h a n b e s t i a l . '

1

T h e p a s s a g e is t o o c l e a r t o b e t y p i c a l o f B e h m e n , w h o s e confused, i n t e r m i n a b l e , a n d intensely pious arguments

are

b a f f l i n g , t o s a y t h e least, t o t h e p o i n t o f d e s p a i r ; y e t I s a a c Newton,

and W i l l i a m Blake, and

Coleridge were

among

those w h o respected h i m . C o l e r i d g e ' s m a r g i n a l i a h e l p e d m e t o g r a s p t h a t B e h m e n v i e w e d t h e life o f m a n a n d t h e w h o l e cosmos i n one a n d the same pattern. H e n c e the s u d d e n leaps o f t h o u g h t , f r o m one p l a n e to another, the c u r i o u s a l l e g o r i c a l w a y of writing, using strange terms a n d terms w i t h m o r e t h a n 1 Ofthe Supersensual Life Dialogue I 31

o n e m e a n i n g , e.g. S a l i t t e r ( S a l t p e t r e ) , f o r t h e ' d i v i n e P o w e r s ' a n d also for G r a v i t a t i o n . B e h m e n saw the u n i v e r s a l struggle, p h y s i c a l i n t h e u n i v e r s e a n d m o r a l i n m a n , as a between

struggle

the c o n f l i c t i n g forces o f l i g h t a n d darkness,

and

d e s c r i b e d t h e s e forces v a r i o u s l y i n b o t h h u m a n a n d c o s m i c terms: e x p a n s i o n a n d c o n t r a c t i o n , centrifugal a n d c e n t r i p e t a l , r e p u l s i o n a n d a t t r a c t i o n , the astringent q u a l i t y a n d the sweet q u a l i t y , the destructive a n d the constructive, h u m i l i t y a n d p r i d e , a n g u i s h a n d j o y . F o r B e h m e n G o d is t h e A b y s s , t h e U r g r u n d , o f N a t u r e a n d M a n , s o m e t h i n g l i k e S p i n o z a ' s sub­

stantia,

yet u n l i k e 'substance'

i n being a fountain o f light.

B e h m e n s a w m o s t o f s o c i e t y as l i v i n g o n t h e c i r c u m f e r e n c e o f r e a l i t y , a n d t h e i n d i v i d u a l s o u l as a s p a r k o f t h e d i v i n e i n n e e d o f r e a l i z i n g its i n b o r n l o n g i n g f o r ' t h e c e n t r a l F i r e . ' M a n m a y g r o w t o w a r d s the centre, he t h o u g h t , o r a w a y f r o m centre to t h e m e r e a p p e a r a n c e o f life. E a c h s o u l ' s t a s k is t o

pursue

s e l f - k n o w l e d g e i n o r d e r t o r e j o i n t h e o r i g i n a l F i r e . I t is t h e function

of m a t u r i n g knowledge a n d religious growth

to

d i r e c t h i m t o w a r d s t h e c e n t r e f r o m w h i c h h e s p r a n g , so t h a t the F i r e o f a n g u i s h a n d desire becomes, t h r o u g h the fulfilment o f d i v i n e l o n g i n g , the L i g h t o f love. Coleridge conceded

that sometimes

he f o u n d

Behmen

i n c o m p r e h e n s i b l e , also pantheistic i n his a p p a r e n t transposi n g o f G o d a n d the W o r l d o r N a t u r e ; the m a r g i n a l i a o n the B e h m e n v o l u m e s are often mystified o r c r i t i c a l . works in what

Behmen's

is c o m m o n l y k n o w n as L a w ' s e d i t i o n

are

d i f f i c u l t , as a l l m y s t i c a l w r i t i n g s a r e t o t h e n o v i c e , b u t t h e s e a r e m a d e a t h o u s a n d t i m e s m o r e so b y B e h m e n ' s u n o r g a n i z e d profusion o f i m a g e r y , often i n a p r i v a t e tortuous (Anguish,

language.

o n e o f his f a v o u r i t e w o r d s , describes the state o f

m i n d o f any o r d i n a r y reader.) Y e t C o l e r i d g e w h i l e still a schoolboy

was

fascinated

enough

by Behmen's

desperate

a t t e m p t s to e n u n c i a t e his t r o u b l e d insights i n t o the conflicts i n t h e h u m a n c o n d i t i o n t o fight h i s w a y t h r o u g h . 32

I t w o u l d b e f o l l y i n a p a r a g r a p h o r t w o , e v e n i f o n e felt m o r e secure t h a n I d o i n one's u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f B e h m e n , to e l u c i d a t e fully the r a m i f i c a t i o n s o f his t h o u g h t . I n a n y case, i t is n o t B e h m e n ' s p a r t i c u l a r v i e w s w e a r e c o n c e r n e d w i t h h e r e , but

rather Coleridge's analysis o f a religious philosopher, a

theosophist, t w o h u n d r e d years before h i m . T h e m a i n statem e n t is i n t h e e l e v e n t h o f The Philosophical

Lectures ( 3 2 9 - 3 1 ) .

H a v i n g referred to B e h m e n ' s 'delusions, f r o m w a n t o f a l l intellectual discipline' a n d from 'ignorance o f rational psychology,' the latter ' i n c o m m o n w i t h the most learned theolog i a n s o f h i s a g e , ' C o l e r i d g e says, He was indeed a stupendous human being. H a d he received the

discipline of education, above all had he possessed the knowledge which would have guarded him against his own delusions, I scarcely

know whether we should have had reason to attribute greater genius

even to Plato himself. When I consider that this ignorant man by the result of his own meditations presented the Newtonian system [by

anticipation] in a clearness which it certainly had never before

appeared in, not even to Copernicus himself, or to the learned

Bruno [Coleridge refers to what looks like some concept of universal

gravitation in Behmen]; when I trace in him the love of action and that constant sense of the truth that all nature is in a perpetual

evolution, that two great powers are for ever working, manifesting

themselves alike in the apparently inadequate and inanimated, and

in intellectual nature, (namely the powers by which each particular endeavours to detach itself from nature and the counteracting pow­

ers by which nature is still bringing back each of her creatures into

itself - this led him assuredly into anticipations and views of truth

which will detract from many modern discoveries some part, at least,

of their originality); but above all that spirit of love which runs through him; that dread of contempt; that belief that the potential

works in us even as the actual is working on us, and that not only man but every creature contains in itself a higher being,... 33

H e t h e n refers t o B e h m e n ' s t e n d e n c y t o

pantheism.

From this I cannot excuse Behmen's writings, any more than I can

praise or attempt or pretend to understand many of the strange

fancies by which he has represented his truths. Sometimes indeed one can guess at the meaning; sometimes it is utter darkness. A n d

altogether he represents a great mirror, but placed in the shade; all

the objects of nature seem to pass by, but they are reflected in shadow and dimly, but now and then a light passes along and the mirror in the shade flashes...

C o l e r i d g e was w i l l i n g to w o r k for his gains f r o m a difficult w r i t e r . H e f o u n d i n B e h m e n w h a t he w a s s e a r c h i n g for, some liberation

from

the

eighteenth-century

'fixities

and

definites'

of

the

late

applications o f N e w t o n i a n physics a n d

L o c k i a n p s y c h o l o g y w h i c h h a d p r e v a i l e d i n his u n d e r g r a d u a t e d a y s . I t d e l i g h t e d C o l e r i d g e t o r e a d ' t h a t a l l n a t u r e is i n a perpetual

evolution,

working'-'the

belief

that

two

that

the

great

powers

potential

are

works

forever in

us'-

'above a l l the S p i r i t o f love.' T h e universe was therefore not static, b u t i n process, a n d m a n w a s not a d e s p a i r i n g c o g i n the N e w t o n i a n m a c h i n e . T h e r e f o r e a l l t h a t is, is n o t n e c e s s a r i l y right, b u t c h a n g i n g , a n d m a n p a r t i c i p a t e s actively, not passively, a n d b y i m a g i n a t i o n a n d love. G o d was not a r b i t r a r y , but c o n t i n u a l l y creating the universe out o f m a t e r i a l

and

s p i r i t u a l f o r c e , a f o u n t a i n o f fire, e n e r g y , a n d l i g h t .

(The

fountain was a h i g h l y integrating image i n Coleridge's poems, a

c e n t r a l s y m b o l for a d y n a m i c , u n i f y i n g energy;

it

was

c e n t r a l to a l l his t h i n k i n g . ) P e r h a p s the m o s t r a d i c a l t h e m e o f a l l i n B e h m e n a n d the most satisfying to C o l e r i d g e was the daring-or

naive-or

tion o f the naturalness

at

any

rate

unapologetic - assump-

o f the c o n j u n c t i o n o f t h o u g h t

and

feeling. O n t h a t a s s u m p t i o n C o l e r i d g e ' s case for the p o t e n c y of i m a g i n a t i o n was built. 34

In

the

summer

o f 1801 C o l e r i d g e w a s r e a d i n g H e n r y

M o r e ' s Brief Discourse of Enthusiasm he

snobbishly called

i n w h i c h M o r e gave what

'divers o d d conceits out

of several

"Theosophists a n d C h y m i s t s " ' w i t h o u t n a m i n g the authors. C o l e r i d g e i d e n t i f i e d o n e o f t h e m as J a c o b B e h m e n , t h o u g h M o r e ' s p a r a p h r a s e o f B e h m e n ' s Aurora w a s s o m e w h a t r o u g h and

casual.

More

also referred

to Paracelsus

sneeringly

t h r o u g h five sections, w h e r e u p o n C o l e r i d g e at o n c e m a d e a n o t e , t o get h o l d o f P a r a c e l s u s : Behmen's o p i n i o n - T h a t all is God's self-that a man's self is G o d if he live holily - that the Waters of this World are mad - / likewise

endeavour to get Paracelsus de Meteoris, his Scientia Astronom[ica], & his de natura rerum. [CM I 1000 E]

H e d i d see P a r a c e l s u s , t h e t h r e e - v o l u m e G e n e v a e d i t i o n o f 1 6 5 8 ; h i s f r i e n d J . H . G r e e n ' s c o p y is n o w i n t h e l i b r a r y o f t h e R o y a l College of Physicians a n d Surgeons. W h i c h works d i d h e r e a d ? O n e w o n d e r s . A l t h o u g h P a r a c e l s u s ( 1 4 9 3 - 1 5 4 1 ) is sometimes c a l l e d the M a r t i n L u t h e r of m e d i c i n e , reports are c o n t r a d i c t o r y , m a n y o f t h e m f r o m hostile c o n t e m p o r a r i e s to w h o m h i s r a d i c a l i d e a s c o n s t i t u t e d a t h r e a t . I t is c l e a r t h a t h e offered C o l e r i d g e some g r o u n d s for i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , p e r h a p s a l s o f o r e n v i o u s c o n t r a s t , a n d y e t i t is a l s o c l e a r t h a t P a r a c e l s u s was a b o l d , contentious, a r r o g a n t fellow. ( T h e n a m e P a r a c e l s u s h e g a v e t o h i m s e l f , i.e. ' g r e a t e r t h a n - C e l s u s . ' ) J o h n D o n n e , a m o n g others, a t t r i b u t e d his l e g e n d a r y m e d i c a l p o w ers t o a F a u s t - l i k e c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h t h e D e v i l . H e w a s r o u g h , o f n o a c a d e m i c s t a n d i n g , yet a l l the t i m e aggressively p r o p o s i n g e x p e r i m e n t s a n d theories to upset the c o n v e n t i o n a l professionals w h o refused to q u e s t i o n A r i s t o t l e ' s ipse dixits. H e a t t a c k e d a n d i n d e e d w a s i n s t r u m e n t a l i n d e s t r o y i n g as a m e d i c a l theory the n o t i o n o f the ' h u m o u r s , ' a n d insisted o n i n q u i r i n g i n t o s p e c i f i c diseases a n d s p e c i f i c c u r e s . A n d h e h a d 35

s o m e a s t o n i s h i n g g o o d l u c k as a p r a c t i t i o n e r , c o n f o u n d i n g t h e g r e y b e a r d s . H e g a v e o n e o f t h e first c l i n i c a l d e s c r i p t i o n s o f syphilis, suggesting a b i o c h e m i c a l cure, w i t h mercury. F u l l o f c o n t r a d i c t i o n s , a t t h e s a m e t i m e as h e w a s i n s i s t i n g o n t r e a t m e n t o f t h e h u m a n o r g a n i s m as a w h o l e , a n d s t r e s s i n g t h e m i n d o f t h e p a t i e n t as a n e c e s s a r y p a r t o f i t , t h e m a n a l s o w a s g o i n g i n for a l c h e m y a n d astrology, a n d c l a i m i n g i n t i m a c y w i t h o c c u l t forces. A t t a c k i n g c o n t e m p o r a r y m e d i c a l b i g o t r y , f r a u d , a n d i g n o r a n c e , he yet p r e t e n d e d to c o m m u n i c a t i o n s o f his o w n w i t h superior p o w e r s - a f a m i l i a r e n o u g h

defence

m e c h a n i s m . B o e r h a a v e d e s c r i b e d h i m , a c c o r d i n g to C o l e r i d g e , 'as a g r e a t , a n o m a l o u s , u n a c c o u n t a b l e f e l l o w '

[CN III

4414]. I n t h e Notebooks t h e first d i r e c t q u o t a t i o n f r o m P a r a c e l s u s is

f r o m t h e Paragranum,

s a i d to be the m o s t savage a t t a c k o n

d o c t o r s e v e r w r i t t e n . It w a s his m o s t b r u t a l ( a n d c e n t r a l ) w o r k , the one i n w h i c h he destroyed the theory o f 'the h u m ours,'

i n v e n t i n g instead his n e w p h y s i o l o g i c a l

hypotheses

a b o u t t h e h u m a n b o d y as a n i n d e p e n d e n t o r g a n i c w h o l e . I n the notebook entry C o l e r i d g e q u o t e d i n the L a t i n the famous passage i n w h i c h Paracelsus - w h o a d v o c a t e d n a t u r a l cures - p e r v e r s e l y s a i d , ' N a t u r e i t s e l f is a d i s e a s e . ' C o l e r i d g e v e r s i fied his o w n g r i m personal e x t r a p o l a t i o n : Ills from without extrinsic Balms may heal,

Oft cur'd & wounded by the self-same Steel But us what remedy can heal or cure,

Whose very nature is our worst disease. [CJVlll 3616] A few pages later i n the same notebook C o l e r i d g e m a d e n o t e s o n m o r e p a s s a g e s f r o m t h e Paragranum,

i n c l u d i n g the

preface b y Bitisky defending Paracelsus against charges o f 'obscurity' a n d o f unnecessarily c o i n i n g new terms - charges all too f a m i l i a r to C o l e r i d g e himself. E . g . one o f the n e w words 36

coined b y Paracelsus (and then used b y B e h m e n ) was o f c e n t r a l i n t e r e s t t o C o l e r i d g e , t h e w o r d Archeus, t h e i d e a o f a seminal R e a s o n or Logos, a vital principle. H e took

from

P a r a c e l s u s a q u o t a t i o n he a p p l i e d l a t e r o n to himself: What does it matter to me whether they follow or pursue me? I shall not try to force them. I shall, however, expose them, because they

altogether abound in frauds and impostures and have~no other

foundation than that which arises from the itch for the applause of the mob and from ignorance. Whoever is faithful and honest to his

own heart, and whoever in practice tries to imitate nature in art, will not avoid me or turn away. [CN III 3660 and n]

Coleridge's

m o s t s u s t a i n e d s t a t e m e n t a b o u t P a r a c e l s u s is

f o u n d i n a n o t e i n t h e m a r g i n s o f F u l l e r ' s Holy State ( B k II c h 3) o n F u l l e r ' s L i f e o f P a r a c e l s u s . A s u s u a l , e n t h u s i a s m is t e m p e r e d w i t h but not d a m p e d by critical judgement: It is matter of regret with me, that Fuller (whose wit alike in quantity, quality and perspicuity surpassing that of the wittiest in a

witty Age,... had not looked thro' the two Latin Folios of Paracelsus's Works. It is not to be doubted, that a rich and delightful Article

would have been the result. / For who like Fuller, could have

brought out, and set forth, this singular Compound of true philoso­

phic Genius with the morals of a Quack and the manners of a K i n g of the Gypsies? Nevertheless, Paracelsus belonged to his Age, viz. the

Dawn of Experimental Science; and a well-written Critique on his Life & Writings would present thro' the magnifying glass of a Caricature the distinguishing features of the Helmonts, Kircher, in short, of the host of Naturalists of the 16

continues,

on

the

subject

th

Century - / ... [He

of Alchemy]:... N.b. T h e Potential

( = Aoyoc, OeavOpcoTCoq), the ground of the Prophetic, directed the

first Thinkers (= Mystae) to the metallic bodies, as the Key of all natural Science. T h e then Actual blended with this instinct all the 37

fancies, and fond desires, and false perspective, of the Childhood of Intellect. T h e essence was truth, the form was folly: and this is the

definition of Alchemy. - Nevertheless, the very terms bear witness to the veracity of the original Instinct / T h e World of Sensible Expe­

rience cannot be more luminously divided than into the modifying

powers, T O OLXkov - that which differences, makes this other than that: and

the uex' OCMJOV, that which is beyond or deeper than modifi­

cation. Metallon is strictly 'the Base of the Mode:' and such have the

Metals been determined to be by modern C h e m i s t r y . - A n d what are now the great problems of Chemistry? T h e difference of the

Metals themselves, their origin, the causes of their locations, of their

co-existence in the same ore (ex. gr. of Iridium, Osmium, Palladium,

Rhodium, and Iron with Platinum).-Were these problems solved, the results who dare limit?...

And

t h e a n n o t a t i o n o n F u l l e r ' s Life e n d s w i t h :

The Light was for the greater part suffocated, and the rest fantasti­ cally refracted; but still it was Light struggling in the darkness. A n d I

am persuaded, that to the full triumph of Science, it will be necessary

that Nature should be commanded more spiritually than hithertoi.e. more directly in the power of T H E WILL.

Is t h e r e n o t a m o d e r n r i n g t o t h i s ? A r e p h y s i c i s t s , c h e m i s t s , e c o l o g i s t s , a n d a l l t h e rest o f us, n o t n o w t a l k i n g a b o u t t h e ' m o r a l responsibilities' o f science? It is e v i d e n t t h a t C o l e r i d g e ' s a d m i r a t i o n f o r P a r a c e l s u s w a s far f r o m i d o l a t r o u s , b u t i t is a l s o c l e a r t h a t t h e a t t r a c t i o n s o f P a r a c e l s u s ' s s u b j e c t a n d h i s o r i g i n a l i t y w e r e s u c h as t o d r a w C o l e r i d g e i n t o his folio v o l u m e s to t r y to u n d e r s t a n d the t h i n k i n g o f this w i l d , rude, lonely, o r i g i n a l m a n , ' a p i l g r i m all my

life,' P a r a c e l s u s said, ' a l o n e a n d a s t r a n g e r feeling a l i e n , '

whose aggressions p r o d u c e d the s t o r m y works a t t a c k i n g his

38

w h o l e profession; a n d w h o yet said, 'the g r o u n d o f a l l m e d i c i n e is l o v e . ' P a r a c e l s u s n e x t to B e h m e n m u s t be one o f the m o r e u n c l e a r o f w r i t e r s . H e w a s u n c l e a r to himself. T h a t C o l e r i d g e a p p e a r s to h a v e u n d e r s t o o d

the c e n t r a l positions t h r o u g h the

wild

turmoil of physiology, prophecy, alchemical and astrological muddle, from

a

out o f the

chinks i n w h i c h g l i m m e r some

primitive biochemistry

and

lights

psychology, all in

a

r o u g h S w i s s - G e r m a n d i a l e c t o r less t h a n e l e g a n t L a t i n , is a s i g n o f C o l e r i d g e ' s p e r s i s t e n c e a n d s k i l l s as a r e a d e r , r a t h e r than

of

Paracelsian

lucidity.

The

most

fundamental

P a r a c e l s i a n d i s c o v e r y a n d h y p h o t h e s i s w a s t h a t diseases a r e both visible a n d invisible. T h i s Coleridge understood than

better

most.

H e was not c o n c e r n e d to establish the correctness o f P a r a celsian m e d i c i n e . U n d o u b t e d l y the fascinating t h i n g a b o u t Paracelsus was his coarse a n d ruthless scepticism a b o u t the p r e v a i l i n g a s s u m p t i o n s o f his t i m e . T h i s p r o v o k e d his u n r e m i t t i n g s e a r c h f o r 'forces' w i t h i n m a n a n d w i t h i n n a t u r e , forces w i t h i n the m i c r o c o s m o s a n d the m a c r o c o s m o s comprehended

a l i k e to

be

as o n e ' A r c h e u s , ' o n e set o f l a w s , t h u s t o free

m a n f r o m the m e n t a l b o n d a g e o f h i d e b o u n d q u a c k e r y the arbitrariness

and

o f i g n o r a n t m e n w i t h p o w e r . It w a s

the

search for l a w , l a w s o f m i n d a n d l a w s o f n a t u r e , a n d

the

h u m a n processes b e h i n d d i s c o v e r y o f t h e m t h a t m a d e P a r a celsus i n t e r e s t i n g to C o l e r i d g e , n o t Paracelsus's c o n c l u s i o n s . T h e attempted integration of m a n a n d nature was

2

pursued

w i t h less p i e t y a n d m o r e s c i e n c e , a n d m o r e f e r o c i t y i n t h i s c a s e t h a n i n B e h m e n ' s , b u t a c o m m o n d e n o m i n a t o r w a s there for Coleridge. 2 In Southey's Omniana (1812) 1216 Coleridge wrote: 'Paracelsus was a brag­ gart and a quack; so was C a r d a n , but it was their merits, and not their

follies, which drew upon them that torrent of detractions and calumny.'

39

G i o r d a n o B r u n o (1548-1600) w a s b e t t e r k n o w n i n C o l e ridge's t i m e for his s t u b b o r n m a r t y r d o m at the stake t h a n for his

writings.

It

was

Bruno

the

heretical

astronomer-

p h i l o s o p h e r , poet a n d defiant satirist o f c o m p l a c e n t

acade-

m i a , i n w h o m C o l e r i d g e was interested. C u r i o u s l y he d i d not d i s c u s s a t l e n g t h t h e B r u n o o f t h e a r t o f m e m o r y , so l e a r n e d l y elucidated by Frances Yates. Bruno's w o r k s - a b o u t

twenty-

six a r e k n o w n b y title, o f w h i c h C o l e r i d g e s a w at least s i x 3

were very scarce a n d thought

to be nonsense.

In Bruno's

defence, C o l e r i d g e c o m p l a i n e d that they were often full o f w h a t seemed ' i m p e n e t r a b l e obscurity, i n w h i c h B r u n o shares o n e a n d t h e s a m e fate w i t h P l a t o , A r i s t o t l e , K a n t , a n d i n t r u t h w i t h every great discoverer a n d benefactor o f the h u m a n race; e x c e p t i n g o n l y w h e n the discoveries h a v e been c a p a b l e o f b e i n g r e n d e r e d p a l p a b l e to the o u t w a r d senses.' Bruno's

imaginative

comprehension

of an

4

infinity

of

w o r l d s , e a c h i m p e l l e d i n its o w n m o t i o n b y its o w n n a t u r e a n d yet p a r t o f a n i n f i n i t e w h o l e , cast d o u b t o n the o l d A r i s t o t e l i a n series o f c o n c e n t r i c s p h e r e s w i t h t h e e a r t h fixed i n t h e m i d d l e , a n d even o n the C o p e r n i c a n m o d i f i c a t i o n o f the a n n u a l rotat i o n o f t h e e a r t h a r o u n d t h e s u n a n d t h e d a i l y r o t a t i o n o n its axis. B r u n o s a w t h a t C o p e r n i c u s h a d i n fact i n t r o d u c e d a c o m p l e t e l y n e w cosmology. B r u n o envisaged a vast o r g a n i c cosmos i n w h i c h a l l p h e n o m e n a i n space a n d time, m a t e r i a l a n d s p i r i t u a l , w e r e related. It was c e r t a i n l y a v i s i o n too b i g for 3 See CAf II 2264 and Friend (CQ I 118. 4 'Magnanimity': Omniana § 129. T h e little essay continues by referring disparagingly to '"our sober judicious critics", the men of "sound

common sense", i.e. of those snails in intellect who wear their eyes at

the tips of their feelers, and cannot even see unless they at the same time

touch - W h e n these finger-philosophers affirm that Plato, Bruno, & c must

have been "out of their senses", the just and proper retort is "Gentlemen! it is

still worse with you! Y o u have lost your reasonV"

40

most m i n d s . E a r t h was no l o n g e r a special creation, hence the c h a r g e o f heresy. A n d w h a t o f the a p p l i c a t i o n o f c o s m i c i n f i n i t y t o h u m a n life? T h i s w a s n o t p r e s s e d h o m e b y B r u n o , so f a r as I h a v e b e e n a b l e t o r e a d h i m , b u t t h e r e l a t i v i s t i m p l i c a t i o n s d i d not escape a C o l e r i d g e . Coleridge must

have found a fellow-feeling i n Bruno's

c h a r m i n g a n e c d o t e i n t h e p o e m , De Immenso, o f h o w as a c h i l d , l i v i n g i n N o l a i n Italy, o n the slopes o f M t C i c a d a a n d thus m u c h a w a r e o f that same ' V a s t ' that C o l e r i d g e c a m e to k n o w i n O t t e r y St M a r y , he too learned the disparity between a p p e a r a n c e a n d r e a l i t y , o r as h e s a i d , ' h o w d i s t a n c e c h a n g e s the face o f t h i n g s . ' H e tells o f h o w w h e n he w a s a c h i l d M t C i c a d a used to speak to h i m o f the r i v a l b e a u t y o f the m o u n t a i n opposite, M t Vesuvius. S o he w a l k e d over a n d c l i m b e d Vesuvius

which

also spoke to h i m , o f the

darkness

and

d r e a r i n e s s o f its o p p o s i t e - M t C i c a d a . B u t t h e y o u n g B r u n o i n f o r m e d V e s u v i u s t h a t s u c h w a s e x a c t l y its o w n

appear-

a n c e f r o m C i c a d a , a n d t h a t r e a l l y C i c a d a w a s j u s t as b e a u t i ful.

B r u n o says

of himself

and

this fantasy,

'Thus

t h e y first t e a c h t h e l a d t o d o u b t . ' A n d w e m i g h t a d d ,

did to

philosophize. F r o m De Immenso, t h e first l o n g q u o t a t i o n s i n t h e Notebooks i n t h e o r i g i n a l L a t i n w e r e t a k e n i n 1 8 0 1 , t h e first e x c e r p t being an example of Bruno's well-known truculence which C o l e r i d g e l i k e d to q u o t e a n d sometimes a p p l i e d to himself: ' P a y p a r t i c u l a r a t t e n t i o n , I b e s e e c h y o u , t o t h e s e t h i n g s (i.e. t h e n e w v i e w o f t h e c o s m o s as i n f i n i t e ) : i n t h a t w a y y o u m a y u n d e r s t a n d m e , a p e r s o n w h o m a y p e r h a p s seem m a d - o r at least see w h y I a m m a d ' (CN I 9 2 7 ) ; C o l e r i d g e u s e d i t i n h i s p e r i o d i c a l , The Friend, i n d e f e n c e o f h i s a t t a c k s o n t h e l a m e n -

t a b l e state o f p u b l i c taste a n d k n o w l e d g e i n 1809. T h e r e he g l o s s e d B r u n o : ' W h a t I feel d e e p l y , f r e e l y w i l l I u t t e r . T r u t h is not D e t r a c t i o n : a n d assuredly w e d o not hate h i m to w h o m w e

41

tell the T r u t h . B u t w i t h w h o m s o e v e r w e p l a y the D e c e i v e r a n d F l a t t e r e r , h i m at the b o t t o m w e d e s p i s e . '

5

T h e r e are further selections (eight pages o f L a t i n ) c o p i e d o u t b y h a n d f r o m De Immenso w i t h C o l e r i d g e ' s r u n n i n g c o m m e n t s ; i t is c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f w h a t goes o n i n t h e n o t e b o o k s . First C o l e r i d g e leapt into the m i d d l e o f the w o r k , extracti n g the piece just q u o t e d (CJVI 927). H e t h e n a d d e d : ' B r u n o , p . 5 2 4 , 5 2 5 , 5 2 8 De Univ[erso]

et Innum[erabilis]

speaks f a m i l -

i a r l y o f the c i r c u l a t i o n o f the B l o o d - & not o n l y o f the C i r c u l a t i o m i n o r d i s c o v e r e d b y Servetus,' a n d he referred to the r e l e v a n t passages. ( T h i s m a t e r i a l w a s l a t e r u s e d b y C o l e r i d g e i n a n article o n ' T h e c i r c u l a t i o n o f the B l o o d ' i n Southey's c a t c h - a l l Omniana

o f 1 8 1 2 , § 122.)

P e r h a p s it w a s t h e n e x t d a y o r s o o n a f t e r t h a t C o l e r i d g e d e c i d e d to b e g i n a m o r e systematic s t u d y o f B r u n o a n d took a fresh page: ' M o n d a y , A p r i l . 1 8 0 1 . - a n d T u e s d a y , r e a d t w o W o r k s of G i o r d a n o B r u n o , printed i n one book w i t h

one

t i t l e - p a g e , ' a n d h e g i v e s i n f u l l t h e l o n g t i t l e s o f t w o w o r k s De Monade,

Numero,

et Figurd,

a n d De Immenso w i t h t h e n a m e s o f

the F r a n k f u r t printers a n d the date, 1591. ( M a n y o f B r u n o ' s w o r k s h a d b e e n g i v e n d e c e p t i v e i m p r i n t s for the safety o f the p r i n t e r s , o t h e r w i s e l i k e B r u n o , o p e n to c h a r g e s o f heresy.) C o l e r i d g e d e s c r i b e d the p h y s i c a l v o l u m e , a n d c o m m e n t e d : T h e n the Work 'De Monade, Numero et Figura, secretions nempe Physicae, Mathematicae, & Metaphysicae elementa' commences - w h i c h as well as the 8 books de Innumer.&c is a Poem in latin Hexameters, divided (each Book) into Chapters, & to each Chapter is affixed a prose Commentary. If the 5 books de M i n i m o , & c to which this Book is consequent, are of the same character, I lost nothing in not having it. T h e work de M o n a d e . - I t was far too numeral, lineal, & pythagorean for my Comprehension - it read very 5 Friend {CQ II87 42

much like Thomas Taylor & Proclus & c . I by no means think it

certain that there is no meaning in these Works, nor do I presume even to suppose, that the meaning is of no value - / but it is d e I m m e n s o et I n n u m e r a b i l i is o f a d i f f e r e n t c h a r a c t e r - ' h e s a i d , e x c e r p t i n g p o e t i c p a s s a g e s i n w h i c h B r u n o seeks ( t o q u o t e h i m i n C o l e r i d g e ' s translation) 'the splendor, the interfusion, a n d c o m m u n i c a tion o f the D i v i n i t y a n d o f N a t u r e ' a n d contemplates the Host of Stars, of Worlds and their guardian Deities, numbers

without number, each in its appointed sphere, singing together, and dancing in adoration of the O n e Most High. Thus from the perpet­ ual, immense, and innumerable goings on of the visible world, that

sempiternal and absolutely infinite Majesty is intellectually beheld ...Thence was man entitled by Trismegistus, 'the great Miracle',

inasmuch as he has been made capable of entering into union with

G o d , as if he were himself a divine nature; tries to become all things,

even as in G o d all things are; and in limitless progression of limited

States of being, urges onward to the ultimate aim, even as G o d is

simultaneously infinite, and everywere All! [CN I 928n]

C o l e r i d g e , like the C h u r c h , w a s able to discern the scientific thought b e h i n d the poetic language, but, whereas C o l e r i d g e was excited a n d delighted, the C h u r c h c h a r g e d such poetry w i t h d a n g e r o u s p a n t h e i s m a n d b u r n e d B r u n o as a h e r e t i c f o r his refusal to retract. I n h i s Essay on Man C a s s i r e r m a k e s a u s e f u l s t a t e m e n t a b o u t the significance o f B r u n o i n his time: 43

... In Stoic philosophy and in Christian theology man was described

as the end of the universe. Both doctrines are convinced that there is

a general providence ruling over the world and the destiny of man.

This concept is one of the basic presuppositions of Stoic and Chris­

tian thought. A l l this is suddenly called into question by the new

cosmology. Man's claim to being the center of the universe has lost its

foundation. M a n is placed in an infinite space in which his being seems to be a single and vanishing point. H e is surrounded by a mute

universe, by a world that is silent to his religious feelings and to his

deepest moral demands... M o d e r n philosophy and modern science had to accept the challenge contained in these words. They had to

prove that the new cosmology, far from enfeebling or obstructing the power of human reason, establishes and confirms this power... to

turn the apparent curse of the new cosmology into a blessing. Gior­ dano Bruno was the first thinker to enter upon this path, which in a

sense became the path of all modern metaphysics. What is character­

istic of the philosophy of Giordano Bruno is that here the term 'infinity' changes its meaning. In Greek classical thought infinity is a

negative concept. T h e infinite is the boundless or indeterminate... In

Bruno's doctrine infinity no longer means a mere negation or limita­ tion. O n the contrary, it means the immeasurable and inexhaustible

abundance of reality and the unrestricted power of the human intellect. It is in this sense that Bruno understands and interprets the

Copernican doctrine. This doctrine, according to Bruno, was the

first and decisive step toward man's self-liberation. M a n no longer lives in the world as a prisoner enclosed within the narrow walls of a

finite physical universe. H e can traverse the air and break through

all the imaginary boundaries of the celestial spheres which have been erected by a false metaphysics and cosmology. T h e infinite universe

sets no limits to human reason. T h e human intellect becomes aware

of its own infinity through measuring its powers by the infinite universe.

6

6 Ernst Gassirer An Essay on Man: An Introduction to a Philosophy of Human Culture (1953) 32-3 44

C o l e r i d g e d e f e n d e d B r u n o as ' a v i g o r o u s m i n d s t r u g g l i n g after

truth,

amid

many

prejudices';

7

he even

wondered

w h e t h e r he s h o u l d n ' t try to b o r r o w f r o m M a l t a , B r u n o ' s w o r k o n L o g i c w h e r e h e h a d s e e n t h e o n e c o p y h e k n e w of. F o r w h a t p u r p o s e ? I t is t y p i c a l o f C o l e r i d g e ' s d y n a m i c r e l a t i o n t o a thinker,

regardless o f period.

H e felt

Bruno's

sixteenth-

c e n t u r y logic was just w h a t was n e e d e d to p r i c k the b u b b l e o f loose c o m p l a c e n t n i n e t e e n t h - c e n t u r y o p t i m i s m a b o u t elect r i c i t y . T h e v o l t a i c p i l e , d i s c o v e r e d i n 1799 ( h a r d u p o n t h e Lyrical

Ballads b u t c r e a t i n g c o n s i d e r a b l y m o r e n o i s e ) m a d e

electricity a subject i n fashionable d r a w i n g rooms. E v e r y t h i n g w a s to be e x p l a i n e d , e v e r y t h i n g to be solved b y it. C o l e r i d g e , w h o r e a d the latest scientific j o u r n a l s a n d a t t e n d e d m a n y o f the lectures o f D a v y , B r a n d e , a n d others, at the R o y a l Institution, was horrified b y a l l the l a x talk a n d sheer s t u p i d fashionableness: I do not like that presumptuous Philosophy which in its rage of explanation allows no xyz, no symbol representative of the vast

Terra Incognita of Knowlege, for the Facts and Agencies of M i n d

and matter reserved for future Explorers/while the ultimate grounds of all must remain inexplorable or M a n must cease to be

progressive. O u r Ignorance with all the intermediates of obscurity is the condition of our ever-increasing Knowlege. Consider for a

moment the multitude and the importances of the phaenomena now

universally referred to electric agency-not to mention those now

explained by the electro-chemical combination of the ponderable portion of oxygen Gas with metallic bases, or with hydrogen... Hav­

ing made a numeration-table of these Phaenomena, then consult the

Works of those Physiologists who flourished & uttered oracles before

the discovery of Electricity. Their several explanations will furnish a

Lesson not only of modesty but of L o g i c - F o r , doubtless, by a more 7 Friend (CQ II81-2 45

watchful, and austere, as well as more modest & for that cause anticipative, Logic, the false part of these explanations might even then have been detected - & such explanations given, as would have

preserved our existing quantum of knowlege pure from positive

error, by avowedly including our ignorance in our knowlege, under a common Symbol. Thus in the old explanation of Thunder &

Lightning, that it was Fire by the dashing together of Clouds - Here was

presumption / H a d they been contented to say, that clouds contained Fire in a latent form, which under given circumstances passed from

one to the other; but that these circumstances, that is, that the law of Fire as contained in Vapors, remained to be discovered - all would

have been right-and Fire would have been a fair generic term, or

Symbol, which thus limited would have represented as in a process of

Algebra, that particular species of Fire, which in the conclusion would have come out as Electricity. [CN III 3825]

H e goes o n t o c o m p l a i n t h a t p e o p l e a r e t o o e a g e r t o e x p l a i n everything: ... the whole explanation must be seized from the scanty possessions behind us, not borrowed from the vast tract before u s - a n d because the

former pigmy Domain contained the fact of Fire generated by collision, as of Flint & Steel, or by friction, as of the Wheel & Axle,

therefore two mists in the air must be dashed against each other, or rubbed together. [CN ill 3825]

The

physical

picture

o f collision,

or friction,

has easily

u s u r p e d t h e p l a c e o f r e a l e x p l a n a t i o n ; t h e r e is m o r e o f a l l t h i s , b u t the e n t r y ends: ... I exceedingly wish, I could procure from M a l t a the Logica Venatrix of Giord. Bruno.

46

T h e p l a n was fantastic i n w a r t i m e (the d a t e was 1810 a n d the M e d i t e r r a n e a n c o n v o y s w e r e a n y t h i n g b u t safe), b u t so exceed­

ingly d i d h e w i s h it h e t h o u g h t o f a p p l y i n g t o L o r d M u l g r a v e

(First L o r d o f the A d m i r a l t y ) , o r to the P r i m e M i n i s t e r ! H o w o n e not l o v e C o l e r i d g e ?

can

B u t t h i s C o l e r i d g e , t h e p a s s i o n a t e i n q u i r e r , is s c e p t i c a l t o o . He

is a s k i n g , w h a t is t h e t r u t h i n a l l t h i s a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e

p r i n c i p l e s o f e l e c t r i c i t y a n d w h a t are those p r i n c i p l e s i n r e a l i t y ? H o w m u c h is a s s u m p t i o n , h o w m u c h p i c t u r e - l a n g u a g e , h o w m u c h the o v e r w e e n i n g desire for one s i m p l e e x p l a n a t i o n for e v e r y t h i n g ? G e t a t it b y s c r u t i n i z i n g t h e t h o u g h t p r o c e s s e s b e h i n d i t first. I t w a s C o l e r i d g e ' s b l i n d i n g r e a l i s m o u t o f h i s own

e x p e r i e n c e t o b e a b l e t o see a n d d e s c r i b e a n d k n o w t h e

difference b e t w e e n things observed a n d things i m a g i n e d . H e w i l l not be t a k e n i n either b y the 'fashion' for electricity, o r b y r e a c t i o n a r y a u t h o r i t y ' s distaste for visionaries; visionaries just may h a v e g l i m p s e s o f w h a t

it l a y a h e a d

of their time

to

d i s c o v e r . T h e p r i n c i p l e w a s t h e s a m e as w i t h B e h m e n , t h o u g h B r u n o was immensely learned whereas B e h m e n was u n e d u cated. B u t C o l e r i d g e w i l l take i m m e n s e trouble to u n d e r s t a n d both. I f his interest i n r a d i c a l t h i n k e r s h a d b e e n m e r e l y a s y m p a t h y for o d d characters o r h e r o i c m a r t y r s o f the past, o r b r i l l i a n t i n d i v i d u a l s a h e a d o f t h e i r t i m e , i t w o u l d g i v e us a n i m p r e s s i o n o f his s u b j e c t i v e c h o i c e s i n h i s w o r l d , a n d a l s o s o m e i m p r e s s i o n s o f h i s sense o f h u m a n

history a n d some i m -

p o r t a n t a c t o r s i n it. B u t t h e p e n e t r a t i o n is s o m e w h a t

deeper

t h a n that. In

the s a m e lecture q u o t e d before, the e l e v e n t h o f his

Philosophical

Lectures, C o l e r i d g e m a d e a m o d e r n c o m p l a i n t

a b o u t the s t r a i t - l a c e d c o n v e n t i o n a l i t y o f scientists a n d p h i l o s o p h e r s ( t h e p a s s a g e is q u o t e d i n p a r t b y L o r e n E i s e l e y i n The Firmament

of

Time): 47

Whoever is acquainted with the history of philosophy during the last

two or three centuries, cannot but admit, that there appears to have

existed a sort of secret and tacit compact among the learned, not to

pass beyond a certain limit in speculative science. T h e privilege of free thought, so highly extolled, has at no time been held valid in

actual practice, except within this limit; and not a single stride

beyond it has ever been ventured without bringing obloquy on the transgressor... [We can all think of today's examples.] Therefore the

true depth of science, and the penetration to the inmost centre from

which all the lines of knowledge diverge to their ever distant circum­

ference, was abandoned to the illiterate and the simple [like Beh­

men], whom unstilled yearning, and an original ebulliency of spirit

had urged to the investigation of the indwelling and living ground of all things. These then, because their names had never been enrolled

in the guilds of the learned, were persecuted by the registered

liverymen as interlopers on their rights and privileges. A l l without

distinction were branded as fanatics and phantasts... [such a man's] meditations are almost inevitably employed on the eternal or the

everlasting, for 'the world is not his friend nor the world's law.' [PL 327-9]

W e are b a c k to the conflict between a p p e a r a n c e a n d reality again, a n d Coleridge's distrust o f the ' m e r e Facts' m e n over a g a i n s t t h e m e t a p h y s i c i a n s , o f t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l s as a g a i n s t t h e i m a g i n a t i v e a m a t e u r s . O n e m a y safely c o n c l u d e t h a t C o l e ridge chose his intellectual heroes a n d allies, i f B e h m e n , 8

Paracelsus,

and Bruno

are a fair

cross-section,

for their

d a r i n g , their d o u b t i n g , a n d for the general snobbish a n d frightened

neglect o f their magnitude. H e saw the same

p h e n o m e n o n i n his o w n day, w h e n his interest was stirred b y 8 He himself named them, among others better known: Lessing, Schiller, Kant, Sidney, Shakespeare, Milton, Dante, Ariosto, Pascal, inter alios. 48

s u c h n o t o r i o u s l y u n a c c e p t a b l e t y p e s as M e s m e r , o r S p u r z h e i m . O n e c o u l d n a m e m a n y others, b u t I s h o u l d l i k e to refer briefly

to these, c h i e f l y to c a l l a t t e n t i o n

to the

common

d e n o m i n a t o r i n C o l e r i d g e ' s responses. H o w m u c h is i t n e c e s s a r y a t t h i s t i m e o f d a y t o d e s c r i b e M e s m e r o r m e s m e r i s m - the sort o f subject w e a l l k n o w a b o u t , yet perhaps d o n ' t really k n o w ? M e s m e r , w h o d i e d i n 1815, practised a p s e u d o - h y p n o t i s m n a m e d after h i m - a l t e r n a t i v e l y c a l l e d ' a n i m a l m a g n e t i s m . ' H e h a d first b e e n a n a s t r o l o g e r , a n d s e e m s t o h a v e h a d s o m e sort o f

fixation

o n the concept o f c o s m i c m a g n e t i s m

i m p o n d e r a b l e influences. H e practised i n P a r i s for

and about

t h i r t y years, a n d attracted m a n y followers i n a n d outside the m e d i c a l profession, b o t h i n F r a n c e a n d i n G e r m a n y . T h e E n g l i s h g e n e r a l l y r e g a r d e d h i m w i t h s t o l i d ( o r s o l i d , as y o u w i l l ) d i s b e l i e f , a n d i t is i n d e e d d i f f i c u l t t o i m a g i n e L o n d o n e r s s i t t i n g , i n s e a n c e - l i k e sessions, as t h e P a r i s i a n s d i d , h o l d i n g hands i n a circle a r o u n d a c a u l d r o n full of some witches' b r e w w h i l e M e s m e r , i n m a g i c i a n ' s robes,

floated

among

them,

g e s t u r i n g , t o u c h i n g , fixing w i t h h i s g l i t t e r i n g e y e t h i s o r t h a t h y s t e r i c a l patient. S c a n d a l o u s stories m o u n t e d to the p o i n t w h e r e the F r e n c h g o v e r n m e n t asked B e n j a m i n F r a n k l i n a n d o t h e r scientists to investigate. T h e r e s u l t i n g r e p o r t was i n c o n c l u s i v e as t o t h e c h a r l a t a n i s m , a c c r e d i t i n g s o m e o f t h e facts and

entirely r e p u d i a t i n g M e s m e r ' s theories

of

magnetic

??????? ??? ??????? ?? ???????? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ? genuine m y s t i c w h o b e l i e v e d i n his personal m a g n e t i c powers o v e r diseased persons. C o l e r i d g e d i d not k n o w M e s m e r ; his

first

acquaintance

w i t h the w r i t i n g s o f mesmerists seems to h a v e b e e n t h r o u g h OA.

K l u g e ' s s u r v e y Versuch einer Darstellung

Magnetismus,

ah Heilmittel

des

animalischen

(1815) a n d for the next decade he

r e a d w i d e l y i n the G e r m a n literature o n the subject.

49

T h e r e w a s n o d o u b t a personal interest i n the question w h e t h e r i n c e r t a i n s o m a t o s e c o n d i t i o n s , h y p n o t i c states o f a sort, o n e p e r s o n c o u l d i n f l u e n c e a n o t h e r . O n t h e front

fly-leaf

of K l u g e Coleridge wrote: Allowing the least possible to Fancy and Exaggeration, I can yet find

nothing in the Cases collected by Dr. Kluge that requires any other

conclusion but this-that under certain conditions one human Being may so act on the body as well as on the mind of another-as to produce a morbid sleep, from which the Brain awakes, while the

organs of sense remain in stupor. I speak exclusively of the intellectual

phaenomena of Anfimal] Mag[netism]. That the same vis ab extra may act medically, there is no reason to doubt - any more than of the

effects of opium. Thus the modus agendi in the first instance, the instrument thro' which the Magnetiser operates, is the only mystery:

and on this neither Kluge nor any of his Predecessors have thrown a ray of Light. [IS § 32]

S o ' M a g n e t i s m ' m a y act m e d i c a l l y - rather like o p i u m . W a s Coleridge's b u r n i n g question w h e t h e r a n addict c o u l d be treated? I n a m a n u s c r i p t fragment i n the British M u s e u m , p r o b a b l y i n t e n d e d for a n article o n a n i m a l m a g n e t i s m , he wrote: ' W h e n c e the c o n t e m p t u o u s rejection o f a n i m a l m a g n e t i s m before a n d w i t h o u t e x a m i n a t i o n ? ' G o i n g o n to r e d u c e the h u b b u b to fundamentals, . . . T h e only position... asserted by Magnetists as Magnetists inde­

pendent of all particular theory, or explanation)... is, that the will

or... the vis vitae of M a n is not confined in its operations to the Organic Body, in which it appears to be seated; but under certain

previously defined Conditions of distance and position, and above all

of the relation of the Patient to the Agent and of the Agent to the Patient, is capable of acting and producing certain pre-defined Effects on the living human bodies external to it. 50

C o l e r i d g e goes i n t o p a r t i c u l a r s o f m e s m e r i c t r e a t m e n t s

in

some d e t a i l , a n d c o n c l u d e s that M e s m e r gave honest v a l u e for money, a n d was the v i c t i m o f i n c o m p l e t e a n d biased evidence a n d gossip. For myself, I shall even say - 1 will try it when I have the opportunity,

myself - I will endeavour to see it tried by others, when I c a n - a n d

till then I will be neutral - S.T. Coleridge, July 8th, 1817.

[IS § 30]

C o l e r i d g e ' s a t t i t u d e to m e s m e r i s m o s c i l l a t e d b e t w e e n pros a n d c o n s ; h e w a s as q u i c k t o s p o t q u a c k s as t h e n e x t o n e , a n d d i d n o t s p a r e t h e m . T h e i n t e r e s t i n g t h i n g is t h a t i n t h e t e e t h o f a great d e a l o f p o p u l a r m o c k e r y o f it, h e insisted o n p u r s u i n g s e r i o u s l y a s u b j e c t so c l o s e l y r e l a t e d t o o b s c u r e s u b t e r r a n e a n b o d i l y a n d m e n t a l processes, a n a r e a i n w h i c h e v e n his friends w e r e i g n o r a n t a n d p r e j u d i c e d , as h e w e l l k n e w f r o m p e r s o n a l experience. S p u r z h e i m (1776-1832) was a n o t h e r c o n t e m p o r a r y m e d i c a l w i l d m a n a b o u t w h o m C o l e r i d g e ' s views were also w o b bly, t h o u g h o n his g e n e r a l p h i l o s o p h i c a l p r i n c i p l e s C o l e r i d g e c o u l d h a r d l y s u p p o r t so p h y s i c a l a b a s i s f o r m i n d as S p u r z heim's theories i m p l i e d . S p u r z h e i m astonished the w o r l d b y c l a i m i n g to be a b l e to d e s c r i b e a person's a b i l i t i e s a n d m o r a l c h a r a c t e r b y m e a s u r i n g the size, shape, a n d c o n v o l u t i o n s o f his

skull.

But

the

fact

that

A b e r n e t h y was

favourably

impressed w i t h S p u r z h e i m ' s dissection a n d a n a t o m y o f the b r a i n must have given C o l e r i d g e pause. H i s first n o t e (CN III 4 2 6 9 ) o n S p u r z h e i m ' s

Physiognomical

System w a s d e r o g a t o r y o f t h e w h o l e w o r k , its l a n g u a g e , l o g i c , a n d taste, b u t t w o y e a r s l a t e r a n o t e b o o k e n t r y begins:

August, 1817.1 have since discovered that poor Spurzheim entrusted

his Mss to a Scotch M a n , a M u r r a y I believe-& that no fair

conception can be formed from the B o o k either of the System as 51

presented in Spurzheim's Lectures, or of the M a n , of whom all without exception who have known him, speak of with love and honor-Spurzheim is a true man, und ein biederer Teut[s]cher. - H e has been driven out of the K i n g d o m to Paris by the malignity and malignant ignorance of Scotchmen / O n e Gordon and the Edingburgh R e v i e w - A t present I think that Spurzheim is beyond all comparison the greatest Physiognomist that has ever appeared - that his intellectual yvcofiovec, or indices have stood the test of application to an astonishing number of Instances with a most imposing co­ incidence-of the moral Indices I have not the same favorable impression - and his Theory, which is perfectly separable from his Empeiria, I cannot bring into any consistency of meaning. \CN III 4355] S p u r z h e i m ' s e x a m i n a t i o n o f C o l e r i d g e ' s b u m p s l e d to a n a m u s i n g P.S. i n a l e t t e r t o h i s f r i e n d G r e e n i n w h i c h h e r e f e r r e d t o ' t h e l i t t l e less t h a n i d i o c y o f t h a t s a m e f a c u l t y o f L o c a l i t y , the size, p r o m i n e n c e , a n d u n u s u a l d e v e l o p m e n t o f the significant B u m p - o r g a n o f w h i c h attracted the notice a n d excited the a d m i r a t i o n

o f P r o f e s s o r Spurzheim,

w h o consoled

me

t h e r e w i t h for the w a n t , o r evanescence, o f the O r g a n o f Ideality or Imagination.'

9

C o l e r i d g e c o n t i n u e d for some years to r e a d S p u r z h e i m ' s a n n o u n c e m e n t s o f d i s c o v e r i e s a b o u t t h e b r a i n , as l a t e n o t e b o o k entries show, a n d to p o k e f u n o r disagree b u t a l w a y s to be i n f o r m e d a b o u t the controversies, a n d to distrust the clack a g a i n s t S p u r z h e i m , b e c a u s e , as h e h a d s a i d , ... were it only for the undoubted splendor and originality of his & Gall's Anatomical Discoveries as to the structure of the Brain-the clear Light thrown on the true state of the Brain in Hydrokephalos - he ought to have been answered, where answerable, with honor 9 /S§27n 52

& quiet detail of logical objections. O n e thing seems plain / that

even if his System be true, it must constitute a profession - & why not? Is it not so with Medicine? Every man of Talent can learn from books the theory of Medicine; but from practical experience of his own must he acquire the power of safely applying it. [ C V III 4355]

I t is n o w r e c o g n i z e d t h a t S p u r z h e i m , f o r a l l h i s e x t r a v a g a n ces, d i d i m p e r f e c t l y d i s c o v e r s o m e t r u e facts a b o u t t h e b r a i n , e.g. t h a t i t is n o t j u s t a p u l p y m a s s , b u t fibrous, a n d t h a t h i s talk about

localization o f function, while inaccurate, was

crudely prophetic o f things to come. T h e reasons a r e b y n o w p r o b a b l y a p p a r e n t for b r i n g i n g t o g e t h e r s u c h a w e i r d a s s o r t m e n t o f e c c e n t r i c s as B e h m e n , P a r a c e l s u s , B r u n o , M e s m e r , S p u r z h e i m - a n d t h e m o n l y as representative o f a legion o f o t h e r s - w i t h i n the bracket o f C o l e r i d g e ' s i n t e r e s t . I t is n o t o n l y t h a t b y t e m p e r a m e n t a n d out o f his o w n miseries h e t e n d e d to b e c o m e c o u n s e l for the defence o f originals, oddities, a n d outcasts. W i t h B e h m e n ' s p a n t h e i s t v i e w s as w i t h t h e P a r a c e l s i a n b r a s h n e s s a n d i n c o n sistency he w a s i n p r o f o u n d disagreement; b y B r u n o he w a s mystified, awesomely, b y the difficulty o f his w r i t i n g a n d the immense reach o f m i n d ; b y M e s m e r a n d S p u r z h e i m he was a l s o m y s t i f i e d , f o r o t h e r r e a s o n s a n d less a w e s o m e l y . O n e sees, however, that w i t h o r w i t h o u t rational agreement o r emotional concern, he discussed a fellow-author o r prophet w i t h a n a m a z i n g c a p a c i t y f o r p e n e t r a t i o n t o t h e b a s i c issues, w h a t e v e r t h e subject. G o l d w a s s e p a r a t e d f r o m dross i n e a c h case. I n a d d i t i o n , w i t h less t h a n n o i n t e r e s t i n f a d s a n d f a n c i e s , there w a s i n C o l e r i d g e a sceptical resistance o n the o n e h a n d to t h e p r e j u d i c e s o f p r o f e s s i o n a l e s t a b l i s h m e n t s , a n d o n t h e other to the too-glib pre-judgements b y the p u b l i c o f n e w c o n c e p t s o f m e n d u b b e d V i s i o n a r i e s . ' W h a t is t o o l i t t l e c r e d i t e d t o C o l e r i d g e is a f i n e c a p a c i t y f o r a n i n d i v i d u a l p r o v i sional, tentative judgement. 53

He

f u l l y r e a l i z e d t h a t the i m a g i n a t i v e m i n d w h e r e v e r it

performs, i n philosophy, o r science, o r religion o r politics o r art, w i l l be d i s t u r b i n g . A s the painter, S a m u e l P a l m e r , C o l e ridge's c o n t e m p o r a r y , knew, I m a g i n a t i o n frightens people. B u t C o l e r i d g e was a c h i p off the o l d b l o c k - a n d i f one m a y p a r o d y C h u r c h i l l , some chip, some block. F o r o l d J o h n C o l e r i d g e , i n the 1750s before S a m u e l T a y l o r C o l e r i d g e w a s b o r n , said i n defending the prophet M i c a h against the charge o f idolatry, ' P e r h a p s the p o w e r of vision i n the prophets m a y be . . . a n e w p o w e r o f t h e m i n d , o r a n e w sense a w a k e n e d i n t h e m . ' S T C ' s l o y a l t y to l e a r n i n g a n d t r u t h w a s absolute, b u t

1 0

like

father, like son, he y e a r n e d for a n d defended m e n w i t h ' p o w ers o f v i s i o n . ' I n the next lecture I s h a l l a t t e m p t to say s o m e t h i n g a b o u t C o l e r i d g e ' s o w n p o e t i c a n d p h i l o s o p h i c i m a g i n a t i o n , espec i a l l y as s e e n i n t h e n o t e b o o k s .

10 E H C in 'Biographical Notes' in Coleridge: Studies by Several Hands &c ed Edmund Blunden and Earl Leslie Griggs (1934) 9 54

LECTURE

THREE

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LECTURETHREE

' I L L I A M P A L E Y , one o f those e i g h t e e n t h - c e n t u r y d i v i n e s

Ww h o s e c a s t o f m i n d C o l e r i d g e h a d n o t m u c h use for, h a d

a h a b i t he called 'skirmishing.' H e h a d a voracious appetite, and

it seems t h a t w h e n he h a d e a t e n e v e r y t h i n g o n the t a b l e

he m a d e raids o n the side dishes. T h i s he c a l l e d ' s k i r m i s h i n g . ' S o m e o f y o u I d a r e say h a v e b e e n t h i n k i n g that a l l w e h a v e b e e n d o i n g is s k i r m i s h i n g a n d m a y b e w o n d e r i n g a b o u t t h e m a i n c o u r s e s . I t is I s u p p o s e t h e g e n e r a l v i e w t h a t t h o s e a r e the poems, the l i t e r a r y c r i t i c i s m , p e r h a p s the p h i l o s o p h y . I s h a l l s a y s o m e t h i n g a b o u t these, b u t I s h o u l d l i k e a l s o t o describe i f I c a n w h a t i n t h a t g l i t t e r i n g eye has h e l d m e w i t h the v i c t i m i z e d W e d d i n g G u e s t s i t t i n g o n t h a t stone b e a t i n g my

breast for m o r e t h a n forty years. May We

I recapitulate briefly? h a v e l o o k e d at a d e v e l o p i n g s c e p t i c i s m i n C o l e r i d g e ' s

c h i l d h o o d a n d y o u t h , based o n a m o r e t h a n u s u a l l y sensitive and

disillusioning conflict

outward appearance

i n h i m b e t w e e n a sense o f t h e

o f things a n d i n n e r experiences - the

f a m i l y not f a m i l i a l , the c h u r c h not a l w a y s religious, society o f t e n a n t i - s o c i a l i n a n y r e s p o n s i b l e sense, a n d p o l i t i c a l E n g l a n d w a v i n g banners o f self-righteous freedom against

the

F r e n c h a b r o a d a n d i n t r o d u c i n g t h e g a g g i n g b i l l s a n d susp e n d i n g the H a b e a s C o r p u s A c t at h o m e . S o the d e v e l o p m e n t of

radical

critical

protest-against

family,

university,

the

established c h u r c h , a n d a repressive g o v e r n m e n t was inevitable,

healthy a n d active.

A l o n g s i d e the doubts a n d negations there was, however, a positive reaching out towards radical thinkers o f other times and

c o u n t r i e s w h o , o u t o f their i s o l a t i o n a n d c o n f l i c t s , p u l l e d

C o l e r i d g e ' s m i n d o u t t o w a r d s w i d e r , less i n s u l a r h o r i z o n s -

towards E u r o p e - towards other disciplines, a n d other ways o f t h i n k i n g . T h e y c h a l l e n g e d h i m , as t h e

eighteenth-century

E n g l i s h schools a n d universities o f his d a y w i t h t h e i r l i m i t e d classical emphasis a n d standards w o u l d never h a v e d o n e - to pursue the interrelatedness o f a l l h u m a n e studies. It w a s n o d o u b t a p a r t o f t h e i r a t t r a c t i o n for h i m that his favourite

'revolutionary minds' all thought

a n d at

times

w r o t e poetically. T h e i r l a n g u a g e was often, to the d e t r i m e n t o f t h e i r p o p u l a r i t y , p o e t i c a l , a n d s o m e sort o f i m a g i n a t i v e resolution o f e x t e r n a l a n d i n t e r n a l was to be f o u n d i n their w o r k . S o t h o u g h i n the last l e c t u r e w e w e r e w a t c h i n g i n t e l l e c t u a l p r o c e s s e s t h a t h a d s c i e n t i f i c g o a l s as w e l l , w e h a v e n e v e r been far a w a y f r o m the poet. T h e poet a n d the p h i l o s o p h e r i n C o l e r i d g e were one a n d t h e s a m e m a n . S o m e p r o f e s s i o n a l p h i l o s o p h e r s w i l l s a y t h a t is just w h a t was w r o n g w i t h his p h i l o s o p h y . H o w e v e r that m a y b e , i t is t i m e w e s t o p p e d d i v i d i n g C o l e r i d g e i n t o d e p a r t m e n t s as i f h e w e r e a u n i v e r s i t y . H e c o i n e d t h e w o r d ' i n t e r p e n e t r a t i o n ' a n d t h o u g h h e d i d n o t a p p l y it to his o w n closely i n t e r c o m m u n i c a t i n g sensibilities a n d thoughts, w e s h o u l d d o w e l l so t o a p p l y i t . F i r s t o f a l l m a y I c a t e g o r i c a l l y d e n y the o l d stuff a n d nonsense a b o u t the m e t a p h y s i c i a n h a v i n g k i l l e d the poet i n C o l e r i d g e . I t h o u g h t n o o n e n o w e n t e r t a i n e d t h a t baseless, psychologically u n s o u n d piece of perversity since S i r E d m u n d Chambers propagated

it i n his h o s t i l e b i o g r a p h y , b u t

it

t u r n e d u p i n a r e v i e w just the other day. T h e poet d i e d o n 25 J u l y 1 8 3 4 , w i t h a l l h i s o t h e r d e p a r t m e n t s . I t is t r u e h i s v e r s i f y i n g e n e r g y d i m i n i s h e d after 1802, r o u g h l y after the t r i u m p h of Dejection: An Ode, t h o u g h t h e r e w e r e s o m e fine l a t e r s p u r t s a f t e r t h a t . W e d o n o t r e a d o f t e n e n o u g h p o e m s l i k e The Pang More

Sharp than All,

Time,

Real

& Imaginary,

Work without Hope, Love's Apparition

Youth &

& Evanishment,

Age,

a n d the

i n t e r e s t i n g Garden of Boccaccio, t h o u g h a d m i t t e d l y s o m e o f t h e 58

t i t l e s t h e m s e l v e s s u g g e s t a n o s t a l g i a f o r s o m e t h i n g lost. B u t t a k e f o r i n s t a n c e t h e terse l i n e s e n t i t l e d Song - h a v e t h e s e n o t some o f M e r e d i t h ' s s h a r p bitterness? Though veiled in spires of myrtle-wreath, Love is a sword which cuts its sheath,

A n d through the clefts itself has made,

We spy the flashes of the blade.

But through the clefts itself has made

We likewise see love's flashing blade,

By rust consumed, or snapt in twain;

A n d only hilt and stump remain. T h a t was w r i t t e n i n 1825.

S o f a r as t h e p o e t d i d w i t h e r , it w a s f r o m p e r s o n a l m i s e r y c o m b i n e d w i t h t h e d e s t r u c t i v e effects o f o p i u m a d d i c t i o n a n d its p h y s i c a l a n d n e u r a l a c c o m p a n i m e n t s . I n 1801 i t is t r u e h e h a d s a i d , ' T h e P o e t is d e a d i n m e - m y i m a g i n a t i o n ( o r r a t h e r t h e S o m e w h a t t h a t h a d b e e n i m a g i n a t i v e ) lies, l i k e a G o l d S n u f f o n the c i r c u l a r R i m o f a Brass Candle-stick, w i t h o u t e v e n a stink o f T a l l o w to r e m i n d y o u that it w a s o n c e c l o a t h e d & m i t r e d w i t h F l a m e . T h a t is p a s t b y ! '

1

B u t t h a t w a s a letter to G o d w i n i n w h i c h he d e s c r i b e d a t h r e e m o n t h s ' i l l n e s s w i t h r h e u m a t i c f e v e r . ( I t is r e f e r r e d t o i n o t h e r letters also.) I fear, your Tragedy [Godwin had sent him an unsuccessful play for criticism] will find me in a very unfit state of mind to sit in Judgement

on it. I have been, during the last 3 months, undergoing a process of

intellectual exsiccation. In my long Illness I had compelled into hours of

Delight many a sleepless, painful hour of Darkness by chasing down 1 25 M a r c h 1801 to Godwin: CL II 713-14

59

metaphysical Game - and since then I have continued the Hunt, till I

found myself unaware at the Root of Pure Mathematics - and up that tall smooth Tree, whose few poor Branches are all at it's very summit,

am I climbing by pure adhesive strength of arms and thighs-still

slipping down, still renewing my ascent. - You would not know me - !

all sounds of similitude keep at such a distance from each other in my

mind, that I have forgotten how to make a r h y m e - I look at the Mountains (that visible G o d Almighty that looks in at all my win­

dows) I look at the Mountains only for the Curves of their outlines; the

Stars, as I behold them, form themselves into Triangles-and my

hands are scarred with scratches from a Cat, whose back I was rubbing

in the Dark in order to see whether the sparks from it were refrangible

b y a Prism. T h e Poet is dead in me -

H e adds that he w i l l d o w h a t he c a n b u t Taste and Feeling have I none, but what I have, give I unto thee. But I repeat, that I am unfit to decide on any but works of severe

Logic.

T h i s has b e e n sometimes r e a d i n the o l d fallacious w a y , ' c u m h o c e r g o p r o p t e r h o c , ' b u t C o l e r i d g e c l e a r l y t e l l s us h i m s e l f , i f w e t a k e h i m s e r i o u s l y , w h e r e t h e t r u t h lies. W h e r e a s m e t a p h y s i c a l a n d l o g i c a l ' g a m e ' c o u l d b e p u r s u e d as a n escape f r o m p h y s i c a l p a i n a n d p e r s o n a l anxieties i n those unhappy

months in Greta

Hall,

he then c o u l d

neither

r e s p o n d fully to n a t u r a l b e a u t y n o r c o p e w i t h the e m o t i o n a l involvement i n m a k i n g poems. T h e w e a r a n d tear o f the 'visitations' of'afflictions' h a d been too great. ' T h e Poet,' he w a s to say later o n , after the destructive e x p e r i e n c e s o f m a n y such miseries, 'the poet calls the w h o l e soul o f m a n into activity.'

2

2 Biographia Literaria c h XIV 60

T h e notion that philosophy killed the poet arose i n part

from the letter to G o d w i n , a n d i n part f r o m that lovely p o e m ,

Dejection. A t the b e g i n n i n g of the p o e m he watches the evening sky a n d longs for the o n c o m i n g storm as a relief from his o w n

'heartless m o o d . ' I quote some lines from the first version o f the p o e m as sent to S a r a H u t c h i n s o n . (Note that the w o r d

genial in Coleridge's use means h a v i n g to do w i t h his o w n self or nature - it does not refer to a h i g h o p i n i o n o f himself as a

genius, n o r to geniality; note also how the p o e m moves b a c k a n d forth between outer a n d inner worlds.)

in M y genial spirits fail;

A n d what can these avail

T o lift the smothering weight from off my breast? It were a vain endeavor,

Though I should gaze for ever

O n that green light that lingers in the west! I may not hope from outward forms to win

T h e passion and the life, whose fountains are within! In the next stanza a poet's need of a n inner strength is u n d e r ­

lined. (I shall irritate those w h o k n o w the p o e m well b y

selecting certain lines.)

IV

A h ! from the soul itself must issue forth

A light, a glory, a fair luminous cloud Enveloping the Earth -

A n d from the soul itself must there be sent A sweet and potent voice, of its own birth,

O f all sweet sounds the life and element! 61

V

O pure of heart! thou need'st not ask of me

What this strong music in the soul may be! What, and wherein it doth exist,

This light, this glory, this fair luminous mist, This beautiful and beauty-making power.

Joy, virtuous Lady! Joy that ne'er was given,

Save to the pure, and in their purest hour,

Life and Life's effluence, cloud at once and shower,

Joy, Lady! is the spirit and the power,

W h i c h wedding Nature to us gives in dower A new Earth and new Heaven,

Undreamt of by the sensual and the proud -

Joy is the sweet voice, Joy the luminous cloud We in ourselves rejoice!

A n d thence flows all that charms or ear or sight, A l l melodies the echoes of that voice,

A l l colours a suffusion from that light. VI

There was a time when, though my path was rough, This joy within me dallied with distress, A n d all misfortunes were but as the stuff Whence Fancy made me dreams of happiness: For hope grew round me, like the twining vine, A n d fruits, and foliage, not my own, seemed mine. But now afflictions bow me down to earth: Nor care I that they rob me of my mirth; But oh! each visitation Suspends what nature gave me at my birth, M y shaping spirit of Imagination. For not to think of what I needs must feel, But to be still and patient, all I can; 62

A n d haply by abstruse research to steal

From my own nature all the natural man -

This was my sole resource, my only plan:

T i l l that which suits a part infects the whole,

A n d now is almost grown the habit of my soul.

3

T h e 'abstruse research' was the m a t h e m a t i c a l a n d m e t a p h y s i c a l g a m e r e f e r r e d t o i n t h e l e t t e r t o G o d w i n as a r e s o u r c e a g a i n s t sleeplessness, b u t ' t h e n a t u r a l m a n , ' as t h e first v e r y p e r s o n a l v e r s i o n o f the p o e m m a k e s clear, w a s the flesh a n d b l o o d m a n i n hopeless love w i t h S a r a H u t c h i n s o n , u n m i s t a k a b l y the o l d A d a m . N o t o n l y d i d m e t a p h y s i c a l ideas not destroy the poet, they a r e a c t u a l l y i n c o r p o r a t e d i n t o t h e p o e m , w h i c h is u n h a r m e d as p o e t r y b y n o t i c i n g t h a t s e v e r a l l i n e s a r e a n a n t i c i p a t i o n o f a c e n t r a l tenet o f C o l e r i d g e ' s t h i n k i n g , the i d e a o f w h a t

he

c a l l e d 'the i n i t i a t i v e . ' F o r a d y n a m i c v i t a l i s m like his, the b a s i c p r i n c i p l e o f a l l life w a s a m y s t e r i o u s e n e r g y b e h i n d a l l creation not

to be sufficiently e x p l a i n e d b y a n y

material

science. T h e same i n i t i a t i v e energy was the m e n t a l a n d e m o t i o n a l a n t e c e d e n t necessary to the c r e a t i o n o f a p o e m , o r a n y w o r k o f art: A h from the soul itself must issue forth A light, a glory...

a n d so o n . T h e g r e a t t h i n g a b o u t t h a t p o e m is t h a t it w a s w r i t t e n a t a l l . T h e v e r y m o m e n t o f s u f f e r i n g t h e sense o f t h e d e a t h o f p o e t r y i n h i m s e l f is m a d e i n t o a g l o w i n g p o e m , i n w h i c h t h e last s t a n z a is a m a r v e l l o u s t r i u m p h o f o u t - g o i n g selfless l o v e over inward-looking despair 3 George Whalley Coleridge and Sara Hutchinson and the Asra Poems (1955) 165-8 63

VIII

'Tis midnight, but small thoughts have I of sleep: Full seldom may my friend such vigils keep!

Visit her, gentle Sleep! with wings of healing,

A n d may this storm be but a mountain-birth,

M a y all the stars hang bright above her dwelling,

Silent as though they watched the sleeping Earth! W i t h light heart may she rise, Gay fancy, cheerful eyes,

Joy lift her spirit, joy attune her voice;

T o her may all things live, from pole to pole, Their life the eddying of her living soul!... O simple spirit, guided from above,

Dear Lady! friend devoutest of my choice,

Thus mayest thou ever, evermore rejoice. Much

has b e e n w r i t t e n a b o u t

Christabel.

the failure to

complete

W o r d s w o r t h c l a i m e d t h a t it w a s b e c a u s e C o l e r i d g e

d i d n ' t k n o w h o w to e n d it, whereas G i l l m a n records finished

the

s t o r y as C o l e r i d g e t o l d i t t o h i m ; W o r d s w o r t h h a s h a d

the larger a u d i e n c e despite C o l e r i d g e ' s positive statements to t h e c o n t r a r y . T h e p r o b a b l e t r u t h is s u g g e s t e d i n a l a t e n o t e b o o k entry, w r i t t e n o n his b i r t h d a y i n O c t o b e r 1823. ( N o t a m o n t h for s w i m m i n g , except for the resolute.) H e h a d j u s t h a d a b a t h e i n t h e sea a t R a m s g a t e a n d ' f e l t t h e b e n e f i t . . . W e r e I free t o d o so, I feel as i f I c o u l d c o m p o s e t h e t h i r d p a r t o f Christabel,

o r the song o f her desolation' ( N o t e b o o k 30).

B u t he c o u l d not w r i t e the song o f her desolation, i f m y surmises are correct, because he was identified a l l too personally w i t h that desolation. H e was u n a b l e to achieve that degree o f d e t a c h m e n t he k n e w w a s necessary to the w r i t i n g o f p o e t r y - a n d w h i c h h e so e l o q u e n t l y a d m i r e d i n S h a k e s p e a r e . T h e p r o p o s e d e n d i n g o f c a n t o s f o u r a n d five w a s i m p o s s i b l e to h i m for the o p p o s i t e reason. It w a s to h a v e b e e n a sort o f 64

All's

Well That Ends Well, w i t h t h e r e t u r n o f C h r i s t a b e P s l o v e r ,

the defeat o f the spirits o f e v i l , a n d a r e c o n c i l i a t i o n b e t w e e n father

and

daughter-in

short

a restoration generally of

broken h u m a n relationships. T h a t was a n e n d i n g conceivable i n his o w n hopes i n 1798, b u t n o w t w e n t y - f i v e years l a t e r it was not one w i t h w h i c h he c o u l d identify himself. S o neither sufficient d e t a c h m e n t o n the one h a n d , n o r the r i g h t k i n d o f h a p p y e m p a t h y o n the other, was present. The

c h a n g e i n m o o d i n f l i c t e d b y t h e y e a r s is p e r f e c t l y

s y m b o l i z e d i n w h a t h a p p e n e d t o t h e i m a g e o f t h e s i n g l e leaf. I suppose

the

most v i v i d

s y m b o l for C h r i s t a b e l herself i n

e v e r y o n e ' s m e m o r y is ' t h e o n e r e d l e a f T h e one red leaf, the last of its clan

That dances as often as dance it can.

Hanging so light, and hanging so high

O n the topmost twig that looks up at the sky. T h a t w a s w r i t t e n i n 1 7 9 8 . I n t h e s i n g l e d a n c i n g leaf, t h e n , a n d the u p w a r d l o o k to the sky, there w a s a b r i g h t n e s s e v e n i n the r h y t h m i n contrast to the sinister portent o f the evil a b o u t to c a u s e C h r i s t a b e f s d e s o l a t i o n . A q u i t e d i f f e r e n t s i n g l e leaf, i n p r o s e a d e c a d e l a t e r , is i n s t r u c t i v e . A p o o r f o r s a k e n g i r l h a s e n d u r e d three nights of hunger, solitude, a n d exposure, a n d f i n a l l y finds t e m p o r a r y s h e l t e r : As when a withered Leaf, that has been long whirled about by the

gusts of Autumn, is blown into a Cave or hollow Tree, it stops suddenly, and all at once looks the very image of quiet. Such might this poor O r p h a n appear to the eye of a meditative imagination. When

C o l e r i d g e wrote the

4 Friend {CQ II 178 65

first p a r t

o f Christabel

4

the

o u t w a r d - g a z i n g m e d i t a t i v e i m a g i n a t i o n was the same e x u b e r a n t ' s h a p i n g s p i r i t ' w h i c h i n f o r m e d The Ancient

Mariner.

T e n years later the single leaf was a w i t h e r e d one, c a u g h t i n a c a v e o r t h e h o l l o w o f a tree; a c a s u a l d e a t h . A m o n g E n g l i s h poets I w o n d e r if C o l e r i d g e has a n e q u a l i n the a b i l i t y (even i n a r e d u c e d state o f c r e a t i v i t y ) to seize u p o n the s i m p l e , c o n c r e t e , a p p o s i t e i m a g e w h i c h so d e e p l y c h a r g e s t h o u g h t f e e l i n g as t o b e c o m e a s y m b o l o f e x t e n s i v e

and

range?

T h i s a b i l i t y t o see t h e c o n c r e t e o b j e c t i n s i g n i f i c a n t p o e t i c a l terms-to

absorb a n d be a b s o r b e d

i n the w o r l d o f nature

sufficiently to a r t i c u l a t e it o b j e c t i v e l y a n d m u s i c a l l y , m a d e h i m t h e p o e t o f The Ancient systaltic m o v e m e n t

Mariner.

T h e r e the

perpetual

b e t w e e n the M a r i n e r ' s i n n e r w o r l d o f

g u i l t , fear, r e m o r s e , p e n i t e n c e , disgust, u t t e r loneliness, a n d t h e w o r l d o f t h e e l e m e n t s ; t h e sea, t h e s t o r m - b l a s t , t h e i c e m a s t - h i g h , the fog, the t y r a n n o u s s u n a n d the a w f u l t r o p i c a l c a l m a n d d r o u g h t - as I s a y t h e a l t e r n a t i n g b a c k a n d f o r t h m o v e m e n t b e t w e e n t h e s e is e l o q u e n t o f t h a t r e c o n c i l e m e n t o f t h e i n t e r n a l w i t h t h e e x t e r n a l w h i c h is o n e o f C o l e r i d g e ' s descriptions o f art. I s u p p o s e h a r d l y a n y o n e w i l l d e n y t h a t i n The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and

outer

the r e c o n c i l i a t i o n o f the oppositions o f i n n e r

w o r l d s does m a r v e l l o u s l y take

place,

however

m u c h w e m i g h t differ a b o u t the full m e a n i n g o f the resolut i o n s . B u t I find i t d i f f i c u l t t o a s s e n t t o C a s s i r e r ' s m o r e g e n e r a l point, that ' T o poeticize p h i l o s o p h y a n d to p h i l o s o p h i z e poet r y . . . was the highest a i m o f a l l the r o m a n t i c thinkers.' W h a t is p o e t i c i z e d i n t h e Ancient

Mariner

(a r a t h e r

disagreeable

w o r d , poeticize a n d u n C o l e r i d g i a n ) is e x p e r i e n c e o f life, n o t a p h i l o s o p h i c a l theory. I n a b r i l l i a n t chapter (in a book w i t h w h i c h I must disagree otherwise a g o o d deal) E l i s a b e t h S c h n e i d e r writes i l l u m i n a t i n g l y o n t h e m u s i c a n d m y s t e r y oiKubla Kubla

Khan

Khan. S h e says t h a t

presents n o reconciliations b u t o n l y ' " o s c i l l a 66

t i o n " , perfectly poeticized, a n d possibly ironically c o m m e m orative o f the a u t h o r . '

5

N o w t h e last p h r a s e - ' " o s c i l l a t i o n " ... p o s s i b l y i r o n i c a l l y c o m m e m o r a t i v e o f the a u t h o r ' delivers the k i n d o f thrust at C o l e r i d g e that a d m i r e r s o f H a z l i t t are prone to - the charge o f incompleteness, indeflniteness, o r oscillation, w h a t e v e r one w i s h e s t o c a l l i t . A n d t h e c h a r g e b e i t n o t e d is l e v e l l e d u s u a l l y n o t so m u c h a g a i n s t t h e C o l e r i d g e w h o w r o t e p o e m s - e x c e p t f o r t h e o n e s h e d i d n ' t w r i t e o r c o m p l e t e - as a g a i n s t h i s m i n d , his w o r k i n general, his t o l e r a n c e o f his o w n inconclusiveness, h i s t e n d e n c y t o i n q u i r e a n d t h e n t o set a s i d e t h e o r i g i n a l q u e s t i o n for another, a n d another. H i s l a c k o f system a d m i t t e d l y is i r r i t a t i n g t o c e r t a i n t e m p e r s , p e r h a p s e s p e c i a l l y t o t h e c u r r i c u l u m - m a k i n g a c a d e m i c m i n d . A n d C o l e r i d g e is s h a m e less a b o u t i t . I n a m a n u s c r i p t f r a g m e n t h e r e c o r d e d : ... Southey once said to me: You are nosing every nettle along the

Hedge, while the Greyhound (meaning himself, I presume) wants only to get sight of the Hare and Flash - strait as a line! he has it in his mouth! - Even so, I replied, might a Cannibal say to an Anatomist,

whom he had watched dissecting a body. But the fact is -1 do not care

two pence for the Hare; but I value most highly the excellencies of

scent, patience, discrimination, free Activity; and find a Hare in every Nettle I make myself acquainted with. I follow the Chamois-

Hunters, and seem to set out with the same Object. But I am no

Hunter of that Chamois Goat; but avail myself of the Chace in order to [pursue] a nobler purpose-that of making a road across the

Mountain in which Common Sense may hereafter pass backward

and forward, without desperate Leaps or Balloons that soar indeed but do not improve the chance of getting onward. [IS § 114]

T h e n o t e b o o k s a n d t h e m a r g i n a l i a i n p a r t i c u l a r , as w e a r e 5 Elisabeth Schneider Coleridge, Opium and Kubla Khan (1953) 288 67

b e g i n n i n g t o k n o w t h e m b e t t e r , a r e m a k i n g us i n c r e a s i n g l y a c q u a i n t e d w i t h this n e t t l e - n o s i n g spirit i n C o l e r i d g e , a n d m o r e f u l l y a w a r e o f its i m p l i c a t i o n s . I n t h e p r o s e as i n t h e p o e m s - w h a t e v e r t h e h a r e a n d h o w ever t h i c k the n e t t l e s - w h a t

w e see is a sense o f t h e

same

d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o q u e s t i o n t h e facts o f t h e r e l a t e d n e s s o f i n n e r a n d o u t e r w o r l d s . T h i s r e l a t e d n e s s is t h e r e , w h e t h e r o n e sees h i m as b e i n g i n a s t a t e o f p e r p e t u a l o s c i l l a t i o n as E l i s a b e t h S c h n e i d e r d o e s , o r m u m b l i n g a b o u t sumbject o r ombject as C a r l y l e d i d , or e m p l o y i n g the p o l a r i t y p r i n c i p l e everywhere i n a ' t e n a c i o u s u n i t y ' as i n e v i t a b l e r e l a t i o n o f c r e a t o r

and

c r e a t u r e , as O w e n B a r f i e l d l e a r n e d l y a n d e l e g a n t l y d o e s , o r whether one accepts T o m M c F a r l a n d ' s analysis o f a confront a t i o n a n d i n t e r p e n e t r a t i o n o f t h e 'I A M ' a n d t h e ' i t i s . ' I t is m o r e o f t e n t h a n n o t s u g g e s t e d b y h i s a d m i r e r s , o f t e n the m o r e l e a r n e d a n d s y m p a t h e t i c , that C o l e r i d g e for a l l his b r i l l i a n c e l a c k e d s o m e sense o f o r g a n i z a t i o n i n p h i l o s o p h y , some a r c h i t e c t o n i c p o w e r , that he b u i l t n o consistent p h i l o s o p h i c a l s y s t e m , t h a t h e t h r o w s o u t w o n d e r f u l a p e r g u s b u t is u n a b l e o r u n w i l l i n g to pursue t h e m to t h e i r l o g i c a l l i m i t s , just as h e w a s u n a b l e t o c o m p l e t e Christabel. P e r h a p s t h e r e w e r e s o m e o f the s a m e causes

behind both. T h e philosophical

i n c o m p l e t e n e s s a n d i n c o n c l u s i v e n e s s o n p a p e r , h o w e v e r , is n o t a m i r r o r - v i e w o f his m i n d . T h e n o t e b o o k s a l o n e suggest t h e m u l t i t u d i n o u s n e s s o f h i s m e n t a l a n d e m o t i o n a l life ( ' M y thoughts c r o w d e a c h other to death') - a n d that the pressure a n d strenuousness o f that c o n c e n t r a t i o n a n d e x c i t e m e n t was too m u c h e v e n for a m a n o f n o o r d i n a r y m e n t a l strength. A n d Coleridge's resilience a n d p h y s i c a l energy were remarkable. Y e t p a r t l y the incompleteness o f poems a n d p h i l o s o p h y m a y lie i n the same frustration. T h i s is n o t t o b e g t h e q u e s t i o n o f w h e t h e r o r n o t C o l e r i d g e was a systematic philosopher. H e referred often e n o u g h to ' m y S y s t e m , ' most often i n o p p o s i t i o n to S c h e l l i n g ' s , a n d 68

other G e r m a n transcendentalists-Fichte or Steffens-but doubt

i f it c a n be s h o w n f r o m

fragmentary

drafts

that

I

a n y fusion o f the v a r i o u s

Coleridge

left

a

systematic

p h i l o s o p h y i n t h e c o m m o n l y a c c e p t e d sense. ( P o s s i b l y T h o m a s M c F a r l a n d w i l l d o so i n h i s e d i t i o n o f t h e u n p u b l i s h e d O p u s M a x i m u m . ) E v e n i n some o f his l o n g e r marches,

the

t r a i l is n o t a l w a y s p u r s u e d f a r e n o u g h , t h e l o g i c a l d e d u c t i o n s a n d i n d u c t i o n s are not specific e n o u g h , to m a k e his w h o l e i n t e n t i o n c l e a r . H e is n o t s t r i c t e n o u g h t o satisfy s o m e k i n d s o f p r o f e s s i o n a l p h i l o s o p h e r s , a n d s o m e t i m e s h e is c l e a r l y g r i n d i n g t h e o l o g i c a l axes. S o m e o f his a t t e m p t s to d r a w u p e l a b o rate systematic outlines neatly d i v i d e d into

compartments

l o o k like a t t e m p t s to c h a l l e n g e o t h e r writers r a t h e r t h a n a n a t u r a l i n i t i a t i v e o f his o w n . I h a v e not c o u n t e d the drafts o f philosophical schemata,

but the v e r y n u m b e r a n d v a r i e t y

m a y be sufficient i n d i c a t i o n o f C o l e r i d g e ' s difficulty. O r d o they

i n d i c a t e a n unconscious d i s i n c l i n a t i o n to p r o d u c e

a

single c o m p l e t e p h i l o s o p h i c a l system? Possibly w o r k i n g constantly i n the notebooks gives one a m o r e v i v i d i m p r e s s i o n o f the s t r u g g l i n g process t h a n o f the u l t i m a t e w h o l e . Y e t there was that d e s c r i p t i o n o f the a i m i n t h e Lyrical Ballads,

to depict 'the p r i m a r y laws o f o u r nature,'

a n d , as h e s a i d i n t h e P r o s p e c t u s t o t h e Philosophical

Lectures, t o

see t h e s e l a w s i n r e l a t i o n t o ' t h e o r i g i n a n d p r i m a r y l a w s o f t h e W o r l d . ' Coleridge's thought was not really fragmentary.

It

w a s o r g a n i c , n o t a m e c h a n i c a l c o n s t r u c t i o n . T h a t is p a r t o f t h e d i f f i c u l t y , h i s a n d o u r s . P e r h a p s h i s best i n f l u e n c e l a y i n t r y i n g t o p e r s u a d e us t h a t k n o w l e d g e m u s t b e g r a s p e d w i t h a c o m p r e h e n s i v e awareness o f the interrelatedness o f w h a t he c a l l e d t h e 'multeity

o f e x t e r n a l a n d i n t e r n a l elements. A n d the

impossibility o f assigning h i m to a n y one school - G e r m a n transcendentalist, British idealist, F r e n c h existentialist or a n y o t h e r - is a n o t h e r i n d i c a t i o n o f w h e r e h i s c o n t r i b u t i o n lies. H e h a s d e b t s t o o r a f f i n i t i e s w i t h a l l o f these, a n d w i t h 69

other

t h i n k e r s as d i f f e r e n t as H e r a c l i t u s , P l o t i n u s , D u n s S c o t u s , V i c o , a n d S c h i l l e r a n d K a n t as w e l l as a l l t h o s e p o s t - K a n t i a n t r a n s c e n d e n t a l i s t s h e r e a d so a s s i d u o u s l y . ( M y c o u n t is a b o u t fifty

volumes of t h e m - h e probably read them more widely

t h a n a n y o n e o f his t i m e i n E n g l a n d . ) H e r e a d t h e m critically, c h i e f l y to m a k e use o f t h e i r vast c o m p e n d i a o f n a t u r a l a n d p h i l o s o p h i c a l history, but he was the i n c o r r i g i b l e questioner of their

fixed

positions, d i s c r i m i n a t i n g l y syncretic,

rather

than eclectic. S i r I s a i a h B e r l i n has said: ' T h e i m p o r t a n c e o f p h i l o s o p h e r s i n t h e e n d r e s i d e s i n t h e f a c t t h a t t h e issues w h i c h t h e y r a i s e d a r e l i v e issues s t i l l ( o r a g a i n ) , a n d . . . h a v e n o t p e r i s h e d w i t h the v a n i s h e d societies i n w h i c h t h e y w e r e c o n c e i v e d . ' H e w a s 6

w r i t i n g a b o u t V i c o , w h o m C o l e r i d g e greeted w h e n he w a s g i v e n a c o p y o f t h e New

Science i n 1 8 2 5 ( h e r e a d i t i n t h e

I t a l i a n ) as a k i n d r e d s p i r i t , b e c a u s e V i c o a l s o h a d b e e n t r y i n g to u n d e r s t a n d the p r i m a r y l a w s o f h u m a n n a t u r e , l o o k i n g at m y t h s a n d s y m b o l s o f e a r l i e r a g e s as t h e p r o d u c t s o f s o c i a l changes a n d revaluations. C o l e r i d g e too was l o o k i n g for a p h i l o s o p h y o f m a n . H i s difficulty was that he c o u l d leave n o t h i n g out o f his i n q u i r i e s . T h e v a l i d i t y o f m a n y o f those i n q u i r i e s persists t o d a y , h o w e v e r , for i f t h e y h a v e o n e c e n t r a l fire it is t h e c o n v i c t i o n t h a t p h i l o s o p h y a n d r e l i g i o n a r i s e o u t o f h u m a n n e e d , t h a t t h a t n e e d is n o t e n t i r e l y r a t i o n a l n o r t o b e satisfied c o m p l e t e l y b y reason, a n d that therefore e x p l o r a t i o n of the c o m p l e x i t i e s o f the i n n e r w o r l d of the h u m a n consciousness, o f t h e s o c i a l w o r l d o f m a n , a n d o f t h e p h y s i c a l w o r l d o f science, must a l l e v e n t u a l l y be v i e w e d together. Investigation for

h i m must originate w i t h the i n w a r d ,

7

and then

move

outwards. I n 1809 he w r o t e i n N o t e b o o k 25: 6 Vico and Herder (1975) xvi

7 As in his plan for Wordsworth's Philosophical Poem: Table Talk 21 July 1832

70

If it were asked of me to justify the interest... the majority of the best

and noblest minds feel in the great questions-Where am I? What

and for what am I? What are the duties, which arise out of the relations of my Being to itself as heir of futurity, and to the World

which is its present sphere of action and impression? - 1 would com­

pare the human Soul to a Ship's Grew cast on an unknown Island (a

fair Simile: for these questions could not suggest themselves unless the mind had previously felt convictions, that the present World was

not its whole destiny and abiding Country) - what would be their first business? Surely, to enquire what ships visited that Island? when? and whither they

went? - and what chance that they should take off first one, & then another?-and after this-to think, how they should maintain &

employ themselves during their stay - & how best stock themselves

for the expected voyage, & procure the means of inducing the

Captain to take them to the Harbour, which they wished to go to? The

moment,

when

the

Soul

begins

to

be

sufficiently

self-conscious, to ask concerning itself, & its relations, is the first

moment of its intellectual arrival into the World -Its Being- enigmatic as it must seem - is posterior to its Existence. - Suppose the ship­

wrecked man stunned, & for many weeks in a state of Ideotcy or utter

loss of Thought & Memory - & then gradually awakened. [CJV III

3593]

' H o p e a n d F e a r suppose a n u n k n o w n yet real certainty' he s a i d - ' t h e fixed a n d n e c e s s a r y R e l a t i o n o f O b j e c t t o S u b j e c t ' (GAT III 3 5 9 2 ) . B u t w h a t t h a t ' R e l a t i o n ' w a s r e m a i n e d h i s question. A l l k n o w i n g w a s for h i m a creative o r d e r i n g o f chaos, a n d therefore, he said, 'the Necessary a n d I m m u t a b l e is t h e c e n t r a l p o i n t t o w h i c h a l l h u m a n k n o w l e g e g r a v i t a t e s ' ( i b i d ) . Y e t as ' a r e p e t i t i o n i n t h e finite m i n d o f t h e I n f i n i t e I A M , ' w h a t e v e r is h u m a n l y c r e a t e d is a s t r u g g l i n g r e p e t i t i o n , at a distance, e n d u r i n g the l i m i t a t i o n s a n d the c o m p a r a t i v e relativity

that

are

the

conditions 71

of human

frailty.

So

a l t h o u g h as a C a m b r i d g e p h i l o s o p h e r , D o r o t h y E m m e t , says, ' . . . f e w p r o f e s s i o n a l p h i l o s o p h e r s h a v e s e e n as f a r as C o l e r i d g e into the powers o f the h u m a n m i n d , '

8

or perhaps because o f

that, C o l e r i d g e o n his o w n hypothesis w o u l d h a v e f o u n d it difficult to be the architect o f a c o m p l e t e system. ... H e believed in growth, the 'free life', with a deep antipathy to 'the

confining form'; he had what he called a 'rooted aversion to the

Arbitrary;

systems and system-making do tend to become at some

point arbitrary. H e preferred 'method' to system, and it will be protested by some that he did not achieve method either. But that

depends on what you mean by it. H e said somewhere that the

shortest path gives one the knowledge best, but the longer way round

makes one more knowing. T h e fragments he left us in such quantities

certainly necessitate the longer way round. They tantalize us into

wishing to understand him, and then, willy-nilly, into facing the questions he raised.

9

I h a v e b e e n q u o t i n g myself. A n d n o w I s h o u l d like to share m o r e directly, albeit i n their o w n miscellaneousness, the chaos of the notebooks. O n the subject o f his insistence o n , even obsession w i t h the necessity o f establishing the relations o f things, a n d the difficulties c r e a t e d thereby, he m a d e this p r i v a t e admission: Doubtless it would visit the Realm of Literature with a plusquam

polar Ink-frost, if a man were bound to write on nothing till he

understood everything! Nevertheless, so far I hold it a possible and

expedient approximation that, no other person having done it for me, I strive to begin at the Beginning. But independent of the probable unsatisfactory nature of the results, I am yearly more and ? ?????????? ??? ??????????? ?? ?? ? ????????? ?? ???? ????? ???????? ??? T h e i r Background Series 1971) 196

9 The Self-Conscious Imagination (1974) 76-7 72

more sensible of the difficulty of writing on detached Subjects (Philo­

sophical subjects I mean, whether physio- theo- or anthropo-logical) and whenever from whatever motive I make the attempt, the impor­ tance of this, that, and yet another and another Principle, or Posi­

tion, which had I proceeded to the Subject as part of the System, I

should have enunciated a half or a whole Volume before, and from frequent previous applications of the Principle have needed only a

few words and a (Vide § - p . -) the sense, I say, of the necessity of some higher formula is sure to return and harrass me with its Solicit-

ings, like a night-traveller who every two or three minutes makes a

stop and then walks on with his head over his shoulder, because he

hears, or fancies that he hears someone behind, panting and calling

out his name, some auditual Jack a' Lanthorn, or Vox Fatua. [IS § 167]

I w o u l d p o i n t o u t t h a t m o s t o f a l l t h a t is o n e s e n t e n c e , so t h e d i f f i c u l t y is n o t o n l y d e t a c h i n g s u b j e c t s b u t d e t a c h i n g s e n tences. H e often m a d e f u n o f h i m s e l f for his weakness for parentheses. O n e a s p e c t o f these c l o s e l y k n i t p a s s a g e s is t h e swiftness o f his o w n association o f ideas, w h i c h s o m e t i m e s b r i n g s together marvellous incongruities. F o r instance, i n N o t e b o o k 22 w e f i n d this: 31 M a r c h 1817. H i g h g a t e . - M o n d a y Morning, six o'clock. Hen Pen

[Henry Gillman, 2 or 3 years old] resenting the being washed, in the nursery, opposite the drawing R o o m in which I sit.

I will not say, that in our present religious controversies we are

disputing about trifles...

[CJV III 4341]

O n e m i g h t t h i n k that the association (if any) was i n the w o r d trifles, w h i c h is i t a l i c i z e d , l i t t l e H e n r y G i l l m a n ' s o b j e c t i o n s t o the t r i f l i n g business o f b e i n g w a s h e d . B u t t h e e n t r y goes o n about O r i g i n a l S i n a n d man's alienation from G o d 73

We must be away from H i m / for an omnipotent Father would never suffer an innocent Son to be tormented in his presence...

N o w C o l e r i d g e h a d a fatherly affection for H e n r y G i l l m a n a n d a special understanding o f h i m , a p r o b l e m child, a n d I s u g g e s t (it is p e r h a p s b l a s p h e m o u s ) - t h a t C o l e r i d g e c o u l d n o t b e a r h e a r i n g his screams o v e r h a v i n g a d i r t y face w a s h e d ,

and

that this s o m e h o w l i n k e d u p easily w i t h G o d ' s suffering over t h e o r i g i n a l filth o f m a n . E v e r y t h i n g is r e l a t e d t o e v e r y t h i n g else. T h e e n t r y c o n t i n u e s w i t h t h e P r o d i g a l S o n , H e a v e n n o t a place, U n i t a r i a n i s m a n d M a t e r i a l i s m . C o l e r i d g e h a d a taste for the i n c o n g r u o u s a n a l o g y , especially against p o m p o u s politicians; particularly he much

of w h a t passed i n p a r l i a m e n t

for logic.

despised

(Historians

w o u l d do w e l l to look i n o n C o l e r i d g e occasionally; might

find

some amusing m e m o r a n d a o n public

they

affairs.)

Thursday 15 M a y 1823-Debate in the House of Commons on M r .

Fowell Buxton's Motion for the Emancipation of Negro Slaves,

whose speech, a something between a College Declamation, and the opening Harangue of the Counsel for a Prosecution at the

old

Bailey,... was answered by M r . Canning with his wonted ability and

adroitness, and likewise with his wonted Sophistry and dexterous

Quid-pro-quo-ism. [Notebook 29]

C o l e r i d g e c o p i e d out a l o n g piece o f the debate: ... M r . C . confessed that he always had a decided objection to the introduction of the Name of Christianity in the debates of the House. (In this I perfectly agree with Mr.

C.)

A f t e r m o r e a b o u t C h r i s t i a n i t y a n d the slave t r a d e C a n n i n g said: 74

It is true there is no permission in the Chr. Doctrine for the infliction

of Slavery, but it was not true that there was any direct prohibition of it.

Coleridge

inserted

a

parenthesis

i n his notes,

suddenly

r e m e m b e r i n g similar logic i n a schoolfellow w h o defended a friend caught s m o k i n g a cigar: [Mem.

Winch's Defence of [Blank] and leaving the Sin offering infullfume on

Bowyer's Desk. 'You know, Sir! You never forewarned it'. S.T.C.)

T h e b a d l o g i c o f the p u b l i c m e n o f his t i m e w a s f r e q u e n t l y the subject o f C o l e r i d g e ' s a n g e r a n d laughter. A q u i t e different tone r u n n i n g t h r o u g h a l l the notebooks may

surprise those w h o k n o w o n l y the m o r e f o r m a l works:

n a m e l y that tentativeness I h a v e a l r e a d y m e n t i o n e d . T h e v e r y titles he g a v e s o m e o f his n o t e b o o k s suggest the m o o d : ' F l y - c a t c h e r o r D a y - B o o k for i m p o u n d i n g stray ( N o t e b o o k 4 5 ) o r ' Volatilia, Thoughts-impounding

thoughts'

o r D a y - b o o k for b i r d - l i m i n g s m a l l

Stray Thoughts

and

holding

for

T r i a l d o u b t f u l T h o u g h t s . ' I n a late entry, for e x a m p l e , C o l e r i d g e s a i d (1829): Should these pages in their present state in consequence of death or disablement preventing me from arriving at a fuller & clear insight,

meet the eye of an intelligent Reader, let him know that he cannot be

more sensible than I myself am, of the turbidness and obscurity of the

preceding imperfect exposition of the thought... etc. etc. [Notebook

39]

T h e s e r i o u s s i d e o f t h i s c a n b e v e r y d i s a r m i n g . H e is w i l l i n g to c h a n g e his m i n d e v e n a b o u t things o f m a j o r i m p o r t a n c e to h i m . P a r l i a m e n t a r y R e f o r m , for instance.

75

Y o u cannot conceive how this Corn Bill haunts me - and so it would

you if you had seen the pale faces and heard the conversation of the

hundred poor Creatures [he was writing in 1815 from Somerset] who

came to sign the Petition. Except Horner every one of the opponents

of the measure has betrayed the Cause ... T h e North is in a flame - the result will be a league between the Ministry and the L a n d -

Nabobs not to disband the Soldiery. [He clearly, like some others,

feared civil war.] I have hitherto in the Friend in the M . Post and the

Courier, and in conversation, opposed the so called Parliament Reformers-I have not altered my principles-yet now I must join in pleading for Reform. - I assumed as the Ideal of a Legislature - that in which all the great component interests of the State are ade­

quately represented, so that no one should have the power of

oppressing the others, the whole being in sympathy of action &

re-action with the feelings and convictions of the People -1 now see

that this is not the case - & I see the historical cause too. - Neither

Blackstone or De Lolme have truly given the Theory of our Constitu­

tion-which would have been realized in practice but for two

oversights. - But of this hereafter - . I have no opportunity of seeing any of the Shoal of Pamphlets on this Question; but I suppose, that

the Speeches in Parliament contain the Essence - if so, G o d have mercy on the Intellects of the Nation! How indeed can it be other­

wise, with such Educations as our Gentlemen receive! [CLIV 553-4] T h e r e is a c e r t a i n r e a s o n a b l e n e s s a b o u t C o l e r i d g e , a n a b i l i t y t o r e c o n s i d e r ; h e is t h e t r u e i n q u i r e r . B o r n i n t o t h e C h u r c h o f E n g l a n d , i n t h e 1 7 9 0 s a U n i t a r i a n , a n d f o r t h e r e s t o f h i s life h i g h l y c r i t i c a l o f t h e C h u r c h o f E n g l a n d as a n i n s t i t u t i o n , C o l e r i d g e nevertheless r e t u r n e d to it again, a n d for the

first

t i m e since his C a m b r i d g e days, took the S a c r a m e n t i n 1827. Yet

the

Having

question renounced

o f necessitarianism it himself he still,

a notebook:

76

gave

h i m trouble.

i n 1810, wrote i n

I dare avow - & hope, I shall give no offence to serious Believers - that

it appears to me scarcely possible, that a young man of ingenuous

dispositions, warm sensibility, and an enquiring mind should avoid Socinianism. [CN III 3743]

B y w h i c h he means necessitarian U n i t a r i a n i s m . H e works out a t s o m e l e n g t h five r e a s o n s , t h e m o s t i n t e r e s t i n g o f w h i c h w a s t h a t t h e y o u n g f e e l n o n e e d o f t h e d o c t r i n e o f free w i l l we least value & think of that which we enjoy in the highest degree

- this free-agency, the unsettled state of Habit not yet Tyranny - we begin to think of & intellectually know, our freedom, when we have been made to feel its imperfections and its loss. [CN HI 3743]

I n a n o t h e r e n t r y a l i t t l e l a t e r h e s p e c i f i c a l l y relates this last p o i n t t o h i m s e l f as a y o u n g m a n . What was my own case has so often come within my observation in

others that I am almost disposed to generalize it into a rule - that the more

vigorous the Volition, (as in sanguine lively young men of quick abilities)

the less the indisposition to the denial of the Free will and the doctrine of

Necessity or absolute preformation of every possible act in the one causa causarum - Nay, that from the same law of mind at the aera in which we

are most rich in any thing, that thing we least stickle for. T h e young think more highly of chastity than the M a n of50-60. - [Notebook 27]

I n 1 7 9 5 i n a B r i s t o l l e c t u r e , r e p r i n t e d i n The Friend, h e h a d cogently a d v o c a t e d necessitarianism; then, over twenty years l a t e r , i n a t least t h r e e c o p i e s o f The Friend h e w r o t e a m a r g i n a l note: I hope, that this paragraph in all the fullness of its Contrast with my present Convictions, will start up before me whenever I speak, think,

77

or feel intolerantly of Persons on account of their doctrines and opin­

ions.' 'S.T. Coleridge. Highgate, 30 O c f 1818' [Friend (CC) I 338] T h e r e was a related entry six years later. I n 1824, his s o n D e r w e n t s h o w e d signs o f f r e e - t h i n k i n g ,

a p p a r e n t l y , b u t it was c o m b i n e d w i t h a c e r t a i n flashiness a n d w o r l d l i n e s s t h a t b o t h e r e d his father. M e m . of the aera of Phil. Necess. with me my true Lehrjahre. T h e

World, man included, not the object; but G o d i.e. Good, T r u t h ,

Beauty + a Power limited only by its identity with G . T . and

B. - Such was the beautiful half-truth that deceived & saved me. But

D . & his Perverters! - O ! -

[Notebook 29]

D e r w e n t eventually became ultra-respectable a n d

High

C h u r c h i n spite o f the fact t h a t o n e o f his ' P e r v e r t e r s ' w a s Thomas Babington Macaulay. P a r t o f t h e p l e a s u r e o f t h e n o t e b o o k s is s u c h g l i m p s e s o f C o l e r i d g e ' s c a n d o u r , c h a n g i n g h i s m i n d a b o u t Necessity a n d t r y i n g to u n d e r s t a n d a n d to e x p l a i n h i m s e l f to h i m s e l f a n d the y o u n g m e n a r o u n d h i m to themselves: e v e n the sign, i n the 1824 e n t r y a b o u t D e r w e n t , o f t h e o l d m a n ' s a f f e c t i o n f o r h i s o w n past, t h o u g h self-indulgent, has s o m e t h i n g h u m a n a b o u t it. B e s i d e s , t h e c o n t r a s t w i t h D e r w e n t w a s a t r u e o n e : C o l e ridge's r a d i c a l y o u t h was n e v e r self-seeking, n e v e r a n y t h i n g but idealistic, a n d there was concern i n m o r e than one quarter a b o u t D e r w e n t ' s l a c k o f seriousness i n his twenties. S o m e t h i n g o n e n e v e r t i r e s o f is t h e u n e x p e c t e d o b s e r v a tions, often i n n o p a r t i c u l a r context, just the o r i g i n a l thoughts o f a n observant m a n . E x a m p l e s are legion, o f w h i c h I take b u t a small sample: W h e n balloons, or these new roads, upon which they say it will be possible to travel fifteen miles an hour, for a day together, shall 78

become the common mode of travelling, women will become more locomotive; - the health of all classes will be materially benefitted.

Women will then spend less time in attiring themselves - will invent some more simple head gear, or dispense with it altogether.

Or

10

again,

I feel that there is a mystery in the sudden by-act-of-will-unaided,

nay, more than that, frustrated, recollection of a Name. I was trying

to recollect the name of a Bristol Friend, who had attended me in my

Illness at M Wade's. I began with the Letters of the Alphabet - A B r

C & c. - and I know not why, felt convinced that it began with H .

I ran thro' all the vowels, aeiouy, and with all the consonants to e a c h - H a b , Heb, H i b , H o b , H u b and so o n - i n vain. I then began

other Letters-all in vain. Three minutes afterwards, having com­ pletely given it up, the name, Daniel, at once started up, perfectly

insulated, without any the dimmest antecedent connection, as far as

my consciousness extended. There is no explanation, , of this fact, but by a full sharp distinction of Mind from Consciousness-the Consciousness being the narrow Neck of the Bot­

tle. T h e name, Daniel, must have been a living Atom-thought in my

mind, whose uneasy motions were the craving to recollect it - but the

very craving led the mind to a search which at each successive

disappointment (= a tiny pain) tended to contract the orifice or outlet into Consciousness. Well - it is given up - & all is quiet - the Nerves

are asleep, or off their guard - & then the Name pops up, makes its way, & there it is! - not assisted by any association, but the very

contrary-by the suspension and sedation of all associations. [IS § 3] W h a t some persons enjoy most i n Coleridge's prose, i n the n o t e b o o k s a n d letters p a r t i c u l a r l y , also i n the m a r g i n a l i a , are his p i t h y a p h o r i s m s , often i n i n q u i r y f o r m . F o r e x a m p l e , 10 Thomas Allsop Letters, Conversations and Recollections of S.T. Coleridge (1836) II 154

79

Is it or is it not true, that whoever supermoralizes unmoralizes? [CN

II 2358]

[Agreeing with Leibniz that] Men's errors (intellectual) chiefly in denying. [CN II 2596]

consist

[A favourite image] - It is not enough that we have once swallowed it - the Heart should have fed upon the truth, as insects on a Leaf, till it

be tinged with the colour, and shew its food in every minutest fibre. [CL I 115]

[On the rejection of new ideas] - Incredulity is but credulity seen

from behind, bowing and nodding assent to the Habitual & Fashion­ able. [SM (CC) Appendix C 81]

Minds that feel and struggle up against the weight and witchery of

Custom. [Notebook 29]

A Tyrant is only a Monstrous Phantasm up-steaming from the Grave and Corruption of the huddled Corses of the self-murdered Virtue &

inner freedom of the People-i.e. the Majority of the Citizens of the

State. [Notebook 29]

T h e defect of Archbishop Leighton's reasoning is taking Eternity for a kind of time. [Notebook 211/2] W e can scarcely think too highly of the potential in us, or too humbly of the Actual. [Marginal note on Schlegel, Athenaeum I i.77] Naturally

some o f the most interesting entries are a b o u t

himself. H e h a d b e e n w r i t i n g a b o u t the n e e d for h u m i l i t y , b u t , h e says preserve me from the deadly Hensbane of Self-contempt, the worst

< a n d > most concentrated form of Selfishness! F o r it is a shrinking 80

down into the mere Self, an abstraction from the redeeming G o d . It

is well to know & feel what we should be without G o d . But to

contemplate our Self as actually existing without G o d , is frightful morally, & a contradiction philosophically... [Notebook 44]

or again what Method should a Philosopher and Thinker adopt to form or to cultivate-Habits of Religious Feeling? [Notebook 26]

A b o u t the o p i u m - t a k i n g he expresses h i m s e l f r a t h e r c o n v e n t i o n a l l y p e r h a p s , b u t h e sees t h a t a l t h o u g h o p i u m w a s o n e o f the s t u m b l i n g blocks to self-knowledge, a n d creative activity g e n e r a l l y , y e t he asks himself, has it b e e n also o n e o f t h e pressures t o w a r d s self-examination,

a d o o r t o w a r d s secret

p a s s a g e s - t o c u r i o u s states o f i n s i g h t i n t o o t h e r h u m a n b e i n g s ? Need we wonder at Plato's opinions concerning the Body, at least,

need that man wonder whom a pernicious Drug shall make capable of

conceiving & bringing forth Thoughts, hidden in him before, which shall call for the deepest feelings of his best, greatest, & sanest

Contemporaries? and this proved to him by actual experience? But

can subtle strings set in greater tension do this? O r is it not that the dire poison for a delusive time has made the body, i.e. the organiza­

tion ... the unknown somewhat, a fitter Instrument for the allpowerful Soul? [CAT HI 3320]

T h e a m o u n t o f sheer p a i n i n the notebooks has been startling to m a n y readers. (It s h o o k for s o m e d a y s t h e late H e l e n D a r b i s h i r e w h e n s h e r e a d t h e g a l l e y - p r o o f s o f v o l u m e II.) T h e r e , for instance, a l o n g entry a b o u t his hopeless love for S a r a H u t c h i n s o n ends, Awakened from a dream of Tears, & anguish of involuntary Jeal­ ousy, H past 2 / S e p t . 13. 1807,

81

and

i t is f o l l o w e d b y t h i s :

T o lie in ease yet dull anxiety for hours, afraid to think a thought, lest some thought of Anguish should shoot a pain athwart my body,

afraid even to turn my body, lest the very bodily motion should introduce a train of painful Thoughts- [CNII

Two

3149]

years earlier i n M a l t a he h a d written:

... W h o that thus lives with a continually divided Being can remain

healthy! < A n d who can long remain body-crazed, & not at times use

unworthy means of making his Body the fit instrument of his mind?

Pain is easily subdued compared with continual uncomfortableness

- and the sense of stifled Power! - O this is that which made poor

Henderson, Collins, Boyce, & c & c &c-Sots\ - awful T h o u g h t s - O it is horrid! - Die, my Soul, die! - Suicide-rather than this, the worst

State of Degradation! It is less a suicide! S . T . C > - I work hard, I do the duties of common Life from morn to night / but verily -1 raise my

limbs, 'like lifeless Tools' - T h e organs of motion & outward action

perform their functions at the stimulus of a galvanic fluid applied by

the Will, not by the Spirit of Life that makes Soul and Body one. [ C Y

II 2557]

B u t as I s a i d e a r l i e r , t h e r e s i l i e n c e a n d t h e s a n i t y , so m u c h c a l l e d for, w e r e r e m a r k a b l e . H e says t h a t his i n f i r m i t i e s h a v e b e e n useful to h i m , p e r h a p s m o r e useful t h a n W o r d s w o r t h ' s Mrc/zfirmities,' i n m a k i n g h i m a w a r e o f the feelings o f others, b u t h i s o w n w o r d s so s h o c k e d h i m t h a t h e e n t i t l e d t h e e n t r y ' A G n o s t i c W h i s p e r ' a n d wrote the most frightening w o r d s i n Greek characters. I have translated a n d / o r transliterated t h e m i n square brackets:

N.B. That as far as Philosophy (= the Sum Total, of the Being) is

concerned, //zfirmities sunk under, the Conscious Soul mourning and disapproving,

are

less hindrances than A w/zfirmities - such

as

Self-ness ... and separative instead of being, what it ought to be, at once distinctive and yet, at the same moment or rather act, conjunctive,

unificentl

I will not

refer to AixJTpaXic, [Australis-

Southey]; but to a truly great GENIUS, 'A^ioAoyoc, [Axiologos -

Wordsworth] - Were intellect only in question, axe, [STS for STG]

would rather groan under his manifold sins & sorrows, all either contained in or symbolized by, QI1M [OPIUM] than cherish that

self-concentration [of Ax.] which renders the dearest

beings means to him, never really ends. N.B. Its curious & often

ludicrous effects on the memory: At, [Ax.] has more than once or twice

gravely preached to Gxq [STG], as a new discovery, what axe, [STC] had been years before attempting but in vain to persuade AJ; [Ax.]

of, not only in conversation but by long Letters-but who can rearticulate the pulses of the Air? A n d as to the Letters, they not being those of A£, r|a5eX