Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-04-09

Of the volumes above named now in course of
publication we have as yet received only the first
four; but comprising as they do the most valuable
of CoLERTpGE's Prose Works, we have not thought
it premature to make them the theme Of such gene
raj remark as may be suggested either by the topics
on which they treat or by the name and history of
their wonderful author. We purposely employ this
epithet; for it was saying of one who knew him
we'll, the poet WORDSWORTH, that while many men
Of his age had done wonderful things as Dayy
Scott, Cuvier, &C., yet Coeridge was the only won-
derful man he ever knew These volumes have in
terested u.s. besides, for another reason than what
conceive is justified by their rare and surprising
excellence; they seem to confirm the truth of an
observation made many years ago by one of Cole
ridges admiring friends in England, and which
when first ventured we fear was only partially ex
act to wit, that the "Western world would seem
ito have better appreciated his works than most of
his countrymen; for in America his writings are
understood and highly valued" If, however, these
volumes may not be received as evidence in proof
Of the existence of fact as thus stated we cannot but
cherish the hope and belief that they will greatly
tend to its realization certain it is that if the writ
ings of Coleridge not hereafter understood and
highly valued among MS will not be for the want
of tasteful edition of his complete works by an
American publisher, or from any lack of scholarly
analysis and annexation by their American editor.
The name of Prof SHEDD is, we suspect, new to
most of our readers as well to ourselves. He is,
we understand, the successor of President MARSH
in the chair Of Mental and Moral Philosophy at the
University of Vermont an institution which has
greatly contributed to whatever of prominence or
diffusion the writings Of Colerdge have hitherto en-
joyed among us. With the Introductory Essay of
Prof Shedd before US, we hazard little in express
ing the conviction that he has already entitled him
self to place in the foremost rank of American
critics and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. remark which we make
none the less freely because constrained to
differ with him quite widely on some minor points
in his mastery analysis of Coleridges opinions or
because cannot bring ourselves to value quite as
highly he does the general results and tendencies
of Coleridges distinctive SYSTEM if system at all he
may be said to have who was wont to deliver his
oracles on philosophy and theology cohfusedy as
the ancient Sybill her responses on thousand scat
tered leaves.
1t would interest us to compare Prof. Shedds In
troductory Essay the present edition of Coleridge
works with the Preliminary Essay of President
Marsh, prefxed to the aids to Reflection" nearly
quarter of century ago. Such ardpprochement
would show in strong light the progress which our
fast age has made, as in every thing else so also in
mental science, at least what passes for it. Of
the much unripe speculation which the Stree of
knowledge" has shed among US, the branch of our
pullalating philosophy has yielded its full share, for
it has been the oftenest grated with and exotic
shoots. Prof. Shedd seems to have surveyed and
traversed the entire field of modern metaphy sical
research and in his addiction to the schools of Ger
man philosophy has contrived to retain those ulti
mate and limitary principles which have generally
distinguished the sound English thinker from the
more aspiring Teuton Many are the hapless wights
who have been lured by the ignis fatuus lights of
Continental speculation into the Serbonian bog of
nfdelity or else, seeking to emancpate themselves
from the trammels of biblical theology, have bold
" launched the little nautilus of their very finite
reason on the arless, wayeess and shoreless of
Pantheism Prof. Shedd is, we are glad to find, of
the number of those who deem it at once wisest and
safest to make the purely speculative in philosophy
hold its proper subordinate place. and, by acknow-
lodging the authority of conscience and revelation,
to subordinate to them the merely speculative and
dalectic faculty. Of the human soul. Perhaps his
admiration for the Sage of K6nigsberg' may be
greater than ours, but perhaps too it may be be-
he has studied him and understands him bet
ter than we have been able do. In maintaining how
ever that the tendency Of Coeridges speculaons will
be to aay the furious fermentation Of thought that is
now going the rising generation we think he great
ly misapprehends that which constitutes their most spe
cc quaityther exceeding suggestveness 50 that ac-
cordng to our idea they differ from yes in their power
to eayen the thinking mind by rather resembling patent
soda-powders. We do not speak dersivey. We admire
and love the writings Of this and brilliant genius
but we think 1t win be generally admitted BY those fami-
liar with his compositions that far from being soda
tive in their influence they not so valuable for the
golden treasures which they yield ready stamped and
coined for the Indictment and aid they offer in the adj
venturous search for pocket Of the precious
ore His object would in all his prose writings TO
have been the that which he proposed to himself
in the essays composing The assist the mind
in the formation for itself Of sound principles in regard to
the investigation perception and retention Of truth in
what direction il may be pursued be always seems
to seek not so much show this that fact to kim
die the readers torch for him and leave it to himself
TO choose the particular objects which he may wish to
anime by its light" 1t is not much in fine, the
thoughts Of Coerdge in themselves considered which
cite admiration their wondrous power to set the
mind to thinking for itself But are proceeding N
medals res little faster than intended Let us, be-
fore gancng at the salient features Of Coeridges phio-
sophy direct cur attention for few moments TO his his
tory q man.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge born at ottery, England
October 2st 1772 His father having died when this his
youngest only about years DID, the education
ofhe young orphan was entrusted to the guardianship Of
friend his health was delicate from early childhood
Through the diskes and ealouses Of his paymates he
was he himself states, "hufed away from the enjoy
ments Of muscular activity in play to take refuge at his
mothers side his little STOOL and there read his little