Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-03-03
COLERIDGE.

As an eloquent talker," it may be
doubted whether his superior ever lived.
The statements on this head would GER
tainly be judged most extravagant and
incredible, if they were not from minds
widely differing associations and tastes,
and some of them from sources which for
bid the thought of undue partiality for the
man; Thus De Quincy. whose ungener-
GUS imputations of plagiarism, and unfeel-
ing illusions to personal frailties, and do
mtstic embarrassments, arouse ones high
est indigr Oh says:
"He spmjdaily from the loom of his
own magical brain, theories more glori-
Gus by far, and supported by pomp and
luxury of images. such as no German that
ever breathed has emulatedi in hisdreams'
Thus, too, Hazlitt, who allowed diiferen-
ces of political opinion to convert early
friendship into blind hospitality writcs:-
He talked on forever, and you wished
him to talk on forever: his thoughts did
not seem to come with labor and effort,
but as if borne on by the guests of gen.
ius, and as if the wings of imagination
lifted him from off his feet. His voice
on the ear like the pealing organ, and its
sound alone was the music Of thought;
his mind was clothed with wings and
raised on them he lifted philosophy t.
heaven In his descriptions you saw the
progress of human happiness and liberty
in bright and never4ending succession,
like the steps of Jacobs ladder, with airy
shapes ascending, and descending, and
with the voice of God at the top of the
ladder" Thus also the conscientious and
gifted John Foster, describing talk in
Bristol says: ''It was perfectly wonder
full, in looking back on a few hours of
his conversation, to think what quantity
of perfectly original speculation he had
uttered in language incomparably rich in
ornament and new combinations" And
thus, once again, Henry Nelson Coleridge,
his son-in-law and editor of most of his
works, writes: Throughout a long
drawn summers day would this man talk
to you low, equable, but clear and musi-
cal tones, concerning things human and
divine marshalling all history, harmon
izing all experiment, probing the depth
of your consciousness, and revealing WIS.,
ions of glory and terror to the Imagination;
but pouring with all such foods of light
upon the mind that you might for a rea-
son, like Paul, become blind in the very
act of conversion" Further quotations
would be needless, but we shall be par
doned for adding the testimony of the in
imitable Eli: "Come back into my menu
ery, like as thou vast in the day-spring
of thy fancies. with hope like fiery col
umn. before thee, the dark pillar not yet
turned-Samuel Taylor Colerridgc-Lo-
gician, Metarhysician, Bard! How have
l seen the casual passer through the clois-
ter still, entranced with admiration (while
he weighed the disproportion between the
speech and garb of the young Murundula)
to hear thee unfold, in thy deep and sweet
intonatians. thy mysteries of Iamblichus
or Plotinus (for even in those years thou
waxedst not pale at such philosophic
draughts, or reciting Homer in his Greek
or Pindar-while the walls of the old
Grey Friars re-echoed to the accents of the
inspired charity boy.