Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-07-03

CoLfRipCE ~ A CoNvEESA ESATIoNALIST.-Of
all the great takers of ancient or modern
times the Corvphaus. or Jupiter Tondgs.
who "Sternhold himself out t-Sternholded,
was unque 'tionably Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
Though eulogizei - often as conyerser, he
waS, in fact. rather lecturer. preacher, de-
caimer. or thinker, aloud, and poured forth
his brilliant, unbroken mOnologues of two or
three hours duration to listeners 50 bcwitch-
ell and fascinated. so dazzled hy the light
which he threw upon every subject. even the
dullest. a- the sun turns the drearieSt vaporS
into clouds of gold.-so charmed by the
words, - rich, - rotund, - many-hued,
that passed before their gaze like a flight of
purple birds that. like Adam. whose ear
were filled with the eloquenee Of an arch
angel. the hearers forgot all place.-aH
seasons and their change The enthusI-
a-tic Hazlitt. the conscientious John Foster,
and the scyerely-critical De Quincy, alike
exhaust their superlatiyes in testiiying 10
his power. lie spun daily" says the
latter, from the loom OF hi, own magical
brain. theories more gorgeous far. and sup
ported by a luxury OF images such a. no
German that ever breathed could have emu
lated in his dreams" In his best moments.
he was one of the most suggestive and in
structye Of talkers-a teacher of teachers.
The value of hi, discourscs lay not 50 much
in the positive knowledge that they com
municated. as in the intellectual stimulus
they supplied, the spirit of inquiry they
provoked. the self-ignorance and superhciallty
OF which they made men conscious, and the
great basal principles which they revealed.
Much of the effect OF Coleridge's cloquence
was owing, no doubt. 10 the charms OF his
manner for his voice it isSaid. was natural
" soft and good and though il had CON
tracted itself into 4 plaintiye snutlle and
sing-Song, 50 that his phrases Of German
terminolcgv. '.obiect" and subject, were
nasally organized into ION infect and
''~um-m-iect. with "a kind Of solemn shake
or quaver as he rolled along" yet there was
a dreamy soothing in his accents, 1t i said,
of irresistible power, especially when poetry
and Imagination were the theme OF his high
argument But the most brilliant eloquence
tires nj last. and even that OF the lllghgaie
sage failed sometimes of its witching effect
upon the hearers ears. TO sit eternally,
as a mere bucket. and he pumped into. to
be acted on forever, and never 20 reacts
NllIt no Hulliiu btlil-s 'ANN r N"HNe 1855
long endure and even those who even bow
ed To this "Autocrat of the Brcakiast-Table,
felt, after they had listened to soliloquy OF
five hours duration, that they were pumped
full. and cried. Hold. enough :" Few will
fail to remember the story told by Theodore
Hook. OF 4 three-hours' discourse from the
"Rapt one with the god-like forehead.
which was suggested by two soldiers seated
by the roadside and Hooks characteristic
observation at the close Thank Heaven
You did not see regiment, Coleridge. for in
that case You would never have stopped.
Sir Walter Scott describes dinner party. at
which he was equally bored by most learn
ed and everlasting harangue OF Coleridge on
the Samothracian mysteries, Homer, and the
Wolfan hypothesis, Sc., &c, and concludes
the account with the inpatient exclamation.
"Zoundsi was never 80 bethumped with
words" Yet doubtless there were Others OF
the party who never dreamed that they were
either cudgeled or bedogged, and who went
away exclaiming to themselves;
How charming is divine philosophy
Not harsh and Grabbed, as dull fools suppose,
But musical As is ApOllo's lutte.
M,,l,,rs Great COUreySerS