Oct. 2, 1813 Letter to Thomas Gage Street

DANIEL ADAMS

ENG 4354-KING

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Letter Summary & Background Letter Opposes Whig paper Morning Chronicle

◦ “the pretended irony, in the words ‘of course’”

But does not indicate side (English or French)—frustration◦ Details of the war & mistakes by English and Napoleon

Still, engaging with politics◦ Concern over French monarchy

Deciphering a Letter Major Instance:

◦ Transcript: “In my own politics I go as far as the restoration of the Bourbons: to which I see no insurmountable obstacle, if only terms were proposed by them guaranteed by G. Bri—tain, terms wisely deduced from the two great results of the French Revolution (namely, the volcanic Horrors of governments founded, in histerics at Court, [? on] the mere personality of man, instead of civil rights, as property, birth, religion &c” (1-2).

Several instances of suspect transcription lines 9, 10, 14

Coleridge’s politics Later in life

◦ Institutions not for the sake, but used to disperse knowledge & wisdom◦ Not the same partisanship of French Revolution

◦ Christ’s thousand year reign coming with the French Revolution!◦ “‘Speed it, oh Father! Let thy kingdom come!’” (Wu 613)

◦ Less idealistic, aware of humanity’s faults-everyone’s at fault◦ “The Allies made two egregious Blunders” (2-3)◦ “Buonaparte could not pursue his advantages” (3)

Connections to Poetry? Rime of the Ancient Mariner◦ “‘God save thee, ancient mariner, / From the fiends that plague thee thus! /

Why look’st thou so?’ ‘With my crossbow / I shot the albatross’” (79-82).

Kubla Khan ◦ “But oh, that deep romantic chasm which slanted / Down the green hill

athwart a cedarn cover! / A savage place, as holy and enchanted / As e’er beneath a waning moon was haunted / By woman wailing for her demon-lover!” (12-16).

Fun stuff! Coffee stain. Seriously. Patch on pg. 3 Rips & tears Cool stamps!!

To sum it up, it feels more real

Works Cited Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. Oct. 2, 1813. MS, Baylor University Armstrong Browning Library

Collection.

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. “Kubla Khan.” Romanticism: an Anthology. Ed. Duncan Wu. 4th ed. Singapore: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 640-643. Print.

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. “Reflections on Having Left a Place of Retirement.” Romanticism: an Anthology. Ed. Duncan Wu. 4th ed. Singapore: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 613. Print.

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. “Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” Romanticism: an Anthology. Ed. Duncan Wu. 4th ed. Singapore: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 714-731. Print.