Specimens of the Table Talk of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Coleridge Samuel Taylor

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СКАЧАТЬ learning, however, soon felt that this was wrong in the other extreme, and indeed united itself to the very abuse it seemed to shun. They saw that a knowledge of the Fathers, and of early tradition, was absolutely necessary; and unhappily, in many instances, the excess of the Puritans drove the men of learning into the old popish extreme of denying the Scriptures to be capable of affording a rule of faith without the dogmas of the church. Taylor is a striking instance how far a Protestant might be driven in this direction.

      June 6. 1830

CATHOLICITY.—GNOSIS.—TERTULLIAN.—ST. JOHN

      In the first century, catholicity was the test of a book or epistle— whether it were of the Evangelicon or Apostolicon—being canonical. This catholic spirit was opposed to the gnostic or peculiar spirit,—the humour of fantastical interpretation of the old Scriptures into Christian meanings. It is this gnosis, or knowingness, which the Apostle says puffeth up,—not knowledge, as we translate it. The Epistle of Barnabas, of the genuineness of which I have no sort of doubt, is an example of this gnostic spirit. The Epistle to the Hebrews is the only instance of gnosis in the canon: it was written evidently by some apostolical man before the destruction of the Temple, and probably at Alexandria. For three hundred years, and more, it was not admitted into the canon, especially not by the Latin church, on account of this difference in it from the other Scriptures. But its merit was so great, and the gnosis in it is so kept within due bounds, that its admirers at last succeeded, especially by affixing St. Paul's name to it, to have it included in the canon; which was first done, I think, by the council of Laodicea in the middle of the fourth century. Fortunately for us it was so.

* * * * *

      I beg Tertullian's pardon; but amongst his many bravuras, he says something about St. Paul's autograph. Origen expressly declares the reverse.

* * * * *

      It is delightful to think, that the beloved apostle was born a Plato. To him was left the almost oracular utterance of the mysteries of the Christian religion while to St. Paul was committed the task of explanation, defence, and assertion of all the doctrines, and especially of those metaphysical ones touching the will and grace;66 for which purpose his active mind, his learned education, and his Greek logic, made him pre-eminently fit.

      June 7. 1830

PRINCIPLES OF A REVIEW.—PARTY-SPIRIT

      Notwithstanding what you say, I am persuaded that a review would amply succeed even now, which should be started upon a published code of principles, critical, moral, political, and religious; which should announce what sort of books it would review, namely, works of literature as contradistinguished from all that offspring of the press, which in the present age supplies food for the craving caused by the extended ability of reading without any correspondent education of the mind, and which formerly was done by conversation, and which should really give a fair account of what the author intended to do, and in his own words, if possible, and in addition, afford one or two fair specimens of the execution,—itself never descending for one moment to any personality. It should also be provided before the commencement with a dozen powerful articles upon fundamental topics to appear in succession. You see the great reviewers are now ashamed of reviewing works in the old style, and have taken up essay writing instead. Hence arose such publications as the Literary Gazette and others, which are set up for the purpose—not a useless one—of advertizing new books of all sorts for the circulating libraries. A mean between the two extremes still remains to be taken.

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      1

      Caballaeros Granadinos,

      Aunque Moros, hijos d'algo—ED.

      2

      This expression—"material sublime"—like a hundred others which have slipped into general use, came originally from Mr. Coleridege, and was by him, in the first instatnce, applied to Schiller's Robbers— See Act iv, sc. 5.—ED.

      3

      "ALHADRA. This night your chieftain arm'd himself,

      And hurried from me. But I follow'd him

      At distance, till I saw him enter there!

      NAOMI. The cavern?

      ALHADRA. Yes, the mouth of yonder cavern.

      After a while I saw the son of Valdez

      Rush by with flaring torch: he likewise enter'd.

      There was another and a longer pause;

      And once, methought, I heard the

1

Caballaeros Granadinos,

Aunque Moros, hijos d'algo—ED.

2

This expression—"material sublime"—like a hundred others which have slipped into general use, came originally from Mr. Coleridege, and was by him, in the first instatnce, applied to Schiller's Robbers— See Act iv, sc. 5.—ED.

3

"ALHADRA. This night your chieftain arm'd himself,And hurried from me. But I follow'd himAt distance, till I saw him enter there!NAOMI. The cavern?ALHADRA. Yes, the mouth of yonder cavern.After a while I saw the son of ValdezRush by with flaring torch: he likewise enter'd.There was another and a longer pause;And once, methought, I heard the clash of swords!And soon the son of Valdez re-appear'd:He flung his torch towards the moon in sport,And seem'd as he were mirthful! I stood listening,Impatient for the footsteps of my husband.NAOMI. Thou calledst him?ALHADRA. I crept into the cavern—'Twas dark and very silent. What saidst thou?No! No! I did not dare call Isidore,Lest I should hear no answer! A brief while,Belike, I lost all thought and memoryOf that for which I came! After that pause,O Heaven! I heard a groan, and follow'd it;And yet another groan, which guided meInto a strange recess—and there was light,A hideous light! his torch lay on the ground;Its flame burnt dimly o'er a chasm's brink:I spake; and whilst I spake, a feeble groanCame from that chasm! it was his last—his death-groan!NAOMI. Comfort her, Allah!ALHADRA. I stood in unimaginable tranceAnd agony that cannot be remember'd,Listening with horrid hope to hear a groan!But I had heard his last;—my husband's death-groan!NAOMI. Haste! let us onward!ALHADRA. I look'd far down the pit—My sight was bounded by a jutting fragment;And it was stain'd with blood. Then first I shriek'd;My eyeballs burnt, my brain grew hot as fire,And all the hanging drops of the wet roofTurn'd into blood—I saw them turn to blood!And СКАЧАТЬ