_Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey. By
Joseph Cottle. New York: Wiley & Putnam. 1 vol. 12mo._
This is quite an important contribution to the literary history of the
nineteenth century. To be sure, it is confined to a small space, and a
few individuals, but it is full of original and important matter as far
as it goes. Cottle, the author, was a bookseller at Bristol, was the
early friend of Coleridge, Southey, and Wordsworth, and carried his
friendship so far as to publish their first unsalable books. Throughout
the lives of Coleridge and Southey, he appears to have been their
associate or correspondent. He now publishes the letters of both, and
his recollections of their character, conduct, and conversation. No
lover of Coleridge can read the book without deep pain. It presents him
as given over to sloth and self-indulgence, as careless of his word, as
indifferent to the happiness and comfort of his wife and children, as a
deceitful and unsafe friend, as a kind of sublime charlatan and
vagabond. The revelations regarding his use of opium are astounding.
About the year 1814 he consumed a pint of laudanum a day. He spent
upwards of _£_2 10_s._ a week for opium, at the very time his family
were suffering, and he himself was living on the charity of a friend. He
borrowed money freely of his friends, ostensibly for the necessaries of
life, but really to obtain the means of gratifying his debasing habit.
He lost all control over himself. The champion of free will was himself
the prey of a passion which swayed his volitions. The philosopher who
was to reconcile philosophy with Christianity, was daily in the habit of
violating both. The poet who celebrated in such exquisite verse the
affections, abandoned his own family. Since Rousseau, there has not been
his like among men of letters. In a letter to Josiah Wade, in 1814, a
letter which he desires to have published after his death, he
acknowledges all that his worst enemies could impute to him. “In the one
crime of OPIUM,” he says, “what crime have I not made myself guilty of?
Ingratitude to my Maker! and to my benefactors—injustice! and
_unnatural cruelty to my poor children_! self-contempt for my repeated
promise—breach, nay, too often, actual falsehood!” In the same letter
he remarks—“Conceive a poor, miserable wretch, who, for many years, has
been attempting to beat off pain by a constant recurrence to the vice
that produces it. Conceive a spirit in hell, employed in tracing out for
others the road to that heaven, from which his crimes exclude him! In
short, conceive whatever is most wretched, helpless, and hopeless, and
you will form as tolerable a notion of my state, as it is possible for a
good man to have.” The apology for Coleridge’s use of opium has been
found in his own assertion, that he acquired the habit originally in an
attempt to quiet physical pain. Southey denies this, and, indeed,
imputes duplicity to Coleridge in all the apologies he makes for his
vices of self-indulgence.
Southey, it seems, from the first, never placed any dependence upon
Coleridge. Writing to Cottle, in 1836, he says—“I know that Coleridge,
at different times of his life, never let pass an opportunity of
speaking ill of me. Both Wordsworth and myself have often lamented the
exposure of duplicity which must result from the publication of his
letters, and by what he has delivered by word of mouth to the worshipers
by whom he was always surrounded. . . . I continued all possible offices
of kindness to his children long after I regarded his own conduct with
that _utter disapprobation_ which alone it can call forth from all who
had any sense of duty and moral obligation.” When Coleridge placed
himself under the care of his friend, Morgan, to be cured of his opium
insanity, and while he was writing letters to the friends who lent him
money, that he had reduced his allowance to twenty drops of laudanum a
day, he was secretly taking his enormous doses, obtained by deceiving
his benefactor, and by playing the meanest tricks upon his hired
attendant. Coleridge’s whole life appears to have been that of a
vagabond. He subsisted on the charity of friends whom he continually
deceived or outraged. At least so he appears in the representations of
Southey and Cottle, and partly in his own confessions. Many of Cottle’s
remarks are sufficiently good for nothing; and he occasionally cants and
whines distressingly, but we see no reason to doubt his statements of
fact. We hope that if any thing can be said in his favor, his relations
will promptly do it. In the present book the author is sunk to the level
of the Savages and Dermodys of literary history.
If Coleridge, in this book, is deprived of almost every thing but his
genius, and is even represented as having that a good deal dashed with
charlatanry, Southey appears in his most amiable light. The austerity
and spiritual pride of the man are not so prominent as the finer
qualities of his heart. His letters are admirable. The earlier ones are
especially spirited and graphic. He sketches the external appearance of
his acquaintances to the life. “I saw,” he says, “Dr. Gregory to-day; a
very brown-looking man, of most pinquescent and full-moon cheeks. There
is much tallow in him.” Of Dr. Hunter he draws a very animated portrait.
“He has a very red, drinking face, little, good-humored eyes, with the
skin drawn up under them, like cunning and short-sightedness united. I
saw Dr. Hunter again yesterday. I neither like him, nor his wife, nor
his son, nor his daughter, nor any thing that is his.” Gilbert Wakefield
is despatched in a few words. “He has a most critic-like voice, as if he
had snarled himself hoarse. You see I like the women better than the
men. Indeed, they are better animals in general, perhaps because more is
left to nature in their education. Nature is very good, but God knows
there is very little of it left.” The whole of Southey’s youthful
letters are marked by sense, enthusiasm and humor. The collection
extends almost to his death. In 1826, while he was editing an edition of
John Bunyan, he writes to Cottle, noticing a rumor that the Pilgrim’s
Progress was a mere translation from the Dutch. “The charge of
plagiarism,” he says, “is utterly false. _When you and I meet in the
next world, we will go and see John Bunyan_, and tell him how I have
tinkered the fellow, for tinker him I will, who has endeavored to pick a
hole in his reputation.” This is a most perfect specimen of Southey’s
peculiar humor. In another letter Cottle tells him that Mackintosh has
said his style was founded on Horace Walpole’s. Southey replies, “my
style is founded on nobody’s. _I say what I have to say as plainly as I
can, without thinking of the style, and this is the whole secret. . ._
In fact, I write, as you may always have remarked, such as I always
converse, without effort, and without aiming at display.” This
confession from the most fascinating of prose writers, conveys an
important truth with authority.
We have said that this book derives all its value from the letters or
recollections of the author’s eminent friends. As such it will be
extensively read. Cottle’s portion is done badly, especially in the
arrangement of the matter. No person curious in literary history will
fail to obtain the book, in spite of the compiler’s deficiencies.
* * * * *
_The Public Men of the Revolution, Including Events from the
Peace of 1783 to the Peace of 1815. In a Series of Letters. By
the late Hon. Wm. Sullivan, LL. D. Edited by his Son, John T. S.
Sullivan. Philadelphia: Carey & Hart. 1 vol. 8vo._
This book was originally published thirteen years ago. The present is a
new edition, with additional notes and references, and a short biography
of the late author. The work relates to the political history of the
United States, and especially to the questions at issue between the
Federalists and Democrats. The author was a Federalist, and the book
throughout is devoted to the vindication of the character and conduct of
the leading members of his party, and the policy they advocated. The
style of the composition is without bitterness, and lacks even the
energy we might expect in a political discussion. It is calm, clear,
somewhat diffuse, apologetic in its tone, and strikes hard hits in the
blandest possible manner. The leading men and measures of the country,
from 1783 to 1815, a period when party spirit raged and foamed almost to
madness, are taken up in their natural order, and discussed with
considerable candor. One peculiarity in the volume will impress every
reader. The writer appeared to have felt that he was coming before the
bar of public opinion as the advocate of persons under its ban. Instead
of assuming a high tone, and dealing sturdy blows to the right and
left,—instead of grappling firmly with a question, and exhibiting it at
once in all its bearing—he adopts a sly, insinuating, apologizing,
round about manner, which deprives his style of vitality, and conveys
the impression of a timid thinker. We do not believe that Mr. Sullivan
would have adopted this style unless he had supposed that in the popular
mind Federalism was identified with projects to dissolve the union, and
sell the country to old England. In this we think he altogether
under-estimated the intelligence of the people. Many of the men whose
character he defends so timidly, need no defender at all; men who, if
their merits are to be presented, deserve a hearty and eloquent
recognition, unconnected with answers to dead and stale calumnies.
In this volume Mr. Jefferson is treated, not as he will be treated by
the historian, but in the spirit of an opposing partisan. No fair and
full representation of the man is given, no clear insight is shown of
the fitness of the man for the times. Mr. Sullivan does not go very deep
into the philosophy of Democracy, nor appreciate its nature. It could
not be expected. With all his intelligence and virtue he lived in the
times of which he writes, took sides with one of the parties, and judged
Democracy by the light of Federalism, not by its own light. No man can
fairly analyze what he hates or despises. With this abatement, Mr.
Sullivan is eminently candid and judicial in his estimate of the leading
Democrats. It would be impossible to point out a single passage of
intentional misrepresentation in his book. But of unconscious
misrepresentation there is necessarily much, and a person who desired to
obtain a perfectly accurate view of political men and measures, could
not get it by reading these letters. It must be conceded that it is
disgraced by none of that falsehood, bigotry, and blackguardism, which
characterize almost every former work on the subject, and which appears
now to survive the controversaries from which they originally sprung.
Mr. Sullivan was one of those perfectly honest politicians who would not
stoop to an untruth, and who possessed the virtue of moderation. He
writes like a man who believes every thing he says—a rare endowment in
a political author.
Perhaps the most valuable portion of this book is its anecdotes of
numerous men whose private character is but little known to this
generation, and of numerous events of which history has taken little
note. To the future historian of our country the work, on this account,
will be very valuable.
* * * * *
_Budget of Letters, or Things which I Saw Abroad. Boston: Wm. D.
Ticknor & Co. 1 vol. 12mo._
Under this somewhat quaint title we have quite an original book of
travels. It consists of a collection of private letters, written by an
intelligent lady of Providence to her friends at home, and printed
exactly as they first came from her pen. They are accordingly honest
transcripts of real impressions of objects thrown off in a clear,
careless style, and strongly infused with individual peculiarities. Even
her “O dears!” and “goodness me’s!” and “I verily believe!” are
retained. Such a book has, of course, a great deal of raciness. Those
objects and scenes which professional tourists linger most lovingly
over, and in the celebration of which they indulge in so much
premeditated rapture, our authoress fearlessly describes according to
her own perceptions. Many of her opinions are, doubtless, crude, and
much of her criticism of little worth. In logic she is fond of giving
the lady’s reason. There are many things on which she passes judgment,
of which she knows little or nothing. Some objects she saw with her eye
and not with her mind. But, taking the book as it is, in all its
freshness and individual truth, and we can hardly bring to mind a late
publication of a similar nature, which excels it in interest, or one
more likely to be pleasing to the tourist. There are a hundred little
incidents, scenes, and annoyances, which most travelers forget as soon
as experienced, which are made quite interesting in this book, and
constitute its original feature. We hope this will not be the last work
of the authoress.
* * * * *
_Chambers’ Miscellany of Useful and Entertaining Knowledge.
Boston: Gould, Kendall & Lincoln._
This is a fac-simile of the Edinburgh edition. It is composed of a
series of articles on a wide variety of subjects, including history,
biography, sketches of travel, science, poetry, &c., &c. It is published
in weekly numbers. No publishers in Europe equal the Messrs. Chambers in
tact to discern the popular taste, and enterprise to meet it. The
present work has had a large circulation abroad, and is well calculated
to be popular here. Each number is complete in itself.
* * * * *
_The Anatomy of Melancholy. What it is, with all the Kinds,
Causes, Symptoms, Propensities, and Several Cures of it. By
Democritus Junior. With Translations of the Classical Extracts
by Democritus Minor._
There is scarce any volume to which the scholar turns with such constant
and ever recurring delight as Burton’s Anatomy of Melancholy. It is a
store-house of rich and rare learning, and abounds, beyond any parallel,
in apt and original quotation; but this is, at last, its least merit,
for the author’s own vein of thought, though quaint, is vigorous and
manly, and is enlivened by arch and graceful digressions, full of
classic wit and sturdy English humor. Dr. Johnson justly characterized
the work as “a valuable book—perhaps overloaded with quotations—but
there is great spirit and great power in what Burton says, when he
writes from his own mind.” The doctor said that it was the only book
that ever took him out of bed two hours sooner than he wished to rise.
The copy before us is published in Philadelphia, by J. W. Moore, 193
Chestnut street, and in New York by Wiley & Putnam, 161 Broadway. The
volume is well printed, in large and distinct type and upon good paper.
We are rejoiced to see so excellent a reprint of our old favorite.
* * * * *
_Memoir of Elizabeth Fry, with Extracts from her Journal and
Letters. Edited by Two of Her Daughters. 1 vol. Philadelphia.
No. 193 Chestnut Street._
The career of this distinguished and untiring philanthropist has excited
deep interest and admiration on both sides the Atlantic; and her memoirs
cannot be read without an increased respect for a character at once so
exalted and meek, so brave and gentle. The account given by Mrs. Fry of
the early religious struggles which resulted in the devotion of her life
to God and her fellow creatures, will be found full of thrilling
interest to those who have themselves known the night of doubt, and the
joy that cometh with the morning of assured reconciliation with Heaven.
The details of her prison labors are also rich in instruction. We
commend the work to the attention of those who believe, with us, that
there is no study more noble than the life of the just.
* * * * *
_Ireland’s Welcome to the Stranger, or an Excursion through
Ireland in 1844 and 1845, for the Purpose of Personally
Investigating the Condition of the Poor. By A. Nicholson._
The authoress of this volume, a lady of Irish descent, seems to have
been so deeply impressed with the sufferings of the unfortunate children
of the Emerald Isle, that she determined to visit and minister to them
in person. She appears to have effected this purpose with very
inadequate means, often afoot, and under privations which most of the
sterner sex would have shrunk from. Her opportunities for learning the
true condition of the lower classes were ample, and seem to have been
improved with intelligence and judgment. Her descriptions are life-like
and animated; and the book is to those for whom the subject has interest
a pleasant and instructive one.
* * * * *
_The Celebrated Treatise of Joach. Fortius Ringelbergius de
Ratione Studii: Translated from the Edition of Van Erpe. By G.
P. Earp. With Preface and Appendix, by W. H. Odenheimer, A. M.,
Rector of St. Peter’s, Philadelphia. Philadelphia: Carey &
Hart._
This treatise is a most valuable one, and the translation strikes us as
deserving praise. The Rev. Mr. Odenheimer has greatly added to the
excellence of the book by his preface and appendix.
* * * * *
_Essay on the Fairy Queen. By J. S. Hart, Professor of the
Philadelphia High School._
Every reader knows that Spenser’s “Fairy Queen,” although marked by
striking and exquisite passages, is not calculated to be a popular work,
in consequence of the faults of the narrative. Professor Hart has, in
the essay before us, with the mind of a poet and the skill of an artist,
removed the objection alluded to, and presented the narrative in an
attractive style, introducing into his remarks many of the most
beautiful passages. The obvious result of his labors will be to bring
the remarkable and brilliant parts of this poem familiarly before the
public, and make many persons acquainted with Spenser who would never
have undertaken the task of laboring, like miners, through a mass of
rubbish to arrive at the pure ore. The publishers are Wiley & Putnam, of
New York, and they have issued it to the world in a manner worthy of the
excellence of the work itself.
* * * * *
_The Boy’s Treasury of Sports, Pastimes and Recreations._
A most delightful book for the instruction and amusement of the young,
has just been issued under the above title, by Messrs. Lea & Blanchard
of this city, from the London edition. It is indeed a treasury of
knowledge for juveniles, comprehending chapters on various kinds of
sports of the field, green and play-ground, on archery, angling, the
care and keeping of animals and birds, authentic chemical experiments,
&c., &c. There are nearly four hundred engravings interspersed
throughout the volume, explanatory of the different subjects treated
upon, and well calculated to illustrate the text. On the whole, we
regard the “Treasury” as eminently calculated to be both useful and
popular, and think the publishers entitled to praise for presenting to
our youth so rational a means of amusement and instruction.
* * * * *
_The Legend of Latimer, a Zurich Tale, with other Poems. By
William Nind, M. A. London: F. & J. Rivington._
We have before us a copy of this pretty little volume, prepared in
handsome style by the publishers. The main poem has for its subject the
celebrated Latimer, who, with his co-laborer Ridley, suffered martyrdom
during the reign of “bloody Queen Mary,” and is marked with considerable
merit. Some of the minor pieces are also worthy of praise, of which we
would particularly instance a poem entitled “The Secret of the
Universe.”
* * * * *
_Pictorial Life of La Fayette._
Messrs. Lindsay & Blakiston, of this city, have recently published a
Pictorial Life of Gen. La Fayette, embracing anecdotes illustrative of
his character. The eminent services rendered by this distinguished
Frenchman in our struggle for national independence, and the chivalrous
attributes of his character, render every thing connected with him
interesting in the eyes of the American people. We are, therefore, glad
that the enterprising publishers of the volume before us have caused it
to be prepared, so that our youth may have an opportunity of becoming
acquainted with the merits of the gallant marquis, and learn from his
example, a lesson of devotion to the cause of popular liberty.
* * * * *
_Pictorial Life of Gen. Marion._
Tradition has transmitted, and the pages of history recorded too many
instances of the daring hardihood, patient endurance, and indefatigable
perseverance of this celebrated partisan warrior, not to have rendered
his name familiar as a household word throughout the whole length and
breadth of our land. A volume, just issued from the press of Messrs.
Lindsay & Blakiston, gives an epitomized but highly interesting memoir
of his life and deeds, and describes, in a graphic and spirited manner,
a number of the scenes of strife in which Gen. M. was engaged. The
preface to the volume, after alluding to the inscription on the tomb of
Marion, at Belle Isle, St. Stephen’s Parish, South Carolina, states that
“this volume is presented as an humble echo to the labors of those who
would keep the memory of such men green among the people;” and as the
design is a laudable one, so must we regard the publication now under
notice as admirably calculated to effect the object intended.
* * * * *
[Illustration:
Laure Colin
LE FOLLET
Boulevart S^{t}. Martin, 61.
_Toilettes de Longchamps._
_Chapeaux de M^{me}._ Delaunay, _pl. de la Bourse, 31—Plumes et fleurs de
M^{me}._ Tilman, _r. Ménars, 2;_
_Robes de M^{me}._ Bienvenu, _r. de la Chaussée d’Antin, 41;_
_Mantelet en dentelle de_ Violard, _r. Choiseul 2^{bis}—Corsets de_
Pousse, _r. Montmartre, 101._
Graham’s Magazine.]
* * * * *
Transcriber’s Notes:
Table of Contents has been added for reader convenience. Archaic
spellings and hyphenation have been retained. Obvious typesetting and
punctuation errors have been corrected without note. Other errors have
been corrected as noted below. For illustrations, some caption text may
be missing or incomplete due to condition of the originals available for
preparation of the eBook.
page 217, of butcher’s shops in the ==> of butchers’ shops in the
page 218, appellation of _têtes-carreés_ ==> appellation of
_têtes-carrées_
page 239, and pillared collonade, ==> and pillared colonnade,
page 266, that the Elliot’s would ==> that the Elliots would
page 271, sevez-vous il faut ==> levez-vous il faut
[End of Graham’s Magazine, Vol. XXXI, No. 5, November 1847]