The Catholic University Bulletin Volume 13 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1907 Excerpt: ... THE PHILOSOPHY OF COLERIDGE. It is the purpose of this article to set forth the philosophy of Coleridge--the philosophy, not the theological opinions; and to set it forth, not for the purpose of praising or of censuring, but in order that a scheme of thought which played a great part three-quarters of a century ago, and which is now again attracting much attention, may be understood before it is criticised. The writer of these pages might use the words of Dunoyer: "Je n'impose rien; je ne propose meme pas; j'expose." Such an exposition is by no means superfluous, for no philosopher has been the object of more superficial and flippant criticism. Walter Pater's essay, for example, which is admirable in its treatment of Coleridge the poet, betrays the completest misconception of the philosopher and his philosophy. Even Mr. J. Dykes Campbell, the accurate and sympathetic biographer, falls into the common delusion that Coleridge's talk about a magnum opus was either a pretence or a dream. In fact, there is a great mass of manuscript ready for publication, which it is hoped that some of our American universities may purchase; but, at all events, enough has already been published to enable us to draw out the broad outlines of his system. The scheme of thought shall be explained, as far as possible, in the philosopher's own words. Coleridge's philosophy must be viewed as that of a man who, having fallen from Christianity into the lowest form of Unitarianism, and from that to Pantheism, recoiled with horror from the blank atheism to which false principles by logical consistency were leading him; and who gradually worked his way upward to "an ampler ether, a diviner air." When he was brought by divine assistance to the Christian Faith, he employed his genius in assa...