unfrequently led us further into the labyrinth of his metaphysical
elucidations, either of particular passages or of the original
conception of any of his productions, than we were able to follow him.
At the conclusion, for instance, of the first stanza of
_Christabel_, he would perhaps comment at full length upon such a
line as 'Tu--whit!--Tu--whoo!' that we might not fall into the mistake
of supposing originality to be its sole merit." The example is not very
happily chosen, for Coleridge could hardly have claimed "originality"
for an onomatopoeia which occurs in one of Shakspeare's best known
lyrics; but it serves well enough to illustrate the fact that he "very
seldom went right to the end of any piece of poetry; to pause and
analyse was his delight." His disappointment with regard to his tragedy
of _Osorio_ was, we also learn, still fresh. He seldom, we are
told, "recited any of the beautiful passages with which it abounds
without a visible interruption of the perfect composure of his mind."
He mentioned with great emotion Sheridan's inexcusable treatment of him
with respect to it. At the same time, adds his friend, "he is a severe
critic of his own productions, and declares" (this no doubt with
reference to his then, and indeed his constant estimate of
_Christabel_ as his masterpiece) "that his best poems have perhaps
not appeared in print."

Young Parry's account of his fellow-student is also fresh and pleasing.
"It is very delightful," he tells a correspondent, "to hear him sometimes
discourse on religious topics for an hour together. His fervour is
particularly agreeable when compared with the chilling speculations of
German philosophers," whom Coleridge, he adds, "successively forced to
abandon all their strongholds." He is "much liked, notwithstanding many
peculiarities. He is very liberal towards all doctrines and opinions,
and cannot be put out of temper. These circumstances give him the