Biographia Epistolaris, Volume 1. by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
page 80 of 376 (21%)
page 80 of 376 (21%)
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applied to persons, as to Mr. Pitt and others, or rather to
personifications--(for such they really were to me)--as little to regret." Another course of six Lectures followed, "On Revealed Religion, its corruptions, and its political views". The Prospectus states--"that these Lectures are intended for two classes of men, Christians and Infidels;--the former, that they may be able to "give a reason for the hope that is in them";--the latter, that they may not determine against Christianity from arguments applicable to its corruptions only." Nothing remains of these Addresses, nor of two detached Lectures on the Slave Trade and the Hair Powder Tax, which were delivered in the interval between the two principal courses. They were all very popular amongst the opponents of the Governments; and those on religion in particular were highly applauded by his Unitarian auditors, amongst whom Dr. and Mrs. Estlin and Mr. Hort were always remembered by Coleridge with regard and esteem. The Transatlantic scheme, though still a favourite subject of conversation, was now in effect abandoned by these young Pantisocrats. Mr. C. was married at St. Mary Redcliff Church to Sarah Fricker on the 4th of October, 1795, and went to reside in a cottage at Clevedon on the Bristol Channel; and six weeks afterwards Mr. Southey was also married to Edith Fricker, and left Bristol on the same day on his route to Portugal. At Clevedon Mr. and Mrs. Coleridge resided with one of Mrs. C.'s unmarried sisters and Burnett until the beginning of December. [Footnote 1: This statement of H. N. Coleridge, and a remark by Wordsworth in a letter to Wrangham of November 20th, 1795, are the only evidence on which rests the belief that Coleridge and Wordsworth met |
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