The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume I Part 28

EPITAPH ON AN INFANT[68:1]

Ere Sin could blight or Sorrow fade, Death came with friendly care: The opening Bud to Heaven convey'd, And bade it blossom _there_.

1794.

FOOTNOTES:

[68:1] First published in the _Morning Chronicle_, September 23, 1794: included in _The Watchman_, No. IX, May 5, 1796, _Poems_ 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828, 1829, and 1834. These well-known lines, which vexed the soul of Charles Lamb, were probably adapted from 'An Epitaph on an Infant' in the churchyard of Birchington, Kent (_A Collection of Epitaphs_, 1806, i. 219):--

Ah! why so soon, just as the bloom appears, Drops the fair blossom in the vale of tears?

Death view'd the treasure in the desart given And claim'd the right of planting it in Heav'n.

In _MS. E_ a Greek version (possibly a rejected prize epigram) is prefixed with the accompanying footnote.

???e? e?? a?d??, ?a? d? t? p??e?s? t???e?: ???e? ad? ?ef??! t?? ?a?? d??e fa??.

?a e? e?? se? s?a ?at?? p????? p?t?a??e?

??see?? de Te? d??a d?d?s?? ?a![68:A]

[68:A] Translation of the Greek Epitaph. 'Thou art gone down into the Grave, and heavily do thy Parents feel the Loss. Thou art gone down into the Grave, sweet Baby! Thy short Light is set! Thy Father casts an Eye of Anguish towards thy Tomb--yet with uncomplaining Piety resigns to G.o.d his own Gift!'

Equal or Greater simplicity marks all the writings of the Greek Poets.--The above [i. e. the Greek] Epitaph was written in Imitation of them. [S. T. C.]

PANTISOCRACY[68:2]

No more my visionary soul shall dwell On joys that were; no more endure to weigh The shame and anguish of the evil day, Wisely forgetful! O'er the ocean swell Sublime of Hope, I seek the cottag'd dell 5 Where Virtue calm with careless step may stray, And dancing to the moonlight roundelay, The wizard Pa.s.sions weave an holy spell.

Eyes that have ach'd with Sorrow! Ye shall weep Tears of doubt-mingled joy, like theirs who start 10 From Precipices of distemper'd sleep, On which the fierce-eyed Fiends their revels keep, And see the rising Sun, and feel it dart New rays of pleasance trembling to the heart.

1794.

FOOTNOTES:

[68:2] First published in the _Life and Correspondence of R. Southey_, 1849, i. 224. First collected 1852 (Notes). Southey includes the sonnet in a letter to his brother Thomas dated Oct. 19, 1794, and attributes the authorship to Coleridge's friend S. Favell, with whom he had been in correspondence. He had already received the sonnet in a letter from Coleridge (dated Sept. 18, 1794), who claims it for his own and apologizes for the badness of the poetry. The octave was included (ll.

129-36) in the second version of the _Monody on the Death of Chatterton_, first printed in Lancelot Sharpe's edition of the _Poems_ of Chatterton published at Cambridge in 1794. Mrs. H. N. Coleridge (_Poems_, 1852, p. 382) prints the sonnet and apologizes for the alleged plagiarism. It is difficult to believe that either the first eight or last six lines of the sonnet were not written by Coleridge. It is included in the MS. volume of Poems which Coleridge presented to Mrs.

Estlin in 1795. The text is that of _Letter Sept. 18, 1794_.

LINENOTES:

t.i.tle] Sonnet MS. E.

[1] my] the MS. E.

[8] Pa.s.sions weave] Pa.s.sion wears Letter, Oct. 19 1794, 1852.

[9] Sorrow] anguish Letter, Oct. 19 1794, 1852.

[10] like theirs] as those Letter, Oct. 19 1794, 1852: as they, MS. E.

[13] feel] find Letter, Oct. 19 1794, 1852.

[14] pleasance] pleasure Letter, Oct. 19 1794, 1852.

ON THE PROSPECT OF ESTABLISHING A PANTISOCRACY IN AMERICA[69:1]

Whilst pale Anxiety, corrosive Care, The tear of Woe, the gloom of sad Despair, And deepen'd Anguish generous bosoms rend;-- Whilst patriot souls their country's fate lament; Whilst mad with rage demoniac, foul intent, 5 Embattled legions Despots vainly send To arrest the immortal mind's expanding ray Of everlasting Truth;--I other climes Where dawns, with hope serene, a brighter day Than e'er saw Albion in her happiest times, 10 With mental eye exulting now explore, And soon with kindred minds shall haste to enjoy (Free from the ills which here our peace destroy) Content and Bliss on Transatlantic sh.o.r.e.

1795.

FOOTNOTES:

[69:1] First published in the _Co-operative Magazine and Monthly Herald_, March 6, 1826, and reprinted in the _Athenaeum_, Nov. 5, 1904.

First collected in 1907. It has been conjectured, but proof is wanting, that the sonnet was written by Coleridge.

ELEGY[69:2]

IMITATED FROM ONE OF AKENSIDE'S BLANK-VERSE INSCRIPTIONS [(No.) III.]

Near the lone pile with ivy overspread, Fast by the rivulet's sleep-persuading sound, Where 'sleeps the moonlight' on yon verdant bed-- O humbly press that consecrated ground!

For there does Edmund rest, the learned swain! 5 And there his spirit most delights to rove: Young Edmund! fam'd for each harmonious strain, And the sore wounds of ill-requited Love.

Like some tall tree that spreads its branches wide, And loads the West-wind with its soft perfume, 10 His manhood blossom'd; till the faithless pride Of fair Matilda sank him to the tomb.

But soon did righteous Heaven her Guilt pursue!

Where'er with wilder'd step she wander'd pale, Still Edmund's image rose to blast her view, 15 Still Edmund's voice accus'd her in each gale.

With keen regret, and conscious Guilt's alarms, Amid the pomp of Affluence she pined; Nor all that lur'd her faith from Edmund's arms Could lull the wakeful horror of her mind. 20

Go, Traveller! tell the tale with sorrow fraught: Some tearful Maid perchance, or blooming Youth, May hold it in remembrance; and be taught That Riches cannot pay for Love or Truth.

? 1794.