by Coleridge · Cluster: Bible · Sin and the Fall · Fall from Innocence
Abstract
Variorum notes and verse-fragments to ‘Religious Musings’ on the Nativity vision, the despised Galilaean, the apocalyptic fall of Babylon and union of religion with power; themes of faith, apocalypse, original sin, and critique of established churches.
Connections
Themes & Concepts: Faith, Apocalypse and Millennium, Sin and the Fall, Power and Corruption Forms & Genres: Fragment Historical References: Bible, French Revolution Characters: Christ
Testo integrale / Full text
May 30th, 1794, the Duke
of Bedford
moved
a
number
of Resolutions, with a view to the Establishment of a Peace with France.
He was opposed (among others) by Lord Abingdon in these remarkable
words: ‘The best road to Peace, my Lords, is WAR! and WAR carried on in
the same manner in which we are taught to worship our CREATOR, namely,
with all our souls, and with all our minds, and with all our hearts, and
with all our strength.’ [Footnote to line 159, 1797, 1803, 1828,
1829, and 1834.]
act the part of a swindler, and who skulked from his impotent attacks on
the liberties of France to perpetrate more successful iniquity in the
plains of Poland. Note to line 193. Notes, 1796, p. 170.
himself and his strumpets at Paris by the vast sums which he received
from the British Government during the American War for the flesh of his
subjects. Notes, 1796, p. 176.
not die. O Lord! thou hast ordained them for judgment, &c. Habakkuk i.
12. Note to line 212. Notes, 1796, p. 171. Footnote, 1828, 1829,
1834.
Art thou not, &c. In this paragraph the Author recalls himself from his
indignation against the instruments of Evil, to contemplate the uses
of these Evils in the great process of divine Benevolence. In the first
age, Men were innocent from ignorance of Vice; they fell, that by the
knowledge of consequences they might attain intellectual security, i. e.
Virtue, which is a wise and strong-nerv’d Innocence. Footnote to line
196, 1797: to line 204, 1803.
because it gives the teacher an improper bias in favour of particular
opinions on a subject where it is of the last importance that the mind
should be perfectly unbiassed. Such is my private opinion; but I mean
not to censure all hired teachers, many among whom I know, and venerate
as the best and wisest of men — God forbid that I should think of these,
when I use the word PRIEST, a name, after which any other term of
abhorrence would appear an anti-climax. By a Priest I mean a man who
holding the scourge of power in his right hand and a bible (translated
by authority) in his left, doth necessarily cause the bible and the
scourge to be associated ideas, and so produces that temper of mind
which leads to Infidelity — Infidelity which judging of Revelation by the
doctrines and practices of established Churches honors God by rejecting
Christ. See ‘Address to the People’, p. 57, sold by Parsons, Paternoster
Row. Note to line 235. Notes, 1796, pp. 171, 172.
rugged top of Chiggre, to which we were fast approaching, and where we
were to solace ourselves with plenty of good water, IDRIS cried out with
a loud voice, ‘Fall upon your faces, for here is the Simoom’. I saw from
the S.E. an haze come on, in colour like the purple part of the rainbow,
but not so compressed or thick. It did not occupy twenty yards in
breadth, and was about twelve feet high from the ground. — We all lay
flat on the ground, as if dead, till IDRIS told us it was blown over.
The meteor, or purple haze, which I saw, was indeed passed; but the
light air that still blew was of heat to threaten suffocation. Bruce’s
Travels, vol. 4, p. 557. Note to line 288. Notes, 1796, pp. 172,
173.
believe it is the Elephant, some the Hippopotamus; some affirm it is the
Wild Bull. Poetically, it designates any large Quadruped. [Footnote to
l. 279, 1797: to l. 286, 1803. Reprinted in 1828, 1829, and
1834. The note to l. 294 in
1796, p. 173 ran thus: Used poetically
for a very large quadruped, but in general it designates the elephant.]
Divine. — And I looked and beheld a pale horse; and his name that sat on
him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them
over the FOURTH part of the Earth to kill with sword, and with hunger,
and with pestilence, and with the beasts of the Earth. — And when he had
opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were
slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held; and
white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto
them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow
servants also, and their brethren that should be killed as they were
should be fulfilled. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, the
stars of Heaven fell unto the Earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her
untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind] And the kings of the
earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, &c.
Note to line 324. Notes, 1796, pp. 174, 175.
1796: This passage alludes to the French Revolution: and the
subsequent paragraph to the downfall of Religious Establishments. I am
convinced that the Babylon of the Apocalypse does not apply to Rome
exclusively; but to the union of Religion with Power and Wealth,
wherever it is found. Footnote to line 320, 1797, to line 322,
1803.
vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, come hither! I will show unto
thee the judgment of the great Whore, that sitteth upon many waters:
with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, &c.
Revelation of St. John the Divine, chapter the seventeenth. Note to l.
343. Notes, 1796, p. 175.
enjoy the highest glory, of which his human nature is capable. — That all
who in past ages have endeavoured to ameliorate the state of man will
rise and enjoy the fruits and flowers, the imperceptible seeds of which
they had sown in their former Life: and that the wicked will during the
same period, be suffering the remedies adapted to their several bad
habits. I suppose that this period will be followed by the passing away
of this Earth and by our entering the state of pure intellect; when all
Creation shall rest from its labours. Footnote to line 365, 1797, to
line 367, 1803.
1797, to line 380, 1803: reprinted in 1828, 1829, and 1834.]
and behold, a Throne was set in Heaven and one sat on the Throne. And he
that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone, &c.
[Footnote to line 386, 1797, to line 389, 1803: reprinted in
1828, 1829, and 1834.]
1797, to line 396, 1803: reprinted in 1828, 1829, and 1834.]
believe and feel the sublime system of Berkley (sic); and the doctrine
of the final Happiness of all men. Footnote to line 402, 1797, to
line 405, 1803.
Title] —— on Christmas Eve. In the year of Our Lord, 1794.
This is the time, when most divine to hear,
As with a Cherub’s ‘loud uplifted’ trump
The voice of Adoration my thrill’d heart
Rouses! And with the rushing noise of wings
Transports my spirit to the favor’d fields 5
Of Bethlehem, there in shepherd’s guise to sit
Sublime of extacy, and mark entranc’d
The glory-streaming VISION throng the night.
Ah not more radiant, nor loud harmonies
Hymning more unimaginably sweet 10
With choral songs around th’ ETERNAL MIND,
The constellated company of WORLDS
Danc’d jubilant: what time the startling East
Saw from her dark womb leap her flamy child!
Glory to God in the Highest! PEACE on Earth! 15
Yet thou more bright than all that Angel Blaze,
Despiséd GALILAEAN! Man of Woes!
For chiefly in the oppressed Good Man’s face
The Great Invisible (by symbols seen)
Shines with peculiar and concentred light, 20
When all of Self regardless the scourg’d Saint
Mourns for th’ oppressor. O thou meekest Man! 25
Meek Man and lowliest of the Sons of Men!
Who thee beheld thy imag’d Father saw.
His Power and Wisdom from thy awful eye
Blended their beams, and loftier Love sat there
Musing on human weal, and that dread hour 30
When thy insulted, &c.
1796.
And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of
the heavenly Host, praising God and saying glory to God in the
highest and on earth peace. Luke ii. 13 1796.
Philip saith unto him, Lord! shew us the Father and it
sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time
with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath
seen me hath seen the Father. John xiv. 9 1796.
What mists dim-floating of Idolatry
Split and mishap’d the Omnipresent Sire:
And first by Terror, Mercy’s startling prelude,
Uncharm’d the Spirit spell-bound with earthy lusts.
1796.
They cannot dread created might, who love
God the Creator! fair and lofty thought!
It lifts and swells my heart! and as I muse,
Behold a VISION gathers in my soul,
Voices and shadowy shapes! In human guise
I seem to see the phantom, FEAR, pass by,
Hotly-pursued, and pale! From rock to rock
He bounds with bleeding feet, and thro’ the swamp,
The quicksand and the groaning wilderness,
Struggles with feebler and yet feebler flight.
But lo! an altar in the wilderness,
And eagerly yet feebly lo! he grasps
The altar of the living God! and there
With wan reverted face the trembling wretch
All wildly list’ning to his Hunter-fiends
Stands, till the last faint echo of their yell
Dies in the distance. Soon refresh’d from Heaven &c.
1803.
Swims in his eyes: his swimming eyes uprais’d:
And Faith’s whole armour girds his limbs! And thus
Transfigur’d, with a meek and dreadless awe,
A solemn hush of spirit he beholds
1803.
Yea, and there,
Unshudder’d unaghasted, he shall view
E’en the SEVEN SPIRITS, who in the latter day
Will shower hot pestilence on the sons of men,
For he shall know, his heart shall understand,
That kindling with intenser Deity
They from the MERCY-SEAT like rosy flames,
From God’s celestial MERCY-SEAT will flash,
And at the wells of renovating LOVE
Fill their Seven Vials with salutary wrath.
1796.
For even these on wings of healing come,
Yea, kindling with intenser Deity
From the Celestial MERCY SEAT they speed,
And at the renovating &c.
1803.
Darkling with earnest eyes he traces out
Th’ immediate road, all else of fairest kind
1803.
O Fiends of SUPERSTITION! not that oft
Your pitiless rites have floated with man’s blood
The skull-pil’d Temple, not for this shall wrath
Thunder against you from the Holy One!
But (whether ye th’ unclimbing Bigot mock
With secondary Gods, or if more pleas’d
Ye petrify th’ imbrothell’d Atheist’s heart,
The Atheist your worst slave) I o’er some plain
Peopled with Death, and to the silent Sun
Steaming with tyrant-murder’d multitudes;
Or where mid groans and shrieks loud-laughing TRADE
More hideous packs his bales of living anguish
1796.
The wafted perfumes, gazing on the woods
The many tinted streams
1803.
1828, 1829.
Ye whom Oppression’s ruffian gluttony
Drives from the feast of life
1803.
Dost roam for prey — yea thy unnatural hand
Liftest to deeds of blood
1796.
Nights of pollution, days of blasphemy,
Who in thy orgies with loath’d wassailers
1803.
supplicants! that oft Watchman.
Rack’d with disease, from the unopen’d gate
Of the full Lazar-house, heart-broken crawl!
1796, Watchman.
O ye to scepter’d Glory’s gore-drench’d field
Forc’d or ensnar’d, who swept by Slaughter’s scythe
Stern nurse of Vultures! steam in putrid heaps
1796.
O ye that steaming to the silent Noon,
People with Death red-eyed Ambition’s plains!
O Wretched Widow
Watchman.
1803, 1828, 1829.
When on some solemn Jubilee of Saints
The sapphire-blazing gates of Paradise
Are thrown wide open, and thence voyage forth
Detachments wild of seraph-warbled airs
1796, Watchman.
The SAVIOUR comes! While as to solemn strains,
The THOUSAND YEARS lead up their mystic dance
Old OCEAN claps his hands! the DESERT shouts!
And soft gales wafted from the haunts of spring
Melt the primaeval North!
The Mighty Dead 1796.
Down the fine fibres from the sentient brain
Roll subtly-surging. Pressing on his steps
Lo! PRIESTLEY there, Patriot, and Saint, and Sage,
Whom that my fleshly eye hath never seen
A childish pang of impotent regret
Hath thrill’d my heart. Him from his native land
1796.
Up the fine fibres thro’ the sentient brain
Pass in fine surges. Pressing on his steps
Lo! Priestley there
1803.
Sweeping before the rapt prophetic Gaze
Bright as what glories of the jasper throne
Stream from the gorgeous and face-veiling plumes
Of Spirits adoring! Ye blest years! must end
1796.
red-eyed Fiend outstretcht 1803.
[Between 391, 392] DESTRUCTION! when the Sons of Morning shout, The
Angels shout, DESTRUCTION 1803.