by Coleridge · Cluster: Nationalism and Patriotism · Democracy · Liberty Political Freedom
Abstract
An editorial headnote praising Coleridge’s ode against France’s conduct toward Switzerland as the work of a steadfast friend to liberty; prose paratext on freedom and the French Revolution.
Connections
Themes & Concepts: Liberty Political Freedom, Disillusionment, War and its Cost Forms & Genres: Ode Historical References: French Revolution
Testo integrale / Full text
The following excellent Ode will be in unison with the feelings of every
friend to Liberty and foe to Oppression; of all who, admiring the French
Revolution, detest and deplore the conduct of France towards
Switzerland. It is very satisfactory to find so zealous and steady an
advocate for Freedom as Mr. COLERIDGE concur with us in condemning the
conduct of France towards the Swiss Cantons. Indeed his concurrence is
not singular; we know of no Friend to Liberty who is not of his opinion.
What we most admire is the avowal of his sentiments, and public
censure of the unprincipled and atrocious conduct of France. The Poem
itself is written with great energy. The second, third, and fourth
stanzas contain some of the most vigorous lines we have ever read. The
lines in the fourth stanza: —
‘To scatter rage and trait’rous guilt
Where Peace her jealous home had built,’
to the end of the stanza are particularly expressive and beautiful.
To the second Morning Post version (1802) a note and Argument were
prefixed: —
The following ODE was first published in this paper (in the beginning of
the year 1798) in a less perfect state. The present state of France and
Switzerland give it so peculiar an interest at the present time that we
wished to re-publish it and accordingly have procured from the Author a
corrected copy.