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Nothing in the article about Coleridge's shift to Toryism by 1809? He was the premier conservative philosopher in Britain during the nineteenth century, even J.S. Mill famously acknowledged him as such. It's not a negligible aspect of his legacy. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.65.201.185 (talk) 11:47, 9 June 2010 (UTC)
The above comment is correct. Coleridge was a very important conservative thinker of the 19th century in Britain, this deserves a mention as does the fact he was at least as influenced by the British, Christian tradition of those like Hooker, the Cambridge Platonists and Burke as he was by any German idealism. 122.106.255.15 (talk) 01:55, 7 July 2010 (UTC)
Though it is true that Coleridge was, in some respects, a leading conservative philosopher, I think the reason that no one has ventured much concerning his politics here is that his ideas are difficult, mixed, fragmentary, and not strictly conservative in the orthodox sense. He had his own form of conservatism, and like Ruskin, has been called a Christian socialist. David Calleo wrote a book in the 1960s called Coleridge and the Idea of the Modern State which discusses Coleridge's unique form of conservatism. I can't remember the Coleridge scholar who became famous for calling him a Christian socialist - maybe someone else can recall. Anyway, whoever tackles this subject has to be subtle and knowledgeable. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Kirbycairo (talk • contribs) 23:20, 2 August 2010 (UTC) Looking through my things, I realize it was Basil Willey who called Coleridge a Christian Socialist. I don't know if this is an entirely fitting description but to simply call Coleridge a conservative is, I believe, also misleading. Coleridge clearly didn't have a lot of faith in universal suffrage, but he was not fond of the aristocracy either and he despised the "Tory reactionaries" of his time. I think it is safe to say that Coleridge was a 'gradualist' who hoped that the moral and philosophical standards of the race would improve over time and allow for a much more equal and just society. However, given that the same could be said of William Godwin, it is difficult to simply say that Coleridge was a 'conservative' in the same sense that many of his contemporaries were. Though he was not a 'radical' or a republican in the sense that Paine or Hazlitt were, he was definitely 'progressive' in a number of ways that many of his contemporaries were not. [[[User:Kirbycairo|Kirbycairo]] (talk) 00:24, 8 August 2010 (UTC)]
He was only "not a Conservative" in the modern American sense of the term because the American Right is a relatively recent invention. He was certainly no fan of free-market economists. But leading British intellectuals of the time like William Hazlitt and John Stuart Mill considered him a Conservative in the context of nineteenth century Britain, and I think their judgment is more pertinent than those of revisionist scholars who chafe at acknowledging the conservative and/or right-wing views of renowned writers. For example, how come I never see anyone claim, "to simply call him a Socialist is, I believe, misleading and reductive" or something along those lines? There is just as much diversity of opinion among right-wingers as there is among left-wingers. Okay, maybe the right doesn't have anything to match the four hundred different denominations of Marxism, but you get the point. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.65.201.185 (talk) 15:55, 8 August 2010 (UTC)
To clarify, just because Rose Luxemburg criticized the Bolsheviks does not mean she ceased being a Marxist, just because George Orwell spent lots of time criticizing other Socialists does not mean he was not a Socialist. So just because the Tory Coleridge criticized other Tories does not mean he was not a Tory himself at the time, and attempting to compare his Tory views to the radical William Godwin on anything beyond the most superficial level is just laughable.
And while "revisionist" might be too strong a word for someone like Basil Willey, there is certainly a long history of literary critics recasting the views of famous writers to make them more "acceptable" or similar to their own. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.65.201.185 (talk) 16:20, 8 August 2010 (UTC)
The above commentator certainly seems to have a serious ax to grind, and I believe an overly simplistic one. It just isn't as simple as this Unsigned comment leads us to believe. A good example of why is found in the fact that a "radical" like Tom Paine would not, by 20th century standards, be a radical because he had almost zero faith in state intervention. Given that both Coleridge and Paine (to say nothing of Hazlitt) lived before a time in which people could imagine dependable government services created on behalf of the working-class or the lumpen-proletariat, they were all suspicious of big-government because it meant something significantly different to them. I don't think just because he lived in the age, that Hazlitt had any privileged status to tell us who was or wasn't Conservative. Furthermore, Hazlitt was notoriously biased concerning Coleridge. I still contend that Coleridge was not conservative in the normal sense of the word because for most of his life he 1.Didn't trust the motives and the power of the 'ruling-class.' 2. He didn't trust nor did he seem to like the capitalist-class nor the capitalist effort. 3. He thought that society as it had evolved was profoundly unjust and this injustice had to be changed. 4. Unlike more notorious conservatives of his age Coleridge, even during his later years, was at pains to say that neglecting the needs and desires of the working-class would lead to revolution and this was perfectly understandable and even justified in Coleridge's mind. Furthermore, it is certainly not "laughable" to compare Godwin and Coleridge - they both had very similar goals and gradualist strategies. In Coleridge's 1795 lectures and his Watchman, Coleridge defined himself in contrast as well as in relation to the ideas of Godwin. They both spoke for non-violent, gradualist moral changes in society to a more just and equal system. The biggest difference was that Godwin's change was within the context of atheism and Coleridge's was in the context of Christian faith. Arguably, Godwin's radical credentials are overblown, and Coleridge's Conservative one are similarly overblown. This conversation could go on but there is not enough space here. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Kirbycairo (talk • contribs) 22:09, 17 August 2010 (UTC) I came here to learn something about Coleridge's political philosophy. I find this three year old discussion about how it should probably be mentioned, but then it isn't. I bet if he was a leftist this would have been fixed instantly. Thanks Wikipedia!
Hello all; I just wanted to add a few ideas to help clean up the article and see what others think.
I'm not sure where to put this but the related link "Biographical essay on Coleridge by Mike Philips at the British library. Retrieved 2010-10-19" is the wrong Samuel Coleridge, and therefore a irrelevant link. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.78.234.40 (talk) 03:09, 21 October 2010 (UTC)
The relevance of his Notebooks should be mentioned.James Hercules Sutton 20:39, 4 February 2012 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by JamesSutton (talk • contribs)
Here is part of what I have for the early life. It is about 60% finished. I should have the rest completed later. This is just to give everyone a sense. Ottava Rima (talk) 16:48, 15 May 2009 (UTC)
I don't understand the sentence "He was the youngest of thirteen children, though ten of them were by his father, the Reverend John Coleridge, and a second wife." He had 10 half-sibs? Can't this all be said more clearly, if more verbosely? Myron (talk) 07:20, 30 May 2009 (UTC)
This is what I have so far for an early life page. It is roughly 80% done (text wise, sans images, of which there are 6/7 to add). As you can see, it focuses on important career development and nothing fluffy. Ottava Rima (talk) 01:28, 18 May 2009 (UTC)
The early life page is mostly complete (there will be a same expansion) and the new early poems are almost complete. Once I finish that set, I will work on his conversation poems and then his sonnets to eminent men. That should cover 90%+ of his notable poems before 1798. Ottava Rima (talk) 19:58, 27 May 2009 (UTC)
I think this section needs to be broken down into at least two sections. Drug use can probably exist on its own, or it can be mixed into the biography less abruptly with "Later life" and "Opium Addiction and Death" sections or something of the sort. Also I don't think that the website cited for the discussion of Faustus is really the best source we can find on the subject. I appologize for my lack of support in this, but real life tends to strike when you least expect it:) Mrathel (talk) 13:35, 28 May 2009 (UTC)
There should be mention of the extent to which Coleridge copied ideas and writing(s) from German-language sources (passing them off as his own).Historian932 (talk) 18:47, 27 April 2010 (UTC)
His daughter Sara Coleridge, sons Hartley Coleridge and Derwent Coleridge, grandson Ernest Hartley Coleridge, and granddaughter Christabel Coleridge all have their own wikipedia entries which link back here, but the only mention of any of his family in this entry appears to be the linked portrait of his daughter Sara. The omission of his children and grandchildren from a general biographical article seems odd, especially as some of them edited various editions of his works, and are considered notable enough to have entries in their own right. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Filigree11 (talk • contribs) 14:08, 26 September 2010 (UTC)
I don't have the required time or expertise to add a new section to the proper standard: I'm merely bringing this to the attention of the more knowledgeable people who wrote the entry.Filigree11 (talk) 10:25, 29 September 2010 (UTC)
Hello! This is a note to let the editors of this article know that File:Samuel Taylor Coleridge at age 42.jpg will be appearing as picture of the day on October 21, 2010. You can view and edit the POTD blurb at Template:POTD/2010-10-21. If this article needs any attention or maintenance, it would be preferable if that could be done before its appearance on the Main Page so Wikipedia doesn't look bad. :) Thanks! howcheng {chat} 21:51, 15 October 2010 (UTC)
A merge with Coleridge and opium was suggested in 2008 and it seems, never followed up. I suggest this article should also be merged with Early life of Samuel Taylor Coleridge - wholly or at least partially. There is much repetition in the three. This main Coleridge article is patchy and has almost no citation. I think, putting the three together would raise it considerably. I'm not sure if Ottava Rima had been planning to go for an FA and put it on hold, but it seems we should use what we presently have and back it up with good sources where we need them. There's a lot of good work here. Thoughts? Span (talk) 21:01, 21 October 2010 (UTC)
I have added a paragraph, entirely cited to An Illustrated Literary Guide to Shropshire (1987) by Gordon Dickins, detailing a period of a few months (dates December 1797-February 1798), when he also worked as locum to the Unitarian minister in Shrewsbury, reputedly read The Rime of the Ancient Mariner at a literary evening, preached a probationary sermon, met William Hazlitt, and received means to give up a ministry career.Cloptonson (talk) 20:55, 28 June 2012 (UTC)
The file File:Samuel Taylor Coleridge portrait.jpg doesn't look like Coleridge to me; hair too short and doesn't correspond with other contemporary portraits from 1790s. Possibly Charles Lloyd? --Jotoro (talk) 15:06, 12 October 2012 (UTC)
Just before the sub-heading "West Midlands and the North", there is a sentence which reads: "And he was a male poet". This seems like a superfluous sentence, as that he was a male poet is obvious from the rest of the article. Vorbee (talk) 15:05, 28 May 2019 (UTC)
With the original publication dates. Surely this is essential information? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 60.240.143.243 (talk) 22:51, 19 October 2021 (UTC)
"He grew to detest his wife, whom he married mainly because of social constraints." What? I've heard of marriages being forbidden because of social constraints, but what could it possibly mean to claim that they were forced to marry because of social constraints?77Mike77 (talk) 02:00, 12 December 2021 (UTC)
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