Aids to Reflection Author(s): Coleridge, Samuel Taylor (1772-1834) Publisher: CCEL Subjects: English literature 19th century, 1770/1800-1890/1900 i Contents PRELIMINARY ESSAY. 1 THE AUTHORS ADDRESS 22 THE AUTHORS PREFACE. 23 AIDS TO REFLECTION. 26 REFLECTIONS. 41 PRUDENTIAL APHORISMS. 45 MORAL AND RELIGIOUS APHORISMS. 50 APHORISM IV. 51 APHORISM V. 52 APHORISM VI. 54 APHORISM VII. 62 APHORISM VIII. 63 APHORISM IX. 64 APHORISM X. 65 APHORISM XI. Plotinus thanked God, that his soul was not tied to an immortal 66 body. APHORISM XII. 67 APHORISM XIII. 68 APHORISM XVII. 72 INCONSISTENCY. 73 APHORISM XVII CONTINUED. 74 THE ORDINARY MOTIVE TO INCONSISTENCY. 75 APHORISM XVIII. 76 SUPERFICIAL RECONCILIATIONS, AND SELF-DECEIT IN FORGIVING. 77 APHORISM XIX. 78 OF THE WORTH AND THE DUTIES OF THE PREACHER. 79 ii APHORISM XX. 80 COMMENT. 81 APHORISM XXI. 83 APHORISM XXII. 84 Knowledge not the ultimate end of religious pursuits. 85 APHORISM XXIII. 86 THE SUM OF CHURCH HISTORY. 87 APHORISM XXIV. 88 WORTHY TO BE FRAMED AND HUNG UP IN THE LIBRARY OF EVERY 89 THEOLOGICAL STUDENT. APHORISM XXV. 90 APHORISM XXVI. 91 THE ABSENCE OF DISPUTES, AND A GENERAL AVERSION TO 92 RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSIES, NO PROOF OF TRUE UNANIMITY. APHORISM XXVII. 93 APHORISM XXVIII. 94 APHORISM XXIX. 95 APHORISM XXX. 96 APHORISM XXXI. 97 APHORISM XXXII. 98 APHORISM XXXIII. 99 APHORISM XXXIV. 100 APHORISM XXXV. 101 ASPHORISM XXXVI. 103 COMMENT. 104 APHORISM XXXVII. 105 APHORISM XXXVIII. 106 APHORISM XXXIX. 107 APHORISM XL. 108 APHORISM XLI. 109 APHORISM XLII. 111 APHORISM XLIII. 112 iii APHORISM XLIV. 113 APHORISM XLV. 114 APHORISM XLVI. 115 APHORISM XLVII. 116 APHORISM XLVIII. 118 APHORISM XLIX. 119 APHORISM L. 120 COMMENT. 121 ELEMENTS OF RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHY, 122 APHORISMS 127 APHORISM I. 128 Aphorism II. 129 APHORISM III. 130 APHORISM IV. 131 APHORISM V. 132 APHORISM VI. 133 COMMENT. 134 APHORISMS 136 APHORISM I. 138 COMMENT. 139 APHORISM II. 140 COMMENT. 141 APHORISM III. 154 COMMENT. 155 APHORISM IV. 156 APHORISM V. 157 COMMENT. 158 Aphorism VI. 160 APHORISM VII. 161 COMMENT. 163 APHORISM VIII. 167 COMMENT. 168 iv ON THE DIFFERENCE IN KIND OF REASON AND THE 173 UNDERSTANDING. 174 SCHEME OF THE ARGUMENT. 175 UNDERSTANDING. 179 REASON. 180 APHORISM IV. 188 SEQUELAE: OR THOUGHTS SUGGESTED BY THE PRECEDING 189 APHORISM. COMMENT. 192 ON INSTINCT IN CONNEXION WITH THE UNDERSTANDING. 194 REFLECTIONS INTRODUCTORY TO APHORISM X. 197 APHORISM X. 201 ON ORIGINAL SIN. 202 COMMENT. 206 APHORISM XI. 222 APHORISM XII. 223 PALEY NOT A MORALIST. 224 APHORISM XIII. 225 APHORISM XIV. 228 APHORISM XV. 229 COMMENT. 230 APHORISM XVI. 231 APHORISM XVII. 232 COMMENT 233 ON THE THREE PRECEDING APHORISMS 234 APHORISM XVIII. 238 APHORISM XIX. 242 COMMENT. 243 *Answers.* 250 SCHOLIUM TO ANSWER II. 251 SCHOLIUM TO ANSWER III. 252 APHORISM XX. 255 v APHORISM XXI. 256 APHORISM XXII. 257 NOTE PREFACTORY TO 258 APHORISM XXIII. 259 APHORISM XXIII. 262 COMMENT. 263 APHORISM. 269 ON BAPTISM. 270 COMMENT, 271 Marginal note written (in 1816) in a copy of Walls Work. 281 CONCLUSION. 282 MYSTICS AND MYSTICISM. 285 APPENDIX. 297 Indexes 298 Index of Pages of the Print Edition 299 vi This PDF file is from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library, www.ccel.org. 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It may be freely copied for non-commercial purposes as long as it is not modified. All other rights are re- served. Written permission is required for commercial use. vii PRELIMINARY ESSAY. PRELIMINARY ESSAY. PRELIMINARY ESSAY. BY THE REV. JOHN M'VICKAR. In the following reprint of Coleridge's "Aids to Reflection" as recently put forth in Lon- don, by his nephew and executor, with the author's final amendments, the Preface therein adopted of the earlier American edition of 1829, has been after full consideration dropped. It is due to the American public as well as to the extended reputation of that Preface, and of its able author, the Key. Dr. James Marsh, to state the reasons which in the judgment of the present editor have rendered its republication inexpedient in connexion with the present stereotype edition, addressed as the work now is generally to the Church at large, but more especially to the members of that communion of which its eminent and lamented author was an affectionate and faithful son. The reasons are as follows: 1 That such Preface is mainly occupied in justifying Coleridge and his philosophy against objections which have no place except on the Calvinistic scheme of Divinity. But these obviously are difficulties in the way of the reception not of Coleridge's but of his commentator's opinions, objections therefore not with churchmen but with dissenters from the Church. 2 That it inculcates what is deemed a false and dangerous principle, viz. that some system of metaphysical pbilosophy [continue]is essential to soundness in Christian doctrine. "For myself" says Dr. Marsh, "I am fully convinced that we can have no right views of Theology till we have right views viii of the human mind," (Preface p. 23.) Now this certainly is not the creed of the Church nor the spirit of its formularies, and as surely it is not the principle inculcated by his author. "Religion," says Coleridge, "has no speculative dogmas-Christianity is not a theory, or a speculation; but a life:—not a philosophy of life, but a life and a living process," (p. 150). 3. That it tends to a misapprehension of Coleridge's Religious views by identifying them with "what among us," says Dr. Marsh, "are termed the Evangelical Doctrines of Religion," (p. 14.) Now this term used as a party name, in which sense alone it can be here understood, is one peculiarly inappropriate as applied to Coleridge—for not only does he everywhere magnify those doctrines which such teachers are understood to make light of; viz., the ne- cessity of union with the one viable Church, and of communion in its spiritual sacraments, and the sin of schism in separating from it; not only too does he decry what such doctrine 1 PRELIMINARY ESSAY. is understood to elevate, viz., that "the baptized," to use Coleridge's own words, "are each individually to be called, converted, and chosen, with all the corollaries from this assumption, the watching for signs and sensible assurances, the frames, and the states, and the feelings, and the sudden conversions"--doctrines, says he, which have "never been in any age taught or countenanced by any known or accredited Christian church, or by any body and succession of learned Divines"--not only does he thus teach in double opposition to them, but he further expressly discards the name, and speaks with but little respect of what he terms "the conta- gious fever-boils of the (most unfitly so called) Evangelicals," (p. 242, note). Now, whether right or wrong in his judgment of them, our author certainly, at least, is not to be ranked under the same distinctive appellation with them. 4. That its unqualified eulogium of Col- eridge and his opinions renders it an unsafe guide for young and enthusiastic minds, and may lead many of its readers, as it certainly tends to lead all, into a dangerous over trust on human and private authority in the interpretation of Divine truth. Fully sharing with Dr. ix Marsh as the present editor does, in his affectionate admiration of the genius and writings of Coleridge, and in his belief of their growing and happy influence on the rising generation, and acknowledging in common with him that debt incalculable which all feel as due to one whose words have been to their spirit "words of power," still must he follow Coleridge, and teach others to follow him as a fallible leader, with thoughtful and wary steps, and not only so, but as one who hath actually left behind him slippery as well as safe footprints, in the path of Religious inquiry. And lastly, it is rejected as being a Preface which takes too much knowledge for granted on the part of the reader, to answer the present demand of an edition fitted for popular use. At the time it was written, Coleridge was a living teacher, and his speculations known and sought after only by the philosophic or professional student. Now his teaching has become the heritage of the public--his name that of an established classic, and his deep disquisitions are passing into the hands of thousands, to whom without some preparatory instruction, they are little better than a sealed book. Under such changed circumstances a new Preface, and one of another character, was obviously needed. Such are the reasons which to the present editor have seemed imperiously to demand from him, with all the humility he felt for the task, a new, plainer, and more catholic Intro- duction to Coleridge's "Aids to Reflection." In entering upon it, he would fain avoid all idea of competition with his predecessor, as being well aware that his own chief fitness for the task, and certainly his only vantage ground in it, arises from his being of "kin" in church and doctrine with the author whose philosophy of both he presumes to comment upon.