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Confessions of an Inquiring Spirit and Some Miscellaneous Pieces

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834)

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  • 3 hours to read
  • 8 chapters
  • Reading level: College-level

"Confessions of an Inquiring Spirit and Some Miscellaneous Pieces" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is a philosophical exploration and collection of essays written in the early 19th century. It delves into religious experience, particularly how faith is influenced by personal understanding and inquiry into the nature of inspiration and scripture. Coleridge's reflections present an engaging discourse on spirituality, the nuances of belief, and the tension between reason and faith. The opening of the work introduces the reader to Coleridge's contemplations during a period of illness, prompting him to reflect inwardly on his faith and spiritual struggles. He mentions being inspired by a text, drawing a parallel between his own seeking of truth and the experiences of others as he contemplates religious doctrines. Through a heartfelt and intricate articulation of his thoughts, he begins to outline his "Confessions," in which he seeks to reconcile his intellect with his faith and confronts the complexities of interpreting scripture within the context of divine inspiration. As he starts to categorize his beliefs, Coleridge sets the stage for a deeper analysis of Christianity's truths and the condition of belief in the modern world.

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  • Bible · Inspiration

Read the opening

Letter I

MY DEAR FRIEND,

I EMPLOYED the compelled and most unwelcome leisure of severe indisposition in reading The Confessions of a Fair Saint in Mr. Carlyle’s recent translation of the Wilhelm Meister, which might, I think, have been better rendered literally The Confessions of a Beautiful Soul. This, acting in conjunction with the concluding sentences of your letter, threw my thoughts inward on my own religious experience, and gave immediate occasion to the following Confessions of one who is neither fair nor saintly, but who, groaning under a deep sense of infirmity and manifold imperfection, feels the want, the necessity, of religious support; who cannot afford to lose any the smallest buttress, but who not only loves Truth even for itself, and when it reveals itself aloof from all interest, but who loves it with an indescribable awe, which too often withdraws the genial sap of his activity from the columnar trunk, the sheltering leaves, the bright and fragrant flower, and the foodful or medicinal fruitage, to the deep root, ramifying in obscurity and labyrinthine way-winning—

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Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Letter I
  3. Letter II
  4. Letter III
  5. Letter IV
  6. Letter V
  7. Letter VI
  8. Letter VII

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About this edition

This free edition of Confessions of an Inquiring Spirit and Some Miscellaneous Pieces by Samuel Taylor Coleridge comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #2575, released 2001-04-01. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Essays, Letters & Speeches, Philosophy & Ethics, Religion/Spirituality.

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