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Coleridge's Watchman


Coleridge, among his many speculations, started a periodical, in prose

and verse, entitled The Watchman, with the motto, "that all might know

the truth, and that the truth might make us free." He watched in vain!

Coleridge's incurable want of order and punctuality, and his philosophical

theories, tired out and disgusted his readers, and the work was

discontinued after the ninth number. Of the unsaleable nature of this

publication, he relates an amusing illustration. Happening one morning

to rise at an earlier hour than usual, he observed his servant-girl

putting an extravagant quantity of paper into the grate, in order to

light the fire, and he mildly checked her for her wastefulness: "La!

sir," replied Nanny; "why, it's only Watchmen."



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