Post on 18-Jan-2015
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October 21, 1772: Samuel Taylor Coleridge is born in Ottery
St. Mary, Devonshire, the youngest of ten children of John and Anne Bowden
Coleridge.
1775
At the age of three, Coleridge enrolls at Dame Key's Reading School. He
later attends Henry VIII Free Grammar School in Ottery St. Mary.
October 6, 1781
Coleridge's father, the Reverend John
Coleridge, dies. Samuel is sent to Christ's
Hospital, a London boarding school that
gives free education to orphans.
1791
Coleridge enrolls at Cambridge University as a member of Jesuit
College. He arrives just after William Wordsworth graduates.
April 1794
The Coleridge family bargains to take Samuel out of the army, and
he returns to Cambridge. With fellow student Robert Southey, he organizes a utopian society known
as the Pantisocracy. Coleridge leaves Cambridge without a
degree. He lectures and writes in order to raise money for the
Pantisocracy.
October 4, 1795
Coleridge marries Sara Fricker, the sister of
Robert Southey's fiancée. Their marriage turns out to be an unsuccessful and unhappy one, and
Coleridge spends most of his life living apart from his wife and children.
June 5, 1797
Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth meet for the first time. They
become instant friends.
September 1798
Lyrical Ballads (a collaboration work with
Wordsworth) is published. Coleridge and Wordsworth travel to Germany for an
extended stay.
Another son is born, but dies before Coleridge comes
home. Coleridge sinks into depression
1800 Because of his
rheumatism, Coleridge is prescribed a medication
called Laudanum, an opiate. It begins an
addiction that he would struggle with for the rest of
his life.
Another son, Derwent, is born.
1804
Coleridge travels out of the country to Malta, hoping the climate will
improve his health. He stays
away for two years.
1806
Coleridge separates from his wife, but continues to support her and his children. A divorce never occurs.
1808
Moves in with Wordsworth. The two separate two years later when
Coleridge discovers that Wordsworth has been speaking ill of him behind
his back.
The two reconcile two years later, 1810
1820
Hartley Coleridge is expelled from
school for drunkenness. Two years later, Hartley
runs away. Coleridge never
sees his eldest son again.
July 25, 1834
Coleridge dies in his doctor’s home. He is
buried in Highgate in the
aisle of St. Michael's Church
Gravestone Inscription
'Stop, Christian Passer-by! - Stop, child of God,
And read with gentle breast. Beneath this sodA poet lies, or that which once seem'd he. -
O, lift one thought in prayer for S.T.C.;That he who many a year with toil of breath
Found death in life, may here find life in death!Mercy for praise - to be forgiven for fame
He ask'd for praise - to be forgiven for fameHe ask'd, and hoped, through Christ.
Do thou the same!'