Biographia Literaria

'Biographia Literaria or Biographical Sketches of My Literary Life and Opinions' is a seminal work of literary criticism and philosophical autobiography by the English Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. This influential text serves as a comprehensive exploration of Coleridge’s aesthetic theories, his reflections on the nature of language, and his personal journey through the intellectual landscape of the early 19th century. A central pillar of the work is Coleridge’s groundbreaking distinction between the 'primary' and 'secondary' imagination and 'fancy,' a framework that redefined the understanding of creative genius for generations of writers and critics. The text also offers an extensive and nuanced critique of the poetic principles of his contemporary, William Wordsworth, particularly regarding the use of common language in poetry. Beyond its critical rigor, 'Biographia Literaria' provides intimate insights into the author’s philosophical influences, including his deep engagement with German Idealism and the works of Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Schelling. This volume remains an essential text for students of English literature and philosophy, providing a window into the mind of one of the Romantic movement’s most significant thinkers and his enduring contributions to the study of the human imagination.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.