Sonnet VII. To Burke by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Poem, Summary, & Analysis)

 

Sonnet VII. To Burke

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

(Poem, Summary, & Analysis) 

Sonnet VII. To Burke

As late I lay in Slumber's shadowy vale,

With wetted cheek and in a mourner's guise,

I saw the sainted form of FREEDOM rise:

She spake! not sadder moans the autumnal gale.

'Great Son of Genius! sweet to me thy name,

Ere in an evil hour with alter'd voice

Thou bad'st Oppression's hireling crew rejoice

Blasting with wizard spell my laurell'd fame.

Yet never, Burke! thou drank'st Corruption's bowl!

Thee stormy Pity, and the cherished lure

Of Pomp, and proud Precipitance of soul,

Wildered with meteor fires.  Ah, Spirit pure!

That error's mist had left thy purged eye:

So might I clasp thee with a Mother's joy!'

 

Summary

The poem begins with the speaker describing a moment when he was lying in a dreamlike state, "in Slumber's shadowy vale," which suggests he was between sleep and wakefulness. His cheeks were wet with tears, and he was in mourning, suggesting sorrow or grief.

In this sorrowful dream-state, he sees the figure of Freedom, portrayed as a saintly and noble being, rise before him. This personified figure of Freedom speaks directly to Burke—a reference to Edmund Burke, the 18th-century British statesman and writer.

Freedom recalls a time when Burke’s name was dear and sweet to her—before he changed his stance (referred to as "an evil hour") and, with a different tone, encouraged or gave support to those who oppressed others. She accuses him of causing joy among the "hireling crew" of oppression—those paid or bribed to support tyranny—and in doing so, tainting the fame she once proudly associated with him. She says it was like casting a harmful spell that damaged the honor ("laurell’d fame") she once gave him.

Despite her disappointment, Freedom acknowledges that Burke never truly became corrupt. He did not "drink Corruption’s bowl"—a metaphor for not becoming morally depraved or wicked. Instead, he was misled by intense feelings of compassion ("stormy Pity"), by the attractions of glory and status ("the cherished lure of Pomp"), and by a hasty, impulsive nature ("proud Precipitance of soul"). These forces confused his judgment, leading him astray like one chasing misleading lights ("meteor fires").

In the final lines, Freedom speaks with compassion and hope. She wishes that the mist of error—his misguided judgment—had cleared from his vision, or "purged eye," so that she could embrace him again with the pure joy of a mother reunited with her child.

 

Analysis in Detail

Context & Background:

This sonnet is part of a series called Sonnets on Eminent Characters, written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in the 1790s. In this particular poem, Coleridge addresses Edmund Burke, a prominent political thinker and statesman of the 18th century.

Burke was initially a supporter of liberty and reform—especially admired for defending American colonists’ rights. However, he later denounced the French Revolution, which disappointed many radicals and Romantic poets like Coleridge. This shift in Burke's political stance forms the core of the poem.

 

Line-by-Line Analysis:

Lines 1–2:

As late I lay in Slumber's shadowy vale,

With wetted cheek and in a mourner's guise,

 

The speaker describes being in a dreamlike or meditative state ("Slumber’s shadowy vale"), with tears on his cheek, symbolizing sorrow or disappointment.

He is "in a mourner’s guise"—dressed or feeling like one in mourning, already hinting at the poem’s elegiac tone.

This prepares us for a vision that carries emotional and political weight.

 

Lines 3–4:

I saw the sainted form of FREEDOM rise:

She spake! not sadder moans the autumnal gale.

 

The personification of Freedom appears in a vision—“sainted,” suggesting she is noble, almost divine.

Her voice is filled with sadness, likened to the mournful sound of the autumn wind—conveying a melancholic, somber mood.

The capitalization of FREEDOM emphasizes its symbolic importance—almost like a deity.

 

Lines 5–8:

"Great Son of Genius! sweet to me thy name,

Ere in an evil hour with alter'd voice

Thou bad’st Oppression’s hireling crew rejoice,

Blasting with wizard spell my laurell’d fame."*

 

Freedom speaks directly to Burke, calling him a "Great Son of Genius"—acknowledging his intellect and former nobility.

She laments the moment ("evil hour") when he changed ("alter'd voice")—referring to Burke's vocal criticism of the French Revolution.

Burke’s support was seen as giving joy to the oppressors (“Oppression’s hireling crew”), which Freedom finds tragic.

His words are said to have "blasted" her fame—using the metaphor of a "wizard spell" to suggest that his change had a magically destructive, almost cursed effect on her symbolic image.

The "laurelled fame" refers to the honor and glory once associated with Freedom, now tarnished.

 

Lines 9–11:

Yet never, Burke! thou drank’st Corruption’s bowl!

Thee stormy Pity, and the cherished lure

Of Pomp, and proud Precipitance of soul,

 

Despite the betrayal, Freedom gives Burke some redemption: he did not become corrupt in a moral or material sense.

Instead, he was misguided by powerful emotional forces—particularly pity, which Coleridge often associated with Burke’s reaction to the violence of the French Revolution.

"Cherished lure of Pomp" suggests Burke was attracted to order, hierarchy, and the grandeur of established institutions.

"Proud Precipitance of soul" indicates an impulsive or passionate nature that led to rash decisions.

 

Line 12:

Wildered with meteor fires.

 

This line metaphorically describes Burke as being led astray by illusory lights—like someone chasing will-o'-the-wisps in the dark.

These "meteor fires" represent false hopes or illusions—he followed what seemed noble or urgent but was ultimately misleading.

 

Lines 13–14:

Ah, Spirit pure!

That error’s mist had left thy purged eye: So might I clasp thee with a Mother’s joy!"

 

Freedom sees Burke’s spirit as fundamentally "pure," implying his intentions were good even if his actions caused harm.

She wishes that the "mist" of error (his misjudgment or delusion) would clear from his "purged eye" (symbolizing restored clarity and moral vision).

The final line is deeply emotional—she longs to embrace Burke again like a mother overjoyed to be reunited with a lost child, conveying forgiveness, love, and a sense of lost potential.

 

Tone:

The tone is mournful, reproachful, but also forgiving.

Coleridge expresses disappointment in Burke’s political transformation but does so with a tone of tragic regret rather than bitterness.

 

Literary Devices:

Personification: Freedom is portrayed as a saintly woman who speaks and feels emotion.

Metaphor: "Corruption’s bowl," "wizard spell," and "meteor fires" all represent abstract ideas in vivid, symbolic ways.

Alliteration: “proud Precipitance of soul” and “hireling crew” emphasize key ideas.

Apostrophe: The speaker directly addresses Burke through the voice of Freedom.

Imagery: Dreamlike landscapes, autumn winds, and mystical elements enrich the poem's atmosphere.

 

Themes:

Political betrayal vs. integrity: Burke is portrayed as someone who strayed from a noble path, not through vice, but through misdirected emotion.

Freedom and Revolution: The ideal of liberty is shown as suffering due to Burke’s stance.

Forgiveness and human frailty: Even great minds can err, and their motives might still be pure.

 

Paraphrase

Not long ago, while I was lying half-asleep,

with tears on my cheeks and feeling full of sorrow,

I saw a noble vision—Freedom rising before me.

She spoke—and her voice was as sad as the wind in autumn.

 

She said:

"Burke, brilliant one! I used to cherish your name

before that dark moment when you changed your tone—

when you made the servants of tyranny celebrate

and ruined the honor I once gave you, like a magic curse.

 

But even then, Burke, you never became truly corrupt.

It was your overwhelming compassion,

your love for grandeur,

and your proud, impulsive spirit

that led you astray, chasing false lights.

 

Ah, pure-hearted soul!

If only the fog of error had cleared from your sight,

I could embrace you again—like a joyful mother reunited with her child."