Letter from Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Calne, to Robert Herbert Brabant, 1815 March 10 : autograph manuscript signed.

Returning two works by Edward Williams on Calvinism; discussing his understanding of Spinoza; saying "If Dr. W's Opinions be indeed those of the Modern Calvinists collectively, I have taken my last Farewell of Modern Calvinism. It is in it's inevitable consequences Spinosism, not that which Spinosism, i.e. the doctrine of the Immanence of the World in God, might be improved into, but Spinosism with all it's Skeleton unfleshed, bare Bones and Eye-Holes, as presented by Spinoza himself. In one thing only does it differ. It has not the noble honesty, that majesty of openness, so delightful in Spinoza, which made him scorn all attempts to varnish over fair consequences, or to deny in words what was affirmed in the reasoning. - I said, in one thing only. O I did injustice to thee, Spinoza! - Righteous and gentle Spirit, where should I find that iron Chain of Logic, which neither man or angel could break, but which falls of itself by dissolving the rock of ice, to which it is stapled - and which thou in common with all thy contemporaries & predecessors didst mistake for a rock of adamant? Where shall I find the hundred deep and solemn Truths, which as so many Germs of Resurrection to Life and a glorified Body will make, sooner or later, 'the dry Bones live? That I am not mischarging Dr. Williams, you would be convinced in ten minutes by merely turning to Spinoza's three Letters, (especially the second) to Blyenburgh. - But Spinoza never was guilty of such an evasion, as that we were responsible Beings to God, as a Judge, because he does not act on the will, but only the Heart, or Nature - which however the Will cannot but follow - He knew too well that Causa causae causa causati. You might as well cut the Rope that suspended a hanging Scaffolding, and pretend that the man in it fell and broke his Limbs of his own accord - for you never pushed him - you did not even touch him. - No! Spinoza tells his Correspondent plainly - 'The difference between us is, that you consider Actions in relation to God, as a Judge - and if I did the same, I could not evade your consequences, but should myself exclaim - Why yet findeth he fault, seeing we do nothing but what he himself forced us to do? seeing that in truth we do nothing but it is he worketh in us both to will and to do? But I do not contemplate God as a Judge, or attribute any human Qualities or offices to him, but regard him as the Eternal Source of necessary Causes.' - Now this is fair dealing at least;" relating details of a speech he gave in the marketplace at Calne against the Corn Bill; commenting on the Corn Bill saying "...for in my conscience I hold the new Bill to be neither more or less than a Commutation of the War & Property Taxes for a Poll-Tax, transferring the Payment of it from the Government to the great Land-owners, when as the Law now stands, we are taxed 15 million a year to enable them to act the Magnificos - It is a Poll Tax, not proportioned, as the Property Tax in some measure was, to the ability of the Payer, but pressing heavier, the lower it descends - so that the poorest pay the most, not only virtually, as being so much less able to pay it, but actually, as making Bread so very much larger a proportion of his whole sustenance;" asking if they could buy some Rappee and Maccabau for him and asking "...whether there is a public Brewer at Devizes, & whether we can be served from thence with good Table Beer? - Excuse this liberty - but Calne is a sepulchre in a Desart - & the Ale here from the Public houses is either Syrup or Vinegar;" asking to be remembered to Mrs. Brabant and her sisters; encouraging him, in a postscript, to learn German.