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democracy。 One was the treatment he received at Eton； and later at Oxford；
the other is his frequent reading of the English Bible； even though he was
in the spirit of rebellion against much of its teaching。 In Browning's essay
on Shelley； he reaches the amazing conclusion that 〃had Shelley lived； he
would finally have ranged himself with the Christians；〃 and seeks to
justify it by showing that he was moving straight toward the positions of
Paul and of David。 Some of us may not see such rapid approach； but that
Shelley felt the drawing of God in the universe is plain enough。
The influence of the Bible is still more marked on Byron。 He spent his
childhood years at Aberdeen。 There his nurse trained him in the Bible； and；
though he did not live by it； he never lost his love for it； nor his knowledge
of it。 He tells of his own experience in this way： 〃I am a great reader of
those books ＇the Bible＇； and had read them through and through before I
was eight years old； that is to say； the Old Testament； for the New struck
me as a task； but the other as a pleasure。〃＇1＇ One of the earliest bits of his
work is a paraphrase of one of the Psalms。 His physical infirmity put him
at odds with the world； while his striking beauty drew to him a crowd of
admirers who helped to poison every spring of his genius。 Even so； he
held his love for the Bible。 While Shelley often spoke of it in contempt；
while he prided himself on his divergence from the path of its teaching；
Byron never did。 He wandered far； but he always knew it； and； though he
could hardly find terms to express his contempt for the Church； there is no
line of Byron's writing which is a slur at the Bible。 On the other hand；
much of his work reveals a passion for the beauty of it as well as its truth。
His most melodious writing is in that group of Hebrew melodies which
were written to be sung。 They demand far more than a passing knowledge
of the Bible both for their writing and their understanding。 There is a long
list of them； but no one without a knowledge of the Bible would have
known what he meant by his poem； 〃The Harp the Monarch Minstrel
Swept。〃 〃Jephtha's Daughter〃 presumes upon a knowledge of the Old
Testament story which would not come to one in a passing study of the
Bible。 〃The Song of Saul Before his Last Battle〃 and the poem headed
〃Saul〃 could not have been written； nor can they be read intelligently by
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any one who does not know his Bible。 Among Byron's dramas； two of
which he thought most； were； 〃Heaven and Earth〃 and 〃Cain。〃 When he
was accused of perverting the Scripture in 〃Cain；〃 he replied that he had
only taken the Scripture at its face value。 Both of the dramas are not only
built directly out of Scriptural events； but imply a far wider knowledge of
Scripture than their mere titles suggest。
＇1＇ Taine； English Literature； II。； 279。
There are striking references in many other poems； even in his almost
vile poem； 〃Don Juan。〃 The most notable instance is in the fifteenth canto；
where he is speaking of persecuted sages and these lines occur：
〃Was it not so； great Locke？ and greater Bacon？ Great Socrates？
And Thou Diviner still； Whose lot it is by men to be mistaken； And
Thy pure creed made sanction of all ill？ Redeeming worlds to be by
bigots shaken； How was Thy toil rewarded？〃
In a note on this passage Byron says： 〃As it is necessary in these times
to avoid ambiguity； I say that I mean by 'Diviner still' Christ。 If ever God
was manor man GodHe was both。 I never arraigned His creed； but the
use or abuse of it。 Mr。 Canning one day quoted Christianity to sanction
slavery； and Mr。 Wilberforce had little to say in reply。 And was Christ
crucified that black men might be scourged？ If so； He had better been born
a mulatto； to give both colors an equal chance of freedom； or at least
salvation。〃 Byron could live far from the influence of the Bible in his
personal life； but he never escaped its influence in his literary work。
Of Coleridge less needs to be said； because we think of him so much
in terms of his more meditative musings； which are often religious。 He
himself tells of long and careful rereadings of the English Bible until he
could say： In the Bible 〃there is more that finds me than I have
experienced in all other books together； the words of the Bible find me at
greater depths of my being。〃 Of course； that would influence his writing；
and it did。 Even in the 〃Rime of the Ancient Mariner〃 much of the
phraseology is Scriptural。 When the albatross drew near；
〃As if it had been a Christian soul； We hailed it in God's name。〃
When the mariner slept he gave praise to Mary； Queen of Heaven。 He
sought the shriving of the hermit…priest。 He ends the story because he
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hears 〃the little vesper bell〃 which bids him to prayer。 When you read his
〃Hymn Before Sunrise in the Vale of Chamounix〃 you find yourself
reading the Nineteenth Psalm。 He calls on the motionless torrents and the
silent cataracts and the great Mont Blanc itself to praise God。 Coleridge
never had seen Chamounix； nor Mont Blanc； nor a glacier； but he knew his
Bible。 So he has his Christmas Carol along with all the rest。 His poem of
the Moors after the Civil War under Philip II。 is Scriptural in its
phraseology； and so is much else that he wrote。 Frankly and willingly he
yielded to its influence。 In his 〃Table Talk〃 he often refers to the value of
the Bible in the forming of literary style。 Once he said： 〃Intense study of
the Bible will keep any writer from being vulgar in point of style。〃＇1＇
＇1＇ June 14； 1830。
The very mention of Coleridge makes one think of Wordsworth。 They
had a Damon and Pythias friendship。 The Wordsworths were poor； they
had only seventy pounds a year； and they were not ashamed。 Coleridge
called them the happiest family he ever saw。 Wordsworth was not
narrowly a Christian poet； he was not always seeking to put Christian
dogma into poetry； but throughout he was e