We really beg pardon for having laughed a little at these crazes of Coleridge. But laugh we did, of mere necessity, in those days, at Bell and Ball, whenever we did not groan. And, as the same precise alternative offered itself now, viz., that, in recalling the case, we must reverberate either the groaning or the laughter, we presumed the reader would vote for the last. Coleridge, we are well convinced, owed all these wandering and exaggerated estimates of men--these diseased impulses, that, like the _mirage_, showed lakes and fountains where in reality there were only arid deserts, to the derangements worked by opium. But now, for the sake of change, let us pass to another topic. Suppose we say a word or two on Coleridge's accomplishments as a scholar. We are not going to enter on so large a field as that of his scholarship in connection with his philosophic labors, scholarship in the result; not this, but scholarship in the means and machinery, range of _verbal_ scholarship, is what we propose for a moment's review. For instance, what sort of a German scholar was Coleridge? We dare say that, because in his version of the _Wallenstein_ there are some inaccuracies, those who may have noticed them will hold him cheap in this particular pretension. But, to a certain degree, they will be wrong. Coleridge was not _very_ accurate in anything but in the use of logic. All his philological attainments were imperfect. He did not talk German; or so obscurely--and, if he attempted to speak fast, so erroneously--that in his second sentence, when conversing with a German lady of rank, he contrived to assure her that in his humble opinion she was a ----. Hard it is to fill up the hiatus decorously; but, in fact, the word very coarsely expressed that she was no better than she should be. Which reminds us of a parallel misadventure to a German, whose colloquial English had been equally neglected. Having obtained an interview with an English lady, he opened his business (whatever it might be) thus--'High-born madam, since your husband have kicked de bucket'----'Sir!' interrupted the lady, astonished and displeased. 'Oh, pardon!--nine, ten thousand pardon! Now, I make new beginning--quite oder beginning. Madam, since your husband have cut his stick'----It may be supposed that this did not mend matters; and, reading that in the lady's countenance, the German drew out an octavo dictionary, and said, perspiring with shame at having a second time missed fire,--'Madam, since your husband have gone to kingdom come'----This he said beseechingly; but the lady was past propitiation by this time, and rapidly moved towards the door. Things had now reached a crisis; and, if something were not done quickly, the game was up. Now, therefore, taking a last hurried look at his dictionary, the German flew after the lady, crying out in a voice of despair--'Madam, since your husband, your most respected husband, have hopped de twig'----This was his sheet-anchor;