Samuel Taylor Coleridge

With my cross-bow,
I shot the albatross.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge was born in Devonshire on April 21, 1772. The above illustration for The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is by Gustave Doré.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge – October 21, 1772

In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud,
It perched for vespers nine;
Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white,
Glimmered the white Moon-shine.

From “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Illustration “The Albatross” by  Gustave Doré (1876 edition)

Samuel Taylor Coleridge was born on October 21, 1772. “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” gave us this familiar quote:

Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.

The beautifully illustrated edition may be read free online or downloaded from The University of Adelaide. Plain text is available from Project Gutenberg which also has two audio versions.

Nine fathom deep he had followed us