Barrels Quote by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
![“[Coleridge] selected an instance of what was called the sublime, in DARWIN, who imagined the creation of the universe to have taken place in a moment, by the explosion of a mass of matter in the womb, or centre of space. In one and the same instant of time, suns and planets shot into systems in…” quote by Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/42c/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_barrels_coleridge-selected-an-instance-of-what-w_2556008.jpg)
“[Coleridge] selected an instance of what was called the sublime, in DARWIN, who imagined the creation of the universe to have taken place in a moment, by the explosion of a mass of matter in the womb, or centre of space. In one and the same instant of time, suns and planets shot into systems in every direction, and filled and spangled the illimitable void! He asserted this to be an intolerable degradation -referring, as it were, all the beauty and harmony of nature to something like the bursting of a barrel of gunpowder! that spit its combustible materials into a pock-freckled creation!”
About This Quote
Source Book: Life of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1854
Coleridge criticizes Darwin’s view of the universe’s sudden creation as chaotic and destructive, contrasting it with natural harmony.
In simple terms: He sees Darwin’s cosmic explosion metaphor as a loss of beauty.
Key Takeaway
Question the narrative of sudden creation.
Themes
philosophy
science
cosmology
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
analytical
reflective
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- science education
- philosophical discussion
Key Concepts
sublime
degradation
chaos
Questions to Reflect On
- Does rapid creation diminish aesthetic appreciation?
- How can we reconcile scientific models with artistic sensibility?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may oversimplify complex evolutionary processes.
![“[Norden] said, with the Mark 15 Norden bombsight, he could drop a bomb into a pickle barrel at 20,000 feet.” quote by Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/565/malcolm-gladwell-348_barrels_norden-said-with-the-mark-15-norden-bomb_62474.jpg)
