them seems to have been the poet's father. | but for books of a respectable antiquity He is said to have taken away a whole only, nothing being admitted into his colbasketful at once to use for covering his lection until it had attained a century of pupils' books and such like purposes; at age. Burgum, although of lowly origin, his death his widow still retained a quan- appears to have sought to pass himself off tity of these parchments, and after hav- as a virtuoso of birth and learning. It is ing them stowed away for some years as surmised that he had been brought up at useless lumber, gave them to her son, or Colston's, and that a lingering regard for permitted him to take them. The facility his old school, with which he still retainfor reading legal documents which he ac- ed some official connection, had caused quired at Lambert's enabled him to de- him to notice Chatterton while still an cipher and understand these antique deeds, inmate of the Hospital, and that finding for such, there is every reason to believe, him to be an interesting, acute lad, he had they all were. From his earliest child- occasionally tipped him to the extent of a hood Chatterton had doubtless been im- sixpence. If the very circumstantial acbued with a love of antiquity, and had count which Mr. Cottle gives of the earloitered lovingly and reverently about the liest known episode in the Rowley roprecincts of Redcliffe church, treasuring mance could be implicitly relied on, Chatup in his imaginative mind and endow- terton must have produced the "De Burging with fictitious environments the names ham pedigree" whilst still at Colston's; of those there entombed. He had created but all reliable evidence concurs to prove for himself a world of things ideal, in that he did not display any specimen of which he lived and moved and had his the Rowley MSS. until after he had rebeing with as much certainty and vrai- sided at Lambert's for some time. The semblance, so far as he was personally lad had undoubtedly noticed Burgum's concerned, as in the other course of life weakness for ancestral honors, and either which he was unwillingly forced to pur- as an amusing hoax, or as his first tentaIn this ideal world lived and labor- tive effort in the Rowley romance, deed the boy's alter ego, a certain visionary termined to make use of this pewterer's priest, hight Thomas Rowley, and his foible as a stepping stone to his grand patron and bosom-friend, a right worthy, scheme. Joseph Cottle thus describes the noble-hearted gentleman named William affair: Canynge. Around these two ideal personages did the youthful poet weave the whole wonderful story of the Rowley manuscripts. How or when he first conceived the idea of letting the outer world share his visionary society is, of course, a mystery, but a close scrutiny into all the evidence available convinces us that he made no sign of having any documents referring to the soi-disant "Rowley" col lection until after he had been some short time at Lambert's. sue. sures which I have obtained from Redcliffe "One Saturday afternoon Chatterton called on Mr. Burgum, in his blue-coat habiliments, and with unusual solemnity told him that he had made a discovery. 'What?' said Mr. B., eagerly. Why,' replied the young bard, ‘that you are related in lineal descent to some of the first nobles of the land.' 'I did not know it, Tom,' was Mr. Burgum's reply. Perhaps not,' rejoined Chatterton, but amongst the treachurch muniment - room I have found your pedigree, clearly traced from a very remote period.' 'Let me see it,' said Mr. Burgum. The first intimation of the Rowley ro- And sure enough, a few days later, Chatterton mance may be regarded in the light of a presented, the ambitious pewterer with a boy's ludicrous prologue to the tragedy that copy-book, to which was prefixed a scrap of was to follow. On his way home to his parchment whereon was painted the De Burgmother's, whilst still a school-boy, Chat- stantial Account of the Family of the De ham arms, and wherein was written a circumterton had to pass a certain pewterer's Burghams, from the Norman Conquest to this shop, kept by two persons styled respect- Time; collected from Original Records, Tourively Henry Burgum and George Catcott.nament Rolls, and the Heralds of March and When the eccentricities of these two tradesmen are detailed it will not be deemed extraordinary that the business they conducted came to an untimely end. Catcott having a brother a clergyman, with some pretensions to literature, became inoculated with a taste for books, Garter Records, by T. Chatterton.' "The documents in Redcliffe church,' said Chatterton, extended only to a certain period, and I have been obliged to fill up the hiatus by a reference to other sources.'" This is the account furnished by Cottle, and although in it the worthy publisher 66 did not scruple to give free play to his imagination, the story is in some respects true to history, and as a fairly characteristic account of the initial incident in the famous Rowley controversy deserves citation. It should be noted that the elated pewterer rewarded the youthful genealogist with the munificent gift of five shillings! Instead of being repelled by his reward, Chatterton proceeded to manufacture a second portion of the pedigree, in which he brought it as close to this time" as he prudently dared, and for which he was remunerated by Burgum with yet another crown piece. But the De Burgham pedigree was a very minor affair compared with the next act in the Rowley romance. When Chatterton had been at Lambert's for about fifteen months, and had nearly completed his sixteenth year, the new bridge over the Avon at Bristol was thrown open to the public. The much-needed and long-talked-about edifice had been seven years in construction, and its completion was considered one of the most important events in the history of the city. The bridge was opened for foot-passengers in September, 1768, and the following month, whilst the citizens were still fully occupied with what they deemed the eighth wonder of the world, they were startled and delighted by the appearance in Farley's Bristol Journal of the following very à propos account of the ceremonies which accompanied the inauguration of the old bridge in Henry the Second's reign: | Horse, dight with sable trappyngs, wrought about by the Nunnes of Saincte Kenna, with Gould and Silver; his Hayr brayded with Ribbons, and a chaperon (i. e., escutcheon), with the auntient Arms of Brystowe fastende on his Forehead. Master Maior bare in his Hande a gouldin Rodde, and a Congeon (i. e., dwarf) Squier bare in his Hande his Helmet.... Than came the Eldermen and Cittie Broders mounted on Sable Horses, dyght with white trappynges and Plumes, and Scarlet Copes and Chapeous (i. e., hats), having thereon Sable Plumes; after them the Preests and Fryars, Parysh, Mendicaunt, and Seculor....In thilk manner reeching the Brydge, the Manne with the Anlace stode on the fyrst Top of a Mound reerd in the midst of the Brydge; then went up the Manne with the Sheelde, after him the Ministrels and Clarions. And then the Preestes and Freeres, all in white Albs, making a most goodlie Shewe; the Maior and Elsound of clarions, the Song of Saincte Balddermen standyng round, theie sang, with the Saincte Warburgh, and proceeded up Chryst's wyn.... Then theie sang again the songe of hill, to the Cross, where a Latin Sermon was preeched by Ralph de Blundeville, etc." A Notwithstanding the daringly suggestive name of the Latin preacher and other suspicious items about this theatrical-like production, the local antiquarians were completely deceived, and in a ferment to know more about the "old manuscript" whence it was professedly extracted. certain surgeon and F.S.A. named William Barrett had for some years past been collecting materials for a History of Bristol and its Antiquities, and had already collected a large quantity of valueless lumber with a view of utilizing it in his projected work, when his attention was drawn to Chatterton's communication. For some "On Fridaie was the time fixed for passing the newe Brydge. Aboute the time of the tollynge the tenth clock, Master Greggorie Dalbenye, mounted on an Irongrey Horse, entime Barrett's endeavors to discover the formed Master Mayor all thynges were pre-owner of the “old manuscript" were fruitpared; whan two Beadils want fyrst streyng less, but eventually he found out that the fresh Stre; next came a Maune dressed up as precious communication had been refollows: Hose of Goatskyn, Crinepart (i. e.,ceived from Thomas Chatterton. At first hairy side) outwards, Doublet and Waystcoat the youth, disgusted at the way in which also, over which a white Robe without Sleeves, he was interrogated, declined to furnish much like an Albe, but not so long, reeching but to his Lends (i. e., loins), a Girdle of Azure any explanation of his secret, but ultiover his left Shoulder rechde also to his Lends mately, driven into a corner, stated that on the ryght, and doubled back to his Left, he had transcribed the account sent to bucklyng with a gouldin Buckel, dangled to Farley's Journal from one of several auhis Knee, thereby representing a Saxon Elder- cient manuscripts he possessed, and which had been originally brought by his father from the muniment-room in St. Mary Redcliffe. This confession was forced man. In his Hande he bare a Shield, the Maystrie of Gille a Brogton, who paineted the same, representyng Sainct Warburgh crossynge the Ford. Then a mickle strong Manne, in Armour, carried a huge Anlace (i. e., sword); after whom came six Claryons and six Minstrels, who sang the Song of Sainet Warburgh; then came Master Maior, mounted on a white from the youth reluctantly, and doubtless was antagonistic to and probably unforeseen in his original design. His mind had been inflamed by the recent contro versy on Ossian, and the deception | which were handed over to the lad's surpracticed by Walpole in palming off viving relatives. The Castle of Otranto as from an old Italian manuscript, into attempting something similar. The Rowley romance was to be the result of his lucubrations, but he doubtless expected to get the poetry and prose he intended to pass off as by the "secular priest of St. John's" published without being subjected to any viva voce examination; the stringent investigation which followed so speedily after the production of "The Passage of the Bridge" -evidently intended only as a “feeler”disconcerted his plans, and compelled him to disclose his story prematurely. This precipitation of matters was a grand misfortune, as it obliged him to produce his compositions hurriedly and in fragments, instead of allowing him to defer their production until he had a whole series of "Rowleys" ready for publication in vol ume form. Surmises have frequently been made as to whether Chatterton ever experienced any strong attachment for members of the opposite sex, but, as far as probability and knowledge of his career extend, his relatives were the only females he ever cared about. Certainly he corresponded with a Miss Maria Rumsey, and addressed some extremely artificial verses to her, | but after reading his sister's account of the acquaintanceship, as well as the lad's allusions to the lady in his letters home, all idea of the warmth of his affection is dissipated. Till he was fifteen, his sister says, he was remarkably indifferent to females, but speaking to her one day on the tendency of severe study to sour the temper, he said he thought it would be advisable to make the acquaintance of a girl in the neighborhood, hoping that would soften his austerity. Miss Rumsey was The supposed possession of some valua- the lady selected for the experiment, but able antiques, however, gave Chatterton as their correspondence has never been importance in the eyes of the Bristol wise- published, and has doubtless perished, acres, who continually urged him to fur- there are no means of knowing whether nish them with "old Rowleys." When the boy's feelings were anything stronger the youth found a well-known surgeon than those of a lad who deemed it manly like Barrett, an apparently well-to-do to pay homage at a female shrine. The tradesman like Catcott, and others of their artificial and stilted style of Chatterton's calibre eager to accept his fiction for fact, lyrics to his many flames is pretty conhe fancied he had " sprung a mine," al- clusive evidence of their Platonic characthough subsequent events proved but too ter, and the fact that the girls to whom bitterly the slender value of their patron- his verses were indited were acquaintage. The introduction they gave him into ances of his mother and sister seems suffisociety and the prestige of their acquaint- cient proof of their respectability—not that ance were amply repaid by Chatterton, such proof would have been needed but who trusted to them from time to time, for the absurd imputations cast upon the without any pecuniary recompense, the poor lad's memory during the heated dis precious productions of his genius. The cussion about his Rowley legacy. Felad's inherent pride prevented him mak- male fascinations held a very minor posiing known his but too often well-founded tion in his mind as compared with his necessities, and the only case in which thirst for literary fame. The great object he is known to have intimated hopes of a of his life was to get his Rowley manuremuneration for his Rowley productions, scripts before the public. His first known appears in the following characteristic effort to accomplish this was by way of document addressed to Catcott: an appeal to Dodsley, the great publisher and would-be poet. His offer to forward "copies of several ancient poems," includ0ing "perhaps the oldest dramatic work extant," does not appear to have elicited any response, so two months later he sent a second and most boyish letter, in which he remarked that his reason for having given initials instead of his full name Mr. G. Catcott to the executors of T. Rowley, Dr. To pleasure received in reading his poet- 0 5 5 To this account, it is to be feared, Chatterton never experienced the satisfaction of appending a receipt, although after his death Catcott sold his share of the Rowley spoil for fifty guineas, six only of Bring mured a little in antiquilije I have met with sonal fucions Masssriph aming which the following may bt of Snowd to you in any fuhmus Edition of your bely entertaining Anecdolors of Painting - In connecting the Michhor (if any) in the Notore you will greatly oblig's Your mosthumble Powant Thomas Chatterton. The Ryse of Peyniteynge, yn Englade wroton 'T. Kowler's wous a Secular Priest of St John's, in this City - his Mon't as is great, as as a Poot stell & greater some of his pieces would do honor t Historiographer Pope; and the Bevor under whose Patronage they may appear to the Worlds, will lay ihman, the Antiquary, and the Bost, under an dornal Obligation_ the Englishman. Add. MS.5766 B.Fol 21. FAC-SIMILE OF CHATTERTON'S NOTE TO HORACE WALPOLE. completely destroy any chance of enlist- | Italian manuscript. Encouraged by a ing the publisher's attention, the inexperienced lad-for such he still was in most practical matters, notwithstanding the precocity of his intellect-asked Dodsley to let him have a guinea, in order to obtain with it the only copy of Ella known to be in existence! "The present possessor," who absolutely refused Chatterton a copy of his own tragedy without a guinea as a consideration, was of course George Catcott, who obtained it from its author by purchase, or more probably as a free gift. Dodsley does not appear to have taken any notice of his unknown correspondent's communication, and the magnificent drama of Ella, the Rowley masterpiece, did not appear in print until several years after Chatterton's decease. In those days a patron was almost an absolute necessity for literary men. The young poet, therefore, selected for his next attempt Horace Walpole, afterward Earl of Orford. Walpole was not only wealthy and influential, but had already stood sponsor for Macpherson's Ossian, and had tried a literary hoax of his own by palming off his absurd Castle of Otranto as a translation from an ancient knowledge of these things, Chatterton sent the man a polite note, accompanied by one of his pseudo antiques, described as "The Ryse of Peyncteynge, yn Engläde, wroten bie T. Rowleie, 1469, for Mastre Canynge," and proffered as likely to be of service to Walpole in any future edition of his Anecdotes of Painting. The lad alluded in eulogistic terms to the works of "Rowley," and suggested that the person under whose patronage they were given to the world would "lay the Englishman, the antiquary, and the poet under an eternal obligation." The bait took, and Walpole, deeming his Bristol correspondent a man of position, answered his note by return of post in a lengthy and very complimentary epistle, in which he remarked of Rowley's poems, "I should not be sorry to print them, or at least a specimen of them, if they have never been printed.” In response Chatterton sent another batch of "Rowleys," and received another communication, the contents of which are unknown, but were so gratifying to the recipient that he forwarded Walpole a full statement of his position in life and of his literary aspirations. According to Wal 99 66 pole's own statement-and although it is | Chatterton in a blank cover, and thus replete with baseless slanders and proven ended, so far as the sanguine young poet falsehood, it is the only authority for this was concerned, the vision of a wealthy portion of the poor lad's story-upon re- and influential patron ushering his Rowceipt of this explanatory letter "I wrote ley romance into the world. Had Walfor further particulars," and in reply pole's share of the transaction ended here, Chatterton "informed me that he was the there would not have been much matson of a poor widow, who supported him ter to animadvert upon; nor would it with great difficulty; that he was clerk or have given cause for much surprise that a apprentice to an attorney, but had a taste selfish man of the world, upon discoverand turn for more elegant studies, and ing a poor youth had tried to palm off on' hinted a wish that I would assist him.... him his own poems as antique works, had by procuring him some place, in which he left the lad to his fate; but what has thrown could pursue his natural bent." "I wrote lasting infamy on the unscrupulous noto a relative of mine at Bath," says Wal- bleman is the fact that from the time he pole, "to inquire into the situation and heard of Chatterton's death he neglected character of Chatterton.... Nothing was no opportunity, either in public or in returned about his character, but his own private, to vent his spite upon the defensestory was verified. In the mean time I less dead. Deeming his letters destroyed, communicated the poems to Mr. Gray and Walpole denied having written them. Not Mr. Mason, who at once pronounced them content with continual allusions to the forgeries." Walpole now, according to his unfortunate boy as "a forger, an imown account, wrote his young correspond- postor,' a consummate villain," "a coment "a letter with as much kindness and plete rogue," and the like, he went out of tenderness as if I had been his guardian," his way to ascribe to him the authorship advising him to wait until he had made a of a letter which, if proved to have been fortune before devoting himself to "studies written by Chatterton, would have alienconsonant to his inclinations," and in- ated from him much of the sympathy of forming him that he, Walpole, was not his political admirers; the fact, however, “a person of any interest." Chatterton that the existence of such a letter rests in reply remarked, "Though I am but solely upon Walpole's word, and that no sixteen years of age, I have lived long one else has ever been known to have seen enough to see that poverty attends liter- the letter alluded to, seems a sufficient reature," and promised to destroy all his ply to any one willing to accept the Earl useless lumber of literature," and "nev- of Orford's vitiated testimony. er to use his pen again but in the law." Wanting, however, his copy of the Row ley manuscript back for Mr. Barrett, he wrote for it. "When I received this letter," says Walpole, "I was going to Paris in a day or two, and either forgot his request of the poems, or, perhaps, not having time to have them copied, deferred complying till my return." For six weeks Chatterton waited for his manuscript, and after two unanswered communications sent Walpole what that noble personage terms this "singularly impertinent" note: "I can not reconcile your behavior with the notions I once entertained of you. I think myself injured, sir; and did you not know my eircumstances, you would not dare to treat me thus. I have sent twice for a copy of the manuscripts: no answer from you. An explanation or excuse for your silence would oblige 66 "THOMAS CHATTERTON." Within a fortnight Walpole, having returned to London, collected the letters and manuscripts, and returned them to Unable to obtain publication of his Rowley poems, Chatterton resumed his satiric labors with renewed vigor. The folly and selfishness of his Bristol associates allowed plenty of scope for severity. George Catcott the pewterer, afterward known as "the Rowley midwife," from the share he had in the collection and publication of the Rowley poems, was very severely dealt with, but was so obtuse that he regarded the allusions to himself as quite complimentary. He had a great desire of notoriety, and in pursuit of his hobby had paid five pounds to be allowed to cross the new Bristol bridge before any one else, and on another occasion risked his neck in order to climb a church spire and affix to it a metal plate commemorating the deed. Chatterton, ever ready to seize upon the salient points in a man's character, most caustically reviewed the pewterer and his performances in some of his local satires. Neither did Barrett, nor Burgum, nor many of the lad's Bristolian |