and mortification, Chatterton, in about a week subsequently to the writing his second letter to Mr. Walpole, replied as follows:

LETTER III.

66 Sir,

"I am not able to dispute with a person of your literary character. I have transcribed Rowley's poems, &c. &c. from a transcript in the possession of a gentleman who is assured of their authenticity. St. Austin's minster was in Bristol. In speaking of painters in Bristol, I mean glass stainers. The MSS. have long been in the hands of the present possessor, which is all I know of them. Though I am but sixteen years of age, I have lived long enough to see that poverty attends literature. I am obliged to you, Sir, for your advice, and will go a little beyond it, by destroying all my useless lumber of literature, and never using my pen again but in the-law.

On the 14th of April, Chatterton again wrote:

1

"Sir,

LETTER IV.

Being fully convinced of the papers of Rowley being genuine, I should be obliged to you to return me the copy I sent you, having no other. Mr. Barrett, an able antiquary, who is now, writing the History of Bristol, has desired it of me; and I should be sorry to deprive him, or the world indeed, of a valuable curiosity, which I know to be an authentic piece of antiquity.

Bristol, Corn Street,

"Your very humble Servant,

April 14, 1769.

"THOMAS CHATTERTON.

"P.S. If you wish to publish them yourself, they are at your service."

The letter, No. III. Mr. Walpole describes as rather a peevish answer," but the truth of his assertion is by no means proved. Chatterton said he would not contend with a person of Mr. Walpole's learning, and desired, in his next letter, that his manuscript may be returned; and had it been very peevish, would any one be surprised that Chatterton, thus tantalized and trifled with, should return such an answer to the insults

he received, instead of that encouragement which he expected?

Two other letters were addressed by Chatterton to Horace Walpole, dated also on the 14th of April, 1769. He seems to have hesitated concerning the one sent on that day, as the following (the originals of which are in the British museum) were written on the same occasion, but never forwarded.

LETTER V.

"For Horace Walpole, Esq. Arlington Street, London.

"As I am now fully convinced that Rowley's papers are genuine, should be obliged to you if you'd send copies of them to the Town and Country Magazine, or return them to me for that purpose; as it would be the greatest injustice to deprive the world of so valuable a curiosity.

"I have seen the original from which the extracts first sent you were copied. The harmony is not so extraordinary, as Joseph Iscam is altogether as harmonious.

"The stanza Rowley writes in, instead of being introduced by Spenser, was in use 300 years before

by Rowley; although I have seen some poetry of that age exceeding alliterations without rhyme.

"I shall not defend Rowley's pastoral; its merit can stand its own defence.

Rowley was employed by Canynge, to go to the principal monasteries in the kingdom to collect drawings, paintings, and all the MSS. relating to architecture: is it then so very extraordinary he should meet with the few remains of Saxon learning? "Tis allowed by every historian of credit, that the Normans destroyed all the Saxon MSS. paintings, &c. that fell in their way; endeavouring to suppress the very language. The want of knowing what they were, is all the foundation you can have for styling them a barbarous nation.

"If you are not satisfied with these conspicuous

LETTER VI.

To the same.

Being fully convinced of the papers of Rowley being genuine, I should be obliged to you to

H

return the copy I sent you, having no other.

Mr. Barrett, who is now writing the History and Antiquities of the City of Bristol, has desired it of me; and I should be very sorry to deprive him, or the world, indeed, of a valuable curiosity, which I know to be an authentic piece of antiquity. However barbarous the Saxons may be called by our modern virtuosos, it is certain we are indebted to Alfred and other Saxon kings for the wisest of our laws, and, in part, for the British constitution. The Normans, indeed, destroyed the MSS. paintings, &c. of the Saxons that fell in their way; but some might be, and certainly were, recovered out of the monasteries, &c. in which they were preserved. Mr. Vertue could know nothing of the matter -'twas quite out of his walk. I thought Rowley's Pastoral had a degree of merit that would be its own defence. Abbot John's verses were translated by Rowley out of the Greek, and there might be poetry of his age something more than mere alliterations, as he was so great a scholar. The stanza, if I mistake not, was used by Ischan, Gower, Ladgate, in the sense as by Rowley, and the modern gloomy seems but a refinement of the old word. Glomming, in Anglo

Saxon, is ye twilight.

"April 14th."

“From, Sir,

Your humble Servant,

"T. CHATTERTON.