Thomas Chatterton Manuscript Project
Chatterton's Two Letters to James Dodsley
Chatterton is 16 years old and still an Apprentice at Lambert's
Chatterton's Search for a Patron is Underway
Before he wrote to Walpole, Chatterton first wrote to James Dodsley, the Bookseller and Publisher. It was only after he failed to hook Dodsley with a sample of his work, that he moved his search for a Patron to Horace Walpole.
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It seems that Chatterton wrote only these two letters to Dodsley. Unfortunately, Dodsley's replies (if he did reply), are missing. It is likely that Chatterton didn't take rejection very well, it is also likely that he destroyed any negative replies he did get. If Dodsley did reply, I wonder if he recommended that Chatterton approach Walpole?
Thomas Chatterton
No image of James Dodsley.
Here's one of his brother -
A family likeness perhaps.
Chatterton's First Letter to Dodsley
21st Dec, 1768
The First Printing above is from: Britton's Redcliffe Church 1813 : View
Location of the manuscript: The rather fabulous
Houghton Hyde Room, Harvard University.
(Donald F. Hyde Collection)
We await the courtesy of a photograph of the original MS.
Chatterton's Second Letter to Dodsley
15th February, 1769
Location of Manuscript: The rather grand
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
We await the courtesy of a photograph of the original MS.