Thomas Chatterton Manuscript Project
Works
Apostate Will
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Apostate Will is, arguably, Chatterton's first published poem.
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The poem is dated April 14, 1764, by both Catcott and Croft, another indication that their transcripts came from the same Ms. This confirms that Chatterton was 11 years of age when he wrote Apostate Will.
The poem was not published until 1780 when Herbert Croft included it in his book Love and Madness. According to Croft, the original Chatterton manuscript of the poem was in 'an old pocket-book' in the possession of Sarah Chatterton, the poet's mother. The whereabouts of the old pocket-book is unknown.
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George Symes Catcott's transcript is from the same manuscript original as Croft's copy. Catcott also claims that the Ms. was in the possession of Sarah Chatterton - and surely he would have seen it before Croft.
On the last page of Catcott's transcript he states that the poem is 'supposed to be the first effort of her unfortunate son's poetical abilities' a statement he could only have got from Sarah or Mary.
The Croft transcript of Apostate Will is preferred by Taylor. Now you can compare them side by side and make your own choice.
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Apostate Will
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Original Manuscript :
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Ms. Transcripts : by George Catcott
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Letter-book B5342 : 1777 : View Below
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Letter-book B6490 : ?? : View online
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Letter-book B6489 : ?? : View online
First Printing : Herbert Croft from Love and Madness : 1780 : View below
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Printing : Herbert Croft from Love and Madness : 1786 : View below
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Notes on punctuation re Apostate Will, in the 1786 and 1780 editions of Love and Madness :
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The 1786 edition has minor changes and one word is different to the 1780 edition, as follows:
1786 edition : ‘Begg’d him next morning for to make…’
1780 edition : ‘Begg’d him next meeting for to make…’
Taylor uses the line from 1780, which is, for what it’s worth, as Catcott has it.
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Apostate Will
First Printing
Transcribed by Herbert Croft
Love and Madness : 1780
I have included the first three pages leading up to the poem, as they tell us much about Croft's thoughts on Chatterton and how he obtained the poem.
Links to Chatterton's Works & Correspondence
Call it what you will, authentic, doubtful, lost, or plainly wrong - if it was linked with Chatterton it will be included in Chatterton's Works & Correspondence. This will be the base point from which we can examine every piece of work, and add notes and links accordingly.