Panel C55
Chatterton's Search for a Patron
Letters v Horace Walpole
Privileged Dilettante
Chatterton Age: 16
Apprentice at Lambert's
Thomas Chatterton
Chatterton's Home (L)
A Two Up - Two Down
Pile Street, Bristol
Chatterton in his Library
A little 'poetic' licence is at play here, obviously, but you get the idea.
​
Chatterton's life was a struggle from start to finish. He had to mix in circles above his pay grade to get sight of or borrow books.
It is said that Chatterton used the circulating libraries but, in truth, these exalted establishments were restricted to those who could afford the fee.
​
Take a look at this website: British Circulating Libraries.
Walpole's Home
Lots Up - Lots Down
Strawberry Hill
Walpole in his Library
Walpole's collection of Chattertoniana can be seen on the top shelf of the bookcase to the right of the window - It's true, honestly!
​
The majority of Walpole's Chattertoniana (collection of books and letters) eventually ended up in the possession of Wilmarth 'Lefty' Lewis. He bought most of it from the New York Mercantile Library - now there's a man with perseverance in his blood!
Walpole was 51 when he received 16 year old Chatterton's first letter, complete with The Ryse of Peyncteynge, yn Englande​.
​
Walpole died 2nd March, 1797, aged 79.
The contents of Strawberry Hill went to auction in April of 1842. The sale lasted 24 days.
​
Chatterton died 24th August, 1770, at 17 years & nine months of age. There was nothing left in his attic room but the clothes he died in; a pocket book; some scraps of paper; his pens & ink and other such 'worthless' paraphernalia and, on the windowsill,....an empty phial of kill or cure medicine.
​
It is clear that Walpole was not responsible for the death of Chatterton and, in any case, it is accepted
by those of us willing to read the facts, that Chatterton's death was caused by an accidental overdose and not by suicide!
The Correspondence
Published 1789 / 1792,
19 / 22 years after Chatterton's Death
Chatterton's First Letter to Walpole
The Ryse of Peyncteynge yn Englande.
On Richard 1.
Writ 25th March 1769 - Pub
Walpole Takes the Bait
Walpole is Excited and Intrigued by Chatterton's Letter.
He writes back same day - no time to lose.
Writ 28th March 1769
Chatterton Presses on with his Plan
Second Letter to Walpole
Histoirie of Payncters yn Englande.
Stanzas by Ecca, & Elmar.
The Warre.
Writ 30th March 1769
Walpole Rejects Chatterton
Walpole got advice from Thomas Gray & William Mason
They Pronounce the works to be 'Modern Forgeries'.
Walpole sends letter of Rejection to Chatterton.
Writ 6th? April 1769 - Pub
Chatterton is Stunned by the Rejection
He writes back in haste:
...and will go a little beyond it by destroying all my useless Lumber of Literature.
The manuscript was missing until it surfaced at an auction in1995.
It was bought by the famous manuscript dealer Roy Davids for £10,400 plus hammer. It now resides at John Hopkins Sheridan Library, USA.
Chatterton Demands but is ignored
To Walpole: 14th April 1769
​
Chatterton Writes Poem - Unposted
To Walpole: 24th July 1769
Copy from Dix 1837
Walpole Returns Mss to Chatterton
From Walpole: 4th August 1769
PUBLISHED 1797?
Currently checking sequence and details
(.QE!.) is currently working on this page