Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1844-06-29

duct, before he was sixteen, he imbite1
principles Of infdelity, aud the idea of
suicide was familiar to his mind. II was,
however, overrulod for time by his pas
sion for literary fame and distinction. Il
was iavorite maxim with him that man
is equal TO anything, and that everything
might be achieved by diligence and absti-
nence. His alleged discoveries having
attracted great attention, the youth stated
that he found the manuscripts in his mo-
theirs house.. In the imminent room Of
st. Mary Radcliffe church of Bristol, sew
eral chests had been anciently deposited.
among which was one called the "Cofffe"
Of Mr.. Canynge, an eminent merchant Of
Bristol, who had rebuilt the church in the
reign of Edward w. About the year
1877, those chests had been broken open
by an order from proper authority; some
ancient deeds had been taken out, and the
remaining manuscripts left exposed as OF
no value. Chatterton's father, whose un.
Gle was sexton Of the church, had carried
oil great numbers ofthe parchments, and
had used them for covers Of books in his
school.
Amidst the residue of his fathers rava-
ges, Chatterton gave out that he had found
many writings of Mr.. Canynge, and Of
Thomas Rowley (the friend of Canynge)
priest of the fifteenth century. These
fictitious poems were published in tho
"Town and Country Magazine" to which
Chatterton had become contributor, and
occasoned warm controversy among
literary antiquaries. Some Of them no
had submitted to Horace Walpole, who
showed them TO Gray and Mason; but
those competent judges pronounced them
to be forgeries. After three years spent
in the attorneys office, Chatterton OBJ
tanned his release from his apprenticeship,
and went to London, where he engaged
in various tasks for the booksellers, and
wrote for the magazines and newspapers.
He obtained an introduction 10 Beck
ford, the patriotic lord mayor, and his own
inclinations led him 70 espouse the oppo-
si,ion party. "But no money" he says,
sis TO be got on that side of the question;
interest is on the other side. But he is q
poor author ,chO cannot prite on both
Sides" He bnastad that hio company
was courted every where, end s'that he
would settle tho nation before he had
DONE" The SPLENDID visions of promo
lion and consequence, however, soon van
ished, and even his labors for the periodi-
cal press failed to afford him the means of
comfortable subsistence.
He applied for the appointment of a
surgeons mate to Africa, but was refused
the necessary recommendation. This
seems to have been his last hope, and he
made no further effort at literary compo-
sition. His spirits had always been une-
quail, alternately gloomy and elevated
both in extremes; he had cast off the re-
s,raints Of religion, and had no steady
principle TO guide him, Unless it was a
strong affection for his mother and sister,
to whom he sent remiltances of money
while his means lasted. Habits Of intern
perance, succeeded by fits of remorse, ex-
asperated his constitutional melancholy !;
and after being reduced to actual want,
Though with characteristic pride he rejec-
ted dinner offered him by his landlady
the day before his death,) he tore all his
papers, and destroyed himselfby taking
arsenic, August 25, ITO. Attic time Of
his death he was aged seventeen years
nine months and few days. "No Eng
lish poet" says Campbell, sever equalled
him at the same age" The remains Of
the unhappy youth were Inferred in a
shell in the burying ground Of Shoe lane
workhouse His unfnised papers he had
destroyed before his death, and his room,
when broken open, was found covered
with scraps of paper. The citizens of
Bristol have erected monument to the
memory of their native poet.