The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-07-28

I'm the euise OF antique manuscripts iron
the pen Of the fictitious monk howiey' .h'
whole the creation Of his own fertile brain
One must confess to strange sense Oh
nearness 10 this poor ambitious boy wher
standing among these empty old Golfers
The picture of his pale, eager face hall
hidden among the musty parchment
flashes upon one almost as If with certain
recognition. Here he came times without
number and delved and toiied and
dreamed. As stood there, held and las
cinated bv the food Of associations OF the
place. a vagrant bird Of gray plumage New
into one OF the narrow spiayed windows
wheeled round and round beneath the
oaken ceiling. and suddenly alighted upon
one Of the rotten old boxes Turning its
head TO the right and left and settling its
plnmage. it pecked few times upon the
Golfer with a sharp, echoing sound. AS
suddenly 10 rose, perched upon one OF the
oaken braces. uttered few notes Of sad
deninR melody, and in an instant, like
dart of light piercing the outer light, had
swept away-ftting type Of him who had
come for that brief time, pecked for mo
ment at the dark, dead age behind him
and sung and flashed into the outer hght
of Immortality.
There are few other Chatterton memo
rails In Bristol. The Colston hospital, or
school where he had secured nomination
ne n charity scholar was removed 20 the
old episcopal palace at Stapleton over a
/ ouarter Of a century ago. The building in
/ which were located the offices Of John
lambert attorney. 20 whom Chatterton
was articled as apprentice, is still standing
in Corn street. The place where the boy
poet was born. in Pile street near It's con
junction with Thomas street, is immedi-
ately opposite the north side Of Radcliffe
church. 1t is dreary, mildewed spot to-
day, though the old buildings are sup
planted by others. A free school is still
conducted at the place by weakened
sinister The yard is narrow. damp and
dank; the structure is damp, and dank
and narrow; and the little tots whom ]
saw leaving the place are ragged, pinched
and squalid.
Between this place and the church oppo-
site, upon the hill. within the churchyard,
though not within "consecrated" ground
for though churches sing the boy poets
HYMNS and this church received the Colston
boy into its saving embrace through con-
firmation. ecclesiastic intolerance insists
upon his damnation on the ground that he
died by his own hand and an "infidel'-
stands the monument 10 his memory. Red
cliffe church, more dishOnor to it, forbade
It's erection within the edifce, where lie
in pompous state the remains of hbertines
and traders in their fellow men.
After the bitterest of struggles on the
part Of the poets friends this cenotaph was
finally put in place outside the church, be-
tween the tower and the imminent room,
so intimately associated with his youthful
dreams and struggles. But repairs upon
the north porch soon gave an excuse for
its removal, for it was discovered that the
monument impinged on "consecrated"
ground Then it was taken to pieces and
bundled away.
After years Of further struggles with
bigoted consistories it was finally regretted
where it now stands, near the northeast en-
trance, Just within the churchyard green.
But even then these fine folk of the cloth
turned the face of the statue surrounding
the cenotaph away from Redcliffe church.
And that was well. Chatterton, with his
back to Radcliffe church, his tiny face half
in smiles gazing affectiouately down upon
his birthplace across the way, is lifting
enough satire, while stone may last, upon
the intolerance and yindictiveness thus so
aptly recalled and emphasized.
The figure is represented in the habii-
ments of Colston schoolboy-a muffin cap
with band and ball, coat with long
plated skirt, leathern belt, corduroy
kneebreeches and rough ribbed stockings.
The left hand holds an open scroll, upon
which is written, ELLA, Tragedy" In
one Of the monuments inches is torn or
severed scroll, with the legend, 1.-THE Poems
Of RowIie." While the chief panel bears
the words from the poets own pen, writ
ten half in jest, half in earnest, but incom-
parable in their aptitude: ITO the memory
of Thomas Chatterton. Reader, judge not
if thou art a Christian. Believe that he
shall be judged by a superior Power. To
that Power alone is he now answerable."
AS / stood regarding the cenotaph the
afternoon sun swept around the lofty spire
of Radcliffe church. Its rays filtered be-
tween the slender spires and pinnacles at
its base, and fell upon the cenotaph, light
ing it up wondrously. Then huge cloud,
Tapping it's sable wings up from the Bris-
toll channel, darkened the scene and the
grimy city for moment. 1t was for a
moment only; for the sun burst through
again and held its place gloriously. So,
thought, as l turned away, will it be with
the name and fame Of this little lad to
whom the godly Of Bristol have been so
pitilessly ungenerous
If something like a resentfulness and
heartache did not come at every turn
when seeking for kindly Chatterton
shrines, one would be deeply charmed and
interested in the antiquarian, historic and
literary "reminiscences of this fine old Bris.
toll town.
Cabot. who should be equally honored
with Columbus, sailed on his voyage Of
American discovery from this port. The
Great Western, the first steam craft TO
successfully demonstrate the practicable
ity Of steam navigation between the two
continents, was built and manned at Bris-
tol. The great Burke, friend Of Amer
lea" represented the city in parliament.
and the unhappy ex-Empress Eugene was
once a schoolgirl here
have come upon names and local rem
tniseences of nearly sixty really noted men
and women of letters who were born In or
for a time lived at Bristol Defoe fire.
quented its Red Lion and Selkirk for a
time lived in st. Stephens parish. Hugh
Conway was born and Canon Kingsley
educated here. Hallam came out of its
grammar school and Hume was Bristol
merchants clerk. The author of Buffers