Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-07-23

organ notes and voices of the singers an
gagged below in vesper service. The omen
rotting and discarded imminent coffers.
or "cofres," are still here. No one knows
their age 1t must be very great. But
these veritable ancient chests were the
ones whose contents, first largely pilfered
and scattered by the parish authorities
themselves, furnished Chatterton with the
impulse and means of attracting public at
tention to his own compositions, to appear
in the guise of antique manuscripts from
the pen of the fictitious monk Rowley, the
whole the creation of his own fertile brain.
One must confess to q strange sense of
nesrness to this poor ambitious boy when
standing among these empty old Golfers.
The picture of his pale, eager face half
hidden among the musty parchmenta
flashes upon one almost as IL with certain
recognition. Here he came times without
number, and delved and toiled and
dreamed. AS 1 stood there held and fas-
cinated by the flood of associations of the
place, vagrant bird of gray plumage few
into one of the narrow splsyed windows,
wheeled round and round beneath the oak.
en- ceiling, and suddenly alighted upon one
of the rotten old boxes. Turning its head
to the right and left and settling its plu-
mage, 1t pecked few times upon the cof-
denly 1t rose, perched upon one of the
oaken braces, uttered few notes of sad
dening melody, and in an instant, like a
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 light
of immortality.
There are few other Chatterton memori-
ais in Bristol. The Colston hospital or
school, where he had secured nomination
as charity scholar, was removed to the
old Episcopal palace at Stspleton over a
quarter of a century ago. The building
in which were located the offices of John
Lambert, attorney, TO whom Chstterton
was articled as apprentice, is still standing
in Corn street. The place where the boy
poet was born, in Pile street near its con-
junction with Thomas street, is immedi-
ately opposite the north side of Redcliffe
church. 1t is dresry, mildewed spot to-
day, though the old buildings are sup
planted by others. A free school is still
conducted at the place by a weazened
spinster. 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, ptnched
and squalid.
Between this place and the church op-
posite, upon the hill. within the church
yard, 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 confirmation, ecclesisstic intoler-
ance insists upon his dsmnstion on the
ground that he died by his own hand and
an "infidel"-stsnds the monument to his
memory. Redcliffe church, more dishonor
to it, forbadeits erection within the edifce
where lie in pompous state the remains of
libertines and traders in their fellow men
After the bittsrest of struggles on the
part of the poets friends this cenotaph
was finally put in place, outside the
church, between the tower and the NUM-
ment 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 discov-
cred that the monument impipged on
''consecrated" ground. Then 1t was taken
to pieces and bundled away
After years of further struggles with
bigoted consistories it was finally re erect
ed where it now stands. near the north
east entrance, just within the churchyard
green. But even then these fine folk of
the cloth turned the face of the
statue surmounting the cenotsph away
from Redcliffe church. And that WAS
well. Chatterton, with his back to Red
cliffe church, his tiny face half in smiles,
gazing sffectionately down upon his birth
place across the way, is fitting enough ga
tire. while stone may last, upon the intol-
e.ance and vindictiyeness thus SO sptly re-
called and emphasized.
The figure il represented in the habila-
ments of a COlston schOolboy; a muffin
cap with band and ball; n coat with long
plated skirt; l-athern belt, corduroy
kneebreeches and rough ribbed stockings
The left hand holds an open scroll upon
which is written, "3slla, Tragedy" In
one of the monuments inches is a torn or
severed scroll. with the legend, "The Po-
ems of Rowlie" While the chief panel
bears the words from the poets own pen,
written half in jest, half in earnest. but
Incompatible in their aptitude: "ro the
Memory of Thomas Chatterton. Reader,
judge not, If thou art q Christian. Be-
lieve that he shall bc judged by a superior
power. To that power alone is he now
answerab!e."
As | stood regarding the cenotaph the
afternoon sun swept around the lofty
spire of Redcliffe church. Its rays filtered
between the slender spires and pinnacles
at its base, and fell upon the cenotaph,
lighting it up wondrously. Then a hinge
cloud, Tapping its sable wings mp from the
Bristol channel, darkened the scene and
the gIimy city for moment 1t was fol
a moment only; for the sun burst through
again aud held its place gloriously. So,
thought, as | turned away, will il be with
the name and fame of this little lad to
| whom the godly Of Bristol have been &C
| pitilessly ungenerous.
If something like resentfulness and
heartaGhe did not come at every turn wher
seeking for kindly Chstterton shrines, one
would be deeply charmed and interested
| in the antiquarian, historic and literary
"reminiscences of this fine old Bristol town
| Cabot. who should be equally honoret
| with Columbus, sailed on his voyage o.
American discovery from this port. Th'
| "Great Western" the fret steam craft Il
successfully demonstrate the practicable
| ty of steam navigation between the tw'
continents, was built and manned at Bris
tol. The great Burke, friend of Ameri
Ca" represented the city in parliament
and the unhappy ex-Empress Eugenie wa
| once a schoolgirl here.
] have come upon names and local rem
iniscences OF nearly sixty really noted mel
and women of letters who were born in o
for a time lived at Bristol. Defoe FIRE
quented its "Red Lion" and SelkirE for
time lived in St. Stephens parish. ''Hugl
Conway" was born, and Canon kinRsle.
educated, here. Hallam came out Of il
Grammar school and Hume was Bristo
merchants clerk. The author of Butler
analogy" was Bishop of Bristol; Hannal
Moore, though living most of her life q
"Bsrleywood," a few miles distant, wa
born in and died at Bristol: the Porter 81:
ters, Mary Robinson and Amelia B. Ed
wards, were all Bristol women; while
charming book could be alone written o
the early career of Southey and Coleridg'
both begun in Utopisn dreams of "PaI
tisocrscy" in this grimy yet rich and me
low old west of England seaport town.
EDGAR l.. WAKEMAN.
Draw Poker for Charity.