LETTERS.

London, April 26, 1770.

DEAR MOTHER,-Here I am, safe, and in high spirits.To give you a journal of my tour would not be unnecessary. After riding in the basket to Brislington, I mounted the top of the coach, and rid easy; and was agreeably entertained with the conversation of a quaker in dress, but little so in personals and behaviour. This laughing Friend, who is a carver, lamented his having sent his tools to Worcester, as otherwise he would have accompanied me to London. I left him at Bath; when, finding it rained pretty fast, I entered an inside passenger to Speenhamland, the half-way stage, paying seven shillings. 'Twas lucky I did so, for it snowed all night, and on Marlborough Downs the snow was near a foot high.

At seven in the morning I breakfasted at Speenhamland, and then mounted the coach-box for the remainder of the day, which was a remarkable fine one.- Honest gee-hoo complimented me with assuring me, that I sat bolder and tighter than any person who ever rid with him.-Dined at Stroud most luxuriantly, with a young gentleman who had slept all the preceding (night in the machine; and an old mercantile genius, whose schoolboy son had a great deal of wit, as the father thought, in remarking that Windsor was as old as our Saviour's time.

Got into London about five o'clock in the eveningcalled upon Mr. Edmunds, Mr. Fell, Mr. Hamilton, and Mr. Dodsley. Great encouragement from them; all approved

of my design ;-shall soon be settled.-Call upon Mr. Lambert; shew him this, or tell him, if I deserve a recommendation, he would oblige me to give me one-if I do not, it I will be beneath him to take notice of me. Seen all aunts, cousins-all well-and I am welcome. Mr. T. Wensley is alive, and coming home.-Sister, grandmother, &c. &c. &c. remember. I remain, your dutiful Son,

T. CHATTERTON.

Shoreditch, London, May 6th, 1770. DEAR MOTHER,-I am surprised that no letter has been sent in answer to my last. I am settled, and in such a settlement as I would desire. I get four guineas a month by one Magazine shall engage to write a History of England, and other pieces, which will more than double that sum. Occasional essays for the daily papers would more than support me. What a glorious prospect! Mr. Wilkes knew me by my writings since I first corresponded with the booksellers here. I shall visit him next week, and by his interest will insure Mrs. Ballance the Trinity-House. He affirmed that what Mr. Fell had of mine could not be the writings of a youth; and expressed a desire to know the author. By the means of another bookseller I shall be introduced to Townshend and Sawbridge. I am quite familiar at the Chapter Coffee-house, and know all the geniuses there. A character is now unnecessary; an author carries his character in his pen. My sister will improve herself in drawing. My grandmother is, I hope, well. Bristol's mercenary walls were never destined to hold me-there, I was out of my element now, I am in it-London! Good God! how superior is London to that despicable place Bristol ! Here is none of your little meannesses, none of your mercenary securities, which disgrace that miserable hamlet.-Dress, which is in Bristol an eternal fund of scandal, is here only

introduced as a subject of taste; if a man dresses well, he has taste; if careless, he has his own reasons for so doing, and is prudent. Need I remind you of the contrast? The poverty of authors is a common observation, but not always a true one. No author can be poor who understands the arts of booksellers. Without this necessary knowledge, the greatest genius may starve; and with it, the greatest dunce live in splendour. This knowledge I have pretty well dipped into The Levant, man-of-war, in which T. Wensley went out, is at Portsmouth; but no news from him yet.—I lodge in: one of Mr. Walmsley's best rooms. Let Mr. Cary copy the letters on the other side, and give them to the persons for whom they are designed, if not too much labour for him. I remain, your's, &c. T. CHATTERTON.

P.S. I have some trifling presents for my mother, sister, Thorne, &c.

FOR MR. T. CARY.

I have sent you a task. I hope no unpleasing one. Tell all your acquaintance for the future to read the Freeholders' Magazine. When you have anything for publication, send to me, and it shall most certainly appear in some periodical compilation. Your last piece was, by the ignorance of a corrector, jumbled under the considerations in the acknowledgements. But I rescued it, and insisted on its appearance. Your friend, T. C. Direct me, to be left at Chapter Coffee-house, Paternoster-row.

MR. HENRY KATOR.

If you have not forgot Lady Betty, any Complaint, Rebus, of Enigma, on the dear charmer, directed for me, to be left at the Chapter Coffee-house, Pater-noster-row, shall find a .place in some Magazine or other; as I am engaged in many. Your friend,

T. CHATTERTON.

MR. WILLIAM SMITH.

When you have any poetry for publication, send it to me, to be left at the Chapter Coffee-house, Pater-noster-row, and it shall most certainly appear. Your friend,

T. C.

MRS. BAKER.

The sooner I see you the better-send me as soon as possible Rymsdyk's address. (Mr. Cary will leave this at Mr. Flower's, Small-street).

MR. MASON.

Give me a short prose description of the situation of Nash —and the poetic addition shall appear in some Magazine. Send me also whatever you would have published, and direct for me, to be left at the Chapter Coffee-house, Pater-nosterYour friend, T. CHATTERTON.

row.

MR. MAT. MEASE.

Begging Mr. Mease's pardon for making public use of his name lately I hope he will remember me, and tell all his acquaintance to read the Freeholder's Magazine for the future. T. CHATTERton.

Tell Mr. Thaire, Mr. Gaster, Mr. A. Broughton, Mr. J. Broughton, Mr. Williams, Mr. Rudhall, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Carty, Mr. Hanmer, Mr. Vaughan, Mr. Ward, Mr. Kalo, Mr. Smith, &c. &c.-to read the Freeholder's Magazine.

King's Bench, for the present, May 14, 1770.

Dear Madam,—Don't be surprised at the name of the place. I am not here as a prisoner. Matters go on swimmingly: Mr. Fell having offended certain persons, they have set his creditors upon him, and he is safe in the King's Bench. I have been bettered by this accident: his succes sors in the Freeholder's Magazine knowing nothing of the matter, will be glad to engage me, on my own terms. Mr. Edmunds has been tried before the House of Lords, sentenced to pay a fine, and thrown into Newgate. His misfortunes will be to me of no little service. Last week, being in the pit of Drury-lane Theatre, I contracted an immediate acquaintance (which you know is no hard task to me) with a young gentleman in Cheapside; partner in a music-shop, the greatest in the city. Hearing I could write,

he desired me to write a few songs for him: this I did the same night, and conveyed them to him the next morning. These he shewed to a Doctor in Music, and I am invited to treat with this Doctor, on the footing of a composer, for Ranelagh and the Gardens. Bravo, hey boys, up we go! Besides the advantage of visiting these expensive and polite places gratis; my vanity will be fed with the sight of my name in copper-plate, and my sister will receive a bundle of printed songs, the words by her brother. These are not all my acquisitions; a gentleman who knows me at the Chapter, as an author, would have introduced me as a companion to the young Duke of Northumberland, in his intended general tour. But, alas! I spake no tongue but my own!—But to return once more to a place I am sickened to write of, Bristol. Though, as an apprentice, none had greater liberties, yet the thoughts of servitude killed me: now I have that for my labour I always reckoned the first of my pleasures, and have still my liberty. As to the clearance, I am ever ready to give it; but really I understand so little of the law, that I believe Mr. Lambert must draw it. Mrs. L. brought what you mentioned. Mrs. Hughes is as well as age will permit her to be, and my cousin does very well.

I will get some patterns worth your acceptance, and wish you and my sister would improve yourselves in drawing, as it is here a valuable and never-failing acquisition. My box shall be attended to; I hope my books are in it-if not, send them; and particularly Catcott's Hutchinsonian jargon on the Deluge, and the MS. Glossary, composed of one small book, annexed to a larger.-My sister will remember me to Miss Sandford. I have not quite forgot her; though there are so many pretty milliners, &c. that I have almost forgot myself. Cary will think on me: upon inquiry, I find his trade dwindled into nothing here. A man may very nobly starve by it; but he must have luck indeed, who can