460

Original Correspondence on Chatterton and Rowley.

diftance of eight hundred and feven verfts (almost 200 leagues) from Kafanka. As this place is the capital of the Kofacs of the Don, and the most remote fettlement of this people, I fhall give you, in my next, an account of their customs and manners. In the mean time, that your readers may form an idea of their country, and the courfe of the Don and the Volga in these regions, I fend you a chart, taken with the greatest exactitude, and drawn with the nicest accuracy.

I hope fuch of your correfpondents as like my communications will drink my health at Chriftmas, as they fit around the genial hearth. It is a confolation to one's fpirit, to live in the fpirits of others.

Yours, &c.

MR. URBAN,

M. M. M.

June 3. TH HE Chattertonian correfpondence having found a speedy admiffion in your laft, p. 361, I fend you a continuation of it; and will foon forward the whole that remains. EUGENIO.

4. Mr. Barrett, of Bristol, to Dr. Ducarel. Sir,

A Letter from Mr. Brickdale this week acquaints me, that he has lately fpent an evening in your company, when you mentioned to him your having Lately feen fome of Rowley's Poetry.

It is with the utmost concern 1 inform you, that most of the original manufcripts of this excellent wher are loft or deftroyed with more than Gothic barbarifm that they were carefully laid up, as a facred depofit, in a cheft with fix locks, in the church of Redcliff in this city, defcribed in an ancient deed penes me, Cifta fervata cum fex clavibus in domo thefaurario Beatæ Mariæ de Redclive"-that on the revifal of thefe very valuable papers by the vestry attorney about the year 1748, becaufe they could not be read, and were fuppofed to relate in no respect to the tile deeds of the eftates of the church, the cheft was left open, the writings and parchments expofed and purloined, may converted into covers for the boys' books at the adjoining writing-fchool, and fuch ravage committed amongit this curious collection of ancient learning, as grieves one at this time to re

Thall accompany our valuable cor refpondent's pext letter EDIT.

flect on. It has been fuppofed, I hear,
by the critics, that no poetry can be
produced, worthy the name of poetry,
betwixt the time of Chaucer and Spen-
fer, as if the Mufe flept at that inter-
val, &c. But though I would not feem
to enter the lifts with those able cri.
ticks Mr. Johnfon, Mr. H. Walpole,
and others, neither have I time, being
too much engaged by other neceffary
avocations; yet, I will affure you, Í
have fome, though few, originals of
Rowley, which totally difprove their
affertions; and many copies, which, if
allowed, will place the matter in fuch a
light as to afford matter of furprize to
all; it does even to myfelf. We have
been taught to believe, that a genius
for poetical compofition, an enquiry
into works of literature, researches af-
ter antiquities and arts, improvements
of fciences, and the like, are no where
to be found amongst the English till of
very late date what will fome fay of a
fociety of old formed in this city for
the improvement of architecture, poe-
try, and painting, the manufactory of
cloathing, and the like, under the auf-
pices of an eminent Bristol merchant,
the great and good Mr. Canynge? İ
have in my pofeffion, in Mr. Rowley's
own hand-writing, a defcription of the
cabinet of curiofities, coins, manufcripts,
&c. of Mr. Canynge, fo early as the
year 1450, collected many of them by
Mr. Rowley himself, who generally
adds his name to each manufcript or in-
fcription, thus, "collected and gotten
"for Mayfter Wm. Canynge by mee
"Tho. Rowleie." He fearched all the
monafteries for ancient Saxon manu-
fcripts; travelled at Mr. Canynge's ex-
pence, who was his generous friend and
patron; and is ever extolling the
nius and abilities of his employer.

ge

This account, Sir, you receive from one who is above the mean artifice of impofing upon any one;-if any thing of that kind has been attempted, as I fear there may, I will be the firft to undeceive the public, if it ever comes to my knowledge, or within my power. All the originals, the few that have been preferved, are in my hands. I can prove the age and exact time when most of them were written, by the au thor's own hand-writing: the authenticity of fome, which are faid to be co pies from Rowley's manufcripts not in being, I do not affert or deny; many I believe to be genuine, from the fimila

rity

Original Correfpondence on Chatterton and Rowley,

rity of ftyle, meafure, and other cir cumftances.

I amufe myself at vacant hours in writing the hiftory and antiquities of this city, having made large collections for that purpofe; though my business allows me little time to make any quick progrefs in the work, yet as it affords me much amufement and pleasure to fearch into the ancient ftate of the place I live in, I continue the pleafing purfuit, and advance, though leifurely, in the work. I intend this fummer, if poffible, to make an excurfion, and vifit London and Cambridge. I am told there are fome coins, ftruck at Bristol foon after the Conqueft, now in the British Mufeum, and efpecially fome of Robert Earl of Gloucester and Briftol in the time of King Stephen, which I fhould be glad to fee. There is at Cambridge a manufcript, written in 1480, called the Itinerary of Bristol by William Botoner, of which I have fome extracts, and long to see the whole.

You will excufe, good Sir, the liberty I take in writing fo freely to a gentleman wholly unknown to me unless by fame. My love for antiquities can alone apologize for this freedom to a lover of antiquities; and that my letter may be the lefs exceptionable, and to atone in fome measure for the above hafty fcroll, I will fubjoin an elegant little poem copied verbatim et literatim from Rowley's original penes me; and am, Sir, your most obedient, humble fervant, WM. BARRETT.

Brifiol, March 7, 1772.

St. Auftin's Back.

The following poem is addreffed to John Lydgate the poct; the fubject in praife of Ella, a Saxon governor of the caftle of Briftol "in daies of yore."

SONGE TO ELLA.
O THOU, or what remaynes of thee,
Ella, the darlynge of futuritie,
Let thys mie longe bolde as thy courage bee,
As everlastynge to posteritie!
Whenne Dacyae's fonnes, whofe lockes of
bloude redde hue,

Lyke kyngecuppes burstynge wythe the morn-
ynge dewe,

Arraung'd in dreere arraje,
Upponae the lethalle daie,
Spread farre and wyde on Watchette shore;
Then dydfte thou furyoufe ftande,
And bie thie burlie hande,
Befprenged alle the meedes wyth gore,
Drawne bie thyne anlafe felle,
Downe to the depthes of helle,
GENT. MAG. June, 1756.

Thoufandes of Dacyannes wente:
Bryftowanne menne of mighte
Ydar'd the blondie fyghte,

And acted deedes fulle quente:

461

O thou, wherere, thye bones at reste,
Thie fprite to haunte delyghteth beefte;
Whether upon the bloude-embrued playne,
Or where thou ken'ft from farre
The honoure crie of warre,

Or feeft fome mountayne made of corfe of
Dayne,

Or feefte the hatched fteed
Yprauncynge o'er the meede,
And neyghe to be ameng'd the poynted fpeeres;
Or ynne blacke armoure ftalke arounde
Ymbattled Brifowe once thie ground,
And glow ardurouse onne the caftle steers,
Or fierie round the mynfierre glare;
Stylle lette Bryftowe bee made thie care;
Guarde itte fromme foemen ande confumynge
fyre,

Lyke Avonn's freeme enfyrke itte rounde,
Ne lette a flame enharme the grounde,
Tylle yn one flame all the whole worlde ex-
pyre!

5. Dr. Ducarel to Mr. William Barrett. Doctors Commons, March 18, 1772.

Sir,

I am much obliged to you for your very inftructive letter of the 7th inft. and for the fpecimen you have fent me of Rowley's poetry. The misfortune which has happened to that poet's MSS. is greatly to be lamented, and can only be repaired by the printing of fuch of his originals and copies as have fo happily fallen into your hands. That there fhould no poets arife between Chaucer and Spenfer is a very strange notion (especially to me who have never ftudied the antiquity of the old English poetry); and to thofe who advance that doctrine it may be asked, who looked into this branch of literature? knows that? who hath particularly The world is indeed much obliged to the learned Dr. Percy for his Reliques of Antient Poetry. But is there nothing elfe left amongst us of that kind? have all the old MSS. on that fubject in the libraries of the two univerfities, in the Cotton, Harleian, &c. &c. been examined? The contrary is known to be true; and, till that is done, the queftion must remain undecided. Under thefe circumstances, Sir, I apprehend it is high time that Rowley's works fhould make their appearance, either by fubfcription or otherwife; and (if your friends thould be of my opinion) the foouer it is done the better. At the beginning of the work fome account

Should

of Henry I.; none in Stephen's or Henry II.; fome in the reigns of Hen ry III. Edward I. and II.; and many in the fubfequent reigns.

462 Original Correspondence on Chatterton and Rowley. fhould, I think, be given of T. Row- are feveral extant in that of William leie: whether you have any I know the Conqueror (one of which, extremenot. Genuine materials of him muftly fair, is in my cabinet); fome in that now be extant, and I will tell yon where to find them. You must confider, that in the time of Rowleie (who, if I am not mistaken, was vicar of Redcliffe church) that church was in the diocefe of Salisbury. To that church he must have had inftitution; and, when void, a fucceffor. Search therefore in the registry of Salisbury (where the register books are kept in excellent order) for the date of his inftitution, alfo the name of his fucceffor; likewife for his will, or, if he died inteftate, to whom adminiftration of his effects was granted and by thefe means you will come at fome certain evidence about Rowleie. If he had any other ecclefiaftical preferment within that diocefe, do the like. If he made a will, it will be proper to print it. If he died inteftate, you will difcover who were his nearest relations; and all these particulars will greatly embellish your account of that eminent perfon.

I hope, Sir, that these hints will prove ferviceable to you in this purfuit. --I must now beg leave to conclude this letter, and will very fhortly fend you another, in anfwer to the latter part of yours to me of the 7th inftant, who am, Sir, your most obedient, humble fervant, AND. COLTEE DUCAREL.

6. From the Same to the Same.
Sir,

HAVING in my laft to you of the 18th of March (under Mr. Brickdale's cover) answered only one part of your letter of the 7th inftant, I now come to the other, which relates to Bristol. I am very glad to find you are compiling materials (founded, I prefume, upon records) towards the hiftory of that ancient city, concerning which a great deal may be faid. The city charters, printed in 1736, in 4to. and two numbers in 8vo. published by Andrew Hooke in 1748 or 49, are, I think, all the books that have been printed relative thereto; and therefore a new account of this great trading and opulent city will become highly acceptable to mankind. Among the Harleian manufcripts (in the British Mufeum) you will find feveral things relative to the ancient customs, privileges, monafteries, and parifies of Bristol -Botoner's manufcript I know nothing of.-As to coins ftruck there in curly times, there

Robert Conful or Earl of Gloucefter, a natural fon of Henry I. was born at Caen in Normandy. He never had, or could have, any pretence whatever to coin meney. Nor could his father, or his fucceffor Stephen, confer that pow er upon him, as the law then food. In this refpect, Sir, you have been inisinformed-the coin meant is that of Robert Duke of Normandy, the Conqueror's eldest fou; and it is engraven in the plates of English coins published by the Society of Antiquaries in 4to, 1763. (See Silver Coins, plate I. N° 20.)

As to a fociety for the improvement of architecture, poetry, manufactures, &c. being formed in Briftol by Mr. Canynge fo early as in 1450, and in very troublesome times, I confefs myself, Sir, exceffively furprized-it was unthought and unheard of, till you had the happiness to difcover it-and to you, Sir, the world is obliged for a moft important difcovery.

This fact, Sir, does a fingular honour to the city of Bristol in general, and to the great Mr. Canynge in particular, (of whom I hope you have good and genuine memoirs.) And this fact will prove, what I have always thought, that arts, fciences, and commerce flourifhed much more in th's kingdom from the time of Edward 111. to that of Henry VII. than hath generally been imagined.

I take it for granted, Sir, that either in your Hiftory of Bristol, or upon the publication of Rowley's Poems, you will give us his defcription of the cabinet of curiofities, coins, manufcripts, &c. which he collected for Mr. Canynge-and I must beg the favour of you, when you look into the account of the coins, to examine carefully whether any mention is therein made of any thing which hath the leaft appearance of a medal, a jetton, or a counter; and this will fully refute the common opinien of all our collectors of medals, viz. that no English medal is extant before the reign of King Henry VII.

Whenever bufinets or pleature bring you to London, I fhall be extremely glad to fee you at Doctors Commons,

and

Original Correfpondence on Chatterton and Rowley.

and to communicate to you any thing I have in my manufcript collections.

I hope very foon to be favoured with a letter from you, by the poft; and remain, Sir, your most humble fervant,

AND. COLTEE DUCAREL.

464

-Stridlures on an Annotation in the New Tatier.

raunte untoe the revgne of Henricus the Thyrde." Mr. Rowley, it appears, was a great collector of coins, amongst other curiosities, for Mr. Canynge; and I have fome account of that collection, but not any defeription of medal, or counter, ever ftruck in this kingdom. He takes notice "of our fyrfte fathers the Bryttons yfynge yron and braffe ryngs, fome rounde, fome hapyd lyke an egge."

I recollect it was a Mr. Snellynge told me, he had a coin of Robert Roufe carl of Gloucester: it was indeed fome time fince, but I think I am not mif. taken. I am obliged to you for your intelligence concerning Dr. Huddesford; and am, Sir, your obliged and obedient humble fervant,

W. BARRETT.

P. S. Should any thing elfe fall in your way, either of coins, infcriptions, or any notices occur in books or MSS. relative to Bristol, your communicating any hints of that kind, Sir, occafionally to me, will lay me under the greatest obligation; for as I do not want to make a book for the profit either of myfelf, or any one elfe, but wholly to do justice to the hiftory of this city, fo little known hitherto; fo I would omit nothing that would tend to render it as compleat as poffible. And as my bufi nefs obliges me to do it leifurely, and I make it an amufement rather than a labour or ftudy, I hope to make it the more perfect, efpecially if I thould be fortunate enough to meet with more gentlemen as freely communicative as you felt.

ΤΗ

MR. URBAN, Cripplegate, May 5. HERE is no principle more tavourable to virtue than the emulation which is excited by the contemplation of characters eminent for their great or good qualities; and there is no ftratagem which vice more fuccefsfully employs than the depreciating of fuch charates, and reducing thein to the common level. I have remarked in one of my Effays, "that it has been too much the little policy of the prefent age to emlazon and make public the failings of great men :" a talte much to be regretted, and which, in my opinion, ftrongly marks a decline of both virtue and genius in this country.

I am much inclined to believe, that the imprudent curiofity, and the unbounded credulity, of thofe who think it the chief bufinefs of life to hunt after

anecdote, is fcarcely lefs pernicious than that malignant leveling difpofition to which I have just been alluding; nor is this the only inftance in which folly goes hand-in-hand with knavery, and even performs the work of the latter. Were I certain that Addison had been a fot; or could I for a moment believe that Swift had attempted a rape; I fhould hold it prudent at leaft to caft a veil over thefe fingle blemishes, instead of holding them up to the triumph of the profligate, and the imitation of the weak. You will not, therefore, be furprized when I inform you, that it was not without a degree of indignation that I obferved, among the notes which Mr. Maty has extracted from the late edition of the "Tatlers," fome pieces of flander, better adapted to the "New Atalantis" than to a decent or refpectable publication. With refpect to the anecdote of Swift, I do not hesitate to pronounce, that it bears in its front falfbood and abfurdity, written in the moft legible characters. Not to fpeak of the caution, the prudence, and circumfpection, which, on almost every occafion, marked the character of Swift; not to fpeak of his unyielding pride, which would hardly, one would think, permit him to fix an indelible ftain upon his character; not to fpeak of the generally-received opinion concerning his indifference to the fair fex; is it credible, nay, is it poffible, that amongst fuch innumerable antagonifts as Swift had drawn upon himself, and who fo induftriously ranfacked the archives of fcandal, not one of them fhould have noticed this anecdote? that amongst such general odium as his party writings and connections had excited, both in Ireland and this country, fuch a fact could have lain dormant till this day? can the most credulous for a moment believe, that the execrable Whar ton would not have rejoiced in fuch an opportunity of reducing to his own level the man whom he detefted, by making the story public, had he, as the annota tor afferts, been acquainted with it? bad Swift been obliged, on this account, t refign his living, is it probable that fo good a man as Sir W. Temple would ever have received h m into his confidence and friendship; nay, would have folicited and preffed his return at the very time when his infamy was recent, and before his character could poffibly be

re-established?

I confels, Sir, I have not an unlimited faith in the anecdotes which this an

Dulator