of the fiercest of the anti-ministerial periodicals. Warrant for his apprehension issued on the 28th.

Same evening.-At Drury-lane, The Beggar's Opera, with The Minor. Mr. Bannister's benefit.

Monday, April 30 (fifth day of Chatterton in London). At Covent-garden, Addison's tragedy of Cato revived, with The Rape of Proserpine.

Wednesday, May 2 (Chatterton a week in London). -At Drury-lane, Hamlet-the part of Hamlet by Garrick; after which, Queen Mab. Benefit night of Signor Grimaldi, Mr. Messenk, and Signor Giorgi.

Monday, May 7 (the day on which, as above stated, a crowd gathered at the door of the House of Commons on the false idea that Wilkes was to go to the House and claim his seat)." Rumour that a lady of high quality would appear that evening at the Soho Masquerade in the character of an Indian princess, most superbly dressed, and with pearls and diamonds to the price of 100,0007.; her train to be supported by three black young female slaves, and a canopy to be held over her head by two black male slaves. To be a fine sight.”

Wednesday, May 16.-"Thirteen convicts executed together at Tyburn, conveyed in five carts; mostly boys, the eldest not being more than twenty-two years of age. Some of them were greatly affected, others appeared hardened."

Saturday, May 19.-Parliament prorogued, as stated above.

Wednesday, May 23.-The famous interview of the City deputation with the King, at which Beckford made the speech quoted above.

Saturday, May 26.-Drury-lane season closed.

Monday, May 28.-Covent-garden Theatre closed for the season.

Same day." At two o'clock, A.M., a fire at the house of Messrs. Webb and Fry, paper-stainers, Holborn-hill, near the end of Shoe-lane : four persons burnt to death."

Same day. One of "Junius's" letters in the Public Advertiser, containing a view of the state of the country, and a cutting criticism of the conduct of Ministers during the session just closed. Only two acknowledged letters of "Junius" appeared during the period of Chatterton's residence in London, and this was one of them.

Wednesday, May 30.-"News arrived that a French East Indian ship had reached Toulon, bringing word of a dreadful earthquake at St. Helena, which had entirely sunk the island in the sea."-Gentleman's Mayazine.

Thursday, May 31.-Foundation-stone of Newgate prison laid by the Lord Mayor Beckford.

All April and May.-Advertisements of goods, sales, quack medicines, and new books, in the newspapers; also paragraphs innumerable on the case of Matthew and Patrick Kennedy, two brothers, tried and condemned to death for the murder of John Bigby, a watchman, but who had obtained a free pardon through the influence of their sister Miss Kennedy, a celebrated woman of the town, in intimate relations with several high men at Court. An appeal was laid against this settlement of the matter, and a new trial appointed, much to the gratification of the anti-Court party; but, Bigby's widow having got 380l. to keep out of the way, the trial fell to the ground, and the brothers escaped.

It was into the midst of such incidents as these, episodic as they were to the two great topics of Wilkes and the Constitution and the growing disaffection of the American Colonies, that Chatterton transferred himself by his removal from Bristol to London. With some of the little incidents mentioned he may even have come into direct personal contact. If he did not go to see Addison's tragedy of Cato at Covent Garden on the 30th of April, it is not likely that he missed the opportunity of seeing Garrick in Hamlet at Drury Lane on the 2d of May. If the "fine sight" of the lady of high quality with the hundred thousand pounds' worth of jewels about her, and the three young negresses supporting her train, did not tempt him to the vicinity of the Soho Masquerade on the evening of the 7th of May, it is not at all improbable that he formed one of the crowd that gathered round the door of the House of Commons that evening on the false expectation of seeing Wilkes come to make a scene and get himself committed to custody by the Speaker. Even at the distance of Shoreditch the rumour of the thirteen boys hanged at Tyburn on the morning of the 16th of May must have reached him; for, common as hangings were then, such an occurrence was sufficiently unusual to make some commotion through all London. The prorogation of Parliament on the 19th of the same month would be a matter to interest him; much more the

royal audience given to the City deputation on the 23d, and Beckford's famous speech. Shoe Lane being one of his haunts, the charred ruins of the premises of Messrs. Webb and Fry may very possibly have attracted his notice on the 28th or 29th of May as he passed along Holborn; and, a daily frequenter as he was of the coffee-houses where the newspapers were to be seen, he is sure to have been one of the earliest and most eager readers of the Public Advertiser containing Junius's powerful letter of May the 28th.

Nor is all this mere conjecture. Not only do we know it as a fact that it was part of Chatterton's ambition in coming to London to work himself into connexion with the prominent men and interests of the day, and, above all, with the notable personages of the Wilkes party; we also know it as a fact that, to some small extent at least, he succeeded in doing so. The evidence of this we shall produce in the next chapter.

CHAPTER III.

SETTING THE THAMES ON FIRE.

CHATTERTON'S London life forms the subject of a brief French romance from the pen of Alfred de Vigny.

In that writer's pleasing volume of fiction entitled "Stello" Chatterton is introduced as the real hero in the story of the so-called Kitty Bell. Kitty Bell is a young married woman who keeps a pastrycook's shop in the neighbourhood of the Houses of Parliament. Her cakes and confections are celebrated far and wide; and, partly from this cause, partly from Kitty's own attractiveness, her shop has become a habitual lounge of the legislators of Great Britain as they pass to and from their duties in St. Stephen's. Kitty, however, is as virtuous as she is pretty; and, though her husband is a sulky brute, and the young lords and members of Parliament are very assiduous in buying cakes from her fair fingers, nothing amiss can be said of her. There is one figure, indeed, occasionally seen hovering