Thomas, a late unfortunate poet, whose fate and performances have excited in no small degree the public attention, as well as given rise to much literary controversy. He was born at Bristol, Nov. 20, 1752; and educated at a charity school on St Augustine's Back, where nothing more was taught than reading, writing, and accounts. At 14 years of age, he was articled clerk to an attorney at Bristol, with whom he continued about three years; yet, though his education was thus confined, he discovered an early turn towards poetry and English antiquities, and particularly towards heraldry. How soon he began to be an author is not known. In the Town and Country Magazine for March 1769, are two letters, probably from him, as they are dated from Bristol, and subscribed with his usual signature, D. B. that is, Dunbelina Chatterton, Brittonensis. The former contains short extracts from two MSS. "written 300 years ago by one Rowley a monk," concerning dyes in the age of Henry II.; the latter, "Ethelgar, a Saxon poem," in bombast prose. In the same magazine for May 1769, are three communications from Bristol, with the same signature D. B., one of them entitled "Obliviations upon Saxon Heraldry, with drawings of Saxon Achievements;" and in the subsequent months of 1769 and 1770, there are several other pieces in the same magazine, which are undoubtedly of his composition.

In April 1770, he left Bristol, disguised with his profession, and irreconcilable to the line of life in which he was placed; and coming to London in hopes of advancing his fortune by his pen, he sunk at once from the sublimity of his views to an absolute dependence on the patronage of bookellers. Things, however, seem soon to have brightened up a little with him; for, May 14th, he writes to his mother, in high spirits, upon the change of his situation, with the following sarcastic reflection upon his former patrons at Bristol. "As to Mr ——, Mr ——, Mr ——, &c., &c., they rate literary lumber so low, that I believe an author, in their estimation, must be poor indeed: but here matters are otherwise. Had Rowley been a Londoner instead of a Brittonian, I could have lived by copying his works." In a letter to his sister, May 30th, he informs her that he is to be employed in writing a voluminous History of London, to appear in numbers the beginning of next winter. Meanwhile, he had written something in praise of Beckford, then lord mayor, which had procured him the honour of being presented to his lordship; and, in the letter just mentioned, he gives the following account of his reception, with certain observations upon political writing. "The lord mayor received me as politely as a citizen could: but the devil of the matter is, there is no money to be got on this side of the question.—However, he is a poor author who cannot write on both sides.—Effays on the patriotic side will fetch no more than what the copy is sold for. As the patriots themselves are searching for places, they have no gratuity to spare.—On the other hand, unpopular effays will not even be accepted, and you must pay to have them printed; but then you seldom lose by it, as courtiers are so lenient of their deficiency in merit, that they generously reward all who know how to daub them with the appearance of it."

He continued to write incessantly in various periodical publications. July 11th, he tells his sister that he had pieces last month in several magazines; in The Gospel Magazine, The Town and Country, The Court and City, The London, the Political Register, &c. But all these exertions of his genius brought in so little profit, that he was soon reduced to the extreme indigence; so that at last, oppressed with poverty and disease, in a fit of despair he put an end to his existence, August 1770, with a dose of poison. This unfortunate person, though certainly a most extraordinary genius, seems yet to have been a most ungracious composition. He was violent and impetuous to a strange degree. From the first of the above cited letters he seems to have had a portion of ill humour and spleen more than enough for a lad of 17; and the editor of his Chatterton's Miscellanies records, "that he possessed all the vices and irregularities of youth, and that his profligacy was at least as conspicuous as his abilities."

In 1777 were published in one volume 8vo, "Poems, supposed to have been written at Bristol, by Thomas Rowley and others, in the 15th century: the greatest part now first published from the most authentic copies, with an engraved specimen of one of the MSS. To which are added, a Preface, an introductory Account of the several Pieces, and a Glossary." And in 1778, were published, in one volume 8vo, "Miscellanies in Prose and Verse by Thomas Chatterton, the supposed author of the Poems published under the names of Rowley, &c."

Of Rowley's poems, we have the following account in the preface, given in the words of Mr George Catcot of Bristol, to whom, it is said, the public is indebted for them. "The first discovery of certain MSS., having been deposited in Redcliff church above three centuries ago, was made in the year 1768, at the time of opening the new bridge at Bristol; and was owing to a publication in Farley's Weekly Journal, Oct. 1st, containing an account of the ceremonies observed at the opening of the old bridge, taken, as it was said, from a very ancient MS. This excited the curiosity of some persons to inquire after the original. The printer, Mr Farley, could give no account of it, or of the person who brought the copy; but, after much inquiry, it was discovered that this person was a youth between 15 and 16 years of age, whose name was Thomas Chatterton, and whose family had been sextons of Redcliff church for near 150 years. His father, who was now dead, had also been master of the free school in Pile street. The young man was at first very unwilling to discover from whence he had the original: but, after many promises made to him, was at last prevailed on to acknowledge that he had received this, together with many other MSS. from his father, who had found them in a large chest in an upper room over the chapel, on the north side of Redcliff church."

It is added, that soon after this Mr Catcot commenced an acquaintance with Chatterton, and partly as presents, partly as purchases, procured from him copies of many of his MSS. in prose and verse; as other copies were disposed of in like manner to others. It is concluded, however, that whatever may have been Chatterton's part in this very extraordinary transaction, whether he was the author, or only (as he constantly asserted) the copier of all these productions, he appears to have kept the secret entirely to himself, and not to have put it in any one's power to bear certain testimony either of his fraud or of his veracity.

This affair, however, hath since become the foundation of a mighty controversy among the critics, which hath yet scarcely subsided. The poems in question, published in 1777, were republished in 1778, with an "Appendix, containing some observations upon their language; tending to prove that they were written, not by any ancient author, but entirely by Chatterton." Mr Warton, in the third volume of his History of English Poetry, hath espoused the same side of the question. Mr Walpole also obliged the world with a Letter on Chatterton, from his pres at Strawberry hill. On the other hand have appeared, "Observations" upon these poems, "in which their authenticity is ascertained," by Jacob Bryant, Esq; 1781, 2 vols. 8vo.; Chaucer: and another edition of the "Poems, with a Comment, in which their antiquity is considered and defended, by Jeremiah Milles, D.D. dean of Exeter, 1782," 4to. In answer to these two works, we have had three pamphlets: 1. "Cursory Observations on the Poems, and Remarks on the Commentaries of Mr Bryant and Dr Milles; with a salutary proposal addressed to the friends of those gentlemen." 2. "An Archeological Epistle to Dean Milles, editor of a superb edition of Rowley's Poems, &c." 3. "An Inquiry into the authenticity of the Poems attributed to Thomas Rowley, in which the Arguments of the deans of Exeter and Mr Bryant are examined, by Thomas Warton;" and other pieces in the public prints and magazines: All preparatory to the complete settlement of the business in "A Vindication of the Appendix to the Poems called Rowley's, in reply to the Answers of the dean of Exeter, Jacob Bryant, Esq; and a third Anonymous Writer; with some further Observations upon those Poems, and an Examination of the Evidence which has been produced in support of their Authenticity. By Thomas Tyrwhitt, 1782," 8vo.

CHACER, Sir Geoffrey, an eminent English poet in the 14th century, born at London in 1328. After he left the university, he travelled into Holland, France, and other countries. Upon his return he entered himself in the Inner Temple, where he studied the municipal laws of England. His first station at court was page to Edward III. and he had a pension granted him by that prince till he could otherwise provide for him. Soon after we find him gentleman of the king's privy chamber; next year, shield-bearer to the king. Esteemed and honoured, he spent his younger days in a constant attendance at court, or for the most part living near it, in a square stone house near the park-gate at Woodstock, still called Chaucer's House.

Soon after, having got the duke of Lancaster for his patron, Chaucer began every day to rise in greatness. In 1373, he was sent with other persons to the republic of Genoa to hire ships for the king's navy (our want of shipping in those times being usually supplied by such means); and the king was so well satisfied with his negotiation, that, on his return, he obtained a grant of a pitcher of wine daily in the port of London, to be delivered by the butler of England; and soon after was made comptroller of the customs for wool, wool fells, and hides; an office which he discharged with great diligence and integrity. At this period, Chaucer's income was about 1000l. a-year; a sum which in those days might well enable him to live, as he says he did, with dignity in office, and hospitality among his friends. It was in this meridian blaze of prosperity, in perfect health of body and peace of mind, that he wrote his most humorous poems. His satires against the priests were probably written to oblige his patron the duke of Lancaster, who favoured the cause of Wickliff, and endeavoured to expose the clergy to the indignation of the people. In the last year of Edward III. our poet was employed in a commission to treat with the French; and in the beginning of King Richard's reign, he was in some degree of favour at court.

The duke of Lancaster at last finding his views checked, began to abandon Wickliff's party: upon which which Chaucer likewise, how much soever he had espoused that divine's opinions, thought it prudent to conceal them more than he had done. With the duke's interest that of Chaucer entirely sunk; and the former passing over sea, his friends felt all the malice of the opposite party. These misfortunes occasioned his writing that excellent treatise, *The Testament of Love* in imitation of Boethius on the Consolation of Philosophy. Being much reduced, he retired to Woodstock, to comfort himself with study, which produced his admirable treatise of the *Africola*.

The duke of Lancaster at last surmounting his troubles, married Lady Catherine Swynford, sister to Chaucer's wife; so that Thomas Chaucer, our poet's son, became allied to most of the nobility, and to several of the kings of England. Now the sun began to shine upon Chaucer with an evening ray; for by the influence of the duke's marriage, he again grew to a considerable share of wealth. But being now 70, he retired to Dunnington castle near Newbury. He had not enjoyed this retirement long before Henry IV., son of the duke of Lancaster, assumed the crown, and in the first year of his reign gave our poet marks of his favour. But however pleasing the change of affairs might be to him at first, he afterwards found no small inconveniences from it. The measures and grants of the late king were annulled; and Chaucer, in order to procure fresh grants of his pensions, left his retirement, and applied to court: where, though he gained a confirmation of some grants, yet the fatigue of attendance, and his great age, prevented him from enjoying them. He fell sick at London; and ended his days in the 72nd year of his age, leaving the world as though he despised it, as appears from his song of *Flie from the Press*. The year before his death he had the happiness, if at his time of life it might be so called, to see the son of his brother-in-law (Hen. IV.) seated on the throne. He was interred in Westminster abbey; and in 1560, Mr Nicholas Bingham, a gentleman of Oxford, at his own charge, erected a handsome monument for him there. Caxton first printed the Canterbury Tales; but his works were first collected and published in one volume folio, by William Thynne, London, 1542. They were afterwards reprinted in 1561, 1598, 1602. Oxford, 1721.

Chaucer was not only the first, but one of the best poets which these kingdoms ever produced. He was equally great in every species of poetry which he attempted; and his poems in general possess every kind of excellence, even to a modern reader, except melody and accuracy of measure; defects which are to be attributed to the imperfect state of our language, and the infancy of the art in this kingdom at the time when he wrote. "As he is the father of English poetry (says Mr Dryden) so I hold him in the same degree of veneration as the Grecians did Homer, or the Romans Virgil. He is a perpetual fountain of good sense, learned in all sciences, and therefore speaks properly on all subjects. As he knew what to say, so he knows also when to leave off; a continence which is practised by few writers, and scarcely by any of the ancients, except Virgil and Horace." This character Chaucer certainly deserved. He had read a great deal; and was a man of the world, and of sound judgment. He was the first English poet who wrote *poetically*, as Dr John-

fon observes in the preface to his Dictionary, and (he might have added) who wrote like a gentleman. He had also the merit of improving our language considerably, by the introduction and naturalization of words from the Provençal, at that time the most polished dialect in Europe.

**CHALCIS**, in Ancient Geography, the country of the Chauci, a people of Germany: divided into the Minoræ, now East Friesland, and the county of Oldenburg; and into the Majoræ, now the duchy of Breman and a part of Lüneburg.