Chatterton, Thomas

an English poet, B. at Bristol, 1752, was the son of a poor schoolmaster. After having spent some years at a charity school, he was articled to an attorney in his 15th year. He was not quite 16 when he published in a Bristol newspaper the first of his ex traordinary forgeries; being an account of an ancient proce ion, which, on being questioned, he alleged to have been found in the charter-room of the church of St. Mary Redcliffe. He next exhibited specimens of old poetry, which he a erted were written in the 15th century, by a priest named Thomas Rowley. At the same time, pieces, both in prose and verse, which were avowedly his own, appeared in London magazines; and these, by their singular force and originality, showed him to be quite capable of having concocted the supposed antiques. Indeed, wonderful as was, under the circumstances, the antiquarian and other knowledge which he wasted on his impostures, their spuriousne was at once evident to the few who were competently familiar with Old English language and history. The poet Gray, and his friend Mason, unhesitatingly denounced the imposition, when some of the poems were sent to them by Horace Walpole. The best imitation of the antique is, perhaps, the minstrel's song inserted in the tragedy of Ella; but everywhere there is evidence of genius, which, if it had been guided by good intention, and fostered by mature study, would certainly have given birth to poetical masterpieces. But perversity of principle was mamfest alike in the unhappy boy's writings, and in his conduct. He extorted a release from his master before he had served him for three years; and immediately sought and found literary employment in London, busying himself chiefly with political and satirical writings. A very few months of toil, ill remunerated, and disappointments in his expectation of patronage from the great, drove his undisciplined mind to despair. He became indigent to the verge of starvation, and poisoned himself in August, 1770, when he wanted some week of completing his 18th year. Chat'terton, in Virginia , a P. O. of King George co. Chattoo'ga, in Georgia , a N.W. county bordering on Alabama; area , 360 sq. m. It is traversed by the Chattooga River (whence its name), and is drained by the Euk alan aqua, Amuchee, and Snake creeks. The surface is divided between mountains and fertile valleys. The county contains excellent mineral springs, limestone, marble, and iron and lead ores. Cap . Summerville. Pop . in 1890, 11,800. Chattoo'ga, a river which, rising in Walker co., near the N.W. frontier of Georgia, flows S.W. and enters the Coosa in Cherokee co., Alabama. Chattoo'ga, in N. Carolina , one of the branches of the Savannah River, rises in the S. part of the State, and flows S.W.; forming the boundary between S. Carolina and Georgia. Chattoo'gaville, in Georgia , a post-village of Chattooga co., on Chattooga River, 200 m. from Milledgeville. Chat'ty, a. Given to free and unrestrained conversation; talkative; as, a chatty individual. Chat'wood, n . [From chat , a small stick, and wood .] Small sticks and sprays, only fit for fuel.