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consideration； and if the undertaking gave promise of being both palatable
to the public； and profitable to himself； a prospectus was to be issued。
Now here was a little tit…bit which the public would doubtless relish； for it
was beginning to feel some interest in Otway's starvation； the poet having
been dead half a century。 It is true that the signature of the poor starving
author； whoever he may have been； was so illegible that it required some
imagination to see in it； the name of Otway； but Mr。 Lumley had enough
of the true antiquarian spirit； to settle the point to his own entire
satisfaction。 The note was accordingly introduced into the life of Otway；
with which the learned tutor was then engaged。 The work itself； however；
was not destined to see the light； its publication was delayed； while Mr。
Lumley accompanied his pupil on the usual continental tour； and from this
journey the learned gentleman never returned； dying at Rome； of a cold
caught in the library of the Vatican。 By his will； the MS。 life of Otway
with all his papers； passed into the hands of his brother； an officer in the
army。 Unfortunately； however； Captain Lumley； who was by no means a
literary character； proved extremely indifferent to this portion of his
brother's inheritance； which he treated with contemptuous neglect。
After this first stage on the road to fame； twenty more years passed
away and the letter of the starving poet was again forgotten。 At length the
papers of the Rev。 Mr。 Lumley； fell into the hands of a nephew； who
inherited his uncle's antiquarian tastes； and clerical profession。 In looking
over the MSS。； he came to the life of Otway； and was struck with the letter
given there； never having met with it in print； there was also a note
appended to it with an account of the manner in which it had been
discovered by the editor； in the library of Lord G…； and affirming that it
was still in his own possession。 The younger Lumley immediately set to
work to discover the original letter； but his search was fruitless； it was not
to be found either among the papers of his uncle； or those of his father。 It
was gone。 He was himself a tutor at Cambridge at the time； and returning
to the university； he carried with him his uncle's life of Otway； in MS。
Some little curiosity was at first excited among his immediate companions
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THE LUMLEY AUTOGRAPH
by these facts； but it soon settled down into an opinion unfavorable to the
veracity of the late Mr。 Lumley。This nettled the nephew； and as Lord G
…； was still living； a gouty bloated roue； he at length wrote to inquire if
his lordship knew any thing of the matter。 His lordship was too busy； or
too idle； to answer the inquiry。 Some time later； however； the younger
Lumley； then a chaplain in the family of a relative of Lord G…'s；
accidentally met his uncle's former pupil； and being of a persevering
disposition； he ventured to make a personal application on the subject。
〃Now you recall the matter to me； Mr。 Lumley； I do recollect
something of the kind。 I remember one day； giving my tutor some musty
old letter he found in the library at G…； and by the bye he came near
cracking my skull on the same occasion！〃
Mr。 Lumley was not a little pleased by this confirmation of the story；
though he found that Lord G… had not even read the letter； nor did he
know any thing of its subsequent fate； he only remembered looking at the
signature。 Not long after the meeting at which this explanation had taken
place； Mr。 Lumley received a visit from a stranger； requesting to see the
MS。 Life of Otway in his possession。 It was handed to him； he examined it；
and was very particular in his inquiries on the subject； giving the chaplain
to understand that he was the agent of a third person who wished to
purchase either the original letter if possible； or if that could not be found；
the MS。 containing the copy。 Mr。 Lumley always believed that the
employer of this applicant was no other than that arch…gatherer； Horace
Walpole； who gave such an impulse to the collecting mania； he declined
selling the work； however； for he had thoughts of printing it himself。 The
application was mentioned by him； and； of course； the manuscript gained
notoriety； while the original letter became a greater desideratum than ever。
The library at G… was searched most carefully by a couple of brother
book…worms； who crept over it from cornice to carpeting； but to no
purpose。
｛Horace Walpole = Horace Walpole （1717…1797）； a prolific writer；
connoisseur； and collector； best known for his extensive correspondence；
he established a taste for literary collecting by would…be cultured
gentlemen in England｝
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Some ten years later stillabout the time； by the bye； when
Chatterton's career came to such a miserable close in London； and when
Gilbert was dying in a hospital at Parisit happened that a worthy
physician； well known in the town of Southampton for his benevolence
and eccentricity； was on a professional visit to the child of a poor
journeyman trunk…maker； in the same place。 A supply of old paper had just
been brought in for the purpose of lining trunks； according to the practice
of the day。 A workman was busy sorting these； rejecting some as refuse；
and preserving others； when the doctor stopped to answer an inquiry about
the sick child。
｛Chatterton = Thomas Chatterton （1752…1770）； British poet； who
created an imaginary Thomas Rowley； a supposed medieval monk； to
whom he ascribed some of his poems。 Chatterton committed suicide at the
age of 18 when a poem of his； allegedly by Rowley； was rejected； he was
buried in a pauper's grave。 Susan Fenimore Cooper no doubt has this in
mind in naming a character in this story Theodosia Rowley。
｛Gilbert = Nicolas Gilbert （1751…1780）； French poet； who died in
Paris at the age of 29。 The French writer Count Alfred de Vigny （1797…
1863）； in his book of essays 〃Stello〃 （1832）； popularized a legend that
Gilbert had died insane and in abject poverty at the charity hos