siness, that he came of a noble race, and that he had
discovered a full account of the family of the De Bergheims, and at once
presented Mr Burgum with a manuscript copy of the original document on
parchment.

Mr Burgum had been so pleased that he gave the boy, then scarcely
fourteen years old, in Colston's School, five shillings.

This success was followed by further particulars of the family, and a
poet was found amongst the pewterer's ancestors, one John de Bergheim, a
Cistercian monk, and a poem called the _Romaunt of the Cnyghte_ was
inserted in the second document to give the good pewterer a specimen of
his skill.

To make the poem more intelligible to the puzzled pewterer a modern
English version was appended, and very soon the boy at Colston's School
attracted attention and became celebrated amongst a small circle of the
more educated and literary Bristol people.

Mr Barrett received Chatterton on this particular Sunday evening with
much cordiality, and the conversation over the supper-table was easy and
pleasant.

'Any news of the manuscripts?' Mr Barrett asked.

'No, sir, nor ever will be. I fear now they are lost beyond recall.'

'Nonsense; that cannot be allowed. Mr Walpole shall be forced to return
them--if he is forced to do nothing else.'

'Sir,' Chatterton said, 'you know full well that Mr Walpole's whole
manner changed when he discovered I was the son of a poor widow, and was
small, and of no repute.'

'The very information which should have secured his heart and made your
literary zeal of more value in his eyes. But means shall not be wanting
to come to the bottom of this conduct of Mr Walpole's. Your friends will
rally round you,' exclaimed Mr Catcott vehemently.

'Gently, gently, George,' exclaimed his more wary brother Alexander: 'We
must first know that Mr Walpole has any dishonest intentions, which in a
person of quality like him is scarce reasonable to suppose,' and then
the author of _The History of the Deluge_ pulled from his capacious
waistcoat pocket a bit of fossil, which he handed round for inspection
in support of one of his theories.

When the clock chimed the quarter to ten o'clock Chatterton hastily
rose, saying,--

'I am late as it is, sir. Permit me to bid you good evening.'

Mr Barrett followed Chatterton to the door, and laying his hand kindly
on his arm, he slipped into his hand half-a-guinea.

'This is a small acknowledgment for the last curious bit of information