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has been able fully to clear away。 In the month of August of that
year； the Rev。 John Lumley； tutor to Lord G…； had the honor of
discovering this curious relic under the following circumstances。
Mr。 Lumley was one day perched on the topmost step of a library
ladder； looking over a black letter volume of Hollinshed； from the
well filled shelves of his pupil。 Suddenly he paused； and his
antiquarian instincts were aroused by the sight of a sheet of paper；
yellow and time worn。 He seized it with the eagerness of a book…
worm； and in so doing dropped the volume of Hollinshed alarmingly
near the wig…covered head of his youthful pupil； who with closed
eyes； and open mouth； lay reclining on a sofa below。 The book；
grazing the curls of the young lord's wig； he sprang up from his nap；
alive and sound； though somewhat startled。
｛Hollinshed = Raphael Holinshed （d。 1580）； famous writer of British
historical chronicles； used by Shakespeare as source for some of his
plays｝
〃Hang it Lumley； what a rumpus you keep up among the books！ You
well nigh drove that old volume into my head by a process more
summary than usual。〃
The learned tutor made a thousand apologies； as he descended the
ladder； but on touching the floor his delight burst forth。
〃It was this paper； my lord； which made me so awkwardI have
lighted on a document of the greatest interest！〃
〃What is it？〃 asked the pupil looking askance at letter； and tutor。
〃An original letter which comes to hand； just in time for my lives of
the tragediansthe volume to be dedicated to your lordshipit is a
letter of poor Otway。〃
｛Otway = Thomas Otway （1652…1685）； English playwright who wrote
a number of important tragedies in verse； but who died destitute at
the age of 33。 The Coopers were familiar with his work； James
Fenimore Cooper used quotations from Otway's 〃The Orphan〃 for
three chapter heading epigraphs in his 1850 novel； 〃The Ways of the
Hour〃｝
〃Otway？What； the fellow you were boring me about last night？〃
〃The same my lordthe poet Otwayyou may remember we saw his
Venice Preserved last week。 It is a highly interesting letter； written
in great distress； and confirms the story of his starvation。 You see
the signature。〃
｛Venice Preserved = a well…known play by Otway； written in 1682｝
〃That name； Otway？Well； to my mind it is as much like Genghis
Khan。〃
〃Oh； my lord！Thomas Otway clearlysignatures are always more or
less confused。
〃Well； have it your own way。It may be Tom； Dick； or Harry for all I
care；〃 said the youth； stretching himself preparatory to a visit to his
kennels； and such was his indifference to this literary treasure that
he readily gave it to his tutor。 In those days； few lords were literary。
Mr。 Lumley's delight at this discovery； was very much increased by
the fact that he was at that moment anxious to bring out an edition
of the English Tragedians of the seventeenth century。 The lives of
several of these authors had been already written by him； and he
was at that moment engaged on that of Otway。 A noted publisher
had taken the matter into 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 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｝
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 hospital of the Hotel Dieu in Paris； and compared his
miserable end with that of Chatteron； it seems likely that Vigny；
whose book appeared while Su