Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. Thomas Chatterton was born at Bristol on the 2oth of November 1752. His father, a schoolmaster, and a singing-man in Bristol Cathedral, had died some months previous, leaving his widow entirely dependent on her own exertions. Thus the life of the poet began, as it ended, in indigence and misfortune; In his early years Chatterton was dull, and as he grew older mani fested neither desire nor ability to learn. At five years Of age he was sent to the school over which his father had formerly presided but there he made so little pro gress, that in a short time he was handed over to his mother as incapable of acquiring even his letters. His listlessness continued till chance furnished a more agreeable method of mastering the rudiments.