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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 Susan Fenimore Cooper was studying in
Paris； was her source for this reference to Gilbert。 In fact； Gilbert
was not impoverished； and died of injuries after falling from his
horse｝
〃Better； Hopkinsdoing well。 But what have you here？ I never see
old papers but I have an inclination to look them over。 If a man has
leisure； he may often pick up something amusing among such
rubbish。 Don't you ever read the papers that pass through your
hands？〃
〃No； sirI 'as no time for that； sir。 And then I was never taught to
read writing； and these 'ere papers is all written ones。 We puts them
that's written for one trunk； and them that's printed for another； as
you see； sir； one must have a heye to the looks of the work。〃
〃Why yesyou seem to manage the job very well； and I have a
trunk； by the bye； that wants patching up before my boy carries it off
with him； I'll send it round to you； Hopkins。 But staywhat's this？〃
and the doctor took up a soiled； yellow sheet of paper； from the
heap rejected by the workman； it contained a scrawl which proved to
be the identical letter of the poor poet； the Lumley autograph；
though in what manner it became mingled with that heap of rubbish
has never been satisfactorily ascertained。
〃Here's a poor fellow who had a hard fate； Hopkins；〃 said the
benevolent man； thoughtfully。 〃It is as good as a sermon on charity
to read that letter。〃
The trunk…maker begged to hear it。
〃Well； poor journeyman as I be； I was never yet in so bad a way as
that； sir。〃
〃And never will be； I hope； but this was a poet； Hopkinsand that's
but an indifferent trade to live by。 I'll tell you what； my good friend；〃
said the doctor； suddenly； 〃that letter is worth keeping； and you may
paste it in the trunk I'll send round this afternoonput it in the lid；
where it can be read。〃
The trunk was sent； and the letter actually pasted in it as part of the
new lining。 Dr。 H…； who； as we have observed； was rather
eccentric in his ways； had a son about to commence his career as a
soldier； and the worthy man thought the letter might teach the youth
a useful lesson of moderation and temperance； by showing him every
time he opened his trunk； the extreme of want to which his fellow
beings were occasionally reduced。 What success followed the plan
we cannot say。 The trunk； however； shared the young soldier's
wandering life； it carried the cornet's uniform to America； it was
besieged in Boston； and it made part of the besieging baggage at
Charleston。 It was not destined； however； to remain in the new
world； but followed its owner to the East Indies； carrying on this
second voyage； a lieutenant's commission。 At length； after passing
five…and…twenty years in Bengal； the trunk returned again to
Southampton； as one among some dozen others which made up the
baggage of the gallant Colonel H…； now rich in laurels and rupees。
The old trunk had even the honorable duty assigned it of carrying its
master's trophies； doubtless the most precious portion of the
c