Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 10.djvu/283

 superb collection of plays, which he partly gave, partly bequeathed, to the British Museum. The enumeration of his manuscript notes in separate dramas occupies between six and seven columns of the museum printed catalogue. Many of these plays were restored by himself out of a number of mutilated copies, and missing title-pages were imitated with most deceptive skill. Between 1846 and 1854 he wrote on foreign literature for the ‘Athenæum,’ and in 1865 published ‘The Wife's Litany,’ a drama in rhyming verse, an early work inspired by a singularly vivid dream. It is original in form, elegant in diction, and by no means devoid of true poetical spirit. It would probably have been successful if published thirty years earlier, but was unsuited to the taste of the day, and attracted little attention, notwithstanding the warm commendation of Ticknor. Many other poems were destroyed or suppressed by the writer. He died of atrophy 29 June 1867. Among his few intimate friends was Carlyle, who says in a letter to Henry Chorley: ‘He could have written like few men on many subjects, but he had proudly pitched his idea very high. I know no man in these flimsy days, nor shall ever again know one, so well read, so widely and accurately informed, and so completely at home, not only in all fields of worthy literature and scholarship, but in matters practical, technical, naval, mechanical.’

 CHORLEY, JOSIAH (d. 1719?), presbyterian minister, was a great-grandson of Richard Chorley of Walton-le-Dale, near Preston, Lancashire, and second of six sons of Henry Chorley of Preston. He had the degree of M.A., but of his early history nothing is known. He succeeded, D.D. [q. v.], as one of the ministers of the presbyterian congregation at Norwich. The baptismal register of the congregation begins in September 1691 with an entry by Chorley. Chorley's ministry in Norwich was marked by his zeal in catechetical instruction, which gave rise to his very curious compendium of the Bible in verse. In January 1719 he was succeeded by John Brook from Yarmouth (afterwards of York, where he died in 1735). Chorley baptised a child of Brook's on 3 Sept. 1719, and is believed to have died soon after. He is said to have bequeathed 200l., the interest to be divided between the presbyterian minister and the poor at Preston, but nothing is now known of this endowment. He published ‘A Metrical Index to the Bible,’ &c., Norwich, 1711, 8yo. This very ingenious aid to the memorising of the contents of chapters is dedicated ‘Deo Trin-Uni O.M. Ecclesiæq; vere Catholicæ.’ At the end is ‘A Poetical Meditation’ of some merit. A second edition, London, 1714, 24mo, was improved by suggestions from Samuel Say, then independent minister at Lowestoft (see Chorley's letter to Say, 11 Dec. 1712, in ‘The Say Papers,’ Monthly Repository, 1810). A reprint of the 2nd edition, with delicate woodcuts designed by Thurston, and notes by the printer, John Johnson, appeared in 1818, 18mo. Watt (Bibl. Brit.) incorrectly gives Chorley's name as Joseph.

Chorley has been confused with his son (according to Browne, his nephew), who was educated in the academies of Frankland at Rathmell (entered 3 April 1697) and Chorlton at Manchester (entered 16 March 1699), and ministered at Filby near Yarmouth (till 1722) and Framlingham (till 1731). He afterwards lost his sight, and (about 1757) ceased to identify himself with dissent; his daughter, who lived in Norwich, was for a time insane.

 CHORLTON, JOHN (1666–1705), presbyterian minister and tutor, was born at Salford in 1666. He was educated for the ministry in the northern academy under, M.A. [q. v.], the date of his admission being 4 April 1682. On completing his studies he was chosen (7 Aug. 1687) as assistant to, M.A. [q. v.], the founder of nonconformity in Manchester; and on Newcome's death (17 Sept. 1695) he became pastor. The congregation on 14 Oct. 1695 invited [q. v.] to become his colleague, but the old man declined to leave Northowram. An assistant was obtained (1697) in the person of an adventurer passing under the name of Gaskeld, who, after pleasing the Manchester presbyterians with his learning and eloquence, disappeared (1698) with a borrowed horse, made his way to Hull (where he called himself Midgely, and falsely represented himself as one of the authors of the ‘Turkish Spy’), and finally fled to Holland. On Frankland's death (1 Oct. 1698) at Rathmell, Chorlton, with great spirit, resolved to continue the northern academy, transferring it to