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NOTES AND QUERIES. [io- s. i. JAN. 23, I<XM.

Let us see, then, whether any connexion can be established between the May of Letters i., ii., and xxviii., and the New- gate Street tavern known as the "Salu- tation and Cat," where, in the winter nights of 1794-5, the two old schoolmates Lamb and Coleridge were wont to foregather in the little smoke-stained bar-parlour. Here, it will be remembered, after his second and final disappearance from Cambridge, when his pockets were empty and his outlook of the gloomiest, Coleridge sojourned during parts of December and January, 1794-5, oblivious of Southey, Sarah Flicker, and "Freedom's undivided dell"; till at length Southey, losing patience and hurrying up to town, ran down and apprehended the truant not, indeed at the "Salutation and Cat," but at another tavern hard by, the "Angel," in Butcher Hall Street. The ques- tion here arises, Why had Coleridge shifted his quarters ? And the answer I take to be this, that mine host of the "Salutation," having waited a week or two for the settle- ment of his account, at length grew crusty, and hinted that it was high time for the young gentleman in the parlour either to square up or to s'eek accommodation else- where. Whereupon Coleridge moved over to the "Angel," leaving perforce his clothes in pawn behind him. In making this sug- gestion I am not unmindful of the story told by Cottle ('Reminiscences,' 1847, p. 405 note) to the effect that " when Coleridge dwelt at the ' Cat and Salutation ' in Newgate Street, and talked of leaving it, his conversation had brought so many customers to the house that the landlord offered him free quarters if he would only stay and continue to talk." But of such a proposition we hear nothing either from Coleridge himself (who, had it actually been made, would indubitably have confided it later on to one or other of his West-Country friends to Poole, for instance, or Charles Lloyd, or Wordsworth) or from anybody else save only Joseph Cottle, whose unsupported authority in respect of Cole- ridge's " doings and done - untos " may be safely disregarded. Who, then, was mine host of the "Salutation" in the years 1794- 1795, and how was he named? I have not been able to see a 'London Directory' for 1795, but in a directory for 1808 I find Wil- liam May described as the landlord of the " Salutation Coffee - House," 17, Newgate Street. Again, in the 'Post Office London Directory' for 1819, I find the following entry : " W. May, King's Head Tavern, New- gate Street"; and yet again, in the same authority for the year 1823, "Wm. May,

Tavern-Keeper, 40, Newgate Street." From all this the inference, 1 cannot but think, is highly probable that the May of Letter i. is none other than William May, landlord of the "Salutation and Cat"; and that, at some date subsequent to Coleridge's departure for Bristol in Southey's custody (January, 1795), Lamb, having provided himself with the wherewithal, called upon the said William May, discharged the reckoning against Cole- ridge's name, thereby releasing his clothes from pawn, and, lastly, forwarded the clothes thus redeemed by waggon to Coleridge at Bristol. Finally, if we connect the letter of 11 October, 1802, with the transaction referred to at the opening of Letter i., we may infer that the amount standing against Coleridge's name, for board and lodging at the " Saluta- tion " Inn during a period of (probably) four weeks in December, 1794, and January, 1795, was fifteen pounds sterling of the king's money. THOMAS HUTCHINSON.

THE CHURCHYARD OF ST. MARGARET'S,

WESTMINSTER, AND ITS IMPROVEMENT.

(See ante, p. 23.)

ON 5 July, 1881, the General Committee met again, and the first business was the con- sideration of the report of the sub committee given in full in the former article, it being decided to take each clause seriatim. It was proposed by Mr. Helder that Clause I. be approved, the words " with or without the addition of any trees or shrubs " being sub- stituted for "without the addition of any trees or shrubs." The appointment of Mr. Pearson and the employment of Mr. Wills were confirmed, the estimate of the latter being considered satisfactory. The plans for laying out the ground were accepted, and Mr. Lee was asked to send to the Chancellor the petition for the faculty as prepared by him.

Up. to this point there had been no treasurer, this office being now conferred upon Mr. Helder, the rector's churchwarden. Next a very important proposition was made by Mr. G. F. Trollope, and seconded by Mr. J. L. Pearson, to the effect

"that, the Committee being strongly of opinion that the general effect of the Abbey and the church- yard would be greatly improved by the removal of the present heavy railing separating the churchyard and the Abbey ground, the Dean and Chapter be invited to take the matter into consideration as early as possible."

The next meeting was held on 25 July, when it was reported that the Dean and Chapter had desired Mr. Pearson to submit his plans for their consideration, and Mr. Lee stated