Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 8.djvu/136

 108 NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s.vm. FEB. 5,1921. get hold of the name Vanessa, which was coined as a cryptonym for Esther Van- homrigh to match his own anagram of Cadenus for Decanus ? Swift's poem * Cadenus and Vanessa ' was written in 1713, but not published till 1727. Swift died in 1745, the year of Fabricius's birth, and it was not until 1767 that Fabricius paid his first visit to England. Unlike Linnaeus, he was a fluent linguist, and was much in the company of Sir Joseph Banks and other entomologists. It would be interesting to know by what happy accident he hit upon the name Vanessa for the beauti- ful insects that now bear it. HERBERT MAXWELL. Monreith. THOMAS CHATTERTON. According to Gregory ('Life of Chatterton, 1803,' p. 70), who apparently quotes the Coroner, Chatter- ton " swallowed arsenic in water, on Aug. 24, 1770, and died in consequence thereof the next day." The italics are mine. The Coroner had been interviewed by Sir Herbert Croft, it will be remembered, and Gregory's version of the inquest was the accepted one, and has been copied by Chatterton 's later biographers. The phrase, ""the next day," deserves attention. If Chatterton died on the 25th, why is it said that he took poison on the 24th ? He returned to his room on the 24th, and his room was broken into "early in the morning " of the 25th (probably by Mrs. Angel's husband before leaving for his work). What justification was there for this forcible entry after so short a se- clusion ? Did Mrs. Angel suspect he had ' * flitted ' ' in the night to avoid paying his rent ? Again, how did she know that he had been without food for some days ? Who had Chatterton's few belongings in the Brooke Street lodging ? If I have overlooked any books on Chatter- ton which discuss these points, I should be grateful to any of your correspondents who would give me their titles. It may be interesting to students of Chatterton if I add that I have been exa- mining the theory of his burial at Bristol, and while I agree with Masson's reason for disbelieving it, I would submit that the theory is also untenable from the fact that a study of the time-tables of the coaches of that period between Bristol and London shews that there would not have been time for an exchange of letters between Chatter- ton's friends in London and Bristol before the date of the recorded burial in Shoe Lane workhouse graveyard, i.e., the 28th. Assuming that the burial took place as recorded, there remains the possibility of an application for disinterment of the body.. Of that nothing is known. Yet Mrs. Ballance would surely have heard of it, and have spoken of it to Sir Herbert Croft. Failing, an authorized disinterment, there is the remoter possibility of "body-snatching." That might have been managed by bribery,, but it points to an expenditure of money and trouble in a dangerous transaction on, the parjb of distant relations of Mrs. Chatter- ton that is unthinkable. Might I say that on a recent visit to Brooke Street, I noted that No. 39 bears no inscription to the effect that it occupies- the site of the house in which Chatterton died. I suggest that the authorities who have done such good work in placing memorial tablets on London houses, might fittingly pay this simple tribute to Chatter- ton's memory. G. W. WRIGHT. Brixton. SUTHERLAND OF ACKERGILL. Alexander- Sutherland, a farmer of Ackergill, near Wick, married (name of wife sought) and had issue: Henrietta, baptized, Feb. 21,. 1730 ; Margaret, baptized, May 13, 1733 ; Alexander, baptized Feb. 15, 1736. The second daughter, Margaret, married July 29, 1764 in New Kirk Parish, Edin- burgh, John Baillie (Merchant in Edinbur^i),, son of Thomas Baillie (millwright, on flie water of Leith), by his wife Helen Gordoa. I am anxious to trace the ancestry of Alexander Sutherland, and it has occurred to me that, in view of of the fact that Acker- gill is the property of Major Sir George Duff- Sutherland-Dunbar, Bart., the representa- tive of the family of Sutherland of Duffts whose ancestor was Nicholas, 2nd son of Kenneth, 4th Earl of Sutherland, Alexandef Sutherland may have been connected with that family. The ancestry of Thomas Baillie is alsoj desired. Was he connected with the Jervis-J woode or Mellerstain Baillies ? JAMES SETON- ANDERSON. JACK'S COFFEE HOUSE. I have a thin, copper token about $ in. in diameter which reads on one side, " JACK'S COFFEE HOUSE,. 6d." on the other side, " RODNEY, 12th April,, 1782." I shall be glad to know when, and where, it was issued. WILLIAM GILBERT, F.R.N.S.
 * 39 Carlisle Road, Hove, Sussex.