62
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
