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Thomas Gray
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Thomas Gray : Letters
Wrote another chapter of my Life read a little in Gray's Letters [...] they are the best letters I have seen & I consider Burns very inferior [.]
UnknownCentury: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: John Clare
Thomas Gray : The Progress of Poesy
transcription of the poem headed 'the progress of poesy./ thos. gray'
UnknownCentury: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Groom
Thomas Gray : Life and Letters
'I am now reading Gray's life and letters.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Dorothy Wordsworth Print: Book
Thomas Gray : unknown
Byron's Ravenna Journal (4 January-27 February 1821), 10 January 1821: 'Midnight. I have been turning over different Lives of the Poets. I rarely read their works, unless an occasional flight over the classical ones, Pope, Dryden, Johnson, Gray, and those who approach them nearest ...'
Century: 1700-1799 / 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron Print: Book
Thomas Gray : Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
'Lancashire weaver Elizabeth Blackburn... proceeded to an evening institute course in English literature and by the rhythm of the looms she memorised all of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Shelley's "Ode to the West Wind", Milton's Lycidas, and Gray's Elegy. She discovered the ancient Greeks at the home of a neighbour, a self-educated classicist with six children, and a Sunday school teacher introduced her to the plays of Bernard Shaw. While attending her looms she silently analysed the character of Jane Eyre's Mr Rochester, "sometimes to the detriment of my weaving".'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Blackburn Print: Book
Thomas Gray : Works
Listed under "Books read since April the first 1789"
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Lady Eleanor Butler Print: Book
Thomas Gray : The Bard: A pindaric ode
'I once parodied Gray's Bard without intending the least disrespect for that fine ode.'
UnknownCentury: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Benjamin Newton
Thomas Gray : Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
H. J. Jackson describes and discusses ninth edition copy (1754) of Thomas Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard annotated (with 'reflective remarks') by owner, General James Wolfe, to whom it was given by his fiancee Katharine Lowther.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: General James Wolfe
Thomas Gray : unknown
'[B]e not thrown into wild delight because his genius has shone forth--misfortune & rage have occasioned this & whenever he may speak himself [underlined] Lord Byron will succeed--self is the sole inspirer of his genius he cannot like Homer Dante Virgil Milton Dryden Spencer Gray--Goldsmith [underlined] Tasso write on other subjects well[--]but what he feels he can describe extravagantly well--& therefore I never did doubt that he would one day or other write again as at first--but for God sake do not let this circumstance make you forget what a Rogue he is'.
Century: 1700-1799 / 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Lady Caroline Lamb Print: Book
Thomas Gray : [poems]
'It was at this time that I read the remaining seven volumes of the "Spectator"; to which I added the "Rambler", the "Tatler", and some others of the "British Essayists". I also read the poetical works of Milton, Addison, Goldsmith, Gray, Collins, Falconer, Pomfret, Akenside, Mrs. Rowe, with others which I cannot now clearly call to mind. I remember, however, to have read Gay's poems. These gave me more than usual satisfaction. I was much amused with his "Trivia, or the Art of Walking London Streets" but I was especially pleased with his admirably burlesque "pastorals". These just squared with my humour, for I had then, as I have ever had, an utter dislike to the sickening stuff that is called the pastoral poetry...I must not omit to mention the pleasure I derived from reading a poem called "The Village Curate", which, I think, has fallen into unmerited oblivion.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carter Print: Book
Thomas Gray : [unknown]
'[Anna Seward's] training was not necessarily less rigorous for being informal and solitary. Seward scoffed at a male contemporary who claimed never to have read or studied poetry. "If Shakespeare's talents were miracles of uncultured intuition, we feel, that neither Milton's, Pope's, Akenside's, Gray's or Darwin's were such, but that poetic investigation, and long familiarity with the best writers in that line, cooperated to produce their excellence".'
Century: 1700-1799 / 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Anna Seward Print: Book
Thomas Gray : The Works of Thomas Gray
[Marginalia]
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Taylor Coleridge Print: Book
Thomas Gray : Elegy Written in A Country Churchyard
'Silent appears a strange epithat for dust- it is in truth what is called at school abotch, brick dust or even saw-dust would have been better- RB' [He has also starred * the offending phrase in the body of the text.] 'Gray uses the same epithat in his church-yard Elegy:"Can Honour's voice provoke the silent dust"'. [Title page signed]'Charlotte Susannah Fry From Mr R.Bowyer 1815.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Charlotte Sussannah Fry Print: Book
Thomas Gray : Works
'Looked over some of Gray's Poems. I am almost tempted to agree in Johnson's character of these compositions...'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Green Print: Book
Thomas Gray : [Poems]
Reader makes 4 references to Gray's works V.1 p.73 (Ode to adversity), p. 91 (The progress of poesy); v.2 p.55 (The fatal sisters),; v.3 p. 59 (On a distant prospect of Eton college). Eg. p.73 'I always delight in Gray?s Ode to Adversity; read it once again and compare its ennobling tenors with my ideas.'; p. 91 'I feel the spark of fancy kindling at the torch of memory; but as Gray says of Jove?s eagle, "the thunder of whose beak, and lightening of whose eye were to be quenched? &c &c I too will quench my mental light in ?dark clouds of slumber"'.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Anne Grant [nee MacVicar] Print: Book
Thomas Gray : Elegy written in a country churchyard
Letter to Mrs F----R. May 9 1800?? I declare, had I my pilgrimage to begin anew through the wilderness, I would not give my share of the endearing charities of life, my bustles and struggles to procure ease and comfort to those I love, my faithful friendships, and, ?My humble toils and destiny obscure? for all that wealth and fashion can bestow.? [slight misquotation of Gray's "Elegy written in a country churchyard"]
Century: 1700-1799 / 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Anne Grant [nee Macvicar] Print: Book
Thomas Gray : 'Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard'
'Wolfe was a great admirer of Gray's "Elegy"; and as he was going down the river with his officers, previous to the storming of Montreal, he read the poem to them to while away the time, for it was then a new thing, just published. When he had finished he turned to them and said, "Gentlemen, I had rather have been the author of that poem, and have given utterance to the sentiments expressed in it, than I would enjoy all the honour which I believe awaits us in this expedition".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: James Wolfe Print: Book
Thomas Gray : [Letters]
'Pray tell Lady Louisa that I have been reading the last "Quarterly Review" (No. XLII) more steadily than I could do at Sheffield Place, and quite agree with her in liking the article upon our statute laws, which is very clear and convincing, and pleases me better than anything else in it, though I think it is on the whole an amusing number. Mr Humboldt and his ([italics] crodo, crodo [end italics] ) crocodiles entertained me; the account of Hayti was interesting; the first dissertation (on Aristophanes) and the last. Yet I am no convert to Messrs Whistlecraft & Co., I cannot like slipshod verse or be convinced that it is not as easily written as read; the burlesque of one country can hardly ever be well copied in the language of another. As for Plato and Xenophon, it revolts all my old prejudices to hear them discussed as if they were members of the Alfred, or the French Academy - to be told that Plato had delicacy of [italics] tact [end italics] taught him at the [italics] court [end italics] of Dionysius. It puts me in mind of Gray's simile about some book upon antiquity which he says was like an antique statue dressed in a negligee made by a Yorkshire mantua-maker'.
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Louisa, Lady Stuart Print: Book
Thomas Gray : Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
'Sir, I do not think Gray a first-rate poet. He has not a bold imagination, nor much command of words. The obscurity in which he has involved himself will not persuade us that he is sublime. His "Elegy in a Church yard" has a happy selection, but I don't like what are called his great things'.
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Unknown
Thomas Gray : Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
'Next day I dined with Johnson at Mr. Thrale's. He attacked Gray, calling him a "dull fellow." Boswell. "I understand he was reserved, and might appear dull in company; but surely he was not dull in poetry." Johnson. "Sir, he was dull in company, dull in his closet, dull every where. He was dull in a new way, and that made many people think him GREAT. He was a mechanical poet." He then repeated some ludicrous lines, which have escaped my memory, and said, "Is not that GREAT, like his Odes?" Mrs. Thrale maintained that his Odes were melodious; upon which he exclaimed, "Weave the warp, and weave the woof;" I added, in a solemn tone, "The winding sheet of Edward's race". "[italics] There [end italics] is a good line."—"Ay (said he), and the next line is a good one," (pronouncing it contemptuously;) "Give ample verge and room enough.—" "No, sir, there are but two good stanzas in Gray's poetry, which are in his 'Elegy in a Country Churchyard.'" He then repeated the stanza, "For who to dumb forgetfulness a prey," &c. mistaking one word; for instead of [italics] precincts [end italics] he said [italics] confines [end italics]. He added, "The other stanza I forget".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Unknown
Thomas Gray : The Bard: A Pindaric Ode
'Next day I dined with Johnson at Mr. Thrale's. He attacked Gray, calling him a "dull fellow." Boswell. "I understand he was reserved, and might appear dull in company; but surely he was not dull in poetry." Johnson. "Sir, he was dull in company, dull in his closet, dull every where. He was dull in a new way, and that made many people think him GREAT. He was a mechanical poet." He then repeated some ludicrous lines, which have escaped my memory, and said, "Is not that GREAT, like his Odes?" Mrs. Thrale maintained that his Odes were melodious; upon which he exclaimed, "Weave the warp, and weave the woof;" I added, in a solemn tone, "The winding sheet of Edward's race". "[italics] There [end italics] is a good line."—"Ay (said he), and the next line is a good one," (pronouncing it contemptuously;) "Give ample verge and room enough.—" "No, sir, there are but two good stanzas in Gray's poetry, which are in his 'Elegy in a Country Churchyard.'" He then repeated the stanza, "For who to dumb forgetfulness a prey," &c. mistaking one word; for instead of [italics] precincts [end italics] he said [italics]confines [end italics]. He added, "The other stanza I forget".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Unknown
Thomas Gray : The Bard: A Pindaric Ode
'Next day I dined with Johnson at Mr. Thrale's. He attacked Gray, calling him a "dull fellow." Boswell. "I understand he was reserved, and might appear dull in company; but surely he was not dull in poetry." Johnson. "Sir, he was dull in company, dull in his closet, dull every where. He was dull in a new way, and that made many people think him GREAT. He was a mechanical poet." He then repeated some ludicrous lines, which have escaped my memory, and said, "Is not that GREAT, like his Odes?" Mrs. Thrale maintained that his Odes were melodious; upon which he exclaimed, "Weave the warp, and weave the woof;" I added, in a solemn tone, "The winding sheet of Edward's race". "[italics] There [end italics] is a good line."—"Ay (said he), and the next line is a good one," (pronouncing it contemptuously;) "Give ample verge and room enough.—" "No, sir, there are but two good stanzas in Gray's poetry, which are in his 'Elegy in a Country Churchyard.'" He then repeated the stanza, "For who to dumb forgetfulness a prey," &c. mistaking one word; for instead of [italics] precincts [end italics] he said [italics]confines [end italics]. He added, "The other stanza I forget".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: James Boswell Print: Unknown
Thomas Gray : Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
'Next day I dined with Johnson at Mr. Thrale's. He attacked Gray, calling him a "dull fellow." Boswell. "I understand he was reserved, and might appear dull in company; but surely he was not dull in poetry." Johnson. "Sir, he was dull in company, dull in his closet, dull every where. He was dull in a new way, and that made many people think him GREAT. He was a mechanical poet." He then repeated some ludicrous lines, which have escaped my memory, and said, "Is not that GREAT, like his Odes?" Mrs. Thrale maintained that his Odes were melodious; upon which he exclaimed, "Weave the warp, and weave the woof;" I added, in a solemn tone, "The winding sheet of Edward's race". "[italics] There [end italics] is a good line."—"Ay (said he), and the next line is a good one," (pronouncing it contemptuously;) "Give ample verge and room enough.—" "No, sir, there are but two good stanzas in Gray's poetry, which are in his 'Elegy in a Country Churchyard.'" He then repeated the stanza, "For who to dumb forgetfulness a prey," &c. mistaking one word; for instead of [italics] precincts [end italics] he said [italics]confines [end italics]. He added, "The other stanza I forget".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: James Boswell Print: Unknown
Thomas Gray : [Odes]
'Next day I dined with Johnson at Mr. Thrale's. He attacked Gray, calling him a "dull fellow." Boswell. "I understand he was reserved, and might appear dull in company; but surely he was not dull in poetry." Johnson. "Sir, he was dull in company, dull in his closet, dull every where. He was dull in a new way, and that made many people think him GREAT. He was a mechanical poet." He then repeated some ludicrous lines, which have escaped my memory, and said, "Is not that GREAT, like his Odes?" Mrs. Thrale maintained that his Odes were melodious; upon which he exclaimed, "Weave the warp, and weave the woof;" I added, in a solemn tone, "The winding sheet of Edward's race". "[italics] There [end italics] is a good line."—"Ay (said he), and the next line is a good one," (pronouncing it contemptuously;) "Give ample verge and room enough.—" "No, sir, there are but two good stanzas in Gray's poetry, which are in his 'Elegy in a Country Churchyard.'" He then repeated the stanza, "For who to dumb forgetfulness a prey," &c. mistaking one word; for instead of [italics] precincts [end italics] he said [italics]confines [end italics]. He added, "The other stanza I forget".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Print: Unknown
Thomas Gray : [Memoirs]
'Mr. Murphy said, that "The Memoirs of Gray's Life" set him much higher in his estimation than his poems did; "for you there saw a man constantly at work in literature". Johnson acquiesced in this; but depreciated the book, I thought, very unreasonably. For he said, "I forced myself to read it, only because it was a common topick of conversation. I found it mighty dull; and, as to the style, it is fit for the second table". Why he thought so I was at a loss to conceive. He now gave it as his opinion, that "Akenside was a superiour poet both to Gray and Mason".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Mr Murphy Print: Book
Thomas Gray : [Poems]
'Mr. Murphy said, that "The Memoirs of Gray's Life" set him much higher in his estimation than his poems did; "for you there saw a man constantly at work in literature". Johnson acquiesced in this; but depreciated the book, I thought, very unreasonably. For he said, "I forced myself to read it, only because it was a common topick of conversation. I found it mighty dull; and, as to the style, it is fit for the second table". Why he thought so I was at a loss to conceive. He now gave it as his opinion, that "Akenside was a superiour poet both to Gray and Mason".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Mr Murphy Print: Book
Thomas Gray : [Memoirs]
'Mr. Murphy said, that "The Memoirs of Gray's Life" set him much higher in his estimation than his poems did; "for you there saw a man constantly at work in literature". Johnson acquiesced in this; but depreciated the book, I thought, very unreasonably. For he said, "I forced myself to read it, only because it was a common topick of conversation. I found it mighty dull; and, as to the style, it is fit for the second table". Why he thought so I was at a loss to conceive. He now gave it as his opinion, that "Akenside was a superiour poet both to Gray and Mason".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
Thomas Gray : Odes
'[from Bennet Langton's collection of 1780 Johnsoniana, passed to Boswell] Talking of Gray's "Odes", he said, "They are forced plants raised in a hot-bed; and they are poor plants; they are but cucumbers after all." A gentleman present, who had been running down Ode-writing in general, as a bad species of poetry, unluckily said, "Had they been literally cucumbers, they had been better things than Odes."--"Yes, Sir, (said Johnson,) for a [italics] hog [end italics]."'
Century: Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
Thomas Gray : [Odes]
'Cumberland had written two Odes, what says Mrs Montagu to me do you think of them? I think said I they are as like Gray's Odes as he can make them, Ay, replied She, as like as a little Thing can be to a big Thing, Why to be sure Madam said I he is not the great Mr Gray - he is only the [italics] Petit Gris [end italics].'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Print: Book
Thomas Gray : [Odes]
'Cumberland had written two Odes, what says Mrs Montagu to me do you think of them? I think said I they are as like Gray's Odes as he can make them, Ay, replied She, as like as a little Thing can be to a big Thing, Why to be sure Madam said I he is not the great Mr Gray - he is only the [italics] Petit Gris [end italics].'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Montagu Print: Book
Thomas Gray :
'It was on the 18: day of July 1773 that we were sitting in the blue Room at Streatham and were talking of Writers - Steele's Essays were mentioned - but they are too thin said Mr Johnson; being mere Observations on Life and Manners without a sufficiency of solid Learning acquired from Books, they have the flavour, like the light French wines you so often hear commended; but having no Body, they cannot keep. Speaking of Mason Gray &c. he said The Poems they write must I should suppose greatly delight the Authors; they seem to have attained that which themselves consider as the Summit of Excellence, and Man can do no more: yet surely such unmeaning & verbose Language if in the Morning it appears to be in bloom, must fade before Sunset like Cloe's Wreath.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
Thomas Gray :
'He had however no Taste for Modern Poetry - Gray Mason &c - Modern Poetry says he one day at our house, is like Modern Gardening, every thing now is raised by a hot bed; every thing therefore is forced, & everything tasteless'.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
Thomas Gray Gray : Ode on the Spring
Robert Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, c. 2 July 1792: '...& now in plain sober prose I am much obliged to you for your ode which I like very much. but why will you translate? It is a servile employment & not worthy of you. You want a metre you say for your next. You know Parnells Fairy tale? but I am the worst person to apply to as all my odes are irregular except Ignorance which you have. Gray's Spring & drownd cat are pretty I think — but I am not regular myself & detest regularity.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Southey Print: Unknown
Thomas Gray Gray : Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes’
Robert Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, c. 2 July 1792: '...& now in plain sober prose I am much obliged to you for your ode which I like very much. but why will you translate? It is a servile employment & not worthy of you. You want a metre you say for your next. You know Parnells Fairy tale? but I am the worst person to apply to as all my odes are irregular except Ignorance which you have. Gray's Spring & drownd cat are pretty I think — but I am not regular myself & detest regularity.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Southey Print: Unknown
Thomas Gray : ?Ode for Music
[Elizabeth Carter to Elizabeth Vesey, 28 July 1769:] 'I only saw the Cambridge Ode in a newspaper [...] I thought there were some fine stanzas in it: but in general it seemed to be the effort of a writer struggling under the necessity of saying something to a patron, and conscious how little could with truth be said. But perhaps this may be mere refining. Upon the whole I was vexed and fretted at such an application of Mr Gray's genius'.
