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Thomas Gray to William Mason, 24 October 1770

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Dear Mason

I have been for these three weeks & more confined to my room by a fit of the gout, & am now only beginning to walk alone again. I should not mention the thing, but that I am well-persuaded, it will soon be your own case, as you have so soon laid aside your horse, & talk so relishingly of your old Port.

I can not see any objection to your design for Mr P:, as to Wilson we know him much alike. he seems a good honest Lad, & (I believe) is scholar enough for your purpose. perhaps this connection may make (or marr) his fortune. our friend Foljambe has resided in college & persevered in the ways of godliness till about ten days ago, when he disappear'd, & no one knows, whether he is gone a hunting or a fornicating. the little Fitz-herbert is come a Pensioner to St John's, & seems to have all his wits about him. your Eléve Ld Richard Cav:sh having digested all the learning and all the beef this place could afford him in a two month's residence is about to leave us, & his little Brother George succeeds him. Bp Keene has brought a Son from Eton to Peterhouse, & Dr Heberden another to St John's, who is enter'd Pensioner, & destined to the Church. this is all my University-news, but why do I tell you? come yourself & see, for I hope you remember your promise at Aston, & will make us in your way, as you go to your town-residence.

You have seen Stonh:r (I imagine) who went northwards on Saturday last. pray tell me how he is, for I think him not quite well. tell me this & tell me when I may expect to see you here.

I am ever
Yours
T G:
Letter ID: letters.0614 (Source: TEI/XML)

Correspondents

Writer: Gray, Thomas, 1716-1771
Writer's age: 53
Addressee: Mason, William, 1724-1797
Addressee's age: 46

Dates

Date of composition: 24 October 1770
Date (on letter): 24 Oct: 1770
Calendar: Gregorian

Places

Place of composition: Cambridge, United Kingdom
Address (on letter): Pemb: Hall

Content

Language: English
Incipit: I have been for these three weeks & more confined to my room...
Mentioned: Cambridge
Stonhewer, Richard, 1728-1809

Holding Institution

Location:
(confirmed)
Henry W. And Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature, Humanities and Social Sciences Library, New York Public Library , New York, NY, USA <https://www.nypl.org/about/divisions/berg-collection-english-and-american-literature>
Availability: The original letter is extant and usually available for academic research purposes

Print Versions

  • The Correspondence of Thomas Gray and William Mason, with Letters to the Rev. James Brown, D.D. Ed. by the Rev. John Mitford. London: Richard Bentley, 1853, letter CXXXII, 442-445
  • The Letters of Thomas Gray, including the correspondence of Gray and Mason, 3 vols. Ed. by Duncan C. Tovey. London: George Bell and Sons, 1900-12, letter no. CCCLXXIII, vol. iii, 294-296
  • Correspondence of Thomas Gray, 3 vols. Ed. by the late Paget Toynbee and Leonard Whibley, with corrections and additions by H. W. Starr. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1971 [1st ed. 1935], letter no. 535, vol. iii, 1149-1150