References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 138-140 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 306-308 (with English prose translation)
Summary: Written at Cambridge when Gray was about to join Richard West (Favonius) at the Inner Temple, where they intended to study law together. First published, untitled but referred to in a footnote as a "Sapphic Ode", in Mason'sMemoirs (1775), section I, letter no. XIV. Mason is the only source for this letter, dated June 1738, in which Gray originally sent the poem to West. MS translation into English by Thomas Wharton.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode on Mr. West's leaving the University" (p. 1) ("Ode. I." [p. 3]). The poem is part of a section called "Latin Pieces", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 24), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 144-145 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 310-312 (with English prose translation)
Summary: Written at Rome in the Spring of 1740 while on the Grand Tour with Horace Walpole. First published, untitled but referred to in a footnote as "Ad C. Favonium Zephyrinum", in Mason'sMemoirs (1775), section II, letter no. XXI. Mason is the only source for this letter, dated May 1740, in which Gray originally sent the poem to West (Favonius). MS translation into English by Thomas Wharton.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode to Caius Favonius Zephyrinus" (p. 7) ("Ode II." [p. 9]). The poem is part of a section called "Latin Pieces", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 24), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 151-152 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 317-318 (with English prose translation)
Summary:Gray wrote this poem in the album of the monastery of the Grande Chartreuse on this second visit on 21 August 1741, during his journey from Turin to Lyon, when he was returning alone from the Grand Tour. First published, as "Ode", in Mason'sMemoirs (1775), 117-118. MS translation into English by Thomas Wharton.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode composed at the Grande Chartreuse" (p. 13) ("Ode III." [p. 15]). The poem is part of a section called "Latin Pieces", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 24), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "The Bard. A Pindaric Ode" (p. 47) ("Ode. VI." [p. 49]). The poem, which has numbered stanzas and includes the "Argument" and the "Advertisement" as a footnote to the half-title as well as Gray's notes to ll. 5, 11, 13, 14, 35, 38, 47, 54, 57, 59, 64, 67, 71, 77, 83, 87, 89, 90, 91, 93, 99, 109, 110, 117, 121, 128, 131, 133, and additional annotations to ll. 70 ("Richard II.") and 75 ("Henry IV."), is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "The Death of Hoel. an Ode" (p. 99) ("Ode. XI." [p. 101]). The poem, which is annotated "See Mr. Evans's Specimens, 71 and 73." on the title page, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
Summary: Written at London in 1761, the paraphrase of the original Icelandic is based largely on a Latin translation from Bartholinus. First published in Poems (1768).
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "The Descent of Odin, an Ode" (p. 83) ("Ode. IX." [p. 85]), followed by the first line of the original poem. The poem, which includes Gray's notes to ll. 4 and 90 (with Mason's addition), is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Elegy written in a Country Church-Yard" (p. 117) ("Elegy." [p. 119]). The poem, which in this version has four unique readings ("winds" for "wheels" [l. 7], ", the" for "and" [l. 32], "to" for "on" [l. 68], and "sage" for "swain" [l. 97]), is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
Summary: Written not long before 31 January 1758 presumably at the request of John Clerke to commemorate his wife Jane who died 27 April 1757 aged 31. Inscribed on a mural tablet in St George's parish church, Beckenham, Kent, 1758. First published, as "An Epitaph copied from a Tomb-stone in a Country Church Yard", in The Gentleman's Magazine, October 1759.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Epitaph on Mrs. Clarke" (p. 109) ("Epitaph. I." [p. 111]). The poem, which is annotated "This Lady, the Wife of Dr. Clarke, Physician at Epsom, died April, 27, 1757; and is buried in the Church of Beckenham, Kent" on the title page, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
Summary: Written between May and August 1761 at the request of one of the executors of Sir William Williams, a politician and soldier Gray briefly met early in October 1760, who died 27 April 1761 on an expedition against Belle Ile. First published, as "Epitaph II. On Sir William Williams", in Mason'sPoems (1775), 62.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Epitaph on Sir Willm. Williams" (p. 113) ("Epitaph II." [p. 115]). The poem, which is annotated "This Epitaph (hitherto unpublished) was written at the request of Mr. Fred. Montagu, who intended to have inscribed it on a Monument at Bellisle, at the siege of which this accomplished youth was kill'd, 1761; but for some difficulty attending the erection of it, the design was not executed" on the title page, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
Summary: Written at London not later than the beginning of May 1761, based largely on a Latin translation of the original poem preserved in the late 13th-century Njáls Saga, ch. 157. This untitled Old Norse poem is a prophetic account of the Battle of Clontarf, fought on Good Friday 1014. First published in Poems (1768).
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "The Fatal Sisters, an Ode" (p. 75) ("Ode. VIII." [p. 77]), followed by the first line of the original poem. The poem, the preface of which is here entitled "Argument" and to which Gray's note on the Valkyriur has been appended, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
Summary: Written between March and October 1742 after Gray's arrival in England from the Grand Tour and before his return to Peterhouse, Cambridge. First published, untitled but referred to as a "Hymn or Address to Ignorance", in Mason'sMemoirs (1775), 176-177.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode to Ignorance. A Fragment" (p. 1) ("Ode. I." [p. 3]). The poem, which is marked with a line of asterisks after l. 38, followed by "caetera desunt", is part of a section called "Fragments", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 19), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "An Irregular Ode for Music" (p. 63) ("Ode. VII" [p. 65]). The poem, which has numbered stanzas (I.-VIII.) and several annotations to the half-title page, based on information on the title page of the 1769 edition, and to ll. 39, 41, 42, 43, 45, 66, 70, and 84, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
Summary: Written at Stoke Pogesc. August 1742 during one of Gray's most productive periods. First published, anonymously, as a folio pamphlet by Dodsley, 30 May 1747.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eaton College" (p. 15) ("Ode. III." [p. 17]). The poem, which includes the motto (attributed in a different hand to "Menander") on the title page and Gray's note to l. 4, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
"Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes"
Summary: Written at Cambridgebetween 22 February and 1 March 1747 and sent in a letter of that date to Horace Walpole. Mason is the only source for this letter, the poem sent in it has not survived. First published in Dodsley'sCollection of Poems by Several Hands, 3 vols, vol. II. (London, 1748), 267-269, reprinted in 6 vols, vol. II. (London, 1758 and later edns.), 328-330.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes" (p. 9) ("Ode. II." [p. 11]). The poem is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
Summary: Written probably in 1754 or 1755. First printed privately in 1774. First published, in two versions, among the notes to the poems, entitled "Ode, On the Pleasure arising from Vicissitude", and as "Ode" in Mason'sMemoirs (1775), 78-81 (with Mason's additions) and 236-237 (ll. 1-48 only) respectively.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode On the Pleasure arising from Vicissitude" (p. 7) ("Ode. II." [p. 9]). The poem, which is annotated "N.B. This Ode was left unfinished by Mr. Gray; but was compleated by Mr. Mason. // The lines by Mr. Mason are marked * / single words _" and is identical to the version in Mason'sPoems (1775), 78-81, is part of a section called "Fragments", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 19), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
Summary: Written at Stoke Pogesearly in June 1742 and sent in a letter, [c. 3 June 1742], to Richard West who was then dead. The letter was returned unopened and does not survive. First published, anonymously, in Dodsley'sCollection of Poems by Several Hands, 3 vols, vol. II. (London, 1748), 265-267, reprinted in 6 vols, vol. II. (London, 1758 and later edns.), 325-327.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode on the Spring" (p. 1) ("Ode. I." [p. 3]). The poem is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode to Adversity" (p. 25) ("Ode. IV." [p. 27]). The poem, which includes the motto in Greek and attribution on the title page, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
Summary: Begun not earlier than September 1751 and completed by December 1754 when Gray sent the poem in a letter to Thomas Wharton, dated 26 December 1754. First published, as "Ode." in Odes by Mr. Gray (1757), 5.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "The Progress of Poesy. A Pindaric Ode" (p. 33) ("Ode. V." [p. 35]). The poem, which has numbered stanzas and includes the motto in Greek and attribution on the title page as well as Gray's notes to ll. 3, 13, 25, 42, 54, 66, 84, 95, 111, and 115, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
Summary: Composed at Stoke Poges shortly after the death of Richard West, Gray's closest friend, on 1 June 1742. First published, entitled "Sonnet On the Death of Mr. Richard West", in Mason'sPoems (1775), 60.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Sonnet on the Death of Mr. Richard West" (p. 105) ("Sonnet." [p. 107]). The poem is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 153-156 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 318-321 (with English prose translation)
Summary: Written before mid-May 1742. First published in Mason'sMemoirs (1775), section III, letter X. Mason is the only source for this (probably conflated) letter, dated [27 May 1742], in which Gray originally sent the poem to Richard West.
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Sophonisba Massinissae. Epistola" (p. 17) ("Epistola." [p. 19]). The poem, which contains three variant readings ("fata" for "fama" [l. 15], "Consideramque" for "Credideramque" [l. 44] and "resurgat" for "recursat" [l. 51]), is part of a section called "Latin Pieces", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 24), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.
Summary: Written probably in 1760 or 1761 when Gray was living in London. Based on a Latin translation by Evan Evans of the original Welsh "Arwyain Owain Gwynnedd" by Gwalchmai ap Meilyr. First published in Poems (1768).
Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "The Triumphs of Owen. A Fragment" (p. 93) ("Ode X." [p. 95]). The poem, which includes Gray's notes and the additional lines after l. 26 by Mason, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.