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This letter is part of the correspondence calendar of the complete correspondence of Thomas Gray. The calendar contains detailed bibliographic records for all known original, copied, or published letters written by or to the poet as well as the full-text, where available. Each record is accompanied by digitised images of the manuscript, where available, or digitised images of the first printed edition.
You are welcome to the land of the Living, to the sunshine of a Court, to the dirt of a Chaplain's table, to the society of Dr Squire, & Dr Chapman. have you set out, as Dr Cobden ended, with a sermon against adultery? or do you, with deep mortification & a christian sense of your own nothingness, read prayers to Pr:ss Em:y while she is putting on her smock? pray, acquaint me with the whole ceremonial, & how your first preachment succeeded; whether you have heard of any body, that renounced their election, or made restitution to the Exchequer; whether you saw any Woman trample her Pompons under foot, or spit upon her handkerchief to wipe off the Rouge.
I would not have put another note to save the souls of all the Owls in London. it is extremely well, as it is.
nobody understands me, & I am perfectly satisfied. even the Critical Review (Mr. Franklyn, I am told) that is rapt, &
surprised, & shudders at me; yet mistakes the Æolian Lyre for the Harp of Æolus,
wch indeed, as he observes, is a very bad instrument to dance to. if you hear any thing (tho' it is
not very likely, for I know, my day is over) you will tell me. Ld Lyttelton & Mr Shenstone admire me, but wish I had been a little clearer. Mr (Palmyra) Wood owns himself disappointed in his expectations. your Enemy, Dr Brown, says I
am the best thing in the language. Mr F:x, supposing the Bard sung his song but once over, does not
wonder, if Edward the 1st did not understand him. this last criticism is rather unhappy, for tho' it had been sung a hundred times
under his window, it was absolutely impossible, Kg Edward should understand him: but that is no reason for Mr Fox, who lives almost 500
years after him. 'tis very well: the next thing I print shall be in Welch. that's all.
I delight in your Epigram, but dare not show it any body for your sake. but I
more delight to hear from Mr H:d, that Caractacus advances. am I not to see Mador's Song? could not we
meet some day, at Hounslow for example, after your waiting is over. do tell me time & place.
If you write to Ld J: commend me to him. I was so civil to send a book to Ld N:, but hear nothing of him. where is St:r? I am grown a Stranger to him.
You will oblige me by sending to Dodsley's to say, I wonder the 3d & 4th Vol:s of the Encyclopedie are not come. if you chance to call yourself, you might enquire, if many of my 2000 remain upon his
hands. he told me a fortnight ago about 12 or 1300 were gone.
You talk of writing a comment. I do not desire, you should be employ'd in any such office, but what if Dp (inspired by a little of your intelligence) should do such a matter. it will get him a shilling; but it must bear no name, nor must he know, I mention'd it.