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The original letter is extant and usually available for academic research purposes
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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.
Hence vain deluding Joys
is our motto hier, written on every feature, and ourly spoken by every solitary Chapel bel; So that
decently you cant expect no other but a very grave letter. I realy beg you pardon to wrap up my thoughts in so smart a dress as an in
quarto sheet. I know they should apear in a folio leave, but the Ideas themselves shall look so solemn as to belie their
dress.–Tho' I wear not yet the black gown, and am only an inferior Priest in the temple of Meditation, yet my countenance is
already consecrated. I never walk but with even steps and musing gate, and looks comercing with the skyes; and unfold my wrinkles only
when I see mr. Gray, or think of you. Then nothwithstanding all your learnings and knowledge, I feel in such occasions that I have a
heart, which you know is as some others a quite prophane thing to carry under a black gown.
I am in a hurry from morning till evening. At 8 o Clock I am roused by a young square Cap, with
whom I follow Satan through Chaos and night. He explaind me in Greek and latin, the sweet reluctant amorous
Delays of our Grandmother Eve. We finish our travels in a copious breakfeast of muffins and tea. Then apears Shakespair and old
Lineus strugling together as two ghost would do for a damned Soul. Sometimes the one get the better
sometimes the other. Mr Gray, whose acquaintance is my greatest debt to you, is so good as to shew me Macbeth, and all witches
Beldams, Ghost and Spirits, whose language I never could have understood without his Interpretation. I am now endeavouring to dress
all those people in a french dress, which is a very hard labour.
I am afraid to take a room, which Mr. Gray shall keep still much better. So I stop hier my everrambling pen. My respectful Compliments to Md. Nichole. Only remember that you have no where a better or more grateful friend than your de Bonstetten. –I loosd Mr. Wheeler letter and his direction.
I never saw such a boy: our breed is not made on this model. he is busy from morn[ing] to night, has no other amusement, than tha[t] of changing one study for another, like[s] nobody, that he sees here, & yet wishes to stay longer, tho' he has pass'd a whole fortnight with us already. his letter has had no correction whatever, & is prettier by half than English.
Would not you hazard your journal: I want to see, what you have done this summer tho' it would be safer & better to bring it yourself, methinks!
Complimens respectueux à Mad: Nichole, & à notre aimable Cousine, la Sposa.