"The Bard. A Pindaric Ode"
Archive Work ID: poems.bapo
Uniform Title: "The Bard. A Pindaric Ode" [e-text]
First Line: 'Ruin seize thee, ruthless king! Language: EnglishFirst Published: 1757
References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 18-24; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 177-200
Summary: Begun late in 1754 and initially abandoned by August 1755 , then taken up again, completed and revised, between May and August 1757 . Gray sent the earlier parts of the poem in letters to Thomas Wharton , dated 6 August 1755 (ll. 1-56), and to Richard Stonhewer , dated 21 August 1755 (ll. 63-100), the latter part (ll. 111-144) to William Mason , dated [24 or 31] May 1757 . First published, as "Ode II." in Odes by Mr. Gray (1757 ), 12-21 .
1 Manuscript:
Archive MS ID: mss.0017 (Source: EAD/XML )
Title: [untitled]
Date: [24 or 31] May 1757
Physical Description: [1?] page; autograph fair copy, partial [ll. 111-144]Language: EnglishLocation: Henry W. And Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature, New York Public Library ,
New York, NY, USA <https://www.nypl.org/about/divisions/berg-collection-english-and-american-literature> References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 13, 80; Toynbee/Whibley (eds.), Correspondence (1971), letter no. 238, vol. ii, 501-503 (subscription required); Starr, "Gray's Craftsmanship" (1946), particularly pp. 424-429Contents: Autograph fair copy, of ll. 111-144, untitled but headed "Antist: 3a ." and beginning "Haughty Knights, & Barons bold", in a letter to William Mason , [24 or 31] May 1757 .
Manuscripts
[untitled] ([24 or 31] May 1757, New York Public Library)