Thomas Gray to Richard West (June 1738) Alexander Huber Editor Thomas Gray Archive
info@thomasgray.org https://www.thomasgray.org/
Oxford

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The original letter is unlocated, a copy, transcription, or published version survives

 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. 53, vol. i, 85-87 http://www.e-enlightenment.com/search/letters/print/?printref_sourceedition=graythOU0084&printref_docnumber=53 The Poems of Mr. Gray. To which are prefixed Memoirs of his Life and Writings by W[illiam]. Mason. York: printed by A. Ward; and sold by J. Dodsley, London; and J. Todd, York, 1775, letter xiv, section i, 30-33 https://www.thomasgray.org/texts/diglib/primary/1775/1/30 The Correspondence of Gray, Walpole, West and Ashton (1734-1771), 2 vols. Chronologically arranged and edited with introduction, notes, and index by Paget Toynbee. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1915, letter no. 79, vol. i, 184-187 https://www.thomasgray.org/texts/diglib/primary/TyP_1915i/1/184 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. XI, vol. i, 12-13 https://www.thomasgray.org/texts/diglib/primary/ToD_1900i/1/12 The Works of Thomas Gray, 2 vols. Ed. by John Mitford. London: J. Mawman, 1816, section I, letter XIV, vol. ii, 25-26 https://www.thomasgray.org/texts/diglib/primary/MiJ_1816ii/1/25 The Works of Thomas Gray, 5 vols. Ed. by John Mitford. London: W. Pickering, 1835-1843, section I, letter XIV, vol. ii, 29 https://www.thomasgray.org/texts/diglib/primary/MiJ_1843ii/2/29 The Letters of Thomas Gray, 2 vols. in one. London: J. Sharpe, 1819, letter XIV, vol. i, 27-29 https://www.thomasgray.org/texts/diglib/primary/1819/1/27 The Works of Thomas Gray, 2 vols. Ed. by Thomas James Mathias. London: William Bulmer, 1814, section I, letter XIV, vol. i, 159-161 https://www.thomasgray.org/texts/diglib/primary/MaW_1814i/1/159 Gray, Thomas, 1716-1771 Cambridge, United Kingdom West, Richard, 1716-1742

Julian

 Latin Greek [Alcaic Fragment] Ad C: Favonium Aristium

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Barbaras ædes aditure mecum, Quas Eris semper fovet inquieta, Lis ubi latè sonat, et togatum Æstuat agmen! Dulcius quanto, patulis sub ulmi Hospitæ ramis temerè jacentem Sic libris horas, tenuiqb inertes Fallere Musâ? Sæpe enim curis vagor expeditâ Mente; dum, blandam meditans Camænam, Vix malo rori, meminive seræ Cedere nocti; Et, pedes quò me rapiunt, in omni Colle Parnassum videor videre Fertilem sylvæ, gelidamqb in omni Fonte Aganippen. Risit & Ver me, facilesqb Nymphæ Nare captantem, nec ineleganti, Manè quicquid de violis eundo Surripit aura: Me reclinatum teneram per herbam; Quà leves cursus aqua cunque ducit, Et moras dulci strepitu lapillo Nectit in omni. Hæ novo nostrum ferè pectus anno Simplices curæ tenuere, cœlum Quamdiú sudum explicuit Favonî Purior hora: Otia et campos nec adhuc relinquo, Nec magis Phœbo Clytie fidelis; (Ingruant venti licet, et senescat Mollior æstas.) Namque, seu, lætos hominum labores Prataqb & montes recreante curru, Purpurâ tractus oriens Eoos Vestit, et auro; Sedulus servo, veneratus orbem Prodigum splendoris: amœniori Sive dilectam meditatur igne Pingere Calpen; Usque dum, fulgore magìs magìs jam Languido circum, variata nubes Labitur furtim, viridisqb in umbras Scena recessit. O ego felix, vice si (nec unquam Surgerem rursus) simili cadentem Parca me lenis sineret quieto Fallere letho! Multà flagranti radiisqb cincto Integris ah! quam nihil inviderem, Cum Dei ardentes medius quadrigas Sentit Olympus?

Ohe! amicule noster, et unde, sodes, tu μουσοπάτακτος adeo repente evasisti? jam te rogitaturum credo. Nescio hercle, sic plané habet. Quicquid enim nugarum ἐπὶ σχολῆς inter ambulandum in palimpsesto scriptitavi, hisce te maxumè impertiri visum est, quippe quem probare, quod meum est, aut certè ignoscere solitum probé novi: bonâ tuâ veniâ sit si fortè videar in fine subtristior; nam risui jamdudum salutem dixi; etiam paulè mœstitiæ studiosiorem factum scias, promptumque, Καινοῖς παλαιὰ δακρύοις στένειν κακά.

O lachrymarum fons, tenero sacros Ducentium ortus ex animo; quater Felix! in imo qui scatentem Pectore te, pia Nympha, sensit.

Sed de me satis. Cura ut valeas. Jun. 1738.