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Gregorian
This letter is part of the Primary Texts section of the Thomas Gray Archive.
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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.
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ELEGY 1
– favor'd steps. useless epithet.
– write, choir. read rank'd & met.
Cull living garlands &c: too verbose. you love garlands.
Wch Pride nor gains – odd construction.
Genuine wreath.
– friendship twine. a little forced.
Shrink is usually a verb neuter. why not blight, or blast?
fervid, read fervent
When sad reflexion – read Till sad &c.
– blest bower – call on, read, call we
In vain to thee – read, in vain to him. & his
for thy.
oh, I did not see! what will become of thine.
Timid, read fearful.
– discreter part –
honest part just before.
– explore.
vivid, read warmest.
There is too much of the Muse here. the Muse's genuine wreath, the Muse's Laurel, the Muse full oft, the Muse
shall some, the Muse forbids. five times.
EL: 2.
Laurel-circled .. laurel-woven sounds better.
neglect the strings is somehow
naked. perhaps
That rules my lyre, neglect her wonted strings. read
– reecho to my strain. His earliest blooms should be blossoms.
Then to thy sight – to the sight.
read, he pierced.
Modestly retire. I do not like.
Tufts sounds ill.
To moral excellence – a remnant of bad books you read at
St John's. so is the dignity of Man.
Of genuine Man glowing – a bad line.
Dupe. I do not approve.
Taste too often repeated.
From that great Guide of truth – hard & prosaic.
EL: 3
– attend the strain.
quick surprize. better than sweet Luxuriant Fancy, pause–
– exulting leap
Read
The wintry blast, that sweeps ye to the tomb.
Tho' soon–quære.
– his patience stand. better before.
Read, That Mercy.
Trace then by reason's – blot it out.
Dear as the Sons – perhaps, Yet neither Sons &c.
They form the Phalanx &c: Is it for present fame? – from hence to peasant's life, the thought seems
not just, because the questions are full as applicable to a Prince, who does believe the immortality of the soul, as to one, who does
not; & it looks, as if an orthodox King had a right to sacrifice his myriads for his own ambition because they stand a chance of
going to heaven, & he of going to Hell.
Indeed these four Stanzas may be spared without hurting the sense at all: after brave the Torrent's roar, it
goes on very well, Go, wiser ye &c: & the whole was before rather spun out & weakly.