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The original letter is extant and usually available for academic research purposes
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.
I am sincerely pleased with every mark of your kindness, & as such I look upon your last letter in particular. I feel for the sorrow you have felt, & yet I can not wish to lessen it: that would be to rob you of the best part of your nature, to efface from your mind the tender memory of a Father's love, & deprive the Dead of that just & grateful tribute wch his goodness demanded from you.
I must however remind you, how happy it was for him, that you were with him to the last; that he was sensible perhaps of your care,
when every other sense was vanishing–he might have lost you last year, might have seen you go
before him at a time, when all the ills of helpless old-age were coming upon him, & (tho' not destitute of the attention &
tenderness of others) yet destitute of your attention & your tenderness. May God
preserve you my best Friend! & (Long after my eyes are closed) give you that last satisfaction in the gratitude & affection of
a Son, wch you have given your Father.