Thomas Gray to William Mason, 19 July 1767

I come forthwith to the epitaph, wch you have had the charity to write at the A:p's request. it will certainly do (for it is both touching & new) but yet will require much finishing. I like not the three first lines: it is the Party most nearly concern'd, at least some one closely connected, & bearing a part in the loss, that is usually supposed to speak on these occasions: but these lines appear to be written by the Chaplain, & have an air of flattery to his Patron. all that is good in them is better expressed in the four last verses. Where the cold ashes &c: these five verses are well, except the word benignant, & the thought (wch is not clear to me, besides that it is somewhat hardly express'd) of When Beauty only blooms &c: in gems, that want colour & perfection, a foil is put under them to add to their lustre: in others, as in diamonds, the foil is black; & in this sense when a pretty Woman chuses to appear in publick with a homely one, we say she uses her as a foil. this puzzles me, as you neither mean, that Beauty sets off Virtue by its contrast & opposition to it: nor that her Virtue was so imperfect, as to stand in need of Beauty to heighten its lustre. for the rest I read, That sweetest harmony of soul &c: Such was the Maid, &c: all this to the end I much approve, except–crown'd with truth, and lightens all their load. the first is not precise; in the latter you say too much. Spreads his child too is not the word. when you have corrected all these faults, it will be excellent.

I thank you for your Comments on my inaccurate metaphor. in return I will be sure to shew them to the Parties, who should have wrote them; & who doubtless, when they see them, will acknowledge them for their own. We are all much in want of you, & have already put off two journeys, because we thought you were to come on Mondays: pray tell us your mind out of hand, least we lose all our future Mondays. Mr Brown has not above another week to stay with us (for Ld St: comes on the 27th out of Scotland) & must go into the third heaven to see nothing-at-all, 'tall–all.