Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-03-08
MOrtester 9aiIp Spp.
A FAC SMILE OF THE ORIGINAL AUTO.
GRAPH OF GRAY'S ELEGY,


paper containing copy of verses, he s well
entitled to prize his acquisition and give it all
the distinction he can. This draught of Gray's
Eiegy is finely photographed by Cundal
Downes Co, from a manuscript belonging
TO Mr. Il. {. Wrghtson. Gray had given a
manuscript to his friend and biographer Ma.
son. Mason left it TO his cuIate, Mr. Bright,
anu the curate TO his son. who sold it to Mr.
Fem, of Manor House, near Slough, for 1901
Still rising in value, the precious document
was again Offered Tor sale in 1854, and was
purchased by Mr. Wrightson, for the large sum
above mentioned. The neat handwriting of
Gray Inc always wrote with a crowqul. J is
faithfully rendered, and the variations between
this draught and the finally revised and print
ed copy are curious. Six verses appear to
have been omitted, or at least melted down.
as it were, into lines and phrases subsequently,
employed:-
"rhe thoughtless World to Majesty must bow,
EXalt the brave, and idolize success;
But more to Innocence their safety owe
Than Power and Genius eer conspired TO bless.
And thou who, mindful OF the unhonoured Dead,
post IN these notes their artless tale relate,
BY night and lonely contemplation led
10 linger in the lonely walks of Fate,
Hark how the sacred calm that regns around
Bids every fierce tumultuous passion cease:
In still small accents whispering from the ground
A grateful earnest of eternal peace.
No more with Reason and thysef at strife,
Give anxious cares and endless wishes room;
But through the cool, sequester'd vale of lie
Pursue tile even tenor of thy doom"
In another omitted verse we have a fine little
cabinet picture =
slim we have seen the greenwood side along
While DER the heath he hed, his labour done,
Oit as the woodlark piped her farewell song,
WIN Wlsttul eyes pursue the setting sum-
And the following very beautiful stanza oc.
immediately bptOra the anitanh
There scattered oft the earliest of We wear
By hands unseen are frequent vi'lets found;
The robin loves to build and walble there,
And little footsteps lightly print the ground"
Another stanza is thus given =
'tSOme village Cato, who, with dauntless breast
The little tyrant of his fields whstood;
Some mute inglorious Tuly here may rest;
Some Caesar guiltess OF his country's blood"
Mason, with excellent taste, suggested that
English instead Of classical examples should be
cited, and Gray substituted Hampden for
Cato Milton for Tully, and Cromwell for
Caesar. Some of the other variations are GU
rious, and every alteration is an Improvement.
The line
'Een in our ashes live their wonted fres,n
stands in this first draught--
"And buried ashes glow with social fires"
The original idea however, is in Chaucer-
yet in ashes cold is fire yreken."
The last verse OF the poem stands thus in the
original
"No farther seek his merits to disclose,
Nor seek to draac them from their dTead abode,
HIS trailties there in trembling hope reposel;
The bosom of his Father and his GOd'
By comparing this with the revised version
it will be seen how much the poet improved
the expression OF the sentiment, Gray was an
exquisite artist, and labored at the conceptions
with equal diligence and taste. He perhaps
refined too much, but it was only by careful
correction, combined with consummate taste
and genius, that such highly finished produc,
tions as this Elegy and the Odes could have
been produced. The circumstances attending
the publication of the Elegy are thus related
by the editor of the lac sinie =
"Slenstone enumerates among the apologies
commonly made by persons guilty OF ii viola
ton Of mOdesty' in commencing as authors
the accidental Opponents OF composition
the danger OF an imperfect and suTreptitiOus
publication, the udiscreet pressure OF friends,
the pious and well meant frauds OF acquaint.
ancos and the irresistible commands of per-
sons in high life So copies )t the 'Elegy,' be-
ing handed about by the indiscreet Horace
WalpOe, one fell into the hands OF the editor
of plratical publication, called the Magazine
OF Magazines, who at once wrote TO the author
to inform him OF his intention to print, and 10
request the honor Of further communications.
ne PoGt OF course uechnea' ana wrote 10 ms
friel d Waipole, Il have but one bad way lett
to escape the honor they would lnn'ct upon
me; aud therefore am Obliged to desire you
would make Dodsley print 1t Immediately
(which may be done III less than weeks
time), from your copy, but without my name;'
and he subst quently remarked, 1T he would
add line or Two To say it came into his hands
b. accident, should like it better Horace
Walpole accordingly penned an advertise
mett 10 the reader assuring him that accident
only brought the poem before the public,
although an apology was unnecessary to any
but the author; and the poet in acknowledge
ment writes, i thank you tor your advertise.
meBt, which saves my honour Among ma
ny foolish fashions which have gone out since
then, the fashion which made it necessary to
publish the 'Elegy IN Country Churchyard'
by the and OF such ingenious hypocrisy is
was published In February, lT5l, IN quarto,
with the quaint title ct AN Elegy wrote In
Country Churclly ard price slxpence the Il
tla.nuUn lpiuU 0ppUratpI with skulls lOur-