New-York tribune., 1885-01-11
or Trinity Hall
We say nothing at all

We say nothing at all.
This odd jnmbe Of rhymes is tho longest Of
several humorous trifes of Griy's which have re-
covered from oblivion. One two have been
handed dswn in the University from mouth to
month. and ara of a caustic character which does
not lit them for general publication.
When l had finished copying Never q
Barrcl the better Herring" l found that
Lord Houghton had the good fortune to possess al
other unpublished pOon of Gray's of a much
greater Importance a very noble translation into
blank verse OF that portion of the sd canto of
Dantes Inferno which deals with the soliloquy. of
UgOnO. l feel myself extremely fortunate in
being able to give to the world for the frat time
this masterly paraphrase, perhaps the most vigor-
GUS passage of blank verse tnat had been written
In English since the death of Milton:
From his dire Food the griesy Feon raised
His g0r,'lyed Lips which on the clottcrd Locks
OF III half tdevoured Head he wiped, and thus
Began wouldst thou revive the deep Despair.
The Anguish. that unutterd nithless wrtAyS
Ny inmost Heart q Yet II the telling may
Begct the Traitonrs Infalny whom thus
ceasrlcss gnaw insatiate thou shalt see me
At once give loose to Utterance, and to Tears.
Sent hither: but Forcntnc my Ear.
Wen by thy Tongue. declares thee. Know thou seest
imn m me Connt Ugono. and uggeri
Ny Wrong, and from them Judge OF my Revenge
That did trust him that was betrayt
BY trusting. and by Treachcry slain. It rrkcs not
Tha, Iadvis. thee That which yet remains
The Bitterness OF Death. shall unfold.
Attend, and say II he have iuiurcd me.
That grim AND antique Tower almted Csince
Of mo the Tower OF Famine highi, and known
To many-h Wretch, already gan the Dawn
Prophetic Of INV Woes with drefIl Hand
Oped the dark Veil of Fate. SAW ne,hought
Towards Pisas Mount. that interceps the View
OF Lucca. chas'd by Hcllhounds gaunt and bloody
A Wolf fnll-grown with fleet aud equal speed
Ills Young ones ran beside him. Ianfranc there
And Sigi-mndo, and Gu,landi rode
Inn Inyn deadly hpu II
The deadest. II9 their Chef the foremost IIe
Flusn'd to pursue. and chear The cager Cry:
Nor long endurd tho Chase the painting Siro
or strength hereh hl' me.pls;, onsP,iimg p s9on
The hungry Pack their sharp set Fangs embrued.
The morn had scarce commenced. when awokc:
Ny Children tthey with mcl sleep AS yet
Gave not to know their sum of Misery.
Bni vet In low and nncompeatcd sounds
or fhou do.t mourn to think. What my poor Heart
Foresaw. forekucw: Oh! IL thou Weep not now.
Where are thy Tears they had aroused 'em
or oftmsy 'Pc Food ffi arpTonssl whc" si the Gate
Below heard the drcadfu Clash Of Bars.
Aud ia,t'nmg Bots then on my Chdcen- Eyes
spcrchess my sight ixd. nor wcpt. for all
TTV They Rsp g' and r, tiny my ,e dear S"p Isc@S
Cried. Father. why, why do YOU gaze 30 sternlyi
KIN All isni M0T %Ioe Day. or he sHccsedng Night
TIN arose with weakly Clean.
Aud wan. such ~ nought entrance lind within
Tha, House o. Woo. But, oh when beheld
Ny Sons. aud in four Faces saw my own
Despair reflected. either Hand ( gnawd
For Anguish. which they construed Hunger; straight
Our suffering. Sir II you Resume your CIT
These miserable Limbs with Flesh you coa'hd;
Take back what once was yours. IswalOwd down
Nv struggling sorrow not 20 heighcn theirs:
That Day. aud yet another. muic sc satc
Aud moiOnlrss: on Earth couds thou not cape
Qricl Ia devour me yot n fourth Day came
When Gaddo. ut my Feet out-stretcn'd. implOreinS
IN vain Help. rNpir'd Ger the sixth Morn
Had daNn'd. my other three before my Eyes
Died by one saw cD fall ! heard
Their doleful cries for thrre days more ! gopd
Ahnnt among their cold Remains ifor then
Hunger had rcft my Eve-sight often calling
ON their dear Names. that helrl mo now no more:
The fourth. what sorrow could not. Hunger did
flo nnish'd: Then with unrelcnting Ego
A.knuncc he turn'd him. ha.ty To renew
The hslirh Yeast. and ront his trembling Prey.
There il nothing Of the polished insipidity and
conventional smoothness Of eighteenth-ceutury
paraphrass about this noble study in blank verse.
which will. believe. take its place among tho
ture and valued works of !ts author. Ny space ~
already hled. and must add nothing hero regard
inc such contributions a. have been able TO make
to the published prose works OF Thomas Gray.
EDMUND GossH.
lClark Lecturer OF English Literature at the
University Of Cambridge.