The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1885-01-28
A VISIT TO THE TOMB.
or the Author OF she "EIegy In q
Country Churchyard."


We had long medilated a pilgrimage to
the tomb Of Gray and It was an admira.
ble day when our intention entered the
province Of execution. At Slough we
ulighied and traversed leisurely the dusty.
sparsely. y.shadowed road that leads TO the
scattered hamlet (at once ObsCured and
celebrated) of Stoke-POgis. It was some
little time before we sighted the white
ChurCh.spire which an Obliging rustic.
whose good intentions exceeded his sue.
Cessful performance, had indicated to us.
After this our route lay through pleasant
meadows up a slight ascent until passing
through an iron. barred gate, we stood at
last within the country church.yard and
gazed upon the historic "ivy mantled
tower
The sarcophagus OF Gray stands Just in.
side the gate, and is surrounded by an iron
railing. II rests upon a square granite
pedestal with inscriptions on each side
two quotations from the "Elegy, one
from the "Ode on q Di tant Prospect of
Eton College, and the remaining inscrip-
tiOn dadiCates the monument to the
memory of Gray. From the sarcophagus
a winding path leads TO the picturesgue
church, with its wooden spire and its
towers garlanded with wreaths of ivy,
whence The moping owl doth to the
moon complain.
The church is said 70 have been built by
Sir John Molines in 1840, but the usual
conflict of archaeological testimony arises
on this point. The brasses of sir William
and Lady Margaret Molines (he former Of
whom perished at the siege of Orleansl de-
serve moments notice, but the tomb of
Gray near the southwest window is the
center Of interest. lie lies in the same
vault with his aunt aud mother.
the latter of whom he has com.
memorated in terms Of pathetic
eloquence as "The tender, careful
mother Of many children, one Of whom
alone had the misfortune to survive her
Other spots have been suggested as the
scene OF the "Elegy, as, for example,
Grandchcster and ShaningtOn, but no evi
denCe Of any weight has been adduced in
support Of their claims. Gray was aCCus-
toned to spend his Eton holidays with his
aunt, Mrs. Rogers at Stoke, and here his
mother came to live subsequently. In
June, 1742, Gray is said to have visited his
aunt, Mrs. Rogers II was an eventful
year in his life, and may be said to have
been the beginning Of his poetic career. In
August he wrote the ode on Distant
Prospect Of Eton College" " and in Oc-
tober he egan his celebrated Elcgy "
For years this poem remained unfinished
and then iagain under the pressure of do.
mestic sorrOw) he completed il, as
appears from letter to Horace
MalpOle, at Stokes, in June, 1860. The
ivy mantled tower, "the yew trees
shade, the rugged elms, "the heath, a"
and lyon wood are all confrmatory of
the claims of Stoke-Pogis as the scene of
the reflections in country church,yarJl.
Gray Is one of the few poets of whom
II can be said without reserve that they
have written too little. The characteristic
melancholy of this absolute artist is at
ributed by Bonstetten TO his never having
loved, but probably the truer explanation
is that offered by Sainte. Beuve, who, com.
pairing Gray with INLAND suggests that
this sadness Of temper arose from tho
sterility of a pCetical talent, so distin.
guished, so rare, but so stinted.