Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-10-30

u NAAAk leu iAitAN VI NhpiANN gnu NNAhNs stA
the end Of perhaps hundred yards, TO
the huge monument erected to the
memory Of Gray in 1893. by John Penn,
grandson Of William Penn, the then
lord of Stoke Manor. The design was
by the noted James Wyatt. II consists
Of sarcophugus Of heroic size sup
ported on lofty square freestone
pedestal, the whole reaching perhaps
forty or fifty feet above the sward,
which is beautifully interspersed with
flowers and protected by a surrounding
sunken fence.
1t is really the only important monu-
ment to Gray in existence. A vast sum
was once collected under pretense Of a
building fund in memory OF Gray at
Pembroke hall at Cambridge, where he
was for many years one OF the most IL
lustrious ornaments OF the classic town.
Indeed" says so excellent an author
ity as Gosse, iii strangers did not peril
odically inquire lat Cambridge) for his
room, it is probable that the name of
Gray would be as completely forgotten
at Pembroke as at Peterhouse from
which his cold bath at the hands of
roistering fellow commoners one jan
uary night in 1856 had driven him)
whore also no monument OF any kind
preserves the record of his presence.
And il Is not an unpleasant reflection
TO an American that a near descendant
Of the great founder OF great Ameri-
can commonwealth was first to honor
an imperishable name In imperishable
stone.
The inscriptions on the four sides
are in keeping with the spirit OF the
spot and at once emphasize in the visit
or's mind the close and loving associa-
ton OF poet, poetry and place. On the
side facing the south approach is the
following;
This Monument in Honor Of
THOMAS GRAY,
Was Erected A. d l7g9,
Among the Scenery
Celebrated BY that great Lyric aud Elegiao
Poet
He died In III,
And lies unnotad In the adjoining Church.
Yard, under the Tombstone on witch 10
Pi9usly and psthetieally recorded the
lntermont OF his aunt and
Lamented mother
The other three inscriptions are from
the "Ode to Elton college, and the
"Eiegy.n That on the north side is the
Ode;
We distant spiresi We antique towers
That erLwn the watery glade
All, happy hills ah, pleasing shade,
All, helds beloved In VAN,
where once my careless childhood strayed,
A stranger vet 10 pain
feel the gales that from We blow
momentary bliss below
ON the east side are the following
two stanlas from the "Elegy;'
beneath those rugged elms, that yew trees
shade,
where heayes the turf In many moldering
Each in IFS narrow cell forever laid,
The rude torefathers Of the hamlet sleep.
The breezy call OF e-breathlns morn.
The swelluw twittering from the straw built
The cocks shrlll clarion or the eehol ny horp
No more shall rouse them from their lowly
bed.
Again are lines from the "Elegyr
chosen for the inscription on the vest
ern facade:
HARD by yoa WOOD now smiling qs in seorn
Autterlng his hayward ianeiss he would
Now dfooplne woeul. wan like one forion.
Or erazed with care, or crossed in hopeless
love
One morn missed him ou'the neeus TONED hnl,
Along the hi attn, ana near his avorlte treei
Another came; nor yet beside the ru,
Nor UP The lawn nor AZ the wood was no
From your present station at the
monument you have only to turn and
face the west for as sweet prospect
one altogether hidden as you entered
the lodge gate--as ever human eyes be-
held. Across a lawn-like open field OF
clover almost musical from tho hum OF
murmuring bees. Is seen, to the right,
the remaining huge gables and chin
neys, almost completely covered with
ivy, Of old Stoke Hall, the ancient man
or house, Here once lived the noble
families of the Huntiugdons, the Cokas
and the Cobhams. whore Queen Elizabeth
became enamored OF her one time regal
entertainment. DAVIS chatter about
the old ohimneys aud gossip in the
branches OF the lofty trees. Ancient
greatness and siateliness with piotur-
esque and even winsome decay charm
the onloolser in every view OF Old stoke
Hall.
10 the left, and somewhat further
away, across gently rolling and velvety
lawns, the beautiful vista being bound
Cd on either side by some OF the richest
park-foresiry in England, is seen the
dazzling white outlines Of the splendid
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