Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-02-15


Most Matches Eicgy- william Peuu's
Descendants as Lords OF the Ancient
rIanor-syivan Scenes with Splendid
Historic Environment.
copyright, 1882. by Edgar L. wakcman.l
SroKR Poars, England, Oct l0.-I once
Knew little old bookworm who haunted
the Now York libraries, and whose manner,
ways and character bore most striking
resemblance TO that poet who wrote the
most perfect elegy Ia the English tongue
Thomas Gray.
lilo was little, dainty man, with sllvcrod
hair aud a rounded psunch-his most
striking physical Characteristic II his Hue,
pensive blue eyes wore not bsaminG upon
you. His olothipg was faultless. Ills
manners were courtly. His worry pensive.
ness was benignant and restful. lie seemed
10 cxhale an odor Of musk and mignonetto'
and Us used to look at him for an Eight
eenth century remainder, the gtoteiquo
notion always eamo that his melancholy
signs Of pleasure or disapproval M he fed
upon the musty tones before him, could
they be given physical aspect, would con
form 10 the poarly lavender Of his ample
stock and spotless trousers.
paunch had gone riot and overcome his
stomach with govt or something. aud
the dainty and learned little bookworm
had turned from the tones OF tho hstor
and Mercantile 10 the endless tome OF
eternity. was sure that here was an
other Gray. Yes. be had been. found,
supported In academy, college, university
and In travel by the thrift and trade Of
two women, who blindly believed that In
time he would astonish tho world with tho
product OF his genius. Like Gray, he mover
earned penny; his unconscious winsome-
ness conquered all; his learning was vast
and his Incidence was astounding. He
had spent lifetime In cxhausting tho his.
toric, scientific and philosophic researches
and product Of others. He loft tons OF be.
ginninA Of great endeavors n ho had
been forced into country environment, rs
was Gray at Stoke Pogcs, ho might have
given tho world an idyl or an olcgy, and
then tho likeness would have been com
plete.
The very accident Of rural retiraoy com
PEELED or induced Thomas Gray TO create
the one bit Of verse which gave him place
among tho immortals. From I'M, at tho
ago Of ten, when his mother placed him In
Elton, aud whore, tradition has IL. he AZ
once began 10 versiiy until lie expired OF
inertia and govt In the arms OF DR.. James
Brown, Master OF picturesque old Penn
broke Hall, Cambridge, on tho 30th of
July, i7Jl-a period Of forty -four ycars-he
was ns continuously In an atmosphere OF
books ~ any man who ever lived. For his
day and time he wns the most vnrlOusly
and penetratingly learned man In Europe.
lilo was practically mad for and from
book knowledge. His devotion to research
seemed an endless intoxication Of acquire.
mcnt for tho thing or fact encompassed,
rather than that healthful acquisition OF
knowledge for tho uses to which It may be
wisely put.
II II no doubt also true that had ho not
written the "Elcgy" his place In tho BIZ
ographies would have been no more than
"Thomas Gray, erudite annotator, accom-
plished translator and sometime companion
Of Horace Wslpole." Because his surpass.
ing genius. through the blessed incident OF
rural inspiration, for once burst the letters
Of sodden booktb enslavement and its con.
sequent physical Incidence. no attained
fame and loft US our most perfect revela.
ton OF tenderess emotions aud introspec.
tions 10 tho universal human heart. The
malignancy Of johnson Is quite forgiven
for tho one honest sentence ho ever wrote
about Gray. Had Gray written often thus"
said tho osntankerops master of words, at
he'd been vain to blame and useless TO
praise him"
For thess and other reasons the one
place 10 oil tho world-s,tokes Poges-which
prompted q single, incompatible example
Of what Gray might have been to litera-
ture had he been shut away from tho
deadcning influence OF Cambridge books,
and perhaps compelled to earn his own
living, becomes doubly interesting. DO
sides tho poet resided here for frequent
intervals from IT4s TO 1850. His grave Is
hore. A stupsndous monument stands 81.
most within sight Of his old home. The
very church In which no worshiped, and
the churchyard rendered doar TO the hearts
Of all men BY his melodious. mournful ell
egy. remain today Just as no saw and
knew them In life. The place, too, has
some historic Importance, and the manor
Of Stoke Park was once the home of the
descendants u william Penn. many Of
whom arc buried In the family vault In the
nave OF the mossy old church.
But better than all else, you will find
the place a marvellous revelation OF tn,
elegy, as you have already felt the elegy u
emotions which only the rarest scene and
associative condition eau impart. Our New
World Affections cling very tonderly to cor
tain Old World shrlnss They fold abou
them u flmy glamour OF loving ideality
and cradle them 10 tho soft and misty cor
ries Of the heart. ! can recall but few
which are not better for the distant sight
less lullaby, and this Is one.
Stoke Poges Is thinly settled village Of
thickly settlsd sylvan parish OF Buck
inghamshire, not over twenty Ave mile
west Of London and about two mile
north Of the railway station Of Slough
which Ia In turn the same distance nortl
OF Windsor and Castle. II derives It's I'm
poetic name from Amicia de Stoke, wit
brought the manor In marriage to II certain
Robert Pogeis, knight OF the shire In tn
Twelfth century In tho time OF Edwar,
III the ostste passed into the possession o
Sir John Molyns. He had license from
the king TO fortlfy and embattle u mansiol
here, and II WAS he who built the pictur
esque old church mado famous by Gray
"Elegy." The manor descended through
female heirs TO the great earls OF Hunting
don, ono OF whom rebuilt the manor hous
early In the reign OF Elizabeth. Then 81
Edward Coke possessed II and sumptuous
iy entertained Elizabeth here. Remain
Of this splendid manor house are still stand
ing few rods northwest OF the old church
Aside from Its poetic associations, th
manor came 10 have peculiar interest L
Americans when, IN 1860, it was purchase,
from the noble family Of Gotham b.
Thomas Penn, second son OF the grea
founder Of Pennsylvania by his secon,