Alteration in his temper and spirits. Difference between an Italian fair and an English one. A farewell to Florence and its prospects, in Latin hexameters. Imitation, in the same language, of an Italian sonnet Account of Mr. Gray's return home, and of his second visit to the Grande Chartreuse, where he wrote an Alcaic Ode, which concludes the Section Page 118 121 SECTION III. Prefatory narrative. Mr. Gray's father dies, and the year after he returns to Cambridge, and takes a degree in civil law; during that interval he corresponds with Mr. West LETTER 1. From Mr. WEST. His spirits not as yet improved by country air. Has begun to read Tacitus, but does not relish him 2. To Mr. WEST. Earnest hopes for his friend's better health, as the warm weather comes on. Defence of Tacitus, and his character. Of the new Dunciad. Sends him a speech from the first scene of Agrippina 123 126 126 The plan, dramatis personæ, and all the speeches which Mr. Gray wrote of that tragedy, inserted 130 3. From Mr. WEST. Criticism on his friend's tragic style. Latin hexameters on his own cough 138 5. From Mr. WEST. Answer to the former, on the subject of antiquated expressions 6. To Mr. WEST. Has laid aside his tragedy. Difficulty of translating Tacitus 7. From Mr. WEST. With an English Ode on the approach of May 8. To Mr. WEST. Criticises his Ode. Of his own classical studies Answer to the foregoing 9. From Mr. WEST. 10. To Mr. WEST. Of his own peculiar species of melancholy. Inscription for a wood in Greek hexameters. Argument and exordium of a Latin heroic epistle, from Sophonisba to Massinissa Account of Mr. WEST's death. Of Mr. Gray's English poetry, writ- and all the parts which the Author finished of a Latin didactic poem 153 (v) V SECTION IV. Prefatory narrative. Mr. Gray takes his degree in civil law, and makes Cambridge his principal residence for the rest of his life. The Editor of these Memoirs becomes acquainted with him in the year 1747. He corresponds with Dr. Wharton and several other persons till the year 1768, when he is appointed Professor of Modern History LETTER Page 169 1. To Dr. WHARTON. On taking his degree of Bachelor of Civil Law Fragment of an Hymn to Ignorance 2. To Dr. WHARTON. Ridicule on University laziness. Of Dr. Akenside's poem, on the Pleasures of Imagination 176 178 3. To Dr. WHARTON. His amusements in town. Reflections on riches. Character of Aristotle 4. To Mr. WALPOLE. Ridicule on Cibber's Observations on Cicero. On the modern Platonic Dialogue. Account of his own and Mr. West's poetical compositions 184 . 187 5. To Mr. WALPOLE. Criticisms on Mr. Spence's Polymetis 9. To Dr. WHARTON. Character of M. de Montesquieu's L'Esprit des 12. To his MOTHER. Consolatory on the death of her sister Narrative of the incident which led Mr. Gray to write his Long Story. 14. To Dr. WHARTON. On the ill reception which the foregoing poem b met with in town when handed about in manuscript, and how much his Elegy in a Country Church-yard was applauded 15. To Mr. WALPOLE. Desires him to give his Elegy to Mr. Dodsley to be printed immediately, in order to prevent its publication in a ma- 16. To Dr. WHARTON. Of Madame Maintenon's Character and Letters. His high opinion of M. Racine. Of Bishop Hall's Satires, and of 17. To Mr. WALPOLE. Concerning the intention of publishing Mr. Bentley's designs for his Poems. Refuses to have his own portrait Epitaph on Mr. Gray's aunt and mother in the church-yard of Stoke- 19. To Dr. WHARTON. On Strawberry-Hill. Occasional remarks on 20. To Dr. WHARTON. Objection to publishing his Ode on the Progress of Poetry singly. Hint of his having other lyrical ideas by him 21. To Mr. STONHEWER. Of Monsignor Baiardi's book concerning Her- culaneum. A poem of Voltaire. Incloses a part of his Ode en- 22. To Dr. WHARTON. On his removing from Peter-House to Pembroke 23. To Dr. WHARTON. Of his own indolence. Memoirs of M. de la 24. To Mr. MASON. Of his reviewers. Offers to send him Druidical 25. To Mr. MASON. On hearing Parry play on the Welch harp, and 26. To Mr. HURD. On the ill reception his two Pindaric Odes met with LETTER Various authors in the last volumes of Dodsley's Miscellany. Dr. Page 256 31. To Mr. STONHEWER. On infidel writers and Lord Shaftsbury A paper of Mr. Gray inserted, relating to an impious position of Lord 32. To Dr. WHARTON. On the death of his son, and an excuse for not writing an epitaph 33. To Mr. PALGRAVE. Desiring him to communicate the remarks he should make in his tour through the North of England 34. To Mr. MASON. Some remarks on a second manuscript copy of Ca ractacus 35. To Mr. PALGRAVE. Description of Mr. Gray's present situation in town, and of his reading in the British Museum 36. To Dr. WHARTON. 38. To Dr. CLARKE. His amusements with a party on the banks of the Thames. Death of a Cambridge Doctor. More of the Erse Frag 39. To Mr. MASON. On two Parodies of Mr. Gray's and Mr. Mason's Odes. Extract of a letter from Mr. David Hume, concerning the authenticity of the Erse Poetry 40. To Dr. WHARTON. On his employments in the country. Nouvelle 42. To Mr. MASON. On his expectation of being made a residentiary 43. To Dr. WHARTON. Description of Hardwick. Professor Turner's death. And of the peace 44. To Mr. MASON. On Count Algarotti's approbation of his and Mr. Mason's poetry. Gothic architecture. Plagiary in Helvetius, from Elfrida 45. To Mr. BROWN. Sending him a message to write to a gentleman abroad relating to Count Algarotti, and recommending the Erse Poems 296 46. Count ALGAROTTI to Mr. GRAY. Complimentary, and sending him some dissertations of his own 47. To Dr. WHARTON. On Rousseau's Emile 48. To Mr. PALGRAVE. What he particularly advises him to see when 50. To Dr. WHARTON. Description of the old castle of Glamis, and part 298 300 LETTER 51. To Mr. BEATTIE. Apology for not accepting the degree of Doctor offered him by the University of Aberdeen 52. To Dr. WHARTON. Buffon's Natural History. Memoirs of Petrarch. Mr. Walpole at Paris. Description of a fine lady 53. To Dr. WHARTON. volume of Buffon 54. To Mr. MASON. Tour in Kent. New Bath Guide. On his wife's death Page 314 316 321 55. To Mr. BEAttie. Thanks for a manuscript poem. Mr. Adamer- 321 guson's Essay on 56. To Mr. BEATTIE. On the projected edition of our Author's Poems 58. To the Duke of GRAFTON. Thanking him for his Professorship. 60. To Mr. BEATTIE. On the same subject SECTION V. Enumeration of such other literary pursuits of Mr. Gray as were not 1. To Mr. NICHOLLS. On the death of his uncle, Governor Floyer, and advising him to take orders 2. To Mr. NICHOLLS. Congratulating him upon his situation, and men- 4. To Dr. WHARTON. A journal of his tour through Westmoreland, 5. To Dr. WHARTON. Description of Kirkstall-Abbey, and some other places in Yorkshire 6. To Mr. NICHOLLS. Of Nettley-Abbey and Southampton The manner in which the Count rectified his mistake 384 386 9. To Mr. How. After perusing the whole of Count Algarotti's works |