SONNET. A LONELY Man he was, from whom these lays High thoughts, unchanging visions, that the leaven ADVERTISEMENT. presenting this new edition of the Works of ay to the notice of the public, the editor takes e opportunity of stating, that his intention has en to form a more complete collection of the poems an has hitherto appeared: and to accompany e text with such notes and illustrations, as uld trace the imitations, and explain the alluns, that occur in the works of a poet, who is nost unequalled, at least in modern times, in the tent of his research, and the variety of his learn5. The edition of the late Mr. Wakefield was signed, in some degree, to execute this plan; 1 the editor has great pleasure in acknowledging ne obligations to that work. He has also colted in a short life of Gray, those new materials, ich appeared at different times, since the pubition of Mr. Mason. The succeeding volumes contain all the letters of Gray which were incorrectly published by Mr. Mason; together with those subsequently printed in the works of Lord Orford, and in the Gentleman's Magazine. In addition to these, the editor has been enabled, by the kindness of Richard Wharton, Esq., to enrich his work with many original and highly valuable letters from Gray to his most intimate and respected friend, Dr. Wharton, of Old Park, Durham. From this collection in the hand-writing of Gray, the editor made the selection which he offers to the public, with the most perfect confidence of its affording additional delight to those who have estimated the value of that part of the correspondence of Gray, formerly edited by Mr. Mason. In these additional letters, they will acknowledge the same marks of that sound and correct judgment, that excellent sense, and polished taste, expressed in the most lively and unaffected language, and adorned by a fancy highly playful and elegant. Mr. Mason, it is known, published about thirty letters from Gray to Dr. Wharton, in many of which he transposed the sentences, inserted paragraphs from one letter into another, and connected these insertions with sentences of his own; in almost all, he altered the style, and changed, in a greater or less degree, the truth and character of the original composition. These letters will now be found restored to their original state from the manuscripts of the author. The same volume which was entrusted to the present editor was lent by the late Dr. Wharon to Mr. Mason, when the latter was preparing o publish the memoirs of his friend and the ditor has the very best authority for stating, hat Dr. Wharton was much displeased at the exraordinary liberties which Mr. Mason had taken with the volume that had been entrusted to his are. Much, of course, that may now be pubshed with the greatest propriety, was at the time, which Mr. Mason lived, very judiciously omitted y him. But for the system of alteration which e has intentionally, constantly, and silently dopted in that which he has published; so as ften to disfigure and change the real style and anner of Gray; what reason can be assigned, hat apology can be offered? The editor has also been favoured in the most ›liging manner, with copies of the original letters om Gray to Mr. Taylor How, and he has found e same plan of transposition of sentences and teration of style pursued by Mr. Mason in them. he blank spaces which sometimes occur in the llowing letters are occasioned by similar deficicies in the original manuscript. Before Dr. harton entrusted his volume of letters to Mr. ason, he cut out, and erased several passages. he editor has only further to observe, that he has rmed the following selection according to the st of his judgment: he has made a few trifling |