a more distant object, to operate against themselves. Some little jealousies and disgusts arose, and Mr. Gray separated himself from his friend, and came back to England. Mr. Walpole returned soon after, and took a house at Windsor. This affords me an opportunity of mentioning the two most excellent poems of Mr. Gray, and the cause of their production. The first is the View of Eton College,' the other the Elegy written in a Churchyard,' which was composed some years after the former. The year in which Mr. Walpole came to Windsor was 1742, at which time it was my good fortune to live at Eton. By these means I had often an opportunity of seeing him, He had not resided there long, when he heard that Mr. Gray was with his relations at Stoke. He accordingly sent him a kind letter, with overtures of reconciliation, and a desire to see him. Mr. Gray very gladly set out to renew his acquaintance, and as in his way he walked through the playfields at Eton, he saw the boys engaged in their different diversions, and a universal harmony prevailing. The late unhappy disagreement and separation were at that time uppermost in his mind; and when he contemplated this scene of concord and boyish happiness, he could not help, in his melancholy mood, forming a contrast. He was led to consider the feuds and quarrels which were likely one day to ensue, when all that harmony and happiness was to cease, and enmity and bitterness were to succeed. He even went so far as to comprehend and anticipate all the dreadful evils to which mankind are liable. It is a gloomy picture, but finely executed, and whoever reads the description with this clue, will find that it was formed from a scene before his eyes. The poet saw and experimentally felt what he so masterly describes. I lived at that time almost upon the very spot which gave birth to these noble ideas, and in consequence of it saw the author very often. The other poem, written in a country churchyard, is by the editor of Mr. Gray's Life supposed to have been composed about the same time as the former: but it seems to be a mistake. It took its rise from the following circumstances, some of which are mentioned by the editor, but others there are which were not known to him:-When Lady Cobham resided at her house at Stoke, Mr. Gray was at no great distance, in the same parish. A noble Duke, who was then at Eton School, and is still living, used often to go over and dine with that lady, and the Rev. Mr. Purt, his tutor, used to accompany him. One day Lady Cobham asked Mr. Purt if he knew Mr. Gray, a gentleman in her neighbourhood. He said that he knew him very well; that he was much respected for his learning, and the author of the celebrated poem styled the View of Eton College. Upon this, next morning two ladies, who were then at Lady Cobham's, sallied out to make Mr. Gray a visit. These were Lady Schaub and Miss Harriot Speed, who afterwards married Count Very of Savoy, both persons of no common wit and vivacity. They did not find him at home. They, however, entered the house, and seem to have caused no small alarm to the ancient mother and aunt. Having obtained pen and paper, they left an invitation from Lady Cobham for Mr. Gray, to dine with her the next day. He accordingly went, and, as we may well imagine, was very graciously received. This event gave birth to the 'Long Story,' which poem has certainly merit; but there is throughout an attempt towards humour, which is not always happily carried on, nor was it properly an ingredient in Mr. Gray's original composition. After this, when in the country, he was continually at Stoke House; and this always happened in the summer and autumnal months. When he returned home late in the evening, he was obliged to pass by the churchyard, which was almost close to the house, and he would sometimes deviate into it, and there spend a melancholy moment. The stillness and solemnity of the season after sunset, and the numerous dead deposited before his eyes, afforded room to a person of his turn for much contemplation. His own pensive mood, and the gloomy yet pleasing ideas which then arose, are described by him in the poem which was styled‘An Elegy written in a Churchyard.' It was certainly conceived there, and many of the stanzas probably there composed, when the awful scene was before his eyes; but the whole took up much time before it was completed. This is a composition of uncommon merit, and the most affecting of any that the world perhaps ever experienced; not only the pathos, but the harmony of the verse, and the beauty and correctness of the diction by which that pathos is conveyed, were, I believe never surpassed. This energy, and these pleasing reflections, arose from the vivid impressions in the author's own breast. This verifies the observation of Horace, "si vis me flere, dolendum est Primum ipsi tibi." Not only in this poem, but also in that upon Eton, every soothing idea originated from what the author saw and intimately felt. This was composed, to the best of my remembrance, in the year 1750; and as it was very much admired, and a great number of copies in manuscript were dispersed abroad, there was intimation given of a surreptitious edition which would soon come out. Upon this the author himself ordered it to be printed by Mr. Dodsley. This was in the year 1751, as appears by Mr. Gray's letter to Mr. Walpole, XV. p. 222. Two years afterwards, there was a very handsome edition of Mr. Gray's poems printed in folio, with designs by Mr. R. Bentley. We find the whole of them there arranged according to the author's own disposition, and the Churchyard comes the last; and it was at that time the last of his works. In some of the stanzas towards the latter end, he has given a description of the lawn, heath, beeches, and springs of water, near which he, with his mother, resided. The nature of the country is too precisely pointed out to be mistaken. In the print, prefixed to the top of the Long Story, is a view of Lady Cobham's venerable mansion, and Stoke Church hard by, where was the night scene of the poet's contemplations. But in this print the articles seem to be reversed, through the fault of the engraver. Mr. Gray was in stature rather below the middle size. He had a pleasing countenance, in which, however, there was no extraordinary expression, consequently no indication of his internal powers. The print which is prefixed to his life e is rather a caricature, for his features were not so stiff and prominent, but more rounded and delicate. I remember a picture of him by Pond, taken when he was very young, but badly executed. What became of it, I know not. These anecdotes of this celebrated person I take the liberty to send to you. If you should think proper either to print them, or to make extracts from them, you will be so good as to make no mention of my name. |