urated with the finest essence of the Attic muse," has given us some grand stanzas, in his Ode founded upon the Welsh tradition, that when Edward the First conquered Wales, he ordered the bards to be put to death. opening stanzas: These are the Though fann'd by Conquest's crimson wing, Helm, nor hauberk's twisted mail, Nor e'en thy virtues, Tyrant, shall avail To save thy secret soul from nightly fears, He wound with toilsome march his long array. Stout Glo'ster stood aghast in speechless trance; "To arms!” cried Mortimer, and couch'd his quiv'ring lance. On a rock, whose haughty brow Frowns o'er old Conway's foaming flood, With haggard eyes the poet stood; Stream'd like a meteor to the troubled air ;) Hark, how each giant-oak, and desert-cave, To high-born Hoel's harp, or soft Llewellyn's lay!" Both Campbell and Rogers were much charmed with Gray's writings the latter used to carry a copy of them in his pocket, to read during his morning walks, till at length, he says, he could repeat them all. Byron considered Gray's Elegy the corner-stone of his glory. Tuckerman, with all a poet's appreciation, thus refers to this remarkable production :-" Almost every line is a select phrase, not to be improved by taste or ingenuity. The subject is one of the |