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Thomas Gray Manuscripts

An
Integrated Finding Aid
prepared by
Alexander Huber

first published in
the Thomas Gray Archive in 2006

(current revision: 16 Apr 2026)

Contact: Alexander Huber
E: huber@thomasgray.org
WWW: https://www.thomasgray.org/



Collection Summary

  • EAD ID: grayt.ead.0001
  • Title: Thomas Gray Manuscripts: An Integrated Finding Aid
  • Dates [of autographs]: [ca. 1725]-1771
  • Creator: Thomas Gray (1716-1771) et al.
  • Physical Description: manuscripts, letters
  • Language: English (bulk), Latin, Greek, French
  • Repository: Thomas Gray Archive, Oxford, UK
  • Abstract: An integrated finding aid to all known Thomas Gray manuscripts, autograph or transcript (by contemporaries and early editors), currently listing Gray's poetry manuscripts and correspondence only. Catalogued in EAD2002 by Alexander Huber and first published by The Thomas Gray Archive in 2006. This finding aid is work-in-progress: when completed, it will contain all known Thomas Gray manuscripts, including his prose works, personal papers, and marginalia. The finding aid will also be continually enhanced as original materials are made available to the Archive and digital surrogates are being created.

Biographical Information

Thomas Gray was born in London in 1716 and died in Cambridge in 1771. He was a poet, letter-writer, scholar, critic, and avid reader and commentator, whose published output during his lifetime remained slim, yet who left behind a large and varied manuscript output. See the Archive's biographical sketch or chronology of Thomas Gray for more information.

Scope and Content

Thomas Gray Manuscripts: An Integrated Finding Aid lists all of Gray's identified autograph poetry manuscripts as well as transcripts in the hands of his contemporaries and early editors of his works, as well as his known correspondence, including letters written to Gray. Each of the 883 manuscript entries provides basic bibliographic and archival information, including a physical description wherever possible. Where available, the records contain links to digital surrogates of both the original manuscripts and the first printed edition of the work. This guide builds on a number of print and online information sources, among which the ones listed in the bibliography have been particularly helpful and are herewith duly acknowledged. This finding aid is work-in-progress: when completed, it will contain all known Thomas Gray manuscripts, including his prose works, personal papers, and marginalia.

Arrangement

Following the example in contemporary indices and location registers of MSS, Thomas Gray Manuscripts is arranged alphabetically by uniform titles of works, as found in the Primary Texts section of Thomas Gray Archive. The correspondence is arranged alphabetically, by correspondent. The individual manuscript witnesses are listed chronologically. However, autograph MSS are always listed before transcripts. Please note that works for which no known MS copy exists, have not been included.

Bibliography

  • Crum, Margaret (ed.): First-Line Index of English Poetry 1500-1800 in Manuscripts of the Bodleian Library Oxford, 2 vols. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1969
  • Jones, William Powell: Thomas Gray, Scholar. The true tragedy of an eighteenth-century gentleman. With two youthful notebooks now published for the first time from the original manuscripts in the Morgan library, New York City. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard UP, 1937
  • Jones, William Powell: "Thomas Gray's Library". Modern Philology 35(3) (Feb. 1938), 257-278
  • Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge. Listing and guide to the microfilm collection. Published by the University of Cambridge, Pembroke College. Reading: Adam Matthew Publications, 1991 [2nd ed. 1999]
  • Munby, A. N. L.: "Thomas Gray". A. N. L. Munby (ed.), Sale Catalogues of Libraries of Eminent Persons, Volume 2: Poets and Men of Letters. London: Mansell; Sotheby Parke-Bernet Publications, 1971, 1-82
  • National Register of Archives: "Gray, Thomas (1716-1771), poet". The National Archives. 04 May 2010. <https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/c/F32995>
  • Nelson, Carolyn W. (ed.): Union First Line Index of Manuscript Poetry 13th-19th Century (bulk 1500-1800). Dec. 2012. Folger Shakespeare Library. 15 February 2013. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/>
  • Smith, Margaret M.: "Thomas Gray: 1716-1771". Margaret M. Smith (ed.), Index of English Literary Manuscripts, Volume III: 1700-1800, part 2: John Gay - Ambrose Philips. London and New York: Mansell, 1989, 71-116
  • Sutton, David C. (ed.): Location Register of English Literary Manuscripts and Letters. Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries, Volume I: A-J. London: The British Library, 1995, 413-415

Administrative Information

  • About the Originals: In this finding aid, the Archive provides collection-level description and location information for Thomas Gray MSS. More information about the original manuscripts themselves is available from the holding repositories, contact information of which can be found with each manuscript entry.
  • Restrictions: Please consult with the repository holding the original manuscript using the contact information provided with each of the manuscript records.
  • Preferred Citation: To identify this finding aid as a source, please use this example (MLA Style):
    Huber, Alexander. "Thomas Gray Manuscripts: An Integrated Finding Aid". Thomas Gray Archive. Ed. Alexander Huber. Thomas Gray Archive, 16 Apr 2026. Web. 27 Apr 2026. <https://www.thomasgray.org/resources/findaid.shtml>.

Controlled Access Terms

  • Personal Names (LCNAF) :
    Gray, Thomas, 1716-1771
  • Subjects (LCSH) :
    Gray, Thomas, 1716-1771--Manuscripts
    Gray, Thomas, 1716-1771--Diaries
    Gray, Thomas, 1716-1771--Correspondence
    Gray, Thomas, 1716-1771--Notebooks, sketchbooks, etc.
    Poets, English--18th century

Revision History

  • 16 April 2026:
    • Added letters collection to the finding aid.
  • 31 March 2025:
    • New MS entry 0291 from the John Work Garrett Library, Johns Hopkins University.
    • Updates for MS entry 0097.
  • 5 September 2013:
    • Updates for MS entries 0002, 0006, 0107, 0153, 0242, 0243, 0244, 0245.
  • 7 March 2013:
    • Updates for work entries "[Couplet about Birds]", "From Petrarch. Lib: I: Sonett: 170", "[Imitated] From Propertius. Lib: 2: Eleg: 1.", "Imitated from Propertius, Lib: 3: Eleg: 5:", "[Latin exercise from the Tatler]", [Orders of Insects], "[Translation] From Tasso [Gerusalemme Liberata] Canto 14, Stanza 32-9.", [Translations from the Greek Anthology], and MS 0045.
    • New MS entries (0289/0290) from the Folger Shakespeare Library.
  • 8 December 2011:
    • Updates for MS entries 0002, 0006, 0107, 0153, 0242, 0243, 0244, 0245.
  • 2 September 2010:
    • Updates for MS entries 0250, 0251, 0252, 0253, 0254, 0255.
  • 3 June 2010:
    • Updates for MS entries 0002, 0006, 0024, 0036, 0040, 0041, 0064, 0099, 0107, 0128, 0131, 0132, 0153, 0191, 0200, 0207, 0237, 0238, 0239, 0240, 0241.
    • New MS entries (0242-0245) from Special Collections, Bodleian Library, Oxford.
    • New MS entries (0246-0249) from the Folger Shakespeare Library.
    • New MS entries (0250-0255) from the British Library.
    • New MS entries (0256-0263) from the Houghton Library, Harvard University.
    • New MS entries (0264-0288) from the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University.
  • 2 March 2009:
    • Improved links to internal and external information sources about dates and personal, geographic, family, and corporate names.
  • 4 March 2008:
    • Updates for MS entries 0021, 0037, 0047, 0065, 0106, 0121, 0125, 0143, 0192.
    • New MS entries (0237-0241) from the Brotherton Collection, Special Collections, Leeds University Library.
  • 1 June 2007:
    • New MS entries (0216-0236) from MS Add. 439 ("Gray's Poems"), The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives.
  • 5 March 2007:
    • Updates for MS entries 0009, 0021, 0037, 0047, 0049, 0058, 0065, 0102, 0106, 0111, 0121, 0125, 0143, 0150, 0154, 0161, 0192, 0198.
    • Two new entries (0214/0215) from MS 30/44 ("Copies of the poems of Thomas Gray"), Historic Collections, Special Libraries and Archives, King's College, University of Aberdeen.
  • 7 December 2006:
    • First version of this electronic finding aid published (poems collection only).

Poems, [ca. 1725]-1771

  • "Ad C: Favonium Aristium"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt01
    • Uniform Title: "Ad C: Favonium Aristium" [e-text]
    • First Line: Barbaras aedes aditure mecum,
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1775
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 138-140 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 306-308 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Written at Cambridge when Gray was about to join Richard West (Favonius) at the Inner Temple, where they intended to study law together. First published, untitled but referred to in a footnote as a "Sapphic Ode", in Mason's Memoirs (1775), section I, letter no. XIV. Mason is the only source for this letter, dated June 1738, in which Gray originally sent the poem to West. MS translation into English by Thomas Wharton.

    2 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0001 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ad C: Favonium Aristium"
      • Date: June 1738
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 2 pages
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 53, 90, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 1, 79; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 21; Martin, Chronologie (1931), 136
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, annotated "Cambridge. June, 1738" in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, split over two pages: p. 53 (ll. 1-40) and p. 90 (ll. 41-52).
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0233 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode on Mr. West's leaving the University"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 6 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Latin Pieces" section, 1-6, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode on Mr. West's leaving the University" (p. 1) ("Ode. I." [p. 3]). The poem is part of a section called "Latin Pieces", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 24), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.


  • "Ad C: Favonium Zephyrinum"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt02
    • Uniform Title: "Ad C: Favonium Zephyrinum" [e-text]
    • First Line: Mater rosarum, cui tenerae vigent
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1775
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 144-145 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 310-312 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Written at Rome in the Spring of 1740 while on the Grand Tour with Horace Walpole. First published, untitled but referred to in a footnote as "Ad C. Favonium Zephyrinum", in Mason's Memoirs (1775), section II, letter no. XXI. Mason is the only source for this letter, dated May 1740, in which Gray originally sent the poem to West (Favonius). MS translation into English by Thomas Wharton.

    4 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0003 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ad C: Favonium Zephyrinum"
      • Date: Spring 1740
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 128, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 2, 79; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 22; Martin, Chronologie (1931), 138
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, annotated "Wrote at Rome, the latter end of the Spring, 1740. after a journey to Frescati & the Cascades of Tivoli", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 128.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0004 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Alcaïca"
      • Date: May 1740
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/4/4, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel two
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 3, 79; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 33
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here entitled "Alcaïca", endorsed in an unidentified hand "by T. Gray, from Tivoli".

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0002 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode to Mr. West"
      • Date: [between 1776 and 1804]
      • Physical Description: transcript and English translation in the hand of John Phillipps , 3 pages, 193 mm x 160 mm
      • Language: Latin, English
      • Location: BOD MS Eng.misc.e.241, ff. 43-44r, Special Collections, Bodleian Library, Oxford University, Oxford, UK <http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/weston/finding-resources/locations>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), 79; Crum (ed.), First-Line Index (1969), vol. II, 668, item O754; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 19 March 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=76914>
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of John Phillipps (f. 43), followed by an English translation headed "Translation" (ff. 43v-44r), in a volume of collected verse, copied from manuscripts, printed editions and newspapers, by John Phillipps of the Middle Temple and Exeter College, Oxford, 1776-1804 (Summary Catalogue, 45759).
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0234 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode to Caius Favonius Zephyrinus"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 5 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Latin Pieces" section, 7-11, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode to Caius Favonius Zephyrinus" (p. 7) ("Ode II." [p. 9]). The poem is part of a section called "Latin Pieces", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 24), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.


  • Agrippina, a Tragedy

    • Archive Work ID: poems.agtr
    • Uniform Title: Agrippina, a Tragedy [e-text]
    • First Line: 'Tis well, begone! your errand is performed.
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1775
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 84-92; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 27-43
    • Summary: Written at London, after returning from the Grand Tour, during the winter of 1741-42 and abandoned by 23 April 1742. First published in Mason's Memoirs (1775), 125-135. Mason is the only source for the two letters (one not extant and one dated [1?] April 1742) in which Gray originally sent the prefatory matter and scene I (ll. 1-182) of the fragmented drama to West. Scene II (ll. 183-194) was probably also finished before 23 April 1742, although it has been suggested that it might have been composed as late as the winter of 1746-47.

    1 Manuscript:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0198 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [17??]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of James Beattie, partial [dramatis personae and ll. 1-20] , [1?] page, 250 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS 30/44 ("Copies of the poems of Thomas Gray"), Historic Collections, Special Libraries and Archives, King's College, University of Aberdeen Library, Aberdeen, UK <https://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 169, 96; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414; Ellner, June, "Re: MS 30/44, James Beattie papers". E-mail to the editor, 20 December 2006
      • Contents: Transcript of the dramatis personae and ll. 1-20, here untitled, in the hand of James Beattie, together with Beattie's comments.


  • "[Alcaic Fragment]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt03
    • Uniform Title: "[Alcaic Fragment]" [e-text]
    • First Line: O lachrymarum Fons, tenero sacros
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1775
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 140-141 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 308 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Written at Cambridge when Gray was about to join Richard West at the Inner Temple, where they intended to study law together. First published, untitled, in Mason's Memoirs (1775), section I, letter no. XIV. Mason is the only source for this letter, dated June 1738, in which Gray originally sent the poem to West.

    1 Manuscript:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0007 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1738?]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 90, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 5, 79; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 21; Martin, Chronologie (1931), 137
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, untitled but identified in the index at the end as "Tears, (Latin Alcaïc) fragment on them", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 90.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.


  • "[Alcaic Ode]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt04
    • Uniform Title: "[Alcaic Ode]" [e-text]
    • First Line: O Tu, severi relligio loci,
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1775
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 151-152 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 317-318 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Gray wrote this poem in the album of the monastery of the Grande Chartreuse on this second visit on 21 August 1741, during his journey from Turin to Lyon, when he was returning alone from the Grand Tour. First published, as "Ode", in Mason's Memoirs (1775), 117-118. MS translation into English by Thomas Wharton.

    4 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0008 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "In the Book at the Grande Chartreuse among the Mountains of Dauphiné"
      • Date: August 1741
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 129, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 6, 79; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 22
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, headed "In the Book at the Grande Chartreuse among the Mountains of Dauphiné", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 129.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0005 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Gray's Ode on visiting The Grand Chartreuse – written in The Album of the Fathers"
      • Date: [1807?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of Joseph Hunter , 1 page, 167 mm x 103 mm
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: Add. MS 24614, f. 11v, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), 79; Northup, Bibliography (1917), item 1997
      • Contents: Transcript, entitled "Gray's Ode on visiting The Grand Chartreuse – written in The Album of the Fathers", in the hand of Joseph Hunter, in a volume prefaced "Silva Poetica" (1807).

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0006 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode to the Deity of the Grand Chartreuse"
      • Date: [between 1776 and 1804]
      • Physical Description: transcript and English translation in the hand of John Phillipps , 3 pages, 193 mm x 160 mm
      • Language: Latin, English
      • Location: BOD MS Eng.misc.e.241, ff. 42-43r, Special Collections, Bodleian Library, Oxford University, Oxford, UK <http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/weston/finding-resources/locations>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), 79; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414; Crum (ed.), First-Line Index (1969), vol. II, 674, item O877; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 19 March 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=77055>
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of John Phillipps (f. 42), followed by an English translation headed "Translation" (ff. 42v-43r), in a volume of collected verse, copied from manuscripts, printed editions and newspapers, by John Phillipps of the Middle Temple and Exeter College, Oxford, 1776-1804 (Summary Catalogue, 45759).
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0235 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode composed at the Grande Chartreuse"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 4 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Latin Pieces" section, 13-16, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode composed at the Grande Chartreuse" (p. 13) ("Ode III." [p. 15]). The poem is part of a section called "Latin Pieces", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 24), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.


  • [The Alliance of Education and Government. A Fragment]

    4 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0012 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Essay 1st"
      • Date: [1749?]
      • Physical Description: autograph, 2 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. II, 619-620, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 9, 79; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 27; Martin, Chronologie (1931), 144
      • Contents: Autograph, headed "Essay 1st", with numbered lines (5, 10, etc.), followed by a quotation in Greek from Theocritus in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. II, 619-620.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0010 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: 19 August [1748]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, partial [ll. 1-57] and revised, 2 pages, 238 mm x 180 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Egerton 2400 (Wharton MS), ff. 29v-30r, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 7, 79; Toynbee/Whibley (eds.), Correspondence (1971), letter no. 146, vol. i, 308-312 (subscription required); Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, revised, of ll. 1-57, here untitled, followed by MS 0011, in a letter to Thomas Wharton, 19 August [1748]. Beneath the poem is written "I desire your Judgement upon so far, before I proceed any farther", and "Pray shew it to no one (as it is a Fragment) except it be St:r who has seen most of it already, I think".


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0009 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: An Essay on Education and Government
      • Date: [17??]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of James Beattie , [?] pages, 250 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS 30/44 ("Copies of the poems of Thomas Gray"), Historic Collections, Special Libraries and Archives, King's College, University of Aberdeen Library, Aberdeen, UK <https://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), 79; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414; Ellner, June, "Re: MS 30/44, James Beattie papers". E-mail to the editor, 20 December 2006
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of James Beattie, entitled "An Essay on Education and Government" and annotated in his hand "This beginning of an ethical play is finished in the Author's highest manner. He began it in the year 1748, as appears from a letter to one on his friends inclosing a part of it. In that letter, he entitles it, "An Essay on Education and Government, or rather, on the necessary alliance of them to produce the external happiness of mankind." He relinquished the prosecution of this work on the publication of M. de Montesquieu's Esprit des Loix: a book which he highly admired; and which he said had forestalled the principal things he meant to advance upon the subject. And yet we see, from what he has here left, that he differed from the Baron in one material point, viz, the influence of soil or climate on national manners."


  • "The Bard. A Pindaric Ode"

    16 Manuscripts:



      • Archive MS ID: mss.0016 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [beginning of June 1757]
      • Physical Description: autograph draft, partial [ll. 57-144], 4 pages, 226 mm x 187 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Egerton 2400 (Wharton MS), ff. 75-76, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 12, 80; Toynbee/Whibley (eds.), Correspondence (1971), letter no. 205A, vol. i, 434-437 (subscription required); Starr, "Gray's Craftsmanship" (1946), particularly pp. 424-429
      • Contents: Autograph draft, of ll. 57-144, here untitled, following a letter to Thomas Wharton, 21 August 1755, but according to Correspondence of Thomas Gray (1971), vol. i, 434 very probably written at the beginning of June 1757.


      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0018 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1757?]
      • Physical Description: autograph, partial [argument], 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. II, 932v, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 14, 80; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 29; Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 208
      • Contents: Autograph argument of the ode, here untitled, in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. II, 932v. First printed in Mason's Poems (1775), 91.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0019 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1757?]
      • Physical Description: autograph, revised and partial [notes only], [9?] pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: Bound PML 16518 (extra-illustrated copy of Gray's Odes), Literary and Historical Manuscripts (LHMS), Morgan Library & Museum, New York, NY, USA <http://www.themorgan.org/collection>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 15, 80; Munby (ed.), Sale Catalogues (1971), Evans sale (27-29 November 1845), lot 788(?), 20, Sotheby's sale (28 August 1851), lot 53(?), 45, Sotheby's sale (4 August 1854), lot 241, 73; W[right]., Catalogue (1851), [lot 53?,] 13
      • Contents: Autograph notes to the poem, revised, in Gray's copy of Odes by Mr. Gray (1757). The notes were first published in the poem's version in Poems (1768).


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0021 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: 1 February 1768
      • Physical Description: autograph, partial [notes only], [2?] pages, 324 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, Vol. 52, Robert H. Taylor Collection of English and American Literature, Princeton University Library, Princeton, NJ, USA <http://rbsc.princeton.edu/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 17, 80; Heist, Michael, "RE: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, vol.52, Robert H. Taylor Collection". E-mail to the editor, 11 January 2007
      • Contents: Autograph notes to the poem, headed "Prefix the origl. advertisement, The following Ode is founded, &c:", in MS instructions to Beattie for the 1768 Glasgow edition, originally sent in a letter, 1 February 1768.
      • Separated Material: The letter in which these instructions were originally sent is now at Historic Collections, King's College, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0022 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Gazetta Litteraire de l'Europe. 1764. Tom: 3. p: 259"
      • Date: 1764
      • Physical Description: autograph transcript, 3 pages
      • Language: French
      • Location: MS 351, College Library, Eton College, Windsor, UK <http://www.etoncollege.com/collegelibrary.aspx>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 18, 80; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 413; Munby (ed.), Sale Catalogues (1971), Evans sale (27-29 November 1845), lot 606, 10
      • Contents: Autograph transcript of a translation into French prose, headed "Gazetta Litteraire de l'Europe. 1764. Tom: 3. p: 259". The translation is unlikely to be Gray's.





      • Archive MS ID: mss.0221 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "The Bard. A Pindaric Ode"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 16 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Poems" section, 47-62, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "The Bard. A Pindaric Ode" (p. 47) ("Ode. VI." [p. 49]). The poem, which has numbered stanzas and includes the "Argument" and the "Advertisement" as a footnote to the half-title as well as Gray's notes to ll. 5, 11, 13, 14, 35, 38, 47, 54, 57, 59, 64, 67, 71, 77, 83, 87, 89, 90, 91, 93, 99, 109, 110, 117, 121, 128, 131, 133, and additional annotations to ll. 70 ("Richard II.") and 75 ("Henry IV."), is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0275 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "The bard; a Pindaric ode, by...founded on a tradition current in Wales that Edward the 1st ordered all the bards that fell into his hands to be put to death"
      • Date: [after 1773]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of John Freeman Milward Dovaston , [?] pages, 190mm x 120mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: c.481, 36, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 661, item R0238; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 16 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10631>
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of John Freeman Milward Dovaston, entitled "The bard; a Pindaric ode, by...founded on a tradition current in Wales that Edward the 1st ordered all the bards that fell into his hands to be put to death", in his autograph Select, and Miscellaneous Poems, Scraps, Mottos &c, 1773 and later, a Commonplace book of verse by Dovaston and others.



  • De Principiis Cogitandi. Liber Primus. Ad Favonium.

    3 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0031 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: De Principiis Cogitandi. Liber Primus: Ad Favonium
      • Date: 1740
      • Physical Description: autograph, revised, 4 pages
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 129, 138, 289, 438, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 23, 81; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 22, 23, 25, 26; Martin, Chronologie (1931), 128
      • Contents: Autograph, revised, with line numbers (10, 20, etc.) and marginal notes, unfinished, annotated "Begun at Florence in 1740", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, split over four pages: p. 129 (ll. 1-27), 138 (ll. 28-79), 289 (ll. 80-151), and p. 438 (ll. 152-207). In the index to the Commonplace Book, the poem is listed as "Thinking (the Principles of) a Latin Poem, unfinish'd".
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.




  • De Principiis Cogitandi. Liber Secundus.

    3 Manuscripts:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0032 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1747?]
      • Physical Description: autograph written in red crayon and pencil, revised, partial [34 lines], quarto, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: [unlocated]
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 24, 81; Munby (ed.), Sale Catalogues (1971), Sotheby's sale (28 August 1851), lot 53, 41, Sotheby's sale (4 August 1854), lot 230, 70; W[right]., Catalogue (1851), [lot 53,] 9; Catalogue of a Sotheby Parke-Bernet sale (6 April 1982), lot 53; Bonhams sale (10 April 2013), lot 185 (with facsimile)
      • Contents: An autograph of 28 lines and 6 deleted lines, revised, of Book II of De Principiis Cogitandi written in red crayon and pencil (two lines), together with a note on human desires.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0033 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Liber Secundus. De Principiis Cogitandi"
      • Date: 1742
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, revised, partial, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 286, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 25, 81; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 25
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, revised, here entitled "Liber Secundus. De Principiis Cogitandi", unfinished, annotated "Begun at Stoke, June, 1742", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol I, 286.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0034 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: 1747
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, [1?] page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/3/4/42, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel two
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 26, 81; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 33; Toynbee/Whibley (eds.), Correspondence (1971), letter no. 131, vol. i, 264-268 (subscription required); Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 415
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here untitled and referred to as "the Beginning of the fourth Book" of "a large Design", in a letter to Horace Walpole, [8 February 1747].


  • "[The Death of Hoel]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.deho
    • Uniform Title: "[The Death of Hoel]" [e-text]
    • First Line: Had I but the torrent's might,
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1775
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 69-70; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 233-235
    • Summary: Written at London in 1760 or 1761. First published, entitled "Ode XI. The Death of Hoel", in Mason's Poems (1775), 58-59.

    2 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0035 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1761?]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. III, 1070, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 27, 81; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 30
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, untitled but headed "From Aneurin, Monarch of the Bards, extracted from the Gododin", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. III, 1070.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0226 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "The Death of Hoel. an Ode"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 5 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Poems" section, 99-103, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "The Death of Hoel. an Ode" (p. 99) ("Ode. XI." [p. 101]). The poem, which is annotated "See Mr. Evans's Specimens, 71 and 73." on the title page, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.


  • "The Descent of Odin"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.dooo
    • Uniform Title: "The Descent of Odin" [e-text]
    • First Line: Uprose the King of Men with speed,
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1768
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 32-34; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 220-228
    • Summary: Written at London in 1761, the paraphrase of the original Icelandic is based largely on a Latin translation from Bartholinus. First published in Poems (1768).

    5 Manuscripts:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0036 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode (from the Norse-tongue) in Bartholinus, de causis contemnendae mortis. Hafniae. 1689. 4to"
      • Date: [1?] February 1768
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 3 pages, 324 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Add. MS 38511, ff. 5v-6v, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 28, 81; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 19 March 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=140501>
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here entitled "Ode (from the Norse-tongue) in Bartholinus, de causis contemnendae mortis. Hafniae. 1689. 4to", followed by the first line of the original poem "Upreis Odinn allda gautr &c:", including explanatory notes, used as printer's copy for Poems (1768), in MS instructions to Dodsley, sent in a letter, [1?] February 1768.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0037 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: 1 February 1768
      • Physical Description: autograph, [3?] pages, 324 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, Vol. 52, Robert H. Taylor Collection of English and American Literature, Princeton University Library, Princeton, NJ, USA <http://rbsc.princeton.edu/>
      • Alternate Form: Facsimile, showing the beginning (37 lines) of the autograph, on page six of the MS Instructions, the upper three-fourths of which are reproduced, in Smith (ed.), Index (1989), no. 5, following p. xvii, where it is described
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 29, 81; Heist, Michael, "RE: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, vol.52, Robert H. Taylor Collection". E-mail to the editor, 11 January 2007
      • Contents: Autograph, untitled but numbered 8. and identified from the table of contents as "8. The Descent of Odin (from the Norse-tounge)", and headed "From Bartholinus, De causis contemnendae mortis. Hafniae. 1689. 4to. Upreis Odinn Allda gautr &c:", beginning "Up rose the King...", and including a note, in MS Instructions to Beattie for the 1768 Glasgow edition, originally sent in a letter, 1 February 1768.
      • Separated Material: The letter in which these instructions were originally sent is now at Historic Collections, King's College, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0038 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: 1761
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 2 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. III, 1069-1070, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 30, 81; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 30; Martin, Chronologie (1931), 147
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here beginning "Up rose the King...", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. III, 1069-1070. The Latin text of Vegtams Kvitha from Bartholinus is on p. 1043.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0224 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "The Descent of Odin, an Ode. (from the Norse-Tongue) in Bartholinus de causis contemnendae mortis; Hafniae, 1689, Quarto"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 10 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Poems" section, 83-92, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "The Descent of Odin, an Ode" (p. 83) ("Ode. IX." [p. 85]), followed by the first line of the original poem. The poem, which includes Gray's notes to ll. 4 and 90 (with Mason's addition), is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.


  • "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard"

    30 Manuscripts:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0043 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Stanza's wrote in a Country Church-Yard"
      • Date: [1749?]
      • Physical Description: autograph draft, 4 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS 281A, College Library, Eton College, Windsor, UK <http://www.etoncollege.com/collegelibrary.aspx>
      • Alternate Form: Several facsimiles, including P. J. Croft, Autograph Poetry in the English Language, 2 vols, (Oxford, 1969), Sherburn (ed.), Elegy (1951), and Elegy (1976), where the MS and its provenance are discussed
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 32, 82; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414; Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), additional lines in the "Eton MS", 40-41nn; Fukuhara/Bergen, Elegy (1933); Northup, Bibliography (1917), item 1995; Munby (ed.), Sale Catalogues (1971), Evans sale (27-29 November 1845), lot 602, 9, Sotheby's sale (28 August 1851), lot 53, 40-41, Sotheby's sale (4 August 1854), lot 226, 69; W[right]., Catalogue (1851), [lot 53,] 8-9
      • Contents: Autograph draft, here entitled "Stanza's wrote in a Country Church-Yard", and reading "Curfeu". This MS, sometimes called the "Eton MS" or "Fraser MS", contains five additional stanzas (four after l. 72, and the "Redbreast stanza" after l. 116), which were omitted in the first edition of 1751, in 1753, and in 1768.
      • Related Material: MSS 0210, 0211, and 0212.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0044 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Elegy, written in a Country-Churchyard"
      • Date: 18 December [1750]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, faint, 3 pages, 227 mm x 188 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Egerton 2400 (Wharton MS), ff. 45-46r, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • Alternate Form: Facsimiles include McDermott, Penn and Gray (1930), 14-16 and Fukuhara, Bibliographical Study (1933), plate II
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 33, 82; Toynbee/Whibley (eds.), Correspondence (1971), letter no. 156, vol. i, 334-340 (subscription required); Elegy (1976); Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414; Northup, Bibliography (1917), item 1996; Catalogue of a Sotheby's sale (27 February 1950), lot 239, facsimile in catalogue
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, following a letter to Thomas Wharton, 18 December [1750].

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0045 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Elegy, written in a Country-Church Yard. 1750"
      • Date: 1750
      • Physical Description: autograph, revised, 2 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. II, 617-618, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one. Full facsimile published in A facsimile of the original autograph manuscript of Gray's Elegy. Photographed by Messrs. Cundall, Downes & Co. London: Sampson Low, Son, & Co. 1862, other facsimiles include Mathias (ed.), Works (1814), vol. I, following p. [64], Poole (ed.), Poetical Works (1917), 90-91, and Folger Shakespeare Library, ART Vol. a9, follows p. 50.
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 34, 82; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 27; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414; Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), additional stanza, 42n; Martin, Chronologie (1931), 144; Northup, Bibliography (1917), item 1994; Elegy (1976)
      • Contents: Autograph, revised, here entitled "Elegy, written in a Country-Church Yard. 1750" and reading "Curfeu", with numbered lines (10, 20, etc.), an additional quatrain, the "Redbreast stanza", annotated "Insert" after l. 116 and "Omitted in 1753", and an extensive prose note, in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. II, 617-618.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0047 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: 1 February 1768
      • Physical Description: autograph, partial [notes only], [1?] page, 324 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, Vol. 52, Robert H. Taylor Collection of English and American Literature, Princeton University Library, Princeton, NJ, USA <http://rbsc.princeton.edu/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 36, 82; Heist, Michael, "RE: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, vol.52, Robert H. Taylor Collection". E-mail to the editor, 11 January 2007
      • Contents: Autograph notes to the poem, in MS instructions to Beattie for the 1768 Glasgow edition, originally sent in a letter, 1 February 1768.
      • Separated Material: The letter in which these instructions were originally sent is now at Historic Collections, King's College, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0040 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Stanza written in a Country Church-Yard"
      • Date: [1750?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified hand , 4 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: Houghton f MS Eng 116, The Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA <http://library.harvard.edu/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), 82; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 19 March 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=36721>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified hand, entitled "Stanza written in a Country Church-Yard", together with a letter from Paget Toynbee suggesting it was a pre-publication transcript that had circulated (lot 46 from an unidentified sale; unknown relationship to Sotheby's sale [15 December 1930], lot 453, sold to Dobell: 2-page transcript with same title).
      • Related Material: Houghton MS Eng 116.1-8 contain Gray autographs and copies of manuscripts written by or concerning Thomas Gray. Houghton b MS Eng 116.6 (Papers on Thomas Gray) contains photostatic copies of commonplace books, journals, notes, travel notebooks, poems, and other materials chiefly from Pembroke College (Cambridge) and the Pierpont Morgan Library.


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0042 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1753?]
      • Physical Description: transcript, partial [4 lines], 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: [unlocated]
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), 82; Catalogue of a Sotheby's sale (10 December 1913), lot 67, facsimile in catalogue
      • Contents: An unlocated transcript of the "Redbreast stanza" in a copy of Designs (1753) was sold as autograph, Sotheby's (10 December 1913), lot 67 (with a facsimile), it was sought by J. Hayward in The Book Collector 5 (1956), 384-385.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0212 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [after 1775]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified hand, partial [8 lines], 2 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: 11631.g.33(2), 10-11, Rare Books Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), 82
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified hand of 8 lines (one stanza after l. 100 and the "Redbreast stanza" after l. 116) with the former only in the "Eton MS", with notes, in a copy of the Elegy, 8th edition (London, 1753), 10-11, bound in a volume entitled Poetical Tracts.
      • Related Material: MS 0212 apparently transcribed from MS 0043.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0230 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Elegy written in a Country Church-Yard"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 11 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Poems" section, 117-127, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Elegy written in a Country Church-Yard" (p. 117) ("Elegy." [p. 119]). The poem, which in this version has four unique readings ("winds" for "wheels" [l. 7], ", the" for "and" [l. 32], "to" for "on" [l. 68], and "sage" for "swain" [l. 97]), is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.




      • Archive MS ID: mss.0240 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "An Elegy Written in a Country Church Yard"
      • Date: [1750s?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified hand, partial [ll. 1-92], in a manuscript volume "bound in dark brown leather which is gilt embossed with decorations and gilt tooling. There is marbling on both inside covers and endpapers. The back board is detached" , 3 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Lt 109, ff. 67r-68r, Brotherton Collection Manuscript Verse, Special Collections, Leeds University Library, Leeds, UK <https://library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections>
      • References: Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 19 March 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=4659>
      • Contents: Transcript of ll. 1-92 in an unidentified hand, beginning "The curfew tolls the knell of parting day", in a Commonplace-book owned by the Lewis family. It is "in two hands, containing prose and poetry on diverse topics (written partly in the first half of the eighteenth century, partly in the mid eighteenth century); the signatures of Kath Lewis and Johana Lewis are visible on the flyleaf".

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0248 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "An elegy written in a country churchyard [by] ... author of The cat and vase"
      • Date: [c. 1765]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of David Garrick, [?] pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: "Poetical commonplace book", W.a.118, f. 12v, Manuscripts Collection, Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C., USA <http://www.folger.edu/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Microfilm Collection, FILM Fo. 118.3a, Microfilm of W.a.118, 1 microfilm reel : negative, 12:1, 6 feet ; 35 mm.
      • References: Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 26 March 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=36725>
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of David Garrick in his Poetical miscellany of David Garrick (22 leaves).


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0253 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Elegy Written in a Country Church-Yard"
      • Date: 1781/1782
      • Physical Description: transcript , 6 pages, c. 230 mm x 185 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Add. MS 48904, ff. 64-66, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 9 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=138994>
      • Contents: Transcript of the poem in 32 numbered stanzas in the Strahan Papers, Vol. CVII (ff. 216), Miscellaneous correspondence and papers (1758-1821), ff. 64-66. The transcript follows the MS of John Young's A Criticism on the Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard (ff. 37-63), sent in a letter of Young's (ff. 35-36) to Lord Maitland, which contains instructions about its printing and publication. The transcript is followed by a note (f. 67): "The Author's Compliments to Mr. Strahan. has transcribed over the Elegy as he wishes it printed. Thinks it will stand best between the Advertisement & the Criticism. - The Title as alter'd by Mr Strahan was / A Criticism / on the Elegy / written in a Country Churchyard / being a Continuation / of Dr J---ns Criticism / on the Poems of Gray."

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0256 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: between 1803 and 1808
      • Physical Description: transcript, partial, in the hand of "Richard Harris Barham" (also known as Thomas Ingoldsby) , 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: Houghton MS Eng 692, f. 46v, The Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA <http://library.harvard.edu/>
      • References: Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 9 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=36729>
      • Contents: Transcript of the poem, partial, beginning "Approach and read, for thou canst read, the lay", in the hand of "Richard Harris Barham" (also known as Thomas Ingoldsby), in his Commonplace Book (1803-1808), containing poems, paraphrases, epigrams, and conundrums in English, Latin, Greek, and French (62 leaves, 21 cm.), f. 46v.



      • Archive MS ID: mss.0270 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "An epitaph"
      • Date: [between 1768 and 1769]
      • Physical Description: transcript, partial (epitaph) , 1 page, 190mm x 130mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: c.156, 145, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 326, item H0937; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 16 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10636>
      • Contents: Transcript, partial, entitled "An epitaph", in a Commonplace book entitled Amusements 1768-69, a manuscript, in two hands, of a collection of several dozen primarily serious poems and poetical extracts, many on moral and elegiac subjects.


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0277 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "An elegy written in a country churchyard"
      • Date: [between 1766 and 1800]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of James Forbes , [?] pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: fc.132, vol. I, 30, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 760, item T0441; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 23 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10630>
      • Contents: Transcript, entitled "An elegy written in a country churchyard", in James Forbes' Commonplace book, 1766-1800, vol. I "Poems on Several Occasions Collected from Different Authors", a manuscript of a collection of approximately 150 poems and excerpts, primarily epitaphs and elegies, poems in praise of virtues, odes dedicated to women, and poems on nature and weather.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0278 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Stanzas wrote in a churchyard in the country"
      • Date: [before 1805]
      • Physical Description: transcript , [?] pages, 290mm x 230mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: fc.51, 291, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 760, item T0441; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 23 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10641>
      • Contents: Transcript, entitled "Stanzas wrote in a churchyard in the country", in the Frances Boscawen and Julia Evelyn Commonplace Book, a collection of verse by various authors and some original verse, contains about 100 poems copied by the authors, beginning in 1746.



      • Archive MS ID: mss.0281 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "An elegy written in a country churchyard"
      • Date: [late 18th century]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified hand , [?] pages, 220mm x 130mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: c.83, vol. 3, no. 1000, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 760, item T0441; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 23 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10627>
      • Contents: Transcript, entitled "An elegy written in a country churchyard", in a late 18th century, anonymous Commonplace Book (4 vols.), which contains more than 1100 numbered extracts from works by various authors; a number of the poems are signed or initialed by William Warren Porter (1776-1804) or his sister, so possibly the books were compiled by a member of the Porter family.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0282 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "An elegy, written in a country churchyard"
      • Date: [late 18th century]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified hand , [?] pages, 220mm x 130mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: c.83, vol. 3, no. 910, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 760, item T0441; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 23 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10626>
      • Contents: Transcript, entitled "An elegy, written in a country churchyard", in a late 18th century, anonymous Commonplace Book (4 vols.), which contains more than 1100 numbered extracts from works by various authors; a number of the poems are signed or initialed by William Warren Porter (1776-1804) or his sister, so possibly the books were compiled by a member of the Porter family.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0283 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "An elegy, written in a country churchyard...1751. In print"
      • Date: [c. 1751]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of Richard Gifford , [?] pages, 240mm x 130mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: c.221, 9, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 760, item T0441; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 23 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10629>
      • Contents: Transcript, entitled "An elegy, written in a country churchyard...1751. In print", in Richard Gifford's Miscellany (62 p.), which contains prose meditations, romantic and other poems, and Greek and Latin extracts from classical works.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0284 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Elegy written in a country churchyard"
      • Date: [before 1854]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of John Freeman Milward Dovaston , [?] pages, 190mm x 120mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: c.481, 47, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 760, item T0441; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 23 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10634>
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of John Freeman Milward Dovaston, entitled "Elegy written in a country churchyard", in his autograph Select, and Miscellaneous Poems, Scraps, Mottos &c, 1773 and later, a Commonplace book of verse by Dovaston and others.


  • "[Epitaph on a Child]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.epld
    • Uniform Title: "[Epitaph on a Child]" [e-text]
    • First Line: Here, freed from pain, secure from misery, lies
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1884
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 104; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 209-210
    • Summary: Written in mid-June 1758 at the request of Thomas Wharton to commemorate his eldest son Robin who died in April 1758. First published in Gosse (ed.), Works (1884), vol. I, 126, from the transcript made by Alexander Dyce.

    5 Manuscripts:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0049 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1758?]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: Bound PML 16518 (extra-illustrated copy of Gray's Odes), 22, Literary and Historical Manuscripts (LHMS), Morgan Library & Museum, New York, NY, USA <http://www.themorgan.org/collection>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 37, 82; Jones, Thomas Gray, Scholar (1937), "Register of Gray Autograph Manuscripts", VI. 20(a) "epitaph on a child", 181; Munby (ed.), Sale Catalogues (1971), Evans sale (27-29 November 1845), lot 624(?), 11, Sotheby's sale (12 August 1847), lot 89, 27, Sotheby's sale (28 August 1851), lot 53(?), 41, Sotheby's sale (4 August 1854), lot 228(?), 69; W[right]., Catalogue (1851), [lot 53?,] 9; Nelson, Christine, "extra-illustrated copy of Gray's Odes". E-mail to the editor, 14 November 2006
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here untitled but endorsed 'Epitaph on a Child' in an unidentified hand, bound into Gray's copy of Odes (1757).






  • "[Epitaph on Mrs Clerke]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.epmc
    • Uniform Title: "[Epitaph on Mrs Clerke]" [e-text]
    • First Line: Lo! where this silent marble weeps,
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1758 (pr. 1759)
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 52; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 207-209
    • Summary: Written not long before 31 January 1758 presumably at the request of John Clerke to commemorate his wife Jane who died 27 April 1757 aged 31. Inscribed on a mural tablet in St George's parish church, Beckenham, Kent, 1758. First published, as "An Epitaph copied from a Tomb-stone in a Country Church Yard", in The Gentleman's Magazine, October 1759.

    4 Manuscripts:



      • Archive MS ID: mss.0228 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Epitaph on Mrs. Clarke"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 4 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Poems" section, 109-112, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Epitaph on Mrs. Clarke" (p. 109) ("Epitaph. I." [p. 111]). The poem, which is annotated "This Lady, the Wife of Dr. Clarke, Physician at Epsom, died April, 27, 1757; and is buried in the Church of Beckenham, Kent" on the title page, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0245 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: 1769[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified hand , 1 page, 220 mm x 162 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: BOD MS Eng.poet.c.6, f. 93, Special Collections, Bodleian Library, Oxford University, Oxford, UK <http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/weston/finding-resources/locations>
      • References: Crum (ed.), First-Line Index (1969), vol. I, 527, item L511 (no author attribution); Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 19 March 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=73561> (no author attribution)
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified hand, headed "& Where is this Epitaph", in a volume entitled Memorials of Richard Gough, volume II, section I. "Poems preserved by Richard Gough Esq.". The volume, which is 14 5/8 x 9 3/4 in. in size and contains 320 leaves, is one of two Volumes of Poems and other interesting Memorials of Richard Gough, Esq., F.R.S., F.S.A.., collected by J[ohn] B[owyer] Nichols (Summary Catalogue, 32551).
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.


  • "[Epitaph on Mrs Mason]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.epmm
    • Uniform Title: "[Epitaph on Mrs Mason]" [e-text]
    • First Line: Tell them, though 'tis an awful thing to die
    • Language: English
    • First Published: [1767] (pr. 1784)
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 105; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 255-256
    • Summary: Written between 27 March and 23 May 1767 for Mason's wife Mary who died on 27 March 1767 aged 28. Inscribed on a monument in Bristol Cathedral, [1767]. First published in The New Foundling Hospital for Wit (London, new edn. 1784), vi. 45. Transcripts of Mason's own epitaph on his wife beginning "Take, holy Earth, all that my soul holds dear", are at PwV 304 and 1010(ii), Portland Collection, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.

    2 Manuscripts:


  • "[Epitaph on Sir William Williams]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.epww
    • Uniform Title: "[Epitaph on Sir William Williams]" [e-text]
    • First Line: Here, foremost in the dangerous paths of fame,
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1775
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 104-105; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 238-240
    • Summary: Written between May and August 1761 at the request of one of the executors of Sir William Williams, a politician and soldier Gray briefly met early in October 1760, who died 27 April 1761 on an expedition against Belle Ile. First published, as "Epitaph II. On Sir William Williams", in Mason's Poems (1775), 62.

    6 Manuscripts:


      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0060 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Epitaph on Sr W J Williams"
      • Date: [after 1771]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of William Mason , 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. III, 1108, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 46, 83; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 30; Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 105, for variants and rejected stanza
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of William Mason, here entitled "Epitaph on Sr W J Williams" with two variants of l. 12 in "Variations" and a "Rejected Stanza", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. III, 1108.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0229 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Epitaph on Sir Willm. Williams"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 4 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Poems" section, 113-116, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Epitaph on Sir Willm. Williams" (p. 113) ("Epitaph II." [p. 115]). The poem, which is annotated "This Epitaph (hitherto unpublished) was written at the request of Mr. Fred. Montagu, who intended to have inscribed it on a Monument at Bellisle, at the siege of which this accomplished youth was kill'd, 1761; but for some difficulty attending the erection of it, the design was not executed" on the title page, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0058 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [17??]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of James Beattie , [1?] page, 250 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS 30/44 ("Copies of the poems of Thomas Gray"), Historic Collections, Special Libraries and Archives, King's College, University of Aberdeen Library, Aberdeen, UK <https://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), 83; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414; Ellner, June, "Re: MS 30/44, James Beattie papers". E-mail to the editor, 20 December 2006
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of James Beattie, annotated in his hand "Sir William Williams (on whose death these lines were written at the request of his friend Mr Frederick Montagu) was killed in the last war. They were meant to be inscribed on a monument at Bellisle; but from some difficulties attending the execution of it, this design was not executed."

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0061 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Epitaph on Sir W. Williams."
      • Date: [between 1845 and 1856]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of John Mitford, partial [ll. 1-2, 5-6] , 1 page, 180 mm x 115 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Add. MS 32561, f. 181r, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 47, 83; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414
      • Contents: Transcript of ll. 1-2 and 5-6 in the hand of John Mitford, here entitled "Epitaph on Sir W. Williams." and annotated "Mr. Montague asked him to write the Epitaph on Sir W. Williams and he could not refuse. He did not know much of him...", in John Mitford, Note-Books, vol. III "Mitford. Extracts from Mr Grays Common-place books", f. 181r.



  • "[Farewell to Florence]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt08
    • Uniform Title: "[Farewell to Florence]" [e-text]
    • First Line: . . . oh Faesulae, amoena
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1775
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 149-150 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 315 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Written at Florence not later than 21 April 1741 and introduced "Eleven months, at different times, have I passed at Florence; and yet (God help me) know not either people or language. Yet the place and the charming prospects demand a poetical farewell, and here it is." Shortly before leaving Florence, Gray sent it in a letter of that date to Richard West. First published, untitled, in Mason's Memoirs (1775), 115.

    1 Manuscript:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0062 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: 1741
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 139, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 48, 83; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 23
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here untitled, in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 139.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.


  • "The Fatal Sisters"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.fsio
    • Uniform Title: "The Fatal Sisters" [e-text]
    • First Line: Now the storm begins to lower,
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1768
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 27-31; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 210-220
    • Summary: Written at London not later than the beginning of May 1761, based largely on a Latin translation of the original poem preserved in the late 13th-century Njáls Saga, ch. 157. This untitled Old Norse poem is a prophetic account of the Battle of Clontarf, fought on Good Friday 1014. First published in Poems (1768).

    8 Manuscripts:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0063 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1761]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, revised, 3 pages, 203 mm x 159 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MA 3390, Literary and Historical Manuscripts (LHMS), Morgan Library & Museum, New York, NY, USA <http://www.themorgan.org/collection>
      • Alternate Form: Facsimile and description in Verlyn Klinkenborg et al., British Literary Manuscripts, Series I. From 800 to 1800 (New York, 1981), no. 99
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 49, 83-84; Munby (ed.), Sale Catalogues (1971), Evans sale (27-29 November 1845), lot 604, 9
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, revised, here untitled but referred to in the preface as a "magic song", beginning "Now the storm begins to lour", with the preface and a prose epilogue beginning "Having finish'd their incantation they tore the web they had woven into twelve pieces...", endorsed in another hand on verso. Bound into a copy of Poems (1768), following p. 71.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0064 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode (from the Norse-tongue) in the Orcades of Thormodus Torfaeus. Hafniae. 1697. Fol: & also in Bartholinus"
      • Date: [1?] February 1768
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 3 pages, 324 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Add. MS 38511, ff. 4v-5v, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 50, 84; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 19 March 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=136436>
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, numbered 7. and here entitled "Ode (from the Norse-tongue) in the Orcades of Thormodus Torfaeus. Hafniae. 1697. Fol: & also in Bartholinus", followed by the first line of the original poem "Vitt er orpit fyrir valfalli &c:", including "Advertisement", "Preface", and explanatory notes, used for printer's copy for Poems (1768), in MS instructions to Dodsley, sent in a letter, [1?] February 1768.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0065 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: 1 February 1768
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, [3?] pages, 324 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, Vol. 52, Robert H. Taylor Collection of English and American Literature, Princeton University Library, Princeton, NJ, USA <http://rbsc.princeton.edu/>
      • Alternate Form: Facsimile, showing the last seven lines and the note, on page six of the MS Instructions, the upper three-fourths of which are reproduced, in Smith (ed.), Index (1989), no. 5, following p. xvii, where it is described
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 51, 84; Heist, Michael, "RE: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, vol.52, Robert H. Taylor Collection". E-mail to the editor, 11 January 2007
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, untitled but numbered 7. and identified from the table of contents as "7. The Fatal Sisters (from the Norse-tongue)", and headed "From the Orcades of Thormodus Torfaeus. Hafniae. 1697. Fol: Vitt er orpit Fyrir valfalli &c:", preceded by a "Prefix", followed by a note on the Valkyriur, and, elsewhere in the MS (p. 9) an advertisement and two notes, in MS Instructions to Beattie for the 1768 Glasgow edition, originally sent in a letter, 1 February 1768.
      • Separated Material: The letter in which these instructions were originally sent is now at Historic Collections, King's College, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0066 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "The Song of the Valkyries"
      • Date: 1761
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, revised, 2 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. III, 1067-1068, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 52, 84; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 30; Martin, Chronologie (1931), 147
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, revised, under the heading "Carmina", here entitled "The Song of the Valkyries" and headed "(see above P: Art: Gothi)", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. III, 1067-1068.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0067 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1761?]
      • Physical Description: autograph draft, partial [preface only], 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. III, 1041, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 53, 84; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 30; Martin, Chronologie (1931), 147
      • Contents: Autograph draft of the "Preface", here untitled but under the heading "Gothi", beginning "About the year 1029 Sigurd, Earl of the Orkney-Islands...", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. III, 1041.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0068 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1761?]
      • Physical Description: autograph draft, partial [note only], 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. III, 1044, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 54, 84; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 30; Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 28n; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 216
      • Contents: Autograph draft of the note on the Valkyries under the heading "Gothi" in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. III, 1044.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0223 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "The Fatal Sisters, an Ode. (From the Norse-tongue.) in the Orcades of Thormodus Torfaeus; Hafniae, 1697, Folio and also in Bartholinus"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 8 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Poems" section, 75-82, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "The Fatal Sisters, an Ode" (p. 75) ("Ode. VIII." [p. 77]), followed by the first line of the original poem. The poem, the preface of which is here entitled "Argument" and to which Gray's note on the Valkyriur has been appended, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.


  • "From Petrarch. Lib: I: Sonett: 170"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt09
    • Uniform Title: "From Petrarch. Lib: I: Sonett: 170" [e-text]
    • First Line: Uror io! veros at nemo credidit ignes:
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1814
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 141-142 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 308-309 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Written probably in 1737 or 1738 when Gray was translating other Italian verse by Tasso and Dante. First published in Mathias (ed.), Works (1814), vol. II, 93.

    1 Manuscript:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0070 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "From Petrarch. Lib: I: Sonett: 170"
      • Date: [1738?]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 139, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 56, 84; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 23
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 139.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.


  • "[The Gaurus]"

    2 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0071 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: July 1740
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 2 pages
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 115, 128, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 57, 84; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 22; Martin, Chronologie (1931), 138
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here untitled, under the heading "Carmina" and annotated "Rome -- July, 1740 just return'd from Naples", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, split over two pages: p. 115 (ll. 1-52) and p. 128 (ll. 53-61).
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0072 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: June 1740
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 2 pages
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/4/5, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel two
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 58, 84; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 33
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here untitled, annotated in an unidentified hand "A Fragment in the Stile of Virgil, by T. Gray from Naples".


  • "[Gratia magna]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt11
    • Uniform Title: "[Gratia magna]" [e-text]
    • First Line: Gratia magna tuae fraudi quod Pectore, Nice
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1890
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 134-137 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 303-306 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Written probably in 1737 or 1738 when Gray was corresponding and exchanging poetry with Richard West who was then at Christ Church, Oxford. First published, untitled, in Tovey (ed.), Gray and his Friends (1890), 296-298.

    2 Manuscripts:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0073 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1738?]
      • Physical Description: autograph, [?] pages
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: [unlocated]
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 59, 84; Starr/Hendrickson, "Supplementary Note on Thomas Gray's 'Gratia Magna'" (1967), 412
      • Contents: An unlocated autograph, formerly owned (1967) by collector Gordon N. Ray.



  • "[Hymn to Ignorance. A Fragment]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.hyig
    • Uniform Title: "[Hymn to Ignorance. A Fragment]" [e-text]
    • First Line: Hail, horrors, hail! ye ever-gloomy bowers,
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1775
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 73-74; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 74-77
    • Summary: Written between March and October 1742 after Gray's arrival in England from the Grand Tour and before his return to Peterhouse, Cambridge. First published, untitled but referred to as a "Hymn or Address to Ignorance", in Mason's Memoirs (1775), 176-177.

    2 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0075 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Fragment of an address or Hymn to Ignorance"
      • Date: [after 1771]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of William Mason , 3 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. III, 1103-1105, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 61, 85; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 30
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of William Mason, here entitled "Fragment of an address or Hymn to Ignorance", annotated "...about the year 1743", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. III, 1103-1105.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0231 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode to Ignorance. A Fragment"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 5 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Fragments" section, 1-5, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode to Ignorance. A Fragment" (p. 1) ("Ode. I." [p. 3]). The poem, which is marked with a line of asterisks after l. 38, followed by "caetera desunt", is part of a section called "Fragments", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 19), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.


  • "Imitated [from Buondelmonte]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt14
    • Uniform Title: "Imitated [from Buondelmonte]" [e-text]
    • First Line: Lusit amicitiae interdum velatus amictu,
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1775
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 150 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 316 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Written at Florence in the autumn of 1740 and sent in a letter, dated 21 April 1741, to Richard West. First published, untitled, with the original Italian poem in Mason's Memoirs (1775), 115.

    1 Manuscript:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0076 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Imitated"
      • Date: 1741
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 139, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 62, 85; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 23
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, headed "Imitated", together with a copy of the Italian original "Spesso Amor sotto la forma", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 139.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.


  • "[Imitated] From Propertius. Lib: 2: Eleg: 1."

    • Archive Work ID: poems.imp2
    • Uniform Title: "[Imitated] From Propertius. Lib: 2: Eleg: 1." [e-text]
    • First Line: You ask why thus my loves I still rehearse,
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1814
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 64-67; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 44-47
    • Summary: Probably written in April of 1742 and sent in a letter to Richard West, [23 April 1742]. First published, except ll. 1-30, in Mathias (ed.), Works (1814), vol. II, 87-89, published in full in Gosse (ed.), Works (1884), vol. i, 153.

    3 Manuscripts:


      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0078 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "From Propertius. Lib: 2: Eleg: 1. To Mecaenas"
      • Date: April 1742
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 2 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 254-255, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 64, 85; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 24
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, under the heading "Carmina", here entitled "From Propertius. Lib: 2: Eleg: 1. To Mecaenas", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 254-255.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0079 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "To Mecaenas"
      • Date: [between 1845 and 1856]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of John Mitford, partial [ll. 1-30] , 2 pages, 180 mm x 115 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Add. MS 32561, ff. 77-78, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 65, 85
      • Contents: Transcript of ll. 1-30, here entitled "To Mecaenas", in the hand of John Mitford, headed "Propertii Eleg. 1. Lib. 2" and annotated "The first 30 Lines...are here supplied from Grays MS", in John Mitford, Note-Books, vol. III "Mitford. Extracts from Mr Grays Common-place books", ff. 77-78.


  • "Imitated from Propertius, Lib: 3: Eleg: 5:"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.imp3
    • Uniform Title: "Imitated from Propertius, Lib: 3: Eleg: 5:" [e-text]
    • First Line: Love, gentle power, to peace was e'er a friend:
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1814
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 67-69; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 25-27
    • Summary: Written at London in December 1738. First published, except ll. 1-4 and 57-58, as "Propertius. Lib.3.Eleg.4" in Mathias (ed.), Works (1814), vol. II, 85-86, ll. 1-4 first published in Gosse (ed.), Works (1884), vol. i, 151.

    1 Manuscript:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0080 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Imitated from Propertius, Lib: 3: Eleg: 5:"
      • Date: December 1738
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 2 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 96-97, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 66, 85; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 22; Martin, Chronologie (1931), 137
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 96-97.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.


  • "In D[iem]: 29am Maii"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt15
    • Uniform Title: "In D[iem]: 29am Maii" [e-text]
    • First Line: Bella per Angliacos plusquam civilia campos
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1884
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 125-127 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 296-297 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Composed as an undergraduate exercise at Cambridge, possibly in 1735. First published in Gosse (ed.), Works (1884), vol. i, 166.

    1 Manuscript:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0087 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "In D[iem]: 29am Maii"
      • Date: [1735?]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 2 pages
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/4/2, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel two
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 73, 86; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 32; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 415
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy signed "Gray".


  • "In 5tam Novembris"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt16
    • Uniform Title: "In 5tam Novembris" [e-text]
    • First Line: Lis anceps, multosque diu protracta per annos,
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1884
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 127-129 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 297-299 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Composed as an undergraduate exercise at Cambridge, possibly in 1735. First published in Gosse (ed.), Works (1884), vol. i, 167.

    1 Manuscript:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0086 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "In 5tam Novembris"
      • Date: [1735?]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 2 pages
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/4/1, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel two
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 72, 86; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 32; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 415
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy signed "Gray".


  • "Inscription for a Wood in a Park"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.inaw
    • Uniform Title: "Inscription for a Wood in a Park" [e-text]
    • First Line: Ἁζόμενος πολύθηρον ἑκηβόλου ἄλσος Ἀνάσσας,
    • Language: Greek
    • First Published: 1775
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 189 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 345 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Written in May 1742. First published, untitled but introduced as "an inscription for a wood joining to a park of mine", in Mason's Memoirs (1775), section III, letter X. Mason is the only source for this (probably conflated) letter, dated [27 May 1742], in which Gray originally sent the poem to Richard West.

    1 Manuscript:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0088 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Inscription for a Wood in a Park"
      • Date: May 1742
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Greek
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 278, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 74, 86; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 24
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 278.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.


  • "[Latin exercise from the Tatler]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt17
    • Uniform Title: "[Latin exercise from the Tatler]" [e-text]
    • First Line: . . . pluviaeque loquaces
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1814
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 112 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 285 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Composed as a school exercise at Eton, possibly in 1731. First published in Mathias (ed.), Works (1814), vol. II, 596.

    1 Manuscript:


  • "[Latin verses at Eton]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt18
    • Uniform Title: "[Latin verses at Eton]" [e-text]
    • First Line: Pendet Homo incertus gemini ad confinia mundi
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1882 and 1884
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 117-121 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 290-293 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Composed as a school exercise at Eton between February 1733 and September 1734. First published, in part and untitled, in Gosse, Gray (1882), 6-7, published in full in Gosse (ed.), Works (1884), vol. i, 163 as "Play Exercise at Eton".

    1 Manuscript:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0093 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [between February 1733 and September 1734]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 2 pages
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 50-51, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 78, 86; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 21; Martin, Chronologie (1931), 136
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here untitled but under the heading "Carmina", annotated by Gray "Play-Exercise at Eton" and listed in the index at the end as "Knowledge of Himself, Latin Verses at Eton", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 50-51.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.


  • "[Lines Written at Burnham]"

    1 Manuscript:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0096 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [August 1736]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/3/4/23, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel two
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 81, 87; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 32; Toynbee/Whibley (eds.), Correspondence (1971), letter no. 26, vol. i, 46-49 (subscription required); Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 415
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here untitled, in a letter to Horace Walpole, [August 1736].


  • "[Lines on Dr Robert Smith]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lods
    • Uniform Title: "[Lines on Dr Robert Smith]" [e-text]
    • First Line: Do you ask why old Focus Silvanus defies,
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1902
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 74; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 280
    • Summary: Written between 1742 and 1768, prompted presumably by a proposal by Dr Smith to cut down the Chestnut Walk at Trinity College, Cambridge. First published, entitled "Lines", in Gosse (ed.), Works, rev. ed. (1902), vol. i, 142.

    1 Manuscript:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0094 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [between 1742 and 1768]
      • Physical Description: transcript[?], [1?] page
      • Language: English
      • Location: [privately owned]
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 79, 86
      • Contents: A manuscript, here untitled, owned (1902) by Prof. Adam Sedgewick.


  • "[Lines Spoken by the Ghost of John Dennis at the Devil Tavern]"

    1 Manuscript:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0095 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [8 December 1734]
      • Physical Description: autograph, 3 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/3/4/4, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel two
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 80, 87; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 32; Toynbee/Whibley (eds.), Correspondence (1971), letter no. 4, vol. i, 9-11 (subscription required); Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 415
      • Contents: Autograph, here untitled, in a letter to Horace Walpole, [8 December 1734].


  • "A Long Story"

    3 Manuscripts:


      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0098 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "A Long Story"
      • Date: August 1750
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 2 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. II, 651-652, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 83, 87; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 28; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414; Martin, Chronologie (1931), 144
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here beginning "In Britain's Isle (no matter where)", with marginal side notes, dated "Aug: 1750" and annotated "Printed in 1753 with Mr Bentley's Designs, & repeated in a 2d Edition", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. II, 651-652.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.



  • "Ode for Music"

    4 Manuscripts:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0099 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode, for musick"
      • Date: [1769?]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy (unsigned), 4 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: Houghton b MS Eng 870, 52B, The Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA <http://library.harvard.edu/>
      • Alternate Form: Photocopy in RP2338, Manuscripts Collection, The British Library, London, UK
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 85, 87; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414; Munby (ed.), Sale Catalogues (1971), Evans sale (27-29 November 1845), lot 603(?), 9; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 19 March 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=36724>
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy (unsigned), here entitled "Ode, for musick", lot 125 in an unidentified sale.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0100 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode"
      • Date: [1769?]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 4 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: Modern (Unbound) Manuscripts, Box 7a, Folder 18, Robert H. Taylor Collection of English and American Literature, Princeton University Library, Princeton, NJ, USA <http://rbsc.princeton.edu/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 86, 87; Munby (ed.), Sale Catalogues (1971), Evans sale (27-29 November 1845), lot 603, 9; Catalogue of a Sotheby's sale (30 June 1984), lot 483, facsimile in catalogue; Rich, Margaret Sherry, "Please forward". E-mail to Mark Farrell, forwarded to the editor, 26 June 2006; Farrell, Mark, "Re: [Fwd: Please forward]". E-mail to the editor, 28 June 2006
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here entitled "Ode". A hand-written, nineteenth-century saleroom ticket, which refers to the manuscript as "Lot 603", is stuck onto the last page with sealing wax.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0222 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "An Irregular Ode for Music"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 11 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Poems" section, 63-73, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "An Irregular Ode for Music" (p. 63) ("Ode. VII" [p. 65]). The poem, which has numbered stanzas (I.-VIII.) and several annotations to the half-title page, based on information on the title page of the 1769 edition, and to ll. 39, 41, 42, 43, 45, 66, 70, and 84, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.



  • "Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College"

    11 Manuscripts:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0103 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode, on a Prospect of Windsor, & the adjacent Country"
      • Date: 1743
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 3 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS 281B, College Library, Eton College, Windsor, UK <http://www.etoncollege.com/collegelibrary.aspx>
      • Alternate Form: Facsimile in Illustrated London News 132 (20 June 1908), 896
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 88, 87; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here entitled "Ode, on a Prospect of Windsor, & the adjacent Country, in 1743".

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0104 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode. on a distant Prospect of Windsor, & the adjacent Country"
      • Date: August 1742
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, revised, 3 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 278-279, 284, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 89, 87; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 24-25; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, revised, here entitled "Ode. on a distant Prospect of Windsor, & the adjacent Country" and dated "at Stoke Aug: 1742", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol I, 278-279 and continued on p. 284.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0105 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1?] February 1768
      • Physical Description: autograph, partial [motto and notes only], 1 page, 324 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Add. MS 38511, f. 3r, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 90, 88; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414
      • Contents: Autograph of the motto and notes to the poem, untitled but numbered 3. and identified on f. 3r as "3. Ode, on a distant prospect of Eton-College", in MS instructions to Dodsley for the 1768 London edition, sent in a letter, [1?] February 1768. The notes were first published in the poem's version in Poems (1768).

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0106 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: 1 February 1768
      • Physical Description: autograph, partial [motto and notes only], [1?] page, 324 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, Vol. 52, Robert H. Taylor Collection of English and American Literature, Princeton University Library, Princeton, NJ, USA <http://rbsc.princeton.edu/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 91, 88; Heist, Michael, "RE: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, vol.52, Robert H. Taylor Collection". E-mail to the editor, 11 January 2007
      • Contents: Autograph of the motto and notes to the poem in MS instructions to Beattie for the 1768 Glasgow edition, originally sent in a letter, 1 February 1768.
      • Separated Material: The letter in which these instructions were originally sent is now at Historic Collections, King's College, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0102 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Reflections on Human Life, An Ode"
      • Date: [17??]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified hand, two leaves bound with blue publisher's binding paper, 6 pages, 230 mm x 160 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Special Collections, Hunt Library, Carnegie Mellon University Library, Pittsburgh, PA, USA <http://www.library.cmu.edu/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), 87; Johnsen, Mary Catharine, "Gray's Distant prospect". E-mails to the editor, 8 and 19 January 2007
      • Contents: Transcript, possibly contemporary, entitled "Reflections on Human Life, An Ode, Occasion'd by a distant Prospect of Eton: College, where the author was educated". According to a dealer-catalogue ticket on the front paste-down of the little portfolio holding the MS, the MS was initially purchased by William H. Robinson Ltd. Pall Mall by private treaty from the Bibliotheca Phillippica and, according to a pencilled note on the rear paste-down, acquired by Rachel McMasters Miller Hunt in 1953.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0218 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eaton College"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 10 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Poems" section, 15-24, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eaton College" (p. 15) ("Ode. III." [p. 17]). The poem, which includes the motto (attributed in a different hand to "Menander") on the title page and Gray's note to l. 4, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0258 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: July/August 1827
      • Physical Description: transcript, partial, in the hand of William Pitter Woodhouse , [?] pages, 191 mm x 125 mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: Houghton MS Keats 3.13, vol. i, f. 17, John Keats Collection (MS Keats 1-6), The Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA <http://library.harvard.edu/>
      • References: Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 9 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=36730>
      • Contents: Transcript of the poem, partial, beginning "Say [i.e. Gay] hope is theirs by fancy led", in the hand of William Pitter Woodhouse, in his Commonplace book of verse and prose by various authors, July-August 1827, vol. i (82 leaves), f. 17.


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0287 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode on a distant prospect of Eton College"
      • Date: [before 1805]
      • Physical Description: transcript , [?] pages, 290mm x 230mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: fc.51, 202, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 1075, item Y0034; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 23 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10639>
      • Contents: Transcript, entitled "Ode on a distant prospect of Eton College", in the Frances Boscawen and Julia Evelyn Commonplace Book, a collection of verse by various authors and some original verse, contains about 100 poems copied by the authors, beginning in 1746.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0288 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode on a distant prospect of Eton College"
      • Date: [between 1766 and 1800]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of James Forbes , [?] pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: fc.132, vol. I, 148, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 1075, item Y0034; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 23 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10638>
      • Contents: Transcript, entitled "Ode on a distant prospect of Eton College", in James Forbes' Commonplace book, 1766-1800, vol. I "Poems on Several Occasions Collected from Different Authors", a manuscript of a collection of approximately 150 poems and excerpts, primarily epitaphs and elegies, poems in praise of virtues, odes dedicated to women, and poems on nature and weather.


  • "Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes"

    9 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0108 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "On the Death of Selima, a Favourite Cat, who fell into a China-Tub with Gold-fishes in it, & was drown'd"
      • Date: 1747
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 381, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 92, 88; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 26; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414; Martin, Chronologie (1931), 142
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here entitled "On the Death of Selima, a Favourite Cat, who fell into a China-Tub with Gold-fishes in it, & was drown'd", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 381.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0109 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "On a favourite Cat, call'd Selima, that fell into a China Tub with Gold-Fishes in it & was drown'd."
      • Date: [17 March 1747]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 2 pages, 236 mm x 183 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Egerton 2400 (Wharton MS), ff. 19v-20r, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 93, 88; Toynbee/Whibley (eds.), Correspondence (1971), letter no. 135, vol. i, 272-279 (subscription required); Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here entitled "On a favourite Cat, call'd Selima, that fell into a China Tub with Gold-Fishes in it & was drown'd.", in a letter to Thomas Wharton, [17 March 1747].

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0110 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "On the Death of a favourite Cat drown'd in a China-Tub of Gold-Fishes"
      • Date: [1757?]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 2 pages, 157 mm x 102 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MA 3389, Literary and Historical Manuscripts (LHMS), Morgan Library & Museum, New York, NY, USA <http://www.themorgan.org/collection>
      • Alternate Form: Facsimile and description in Verlyn Klinkenborg et al., British Literary Manuscripts, Series I. From 800 to 1800 (New York, 1981), no. 98. Reserve photocopy (microfilm copy) in RP149, Manuscripts Collection, The British Library, London, UK
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 94, 88; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414; Catalogue of a Sotheby's sale (18 July 1967), lot 537; Catalogue of a Christie's sale (A. A. Houghton sale, 14 June 1979), lot 234, with facsimile, plate 29
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here entitled "On the Death of a favourite Cat drown'd in a China-Tub of Gold-Fishes", annotated on verso in the hand of Carolina Pery "known to be Mr Gray's handwriting about the Year 1757".


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0217 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 6 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Poems" section, 9-14, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes" (p. 9) ("Ode. II." [p. 11]). The poem is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0238 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "On a favourite Cat called Selima that fell into a China Cistern that had Gold Fish in it, and was Drown'd"
      • Date: [before 1758?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of Mary Capell, "bound in contemporary calf, but with the spine broken, gatherings loose, worn, and with light spotting or dust-staining" , 2 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Lt 119, ff. 111-112 (rectos only), Brotherton Collection Manuscript Verse, Special Collections, Leeds University Library, Leeds, UK <https://library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections>
      • References: Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 19 March 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=5594>
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of Mary Capell, beginning "T'was on a lofty Vase's side", in an autograph manuscript volume "signed by 'Mary Capell' on the first folio. Comprises an anthology of over eighty manuscript poems, of which some are dated from 1740 to 1751, with a six-page index at the end."

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0264 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "An ode on a favorite cat called Selima which fell into a china cistern..."
      • Date: [between 1750 and 1780]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified hand , [?] pages, 210mm x 170mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: c.157, 44, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 911, item T3301; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 16 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10632>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified hand, entitled "An ode on a favorite cat called Selima which fell into a china cistern...", in a Commonplace book (c. 1750-1780), in several hands, a collection of over a hundred lighthearted, satirical, and serious poems, primarily on the subjects of politics and women's conduct.


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0266 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Upon a cat drown[ed] in a china basin in which were goldfish"
      • Date: [before 1805]
      • Physical Description: transcript , [?] pages, 290mm x 230mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: fc.51, 231, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 911, item T3301; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 16 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10640>
      • Contents: Transcript, entitled "Upon a cat drown[ed] in a china basin in which were goldfish", in the Frances Boscawen and Julia Evelyn Commonplace Book, a collection of verse by various authors and some original verse, contains about 100 poems copied by the authors, beginning in 1746.


  • "[Ode on the Pleasure Arising from Vicissitude]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.oopv
    • Uniform Title: "[Ode on the Pleasure Arising from Vicissitude]" [e-text]
    • First Line: Now the golden Morn aloft
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1775
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 100-103; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 201-207
    • Summary: Written probably in 1754 or 1755. First printed privately in 1774. First published, in two versions, among the notes to the poems, entitled "Ode, On the Pleasure arising from Vicissitude", and as "Ode" in Mason's Memoirs (1775), 78-81 (with Mason's additions) and 236-237 (ll. 1-48 only) respectively.

    7 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0113 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Fragment of an Ode found amongst Mr. Grays papers after his decease and here transcribed from the corrected Copy"
      • Date: [after 1771]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of William Mason, partial [wanting ll. 17-20] , 4 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. III, 1097-1100, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 95, 88; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 30; Clark (ed.), Ode on Vicissitude (1933), discussion of Mason's transcript and facsimile of 1774 pamphlet
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of William Mason, headed "Fragment of an Ode found amongst Mr. Grays papers after his decease and here transcribed from the corrected Copy", wanting ll. 17-20 and accompanied by a list of "Variations in the first copy", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. III, 1097-1100. Ll. 21-24 and 69-96 were composed by Mason.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0114 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [after 1771]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of William Mason, partial [ll. 17-20] , 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. III, 1110, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 96, 88; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 30; Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 247, notes; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 201, notes
      • Contents: Transcript of ll. 17-20 in the hand of William Mason, within the "Extract from Mr Gray's Pocket Books... 1754", which also contains notes arguably related to the poem, in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. III, 1110.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0111 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [?]
      • Date: [17??]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of James Beattie , [?] pages, 250 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS 30/44 ("Copies of the poems of Thomas Gray"), Historic Collections, Special Libraries and Archives, King's College, University of Aberdeen Library, Aberdeen, UK <https://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), 88; Ellner, June, "Re: MS 30/44, James Beattie papers". E-mail to the editor, 20 December 2006
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of James Beattie, annotated in his hand "A note which I find in a Memorandum-book of Mr Gray's 1754 will best explain the intended plan of this beautiful Lyrical fragment, and will give the poetical reader how he meant to conclude it. "Contrast between the winter past and coming spring – Joy owing to that vicissitude – many who never feel that delight – Sloth - Envy - Ambition – how much happier the Rustick who feels it though he knows not how.""

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0112 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [?]
      • Date: [?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified hand, [?] pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: [privately owned]
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), 88
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified hand, owned (1969) by Arthur A. Houghton, Jr.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0232 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode On the Pleasure arising from Vicissitude"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 11 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Fragments" section, 7-17, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode On the Pleasure arising from Vicissitude" (p. 7) ("Ode. II." [p. 9]). The poem, which is annotated "N.B. This Ode was left unfinished by Mr. Gray; but was compleated by Mr. Mason. // The lines by Mr. Mason are marked * / single words _" and is identical to the version in Mason's Poems (1775), 78-81, is part of a section called "Fragments", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 19), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0272 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode on the pleasure arising from vicissitude"
      • Date: 1799
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of Thomas Binns , [?] pages, 200mm x 170mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: c.142, 384, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 561, item N0507; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 16 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10643>
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of Thomas Binns, entitled "Ode on the pleasure arising from vicissitude", in his autograph Miscellaneous manuscripts, vol. 4, a manuscript of a collection of about 100 primarily elegiac or sentimental poems.


  • "Ode on the Spring"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.oots
    • Uniform Title: "Ode on the Spring" [e-text]
    • First Line: Lo! where the rosy-bosomed Hours,
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1748
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 3-4; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 47-53
    • Summary: Written at Stoke Poges early in June 1742 and sent in a letter, [c. 3 June 1742], to Richard West who was then dead. The letter was returned unopened and does not survive. First published, anonymously, in Dodsley's Collection of Poems by Several Hands, 3 vols, vol. II. (London, 1748), 265-267, reprinted in 6 vols, vol. II. (London, 1758 and later edns.), 325-327.

    10 Manuscripts:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0116 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1742?]
      • Physical Description: autograph, revised, partial [ll. 3-4], 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: Manuscript Collections, The Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 97, 88, written on a leaf of random notes, item GrT 206, 100; Jones, Thomas Gray, Scholar (1937), "Register of Gray Autograph Manuscripts", VI. 5, 178
      • Contents: Autograph fragment, revised, of ll. 3-4, here untitled and beginning "Disclosed the breathing flowers", on a leaf of random notes.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0117 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1742?]
      • Physical Description: autograph draft written in ink and red pencil, partial [ll. 11-36, 43-50], [2?] pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GEN MSS 310, Box 8, Folder 340, Chauncey Brewster Tinker Manuscripts Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 98, 88-89, on same leaf as item GrT 215, 101
      • Contents: Autograph draft fragment, ll. 11-20 (in ink, second half of each line only), 21-36 (in red pencil, second half of each line only), 43-50 (in red pencil, first half of each line only), annotated "This was the original manuscript copy of Gray's Ode found amongst his papers by W. Mason who gave it to me E. Harcourt".

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0118 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Noon-Tide, An Ode"
      • Date: beginning of June 1742
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 2 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 275, 278, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 99, 89; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 24
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here entitled "Noon-Tide, An Ode", and beginning "Lo, where the rosie-bosom'd Hours", annotated "at Stoke, the beginning of June, 1742. sent to Fav: not knowing he was then Dead", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 275 and continued on p. 278.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0119 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: 20 October [1746]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 2 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/3/4/41, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel two
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 100, 89; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 33; Toynbee/Whibley (eds.), Correspondence (1971), letter no. 125, vol. i, 249-252 (subscription required); Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 415
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here untitled, in a letter to Horace Walpole, 20 October [1746].


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0121 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: 1 February 1768
      • Physical Description: autograph, partial [notes only], [1?] page, 324 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, Vol. 52, Robert H. Taylor Collection of English and American Literature, Princeton University Library, Princeton, NJ, USA <http://rbsc.princeton.edu/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 102, 89; Heist, Michael, "RE: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, vol.52, Robert H. Taylor Collection". E-mail to the editor, 11 January 2007
      • Contents: Autograph notes to the poem in MS instructions to Beattie for the 1768 Glasgow edition, originally sent in a letter, 1 February 1768.
      • Separated Material: The letter in which these instructions were originally sent is now at Historic Collections, King's College, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0216 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode on the Spring"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 7 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Poems" section, 1-7, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode on the Spring" (p. 1) ("Ode. I." [p. 3]). The poem is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.





  • "Ode to Adversity"

    8 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0122 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode. To Adversity"
      • Date: August 1742
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 2 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 284-285, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 103, 89; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 25; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, revised, here entitled "Ode. To Adversity" and annotated "at Stoke, Aug. 1742", including two mottoes in Greek from Aeschylus, in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 284-285.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0123 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Hymn to Adversity"
      • Date: 8 September [1751]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, crossed out, [2?] pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/3/4/51, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel two
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 104, 89; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 33; Toynbee/Whibley (eds.), Correspondence (1971), letter no. 161, vol. i, 346-350 (subscription required); Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 415
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here entitled "Hymn to Adversity" (crossed out), in a letter to Horace Walpole, 8 September [1751].


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0125 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: 1 February 1768
      • Physical Description: autograph, partial [motto only], [1?] page, 324 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, Vol. 52, Robert H. Taylor Collection of English and American Literature, Princeton University Library, Princeton, NJ, USA <http://rbsc.princeton.edu/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 106, 89; Heist, Michael, "RE: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, vol.52, Robert H. Taylor Collection". E-mail to the editor, 11 January 2007
      • Contents: Autograph motto for the poem in MS instructions to Beattie for the 1768 Glasgow edition, originally sent in a letter, 1 February 1768.
      • Separated Material: The letter in which these instructions were originally sent is now at Historic Collections, King's College, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0219 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode to Adversity"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 7 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Poems" section, 25-31, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Ode to Adversity" (p. 25) ("Ode. IV." [p. 27]). The poem, which includes the motto in Greek and attribution on the title page, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0268 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Hymn to adversity"
      • Date: [between 1768 and 1769]
      • Physical Description: transcript , [?] pages, 190mm x 130mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: c.156, 110, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 175, item D0034; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 16 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10635>
      • Contents: Transcript, entitled "Hymn to adversity", in a Commonplace book entitled Amusements 1768-69, a manuscript, in two hands, of a collection of several dozen primarily serious poems and poetical extracts, many on moral and elegiac subjects.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0269 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Hymn to adversity"
      • Date: [between 1766 and 1800]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of James Forbes , [?] pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: fc.132, vol. I, 147, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 175, item D0034; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 16 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10637>
      • Contents: Transcript, entitled "Hymn to adversity", in James Forbes' Commonplace book, 1766-1800, vol. I "Poems on Several Occasions Collected from Different Authors", a manuscript collection of approximately 150 poems and excerpts, primarily epitaphs and elegies, poems in praise of virtues, odes dedicated to women, and poems on nature and weather.


  • "[Oh ubi colles]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt20
    • Uniform Title: "[Oh ubi colles]" [e-text]
    • First Line: Oh ubi colles, ubi Faesularum,
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1890
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 152 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 318 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Written probably at London soon after returning from the Grand Tour, in [September] 1741. First published, untitled, in Tovey (ed.), Gray and his Friends (1890), 296.

    1 Manuscript:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0126 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1741?]
      • Physical Description: autograph, revised, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 381, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 107, 89; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 26
      • Contents: Autograph, revised, here untitled, in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 381.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.


  • [Orders of Insects]

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt21
    • Uniform Title: [Orders of Insects] [e-text]
    • First Line: Alas lorica tectas Coleoptera jactant.
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1814 and 1966
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 179-185 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 337-342 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Begun not earlier than 1759, the year Gray bought his copy of Linnaeus, but possibly only in the last years of his life. The additional lines were presumably abandoned due to his last illness in 1771. First published, as Generick Characters of the Orders of Insects, and of the Genera of the first six Orders, named Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Neuroptera, Hymenoptera, and Diptera; expressed in Technical Verses, in Mathias (ed.), Works (1814), vol. II, 570-573. Additional lines ("Palpos ore duos, triplexque Lepisma flagellum") first published in Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 185.

    2 Manuscripts:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0132 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [after 1759]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, [?] pages
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: Houghton Nor 2103.2, The Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA <http://library.harvard.edu/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 110, 90, in an interleaved copy of Linnaeus, Systema Naturae, 10th rev. ed. (Holmiae, 1758-59), item GrT 334, 113
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, untitled, in an interleaved copy of Linnaeus, Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum charateribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis ..., 10th rev. ed. (Holmiae, 1758-59).

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0133 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [after 1759]
      • Physical Description: autograph fragment, revised, additional lines, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: Morgan Library & Museum, New York, NY, USA <http://www.themorgan.org/collection>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 4, 79, together with a list of books, item GrT 178, 97, cf. item GrT 233, 102; Jones, Thomas Gray, Scholar (1937), "Register of Gray Autograph Manuscripts", VI. 20(d), 181
      • Contents: Autograph fragment, revised, here untitled, five additional lines on one page, together with a list of books, later tipped(?) into Herbert Paul, Queen Anne (Asnières, 1906).


  • "[Paraphrase of Psalm LXXXIV]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt22
    • Uniform Title: "[Paraphrase of Psalm LXXXIV]" [e-text]
    • First Line: Oh! Tecta, mentis dulcis amor meae!
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1849 and 1890
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 112-114 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 285-287 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Written probably as a school exercise at Eton between 1725 and 1734, possibly Gray's earliest complete composition. First published, ll. 1-20 only, in The Gentleman's Magazine N.S. 32 (October 1849), 343, published in full, as "Early Alcaics of Gray", in Tovey (ed.), Gray and his Friends (1890), 300-301.

    1 Manuscript:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0134 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [between 1845 and 1856]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of John Mitford , 2 pages, 180 mm x 115 mm
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: Add. MS 32561, ff. 67-68, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 111, 90
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of John Mitford, untitled, subscribed "The above is the 84th Psalm" and "[N.B. The above Ode is written in Mr Grays Hand: but evidently when young, the hand being unformed, & like a Schoolboys, tho' very plain & careful. The Leaf on which it is written, apparently torn from a Copy-book. Some of the Expressions resemble those in the Gr. Chartreuse Ode.]", in John Mitford, Note-Books, vol. III "Mitford. Extracts from Mr Grays Common-place books", ff. 67-68.


  • "[Parody on an Epitaph]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.pare
    • Uniform Title: "[Parody on an Epitaph]" [e-text]
    • First Line: Now clean, now hideous, mellow now, now gruff,
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1882
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 82; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 256-257
    • Summary: Composed shortly after visiting the church at Appleby, c. 3 September 1767, while on a short tour of the Lake District with Thomas Wharton. First published, untitled, in Gosse, Gray (1882), 176.

    2 Manuscripts:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0136 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1767]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page, 63 mm x 197 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Egerton 2400 (Wharton MS), f. 181r, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 112, 90; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here untitled, on a slip of paper annotated in the hand of Thomas Wharton "Extempore Epitaph on Ann Countess of Dorset, Pembroke, and Montgomery, made by Mr. Gray on reading the Epitaph on her mothers tomb in the Church at Appleby composed by the Countess, in the same manner."



  • "The Progress of Poesy. A Pindaric Ode"

    11 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0138 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode, in the Greek manner"
      • Date: [1754?]
      • Physical Description: autograph, revised, 2 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. II, 727-728, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 114, 90; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 28; Martin, Chronologie (1931), 145
      • Contents: Autograph, revised, here entitled "Ode, in the Greek manner", the first line altered from "Awake my Lyre, my Glory, wake" to the first line as published, including an alternative version of five of the last six lines, and annotated "Finish'd in 1754. printed together with the Bard, an Ode. Aug: 8. 1757", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. II, 727-728.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0139 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode, in the Greek Manner"
      • Date: 26 December 1754
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 4 pages, 240 mm x 191 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Egerton 2400 (Wharton MS), ff. 67-68, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 115, 90; Toynbee/Whibley (eds.), Correspondence (1971), letter no. 194, vol. i, 412-418 (subscription required); Starr, "Gray's Craftsmanship" (1946), particularly pp. 422-424
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here entitled "Ode, in the Greek Manner" and including the headings "Strophe", "Antistrophe", and "Epode", sent in and preceding a letter to Thomas Wharton, 26 December 1754.


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0141 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [before 1768]
      • Physical Description: autograph, partial [notes only], [?] pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: Bound PML 16518 (extra-illustrated copy of Gray's Odes), Literary and Historical Manuscripts (LHMS), Morgan Library & Museum, New York, NY, USA <http://www.themorgan.org/collection>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 117, 90; Jones, Thomas Gray, Scholar (1937), "Register of Gray Autograph Manuscripts", VI. 20(b) "Ode to Poesy", 181; Munby (ed.), Sale Catalogues (1971), Evans sale (27-29 November 1845), lot 788(?), 20, Sotheby's sale (28 August 1851), lot 53(?), 45, Sotheby's sale (4 August 1854), lot 241, 73; W[right]., Catalogue (1851), [lot 53?,] 13
      • Contents: Autograph, revised, notes to the poem, in Gray's copy of Odes by Mr. Gray (1757). The notes were first published in the poem's version in Poems (1768).


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0143 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: 1 February 1768
      • Physical Description: autograph, partial [motto, advertisement, and notes only], [3?] pages, 324 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, Vol. 52, Robert H. Taylor Collection of English and American Literature, Princeton University Library, Princeton, NJ, USA <http://rbsc.princeton.edu/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 119, 91; Heist, Michael, "RE: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, vol.52, Robert H. Taylor Collection". E-mail to the editor, 11 January 2007
      • Contents: Autograph of the motto, advertisement, and notes to the poem, in MS instructions to Beattie for the 1768 Glasgow edition, originally sent in a letter, 1 February 1768.
      • Separated Material: The letter in which these instructions were originally sent is now at Historic Collections, King's College, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0137 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1757]
      • Physical Description: transcript, [?] pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: [unlocated]
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), 90; Catalogue of a Sotheby's sale (10 December 1913), lot 67, facsimile in catalogue; Toynbee, "Alleged Holograph of Gray" (1928), 834
      • Contents: An unlocated transcript in a copy of Designs (1753) was sold as autograph, Sotheby's (10 December 1913), lot 67 (with a facsimile).

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0220 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "The Progress of Poesy. A Pindaric Ode"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 13 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Poems" section, 33-45, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "The Progress of Poesy. A Pindaric Ode" (p. 33) ("Ode. V." [p. 35]). The poem, which has numbered stanzas and includes the motto in Greek and attribution on the title page as well as Gray's notes to ll. 3, 13, 25, 42, 54, 66, 84, 95, 111, and 115, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0262 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: July/August 1827
      • Physical Description: transcript, partial, in the hand of William Pitter Woodhouse , 1 page, 191 mm x 125 mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: Houghton MS Keats 3.13, vol. i, f. 80v, John Keats Collection (MS Keats 1-6), The Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA <http://library.harvard.edu/>
      • References: Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 9 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=36732>
      • Contents: Transcript of the poem, partial, beginning "Thoughts that breathe and words that burn", in the hand of William Pitter Woodhouse, in his Commonplace book of verse and prose by various authors, July-August 1827, vol. i (82 leaves), f. 80v.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0267 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Ode"
      • Date: [after 1773]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of John Freeman Milward Dovaston , [?] pages, 190mm x 120mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: c.481, 304, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 101, item A1906; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 16 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10642>
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of John Freeman Milward Dovaston, entitled "Ode", in his autograph Select, and Miscellaneous Poems, Scraps, Mottos &c, 1773 and later, a Commonplace book of verse by Dovaston and others.



  • "Satire on the Heads of Houses; or, Never a Barrel the Better Herring"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.sahh
    • Uniform Title: "Satire on the Heads of Houses; or, Never a Barrel the Better Herring" [e-text]
    • First Line: O Cambridge, attend
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1884
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 76-77; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 280-282
    • Summary: According to Starr/Hendrickson, possibly written in the late 1740s or early 1750s when Gray's criticism of the University authorities was particularly severe. First published in Gosse (ed.), Works (1884), vol. I, 134-135, where the poem is dated "about 1765".

    3 Manuscripts:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0145 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Satire on the Heads of Houses; or, Never a Barrel the Better Herring"
      • Date: [between 1747 and 1765]
      • Physical Description: autograph, [?] pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: [privately owned]
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 120, 91; Munby (ed.), Sale Catalogues (1971), Evans sale (27-29 November 1845), lot 615(?), 10, Sotheby's sale (28 August 1851), lot 53(?), 42, Sotheby's sale (4 August 1854), lot 229(?), 70; W[right]., Catalogue (1851), [lot 53?,] 10
      • Contents: Autograph, owned (1884) by Lord Houghton.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0146 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Lines on the Heads of Houses. Never a barrell better Herring"
      • Date: [between 1845 and 1856]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of John Mitford , 2 pages, 180 mm x 115 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Add. MS 32561, ff. 186-187, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 121, 91; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of John Mitford, here entitled "Lines on the Heads of Houses. Never a barrell better Herring" and beginning "Oh! Cambridge attend", in John Mitford, Note-Books, vol. III "Mitford. Extracts from Mr Grays Common-place books", ff. 186-187.



  • "[Sketch of his Own Character]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.skoc
    • Uniform Title: "[Sketch of his Own Character]" [e-text]
    • First Line: Too poor for a bribe and too proud to importune,
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1775
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 77; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 236-238
    • Summary: Written in 1761, not earlier than April. First published, untitled, in a note in Mason's Memoirs (1775), 264.

    1 Manuscript:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0147 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [after 1771]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of William Mason , 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. III, 1111, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 122, 91; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 31
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of William Mason, here untitled, in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. III, 1111.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.


  • "Song I"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.sng1
    • Uniform Title: "Song I" [e-text]
    • First Line: 'Midst beauty and pleasure's gay triumphs, to languish
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1797
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 99; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 240-241
    • Summary: Written before October 1761 at the request of Gray's friend Henrietta Speed. Walpole transcribed and sent it in a letter to Caroline Campbell, Countess of Ailesbury, 28 November 1761. First published, beginning "With beauty, with pleasure surrounded, to languish", in Pope's Works (1797), ed. Joseph Warton, vol. II, 285n. Entitled "Amatory Lines" by Mitford and Northup, Bibliography (1917), 61.

    6 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0148 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Song"
      • Date: [after 1771]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of William Mason , 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. III, 1105, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 123, 91; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 30
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of William Mason, here entitled "Song" and annotated "From an interlind & corrected Copy", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. III, 1105.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0150 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified hand, 2 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: Bound PML 16518 (extra-illustrated copy of Gray's Odes), 24-25, Literary and Historical Manuscripts (LHMS), Morgan Library & Museum, New York, NY, USA <http://www.themorgan.org/collection>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 125, 91; Munby (ed.), Sale Catalogues (1971), Sotheby's sale (28 August 1851), lot 53(?), 41, Sotheby's sale (4 August 1854), lot 228(?), 69; W[right]., Catalogue (1851), [lot 53?,] 9; Nelson, Christine, "extra-illustrated copy of Gray's Odes". E-mail to the editor, 14 November 2006
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified hand, apparently copied from an autograph MS, bound with Gray's copy of Odes (1757).

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0151 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [after 1761]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified hand, 1 page, 230 mm x 190 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: HM 12550, Department of Manuscripts, The Huntington, San Marino, CA, USA <https://www.huntington.org/library-collections>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 126, 91; Richardson, Gayle M., "HM 12550". E-mail to the editor, 15 November 2006
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified hand, untitled and beginning "With beauty with pleasure surrounded to languish", together with MS 0159, annotated in the hand of Horace Walpole "The following two poems were given to Mr. Jacob by (Miss Speed) Countess of Vim, who told him they (were) written by Mr. Gray".

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0214 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [?]
      • Date: [17??]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of James Beattie , [1?] page, 250 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS 30/44 ("Copies of the poems of Thomas Gray"), Historic Collections, Special Libraries and Archives, King's College, University of Aberdeen Library, Aberdeen, UK <https://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/>
      • References: Ellner, June, "Re: MS 30/44, James Beattie papers". E-mail to the editor, 20 December 2006
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of James Beattie, prefaced in his hand "The following Songs being found amongst the Author's papers, with marginal corrections by his own hand which serve to authenticate them, are here inserted chiefly of that account. The former, if not the latter, has undoubtedly a degree of Lyrical merit appropriated to that species of composition."

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0286 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [late 18th century]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified hand , 1 page, 220mm x 130mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: c.83, vol. 3, no. 1069, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 1058, item W2376; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 23 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10628>
      • Contents: Transcript, beginning "With beauty, with pleasure surrounded, to languish---", in a late 18th century, anonymous Commonplace Book (4 vols.), which contains more than 1100 numbered extracts from works by various authors; a number of the poems are signed or initialed by William Warren Porter (1776-1804) or his sister, so possibly the books were compiled by a member of the Porter family.


  • "Song II"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.sng2
    • Uniform Title: "Song II" [e-text]
    • First Line: Thyrsis, when we parted, swore
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1791
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 99-100; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 242-243
    • Summary: Written in October 1761 at the request of Gray's friend Henrietta Speed. First published in The European Magazine 19 (February 1791), 152.

    12 Manuscripts:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0154 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [before the end of October 1761]
      • Physical Description: autograph, revised, 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: Bound PML 16518 (extra-illustrated copy of Gray's Odes), 19, Literary and Historical Manuscripts (LHMS), Morgan Library & Museum, New York, NY, USA <http://www.themorgan.org/collection>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 127, 91, with GrT 216, 101, on the verso; Jones, Thomas Gray, Scholar (1937), "Register of Gray Autograph Manuscripts", VI. 20(a) "Verses on Miss Speed", 181; Munby (ed.), Sale Catalogues (1971), Evans sale (27-29 November 1845), lot 624(?), 11, Sotheby's sale (12 August 1847), lot 90, 27, Sotheby's sale (28 August 1851), lot 53(?), 41, Sotheby's sale (4 August 1854), lot 228, 69; W[right]., Catalogue (1851), [lot 53?,] 9; Nelson, Christine, "extra-illustrated copy of Gray's Odes". E-mail to the editor, 14 November 2006
      • Contents: Autograph, revised, here untitled, bound into Gray's copy of Odes (1757).

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0155 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Song"
      • Date: [after 1771]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of William Mason , 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. III, 1106, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 128, 91; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 30
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of William Mason, here entitled "Song", together with a list of variants entitled "First Expressions", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. III, 1106.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.






      • Archive MS ID: mss.0159 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [after 1761]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified hand, 1 page, 230 mm x 190 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: HM 12550, Department of Manuscripts, The Huntington, San Marino, CA, USA <https://www.huntington.org/library-collections>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 132, 92; Richardson, Gayle M., "HM 12550". E-mail to the editor, 15 November 2006
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified hand, here untitled and beginning "Thyrsis when he left me swore", together with MS 0151, annotated in the hand of Horace Walpole "The following two poems were given to Mr. Jacob by (Miss Speed) Countess of Vim, who told him they (were) written by Mr. Gray".


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0215 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [?]
      • Date: [17??]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of James Beattie , [1?] page, 250 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS 30/44 ("Copies of the poems of Thomas Gray"), Historic Collections, Special Libraries and Archives, King's College, University of Aberdeen Library, Aberdeen, UK <https://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/>
      • References: Ellner, June, "Re: MS 30/44, James Beattie papers". E-mail to the editor, 20 December 2006
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of James Beattie, prefaced in his hand "The following Songs being found amongst the Author's papers, with marginal corrections by his own hand which serve to authenticate them, are here inserted chiefly of that account. The former, if not the latter, has undoubtedly a degree of Lyrical merit appropriated to that species of composition."




  • "Sonnet [on the Death of Mr Richard West]"

    3 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0160 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Sonnet"
      • Date: August 1742
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 284, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one, facsimile in Gosse (ed.), Works (1884), vol. iv, frontispiece
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 133, 92; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 25
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, here entitled "Sonnet" and annotated "at Stoke, Aug: 1742", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol I, 284. It is listed as "West (Richard) Sonnet, on him" in Gray's index to vol II.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0202 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Sonnet, On the Death of Richard West Esq."
      • Date: [between 1771 and 1820]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified hand , 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: Ryl. English Ms 656/74, Thrale Piozzi Collection, The John Rylands University Library, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK <http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/>
      • References: Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 415; Young, Anne, "Re: English MS 656/74". Two e-mails to the editor, 16 and 18 August 2006
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified hand, probably addressed to Hester Lynch Thrale, in a section of the Thrale Piozzi Collection described as "Poems in various hands, some initialled or signed, other copied... there are 135 items, dated between c. 1735 and 1820." Beneath the sonnet is written "This is the Sonnet I was mentioning to you of Grays which you did not recollect...".
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0227 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Sonnet on the Death of Mr. Richard West"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 4 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Poems" section, 105-108, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Sonnet on the Death of Mr. Richard West" (p. 105) ("Sonnet." [p. 107]). The poem is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.


  • "[Sophonisba Masinissae. Epistola]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt23
    • Uniform Title: "[Sophonisba Masinissae. Epistola]" [e-text]
    • First Line: Egregium accipio promissi Munus amoris,
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1775
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 153-156 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 318-321 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Written before mid-May 1742. First published in Mason's Memoirs (1775), section III, letter X. Mason is the only source for this (probably conflated) letter, dated [27 May 1742], in which Gray originally sent the poem to Richard West.

    1 Manuscript:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0236 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Sophonisba Massinissae. Epistola"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 6 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Latin Pieces" section, 17-22, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "Sophonisba Massinissae. Epistola" (p. 17) ("Epistola." [p. 19]). The poem, which contains three variant readings ("fata" for "fama" [l. 15], "Consideramque" for "Credideramque" [l. 44] and "resurgat" for "recursat" [l. 51]), is part of a section called "Latin Pieces", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 24), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.


  • "Stanzas to Mr Bentley"

    3 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0162 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [?]
      • Date: [after 1771]
      • Physical Description: transcript, in the hand of William Mason , 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. III, 1107, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 134, 92; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 30
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of William Mason, wanting the ends of ll. 26-28, in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. III, 1107.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0161 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [?]
      • Date: [17??]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of James Beattie , [?] pages, 250 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS 30/44 ("Copies of the poems of Thomas Gray"), Historic Collections, Special Libraries and Archives, King's College, University of Aberdeen Library, Aberdeen, UK <https://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), 92; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 414; Ellner, June, "Re: MS 30/44, James Beattie papers". E-mail to the editor, 20 December 2006
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of James Beattie, annotated in his hand "These verses were written in compliment to Mr Bentley for the designs which he drew to several of Mr Gray's poems, and which were engraved by Grignion, and published by Dodsley. Those persons who have only seen the graved prints will be inclined to think the panegyrick outreé. The Drawings themselves in the possession of Mr Walpole have undoubtedly much more merit. The original M.S. is unfortunately torn at the bottom which occasions a chasm in the last stanzas."

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0257 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: July/August 1827
      • Physical Description: transcript, partial, in the hand of William Pitter Woodhouse , 1 page, 191 mm x 125 mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: Houghton MS Keats 3.13, vol. i, f. 67, John Keats Collection (MS Keats 1-6), The Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA <http://library.harvard.edu/>
      • References: Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 9 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=36731>
      • Contents: Transcript of the poem, partial, beginning "Enough for me, if to some feeling breast", in the hand of William Pitter Woodhouse, in his Commonplace book of verse and prose by various authors, July-August 1827, vol. i (82 leaves), f. 67.


  • "[Tophet]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.tapr
    • Uniform Title: "[Tophet]" [e-text]
    • First Line: Such Tophet was; so looked the grinning fiend
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1769 (pr. 1783)
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 75; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 100-103
    • Summary: Written c. 1749 under a sketch of the Rev. Henry Etough drawn by William Mason. First published, ll. 1-2, 5-8, as On Mr. E---'s being ordained and beginning "Such Tophet was--so grum'd the bawling Fiend", in The London Magazine 52 (June 1783), 296. The text, ll. 1-2, 5-8, was also issued on an etching by Michael Tyson of the drawing of Tophet by Mason, 1769.

    5 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0163 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Inscription on a portrait"
      • Date: [after 1771]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of William Mason , 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. III, 1106, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 136, 92; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 30
      • Contents: Transcript of ll. 1-2, 5-8, 3-4 in the hand of William Mason, here entitled "Inscription on a portrait", with ll. 3-4 annotated "addition in the first Copy", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. III, 1106.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0164 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [?]
      • Date: 26 November 1769
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of William Cole , 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/5/9, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel two
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 137, 92; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 31; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 415
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of William Cole, ll. 1-2, 5-8 beginning "Such Tophet was--so grinn'd the bawling Fiend", on an early state of Tyson's etching (before the text had been added), annotated by Cole on the recto "Mr. Etough, Rector of Therfeild in Hartfordshire, who had been a dissenting Teacher in a Barn at Debden at Essex, died in August 1757" and on the verso "Donum Mich Tyson Arm: & Collegii Corporis Chri Cantabr Socij Nov: 26.1769, Gulielmo Cole A: Mro".

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0165 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: 1769
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of Michael Tyson , 1 page, c. 245 mm x 180 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Add. MS 5817, f. 191r, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 138, 92; Sutton (ed.), Location Register (1995), 415
      • Contents: Copy of Tyson's etching with the text, annotated "Gray". Above the sketch is an annotation by William Cole "Mr. Etough of Therfeild in Hartfordshire, obiit 1757", and on verso "Given to me by Mr. Tyson in Nov: 1769. Wm. Cole". Bound in a volume entitled History of King's College Cambridge, vol. IV, XVI, bequeathed by Rev. W. Cole.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0247 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: Lines by ... on Mr. E___'s characature
      • Date: [between 1793 and c. 1800]
      • Physical Description: transcript, [1?] page, 240 mm x 180 mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: "Manuscript Collection", M.a.182, 157, Manuscripts Collection, Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C., USA <http://www.folger.edu/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Microfilm Collection, FILM Fo. 2321, Microfilm of M.a.182, 1 microfilm reel : negative, 12:1, 12 feet ; 35 mm.
      • References: Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 19 March 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=36726>
      • Contents: Transcript, here beginning "Such E___ was, so grinn'd the brawling fiend", in a volume entitled Manuscript Collection, a miscellaneous collection in prose and verse in which are included several original pieces 1793 ... Vol. I (97 leaves), compiled by A. S. W.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0251 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [undated]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified hand (6 lines) , 1 page, c. 55 mm x 160 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Add. MS 11279, f. 17, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 9 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=111908>
      • Contents: Transcript (6 lines) in an unidentified hand, here beginning "Such Tophet was, so grinned the bawling fiend" and attributed above "By Mr Gray", in a quarto volume of miscellaneous pieces of poetry, entitled "Miscellaneous Poetry" and "presented by Rev. T. Crompton", written in the 18th and 19th centuries, to which the names of the respective authors are assigned.


  • "[Translation from Dante, Inferno Canto xxxiii 1-78]"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.tdin
    • Uniform Title: "[Translation from Dante, Inferno Canto xxxiii 1-78]" [e-text]
    • First Line: From his dire food the grisly felon raised
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1849 and 1884
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 61-63; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 23-25
    • Summary: Written probably in 1737 or 1738 when Gray was translating other Italian verse by Tasso and Petrarch. First published, 15 lines only, in The Gentleman's Magazine N.S. 32 (October 1849), 343, published in full in Gosse (ed.), Works (1884), vol. I, 157-160, as "Dante. Canto 33, dell' Inferno".

    3 Manuscripts:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0167 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Dante, Canto 33 dell' Inferno"
      • Date: [between 1845 and 1856]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of John Mitford , 4 pages, 180 mm x 115 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Add. MS 32561, ff. 70-73, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 139, 92-93
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of John Mitford, introduced "DANTE. It is uncertain when Mr Gray translated the following Story from Dante; but most probably very early, and when he was making himself Master of the Italian language.", headed "Dante, Canto 33 dell' Inferno", and annotated "N.B. The above is not in Grays Writing, but in a clear large hand. perhaps Mr. Stonehewer's. (yes.)", in John Mitford, Note-Books, vol. III "Mitford. Extracts from Mr Grays Common-place books", ff. 70-73.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0168 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Translation in blank verse of Dante's Ugolino c. xxxiii."
      • Date: [between 1845 and 1856]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of John Mitford, partial [ll. 1-4, 82-84] , 2 pages, 180 mm x 115 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Add. MS 32561, ff. 182-183, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 140, 93
      • Contents: Transcript of ll. 1-4 and 82-4 in the hand of John Mitford, here beginning "From his dire food the greisly father raisd", annotated "Mason says, Gray translated this when learning Italian" and "N.B. The MS is not in Gray's writing", in John Mitford, Note-Books, vol. III "Mitford. Extracts from Mr Grays Common-place books", ff. 182-183.



  • "[Translation from Statius, Thebaid IX 319-26]"

    2 Manuscripts:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0169 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [between 1725 and 1734]
      • Physical Description: autograph draft, partial [ll. 1-13], 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/4/3, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel two. Facsimile in Toynbee (ed.), Correspondence (1915), vol. ii, following p. 298
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 141, 93; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 33; Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 57n
      • Contents: Autograph draft of ll. 1-13, here untitled, together with MS 0170.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0170 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [between 1725 and 1734]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, ll. 14-16 revised, 1 page
      • Language: English, Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/4/3, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel two
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 142, 93; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 33
      • Contents: Autograph (ll. 1-13 fair copy, ll. 14-16 revised), here untitled, including a transcript of the Latin original between ll. 13 and 14, annotated in the hand of Horace Walpole "This written when he was very young", together with MS 0169.


  • "[Translation] From Tasso [Gerusalemme Liberata] Canto 14, Stanza 32-9."

    2 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0171 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "From Tasso. Canto, 14, Stanza, 32"
      • Date: 1738
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, revised, 2 pages
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 95-96, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 143, 93; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 22; Martin, Chronologie (1931), 137
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, revised, translation from Gerusalemme Liberata, headed "From Tasso. Canto, 14, Stanza, 32" in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 95-96.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.



  • "[Translation of Ode 'Away; let nought to love displeasing']"

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt24
    • Uniform Title: "[Translation of Ode 'Away; let nought to love displeasing']" [e-text]
    • First Line: Vah, tenero quodcunque potest obsistere amori,
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1890
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 115-117, 250-251 (with English prose translation and the original English version); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 287-290 (with English prose translation and the original English version)
    • Summary: Written probably as a school exercise at Eton between 1725 and 1734. First published, untitled, in Tovey (ed.), Gray and his Friends (1890), 298-300.

    3 Manuscripts:

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0175 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [between 1725 and 1734]
      • Physical Description: autograph, [?] pages
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: [privately owned]
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 146, 93; Catalogue of a Sotheby's sale (29 February 1960), lot 67
      • Contents: Autograph in pencil and inked over, here untitled, bound into a copy of James Boswell, Life of Samuel Johnson (London, 1791), owned (1966) by Charles W. Traylen Booksellers (out of business since 2003).
      • Related Material: MS 0176.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0176 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [between 1845 and 1856]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of John Mitford , 2 pages, 180 mm x 115 mm
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: Add. MS 32561, ff. 86-87, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 147, 93; Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 250
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of John Mitford, untitled, but identified "N.B. The above is a free Translation of Gilb. Coopers Ode / Away let Nought to Love displeasing / ..." and annotated "The following Poem is written with Ink by Mason over Gray's Pencil, which was very faint, in order apparently to preserve it." and "N.B. Grays writing perceptible below the Ink-letters", in John Mitford, Note-Books, vol. III "Mitford. Extracts from Mr Grays Common-place books", ff. 86-87.
      • Related Material: MS 0176 apparently transcribed from MS 0175.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0246 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: Poem
      • Date: [between c. 1750 and c. 1775]
      • Physical Description: transcript, 2 pages
      • Language: Latin, English
      • Location: Collection of poems, ca. 1750-ca. 1775, Y.d.183 (12), Manuscripts Collection, Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C., USA <http://www.folger.edu/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Microfilm Collection, FILM Fo. 107a, Microfilm of Y.d.183 (1-14), 1 microfilm reel : negative, 16:1, 7 feet ; 35 mm.
      • References: Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 19 March 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=56598> (no author attribution)
      • Contents: Poem in English, beginning "Away! let nought to love displeasing", and Latin verse translation beginning "Vah! tenero quodcunque potest obsistere amori", from the G. E. Solly and Mrs. M. A. Carew sale of Garrick MSS at Sotheby's, June 18-21, 1928.


  • [Translations from the Greek Anthology]

    • Archive Work ID: poems.lt25
    • Uniform Title: [Translations from the Greek Anthology] [e-text]
    • First Line: Fertur Aristophanis fatorum arcana rogatum, [etc.]
    • Language: Latin
    • First Published: 1814 and 1890
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 170-178 (with English prose translation); Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 332-337 (with English prose translation)
    • Summary: Thirteen small pieces, subsumed under the work title [Translations from the Greek Anthology], presumably written late in Gray's Latin period, after his return from the Continent in 1742. First published in Mathias (ed.), Works (1814), vol. II, 94-97, except nos. [I] and [XII], first published in Tovey (ed.), Gray and his Friends (1890), 295. No. [VI] was first published as "Nymph offering a Statue of herself to Venus" and beginning "Te tibi, sancta, fero nudam; formosias, ipsa". First published complete and in Gray's order in Bradshaw (ed.), Poetical Works (1891), 168-172.

    13 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0177 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "[I] From the Greek"
      • Date: [after 1742]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 287, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 149, 94; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 25
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 287.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0178 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "[II] From the Greek of Antiphilus Byzantius In Medeae Imaginem, Nobile Timomachi Opus"
      • Date: [after 1742]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 287, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 150, 94; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 25
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 287.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0179 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "[III] Imitation of the Greek; of Paul Silentiarius. In Bacchae Furentis Statuam"
      • Date: [after 1742]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 287, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 151, 94; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 25
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 287.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0180 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "[IV] From the Greek, of Posidippus. In Alexandrum, AEre Effictum"
      • Date: [after 1742]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 287, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 152, 94; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 25
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 287.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0181 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "[V] From the Greek. [Anonymous.] In Niobes Statuam"
      • Date: [after 1742]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 287, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 153, 94; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 25
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 287.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0182 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "[VI] From the Greek, of Lucian, offering a Statue of herself to Venus"
      • Date: [after 1742]
      • Physical Description: autograph, revised, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 287, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 154, 94; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 25
      • Contents: Autograph, revised, the first line altered from "Te tibi, sancta, fero nudam: formosius ipsâ" in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 287.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0183 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "[VII] From the Greek of Statyllius Flaccus. In Amorem dormientem"
      • Date: [after 1742]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 287, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 155, 94; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 25
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 287.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0184 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "[VIII] From a Fragment of Plato"
      • Date: [after 1742]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 288, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 156, 94; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 25
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 288.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0185 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "[IX] From the Greek of Marianus. In Fontem aquae calidae"
      • Date: [after 1742]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 288, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 157, 95; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 25
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 288.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0186 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "[X] From Lucillius"
      • Date: [after 1742]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 288, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 158, 95; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 25
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 288.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0187 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "[XI] Imitated from the Greek of Posidippus. Ad Amorem"
      • Date: [after 1742]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 288, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 159, 95; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 25
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 288.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0188 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "[XII] . . . . of Bassus"
      • Date: [after 1742]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 288, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 160, 95; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 25
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, headed "...Of Bassus", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 288.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0189 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "[XIII] . . . . of Rufinus"
      • Date: [after 1742]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: Latin
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. I, 288, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 161, 95; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 25
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, headed "Of Rufinus...", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. I, 288.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.


  • "The Triumphs of Owen. A Fragment"

    5 Manuscripts:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0190 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "The Triumphs of Owen, a Fragment from the Welch"
      • Date: [1760 or 1761]
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. III, 1068, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 162, 95; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 30
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, with four lines at the end intended to follow l. 26, here entitled "The Triumphs of Owen, a Fragment from the Welch", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. III, 1068.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0191 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1?] February 1768
      • Physical Description: autograph fair copy, 2 pages, 324 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Add. MS 38511, ff. 6v-7r, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 163, 95; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 19 March 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=137227>
      • Contents: Autograph fair copy, untitled but numbered 9. and identified on f. 3r as "9. The Triumphs of Owen, a fragment", headed "Prefix...Owen succeeded his Father Griffin in the principality of North-Wales, A:D: 1120. this battle was fought near forty years afterwards. (from Mr Evans's Specimens of the Welch poetry. Lond: 1764. 4to)", including an explanatory note of "The Dragon-Son", used as printer's copy for Poems (1768), in MS instructions to Dodsley, sent in a letter, [1?] February 1768.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0192 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: 1 February 1768
      • Physical Description: autograph, [2?] pages, 324 mm x 200 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, Vol. 52, Robert H. Taylor Collection of English and American Literature, Princeton University Library, Princeton, NJ, USA <http://rbsc.princeton.edu/>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 164, 95; Heist, Michael, "RE: Modern (Bound) Manuscripts, vol.52, Robert H. Taylor Collection". E-mail to the editor, 11 January 2007
      • Contents: Autograph, untitled but numbered 9. and identified from the table of contents as "9. The Triumphs of Owen (from the Welch)", and headed "Note) Owen succeeded his Father Griffin in the principality of North Wales, A:D: 1120. this battle was fought near 40 years afterwards, (from Mr Evans's Specimens of the Welch poetry. Lond: 1764.4to)" together with a note on the Dragon-Son, in MS Instructions to Beattie for the 1768 Glasgow edition, originally sent in a letter, 1 February 1768.
      • Separated Material: The letter in which these instructions were originally sent is now at Historic Collections, King's College, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0225 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "The Triumphs of Owen. A Fragment. From Mr. Evans's specimens of Welch Poetry; London, 1764, Quarto"
      • Date: 1780[?]
      • Physical Description: transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand on Whatman paper, 6 pages, 180 mm x 110 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: MS Add. 439, "Poems" section, 93-98, The Archives, York Minster Library & Archives, York, UK <https://yorkminster.org/treasures-and-collections.html>
      • Contents: Transcript in an unidentified neat and legible hand, entitled "The Triumphs of Owen. A Fragment" (p. 93) ("Ode X." [p. 95]). The poem, which includes Gray's notes and the additional lines after l. 26 by Mason, is part of a section called "Poems", which is separately paginated and has its own table of contents (p. 129), in a volume entitled Gray's Poems. The book carries the bookplate of Gray's friend and biographer William Mason.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0274 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "The triumphs of Owen Gwynedd a fragment"
      • Date: [after 1773]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of John Freeman Milward Dovaston , [?] pages, 190mm x 120mm (volume)
      • Language: English
      • Location: c.481, 45, Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University Library, New Haven, CT (Beinecke)/Farmington, CT (Lewis Walpole), USA <http://www.library.yale.edu/>
      • References: Parks, Stephen et al. (ed.), Osborn Collection First-Line Index. New Haven: Beinecke Library, Yale University, 2005, 624, item O1156; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 16 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10633>
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of John Freeman Milward Dovaston, entitled "The triumphs of Owen Gwynedd a fragment", in his autograph Select, and Miscellaneous Poems, Scraps, Mottos &c, 1773 and later, a Commonplace book of verse by Dovaston and others.


  • [Verse Fragments]

    • Archive Work ID: poems.vsfr
    • Uniform Title: [Verse Fragments] [e-text]
    • First Line: Gratitude
    • Language: English
    • First Published: 1890
    • References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 196; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 277-278
    • Summary: Written probably in 1754, copied by William Mason from Gray's pocketbook for that year. First published, among "Thoughts and Verse Fragments", in Tovey (ed.), Gray and his Friends (1890), 269-270.

    1 Manuscript:

      • [MS image]Archive MS ID: mss.0193 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1754]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of William Mason , 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: GBR/1058/GRA/1, Commonplace Book, Vol. III, 1110, College Library, Pembroke College, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK <http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/>
      • Alternate Form: Microfilm copy available in Poetic Commonplace Books and Manuscripts of Thomas Gray, 1716-1771, from Pembroke College, Cambridge (1999), reel one
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 165, 95; Poetic C. B., Pembroke College (1999), 30
      • Contents: Transcript in the hand of William Mason, 12 lines beginning "Gratitude/ The Joy that trembles in her eye", within the "Extract from Mr Gray's Pocket Books... 1754", in Gray's Commonplace Book, vol. III, 1110.
      • Surrogates: Digital facsimile [JPEG] from original MS available online.


  • "William Shakespeare to Mrs Anne, Regular Servant to the Revd Mr Precentor of York"

    4 Manuscripts:


      • Archive MS ID: mss.0196 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: [untitled]
      • Date: [1765]
      • Physical Description: autograph draft, the whole erased, 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: [privately owned]
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 167, 96, in a notebook, item GrT 295, 109; Toynbee, "Newly Discovered Draft" (1930), MS transcribed and discussed
      • Contents: Autograph draft, here untitled and the whole erased, owned (1988) by Lt.-Col. John Murray.

      • Archive MS ID: mss.0197 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: "Verses from Wm Shakspeare to Mrs Anne Regular Servant to the Revd Mr Precentor of York"
      • Date: [between 1845 and 1856]
      • Physical Description: transcript in the hand of John Mitford , 1 page, 180 mm x 115 mm
      • Language: English
      • Location: Add. MS 32561, f. 185, Manuscripts Collection, British Library, London, UK <https://bl.libguides.com/reference-services/manuscripts>
      • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 168, 96
      • Contents: Transcript, with stanza 5 following stanza 2, in the hand of John Mitford, here entitled "Verses from Wm Shakspeare to Mrs Anne Regular Servant to the Revd Mr Precentor of York" and annotated "Tell me, if you don't like this, and I'll send you a worse", in John Mitford, Note-Books, vol. III "Mitford. Extracts from Mr Grays Common-place books", f. 185.



Letters, 1734-1771

  • Correspondence with Alderson, Christopher

    • Archive Work ID: letters.alderson_christopher
    • Correspondent: Alderson, Christopher
    • Language: English
    • Date Range: 1770-
    • Summary: 1 letters (1 from Gray), dated between 1770 and 1770.

    1 Manuscript:

      • Archive MS ID: letters.0606 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: Gray, Thomas to Alderson, Christopher
      • Date: 23 June 1770
      • Language: English
      • Location: Private collection
      • Alternate Form: Sotheby's, 13 December 1977, Lot 341 and Sotheby's, 22 July 1985, Lot 46, sold to Maggs
      • References: Correspondence (1971), letter no. 527*, vol. iii, 1138-1139
      • Contents: Incipit: "A certain letter was sent me from hence to Aston on this day (Saturday)". Sent from Cambridge. to [Aston]. Dateline: "23 June. 1770". Address: "Cambridge". Envelope (front): "To The Revd Mr Alderson of Aston near Sheffield Yorkshire" Postmark: "CAMBRIDGE".
      • Surrogates: Letter record at the Thomas Gray Archive available online.


  • Correspondence with Anstey, Christopher

    • Archive Work ID: letters.anstey_christopher
    • Correspondent: Anstey, Christopher
    • Language: English
    • Date Range: 1761-
    • Summary: 1 letters (1 from Gray), dated between 1761 and 1761.

    1 Manuscript:

      • Archive MS ID: letters.0392 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: Gray, Thomas to Anstey, Christopher
      • Date: [September 1761]
      • Language: English
      • Location: [unlocated]
      • References: Correspondence (1971), letter no. 341, vol. ii, 748-749; The Poetical Works of the late Christopher Anstey, Esq, with some account of the life and writings of the author. Ed. by John Anstey, Esq. London: T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1808, biographical notice
      • Contents: Incipit: "Every language has its idiom, not only of words and phrases, but of customs".
      • Surrogates: Letter record at the Thomas Gray Archive available online.


  • Correspondence with Antrobus, Mrs. (Elizabeth)

    • Archive Work ID: letters.antrobus_mrs
    • Correspondent: Antrobus, Mrs. (Elizabeth)
    • Language: English
    • Date Range: 1759-
    • Summary: 1 letters (1 from Gray), dated between 1759 and 1759.

    1 Manuscript:

      • Archive MS ID: letters.0642 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: Gray, Thomas to Antrobus, Mrs. (Elizabeth)
      • Date: 8 September 1759
      • Physical Description: A.L.S.; envelope
      • Language: English
      • Location: Rush Rhees Library, Charles A. Brown Collection of Autographs and Manuscripts, University of Rochester Libraries, Rochester, NY, USA <http://www.library.rochester.edu/>
      • References: Correspondence (1971), letter no. 302, vol. iii, 1319-1320
      • Contents: Incipit: "I am glad to hear from Molly today, that there is no particular charge". Sent from [London]. Dateline: "Sept: 8. 1759".
      • Surrogates: Letter record at the Thomas Gray Archive available online.


  • Correspondence with Cole, William

    • Archive Work ID: letters.cole_william
    • Correspondent: Cole, William
    • Language: English
    • Date Range: 1748-1770
    • Summary: 3 letters (3 from Gray), dated between 1748 and 1770.

    3 Manuscripts:


      • Archive MS ID: letters.0644 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: Gray, Thomas to Cole, William
      • Date: 7 July 1764
      • Language: English
      • Location: [unlocated]
      • Alternate Form: a copy of the letter in the hand of William Cole, annotated in his hand "This I had by Letter from my Friend Mr. Gray of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge, to whom I sent for the Receit, having seen & smelt the odoriferous Jar in his Chambers the year before.", is at Add. MSS 5825, ff. 283b, 284b, Manuscripts collection, British Library, London, UK
      • References: Correspondence (1971), letter no. 388**, vol. iii, 1322-1323
      • Contents: Incipit: "Get some coarse brown Bay Salt: this is the sine quâ non, & (by the way)". Sent from Cambridge. Dateline: "July 7. 1764". dateline in the closer. Address: "Cambr". address in the closer.
      • Surrogates: Letter record at the Thomas Gray Archive available online.



  • Correspondence with Farmer, Richard

    • Archive Work ID: letters.farmer_richard
    • Correspondent: Farmer, Richard
    • Language: English
    • Date Range: 1770-
    • Summary: 1 letters (1 from Gray), dated between 1770 and 1770.

    1 Manuscript:

      • Archive MS ID: letters.0594 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: Gray, Thomas to Farmer, Richard
      • Date: [12 April 1770]
      • Physical Description: A.L., 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: W.b.487, no. 5, Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C., USA <http://www.folger.edu/>
      • Alternate Form: the manuscript is one of many included in several volumes of Garrick-related correspondence, purchased by Mr. Folger from Bernard Quaritch in 1913, Lot 281 in Sotheby Catalogue for 7th and 8th July 1917. This is the "Catalogue of Valuable Printed Books, Autograph Letters . . . including the Library of the Late Bram Stoker, Esq." However, the Garrick items are listed as "Property of a Gentleman," not as part of the Stoker material; a copy is at the British Library, Add. MSS. 5860, 57
      • References: Correspondence (1971), letter no. 516, vol. iii, 1119-1120; Bibliotheca Farmeriana. A catalogue of the curious, valuable and extensive library, in print and manuscript, of the late Revd. Richard Farmer, ... Which will be sold by auction, ... by Mr. King, ... on Monday, May 7, 1798, ... London: Thomas King, 1798, part of Lot 8102; Letters (1900-12), letter no. CCCLX, vol. iii, 273-274
      • Contents: Incipit: "Mr Gray returns Mr Farmer's Books, with many Thanks.". Sent from Cambridge. Dateline: "12 April.". Address: "Pemb: Hall".
      • Surrogates: Letter record at the Thomas Gray Archive available online.


  • Correspondence with Lort, Michael

    • Archive Work ID: letters.lort_michael
    • Correspondent: Lort, Michael
    • Language: English
    • Date Range: 1770-
    • Summary: 1 letters (1 from Gray), dated between 1770 and 1770.

    1 Manuscript:

      • Archive MS ID: letters.0575 (Source: EAD/XML)
      • Title: Gray, Thomas to Lort, Michael
      • Date: [February/March 1770]
      • Physical Description: A.L.S., 1 page
      • Language: English
      • Location: Private collection
      • References: Correspondence (1971), letter no. 512*, vol. iii, 1112-1113; Sotheby's sale (18 November 1929) of the library of John Gough Nichols, lot 170 (it was part of a quarto volume and was sold with other letters from Mrs Inchbald and from Johnson himself, for £140 to 'Spencer')
      • Contents: Incipit: "Mr Gray presents his humble services to Prof.r Lort, is much obliged". Sent from Cambridge. Dateline: "Saturday". dateline in the closer. Address: "Pem Coll". address in the closer.
      • Surrogates: Letter record at the Thomas Gray Archive available online.


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