"A Long Story"

• Archive Work ID: poems.lost
• Uniform Title: "A Long Story" [e-text]
• First Line: In Britain's isle, no matter where,
• Language: English
• First Published: 1753
• References: Starr/Hendrickson (eds.), Complete Poems (1966), 43-48; Lonsdale (ed.), Poems (1969), 142-152
• Summary: Written and revised at Stoke Poges between August and October 1750 when Gray was staying there with his aunt. First published in Dodsley's Designs (1753), [14].

3 Manuscripts:

• • Archive MS ID: mss.0097 (Source: EAD/XML)
  • Title: "A Long Story"
  • Date: 1750
  • Physical Description: [?] pages; autograph fair copy, corrected
  • Language: English
  • Location: Rare Books, Special Collections and Archives, John Work Garrett Library, Johns Hopkins University Libraries, Baltimore, MD, USA <https://www.library.jhu.edu/library-departments/special-collections/historic-collection-at-john-work-garrett-library/>
  • References: Smith (ed.), Index (1989), item GrT 82, 87; Whibley, "Notes on Two Manuscripts" (1937), 55-57; Munby (ed.), Sale Catalogues (1971), Evans sale (27-29 November 1845), lot 605, 10, Sotheby's sale (28 August 1851), lot 53, 41, Sotheby's sale (4 August 1854), lot 227, 69; W[right]., Catalogue (1851), [lot 53,] 9
  • Contents: Autograph fair copy, corrected, wanting ll. 5-8, with marginal explanatory notes.
  
  
• • Archive MS ID: mss.0098 (Source: EAD/XML)
  • Title: "A Long Story"
  • Date: August 1750
  • Physical Description: 2 pages; autograph fair copy
  • 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.
  
  
• • Archive MS ID: mss.0271 (Source: EAD/XML)
  • Title: [untitled]
  • Date: [?]
  • Physical Description: [?] pages; transcript, partial
  • Language: English
  • Location: Poetry Box V/38, 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, 411, item I1013; Nelson (ed.), Union First Line Index. Mar. 2010. Folger Shakespeare Library. 16 April 2010. <http://firstlines.folger.edu/detail.php?id=10625>
  • Contents: Transcript, partial, headed "Lady Schaub and Miss Harriet Speed went one morning...to find Gray the poet and missing of him left a card...to whom he sent these verses".