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This letter is part of the correspondence calendar of the complete correspondence of Thomas Gray. The calendar contains detailed bibliographic records for all known original, copied, or published letters written by or to the poet as well as the full-text, where available. Each record is accompanied by digitised images of the manuscript, where available, or digitised images of the first printed edition.
If all the Greek you transcribed for me were Poetry already I would bestir myself to oblige you
& Mr Rivett, but as it is no more than measured Prose, & as unfortunately (in English verse) a
Tripod with two ears, or more, has no more dignity than a Chamber-pot with one, I do not see, why you would have me Dress it up with
any florid additions, wch it must have, if it would appear in rhyme; nor why it will not prove its point as well in a plain prose
translation, as in the best numbers of Dryden. if you think otherwise, why don't you do it yourself, & consult me, if you think
fit. I rejoice to hear the Prints succeed so well, & am impatient for the work, but do not approve the fine
Lady part of it. what business have such people with Athens? I applaud your scheme for
Gaskarth, & wish it could have succeeded. he bears his disappointment like a Philosopher, but his
health is very bad. I have had the honour myself of some little grumblings of the Gout for this fortnight, & yesterday it would not
let me put on a shoe to hear the Frasi in, so you may imagine I am in a sweet amiable humour.
nevertheless I think of being in Town (perhaps I may not be able to stir) the middle of next week with
Montagu. you are so cross-grain'd as to go to Tunbridge just before I come, but I will give you the
trouble to enquire about my old quarters at Roberts's, if I can probably have a lodging at that time.
if not there; may be I can be in the Oven,
wch will do well enough for a Sinner. be so good to give me notice, & the sooner the better. I
shall not stay above a week, & then go to Stoke. I rejoice to know, that the genial influences of the Spring, wch produce nothing
but the Gout in me, have hatched high & unimaginable fantasies in you. I see methinks (as I sit on
Snowden) some Glimpse of Mona, & her haunted shades & hopes we shall be very good Neighbours. any Druidical Anecdotes that I
can meet with, I will be sure to send you. I am of your opinion, that the Ghosts will spoil the Picture, unless they are thrown at a
huge distance, & extremely kept down.
The British Flag (I fear) has behaved itself like a Train'd-band Pair of Colours in Bunhill-fields. I think every day of going to Switzerland. will you be of the party, or stay & sing Mass at Aston?