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The original letter is extant and usually available for academic research purposes
Gregorian
This letter is part of the Primary Texts section of the Thomas Gray Archive.
XML created for the Thomas Gray Archive.
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.
Commanding Beauty smooth'd by chearful grace
Sat on each open feature of his face.
Bold was his language, rapid, glowing, strong,
And science flow'd spontaneous from his tongue:
A Genius big with system, slighting rules!
Gall he had none, but boundless scorn of Fools.
Ambition lent her flambeau to his hand,
And Bacchus sprinkled fuel on the brand.
His wish to counsel Monarchs or controul;
His only means – the ardour of his soul!
Down came at once the fabrick of his pride,
Yet slightly-built diffused no ruin wide;
+Unhurt, undaunted, undisturb'd, he fell
+Could laugh the same, & the same stories tell:
Tho' headlong from his airy scaffold hurl'd,
He held his bottle fast, & drop'd the World.
I make no excuses for the four lines I have omitted. there are two more I could not find in my heart to omitt (good reason why!) & yet think it would be better, if they were not there.