Thomas Gray to James Brown, [before 17 February 1763]

You will make my best acknowledgements to Mr Howe, who not content to rank me in the number of his Friends is so polite as to make excuses for having done me that honour.

I was not born so far from the Sun as to be ignorant of Count Algarotti's name & reputation; nor am I so far advanced in years or in philosophy, as not to feel the warmth of his approbation. the odes in question, as their motto shews, were meant to be vocal to the Intelligent alone. how few they were in my own country, Mr Howe can testify; & yet my ambition was terminated by that small circle. I have good reason to be proud, if my voice has reach'd the ear & apprehension of a Stranger distinguish'd as one of the best Judges in Europe.

I am equally pleased with the just applause he bestows on Mr Mason, & particularly on the Caractacus, wch is the work of a Man: whereas the Elfrida is only that of a Boy, a promising boy indeed, & of no common Genius: yet this is the popular performance with us, & the other little known in comparison.

Neither Count Algarotti, nor Mr Howe (I believe) have heard of Ossian, the Son of Fingal. if Mr H: were not upon the wing, & on his way homewards, I would send it to him in Italy. he would there see, that Imagination dwelt many hundred years agoe in all her pomp on the cold and barren mountains of Scotland. the truth (I believe) is that without any respect of climates she reigns in all nascent societies of Men, where the necessities of life force every one to think & act much for himself ..