De Principiis Cogitandi. Liber Secundus.
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De Principiis Cogitandi.
Liber Secundus.
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De Principiis Cogitandi.
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Title/Paratext] "[Prose translation by J. R. [...]" H.W. Starr/J.R. Hendrickson, 1966.
"[Prose translation by J. R. Hendrickson:]
On the Elements of Thought, Book II.
So far had I advanced in my zeal to uncover the secrets of Nature, and, the vocal instrument of the Muses, had been the first to lead a clear brook from the Roman river through British fields, when thou, the hope and inspiration of so great a task, didst leave in the midst of the labour and conceal thyself in the eternal shadow of death! With my own eyes I had seen thy breast gravely smitten with cruel pain, a breast never insensitive to another's pain; I had
seen thine eyes languish and thy loving face grow pale, whence naught but extraordinary Devotion, and Trust, and deep love of Truth, and uncorrupted
Honour used to breathe. At length, however, the merciless cruelty of lingering sickness seemed to be departing, and I hoped for the restoration of
rosy-cheeked Health, and thee along with it, beloved Favonius! Fondly trusting, alas, that we would while away the long sunny days as before: alas, the vain sweet hopes, the unavailing prayers and vows! Alas, the sunny days, now filled with grief! Deprived of thee, I must pass them in longing and vain complaints, weeping all the while.
But thou, blessed spirit, hast no need of my lamentations; thou enjoyest the starry region and the fire of the pure aether from whence thou wert born. But Oh! if thou art free from care yet not completely beyond the reach of mortal concerns, and if thou dost look back with compassion upon the labours that once were so familiar and hast leisure to think of trifling cares; if, perchance, thou dost contemplate from thy lofty seat the human storm, the fears, the sharp goads of desire, the joys and griefs, the tumult of anger that seems so immense in the tiny heart of man and the savage waves that surge in the human breast: then look back also on these
tears of mine, which, stricken as I am with love, I am shedding in memory of thee; I can do no more, so long as my only desire is to lament here beside thy tomb and to address these vain words to thy silent ashes."
9.2 - 10.7 quo ... Honestum.] "These lines are quoted in [...]" Bouwe Postmus, 2012.
"These lines are quoted in the "Introduction" by Lord George Hamilton-Gordon (1784-1860), 4th Earl of Aberdeen, to An Historical Survey of the Ecclesiastical Antiquities of France, with a View to illustrating the Rise and Progress of Gothic Architecture in Europe, by the late Rev. George Downing Whittington (London: Printed by T. Bensley, for J. Taylor, at the Architectural Library, 1809)."
Bouwe Postmus <bouwepostmus@gmail.com> (English department, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands). Contributed on Thu Mar 22 11:28:15 2012 GMT.9.2 - 10.7 quo ... Honestum.] "These lines are quoted in [...]" Bouwe Postmus, 2012.
"These lines are quoted in the "Introduction" by Lord George Hamilton-Gordon (1784-1860), 4th Earl of Aberdeen, to An Historical Survey of the Ecclesiastical Antiquities of France, with a View to illustrating the Rise and Progress of Gothic Architecture in Europe, by the late Rev. George Downing Whittington (London: Printed by T. Bensley, for J. Taylor, at the Architectural Library, 1809)."
Bouwe Postmus <bouwepostmus@gmail.com> (English department, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands). Contributed on Thu Mar 22 11:28:15 2012 GMT.Works cited
- The Complete Poems of Thomas Gray: English, Latin and Greek. Edited by Herbert W. Starr and J. R. Hendrickson. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1966.
Contractions, italics and initial capitalization have been largely eliminated, except where of real import. Initial letters of sentences have been capitalized, all accents have been removed. The editor would like to express his gratitude to library staff at Pembroke College, Cambridge, at the British Library, and at the Bodleian Library, Oxford, for their invaluable assistance.