Stanzas to Mr Bentley
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Stanzas to Mr Bentley
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Stanzas to Mr Bentley Skip to next line
Metrical foot type: iambic (-+)
Metrical foot number: pentameter (5 feet)
Rhyme scheme: abab
Rhyme (stanza position): cross (abab)
Syllable pattern: 10.10.10.10
Stanza: quatrain (4 lines)
Notation symbols: | (foot boundary), || (caesura), / (metrical line boundary), + (metrically prominent), - (metrically non-prominent)
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
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Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
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Expanding the poem lines () shows notes and queries taken from various critical editions of Gray's works, as well as those contributed by users of the Archive. There are 2 textual and 7 explanatory notes/queries.
Stanzas to Mr Bentley 2 Explanatory Skip to next line
Title/Paratext] "These verses were written in [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"These verses were written in 1752 as a compliment to Bentley for drawing the designs for the "Six Poems" of 1753."
The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 251.Title/Paratext] "Richard Bentley was the only [...]" D.C. Tovey, 1922 [1st ed. 1898].
"Richard Bentley was the only son of the famous master of Trinity, Cambridge. Our knowledge of him is mainly derived from the Letters of Horace Walpole, with whom he was constantly staying, as his chief adviser in the architecture and adornment of Strawberry Hill. His Designs for the Six Poems were explained by Walpole for the benefit of the public, in the edition in which they appeared.
Bentley was extravagant and impecunious; he fled to Jersey to escape his creditors and another. Walpole writes to Montagu, 'we don't talk of his abode for the Hecate his wife endeavours to discover it.' (Dec. 6, 1753). In his exile, whilst Walpole was trying to extricate him from his difficulties, he was always plunging his patron into unexpected contracts and bargains. He was a scholar; and had in his possession his father's notes and emendations on the first seven books of
Lucan; he undertook to edit Lucan for the Strawberry Hill Press; did so in part, hut the task was completed by Richard Cumberland, his nephew.
'Hecate' seems to have died; and Bentley, at Teddington, formed a new alliance of which Walpole did not approve, comparing the parties to Antony and Cleopatra. The versatile Bentley wrote a play, after the manner of the Italian comedy, entitled The Wishes, or Harlequin's Mouth Opened. It had a prologue, with an obvious compliment to Gray:
''It represents the god of verse fast asleep by the side of Helicon; the race of modern bards try to wake him, but the more they repeat their works, the louder he snores. At last ''Ruin seize thee, ruthless King!'' is heard, and the god starts from his trance'['] (Walpole to Montagu, June 18, 1761).
This prologue however was not spoken; the whole play was, and probably deserved to be, a failure. (Walpole to Montagu, July 28, 1761). Bentley also wrote an Epistle to Lord Melcomb (Bubb Dodington), one of the great patrons of this play. In 1763 he was made a commissioner of the Lottery [footnote: ''He was eccentric and irresponsible, seems to have been at once clever and foppish, but certainly not fastidious. Walpole records that
he was always inventing new dishes by compounding heterogeneous ingredients and called it cultivating the 'Materia Edica,' and that he
mixed his colours on the same principle and perhaps tasted them too.''].
Mason attributes these verses to the time when Bentley was still employed upon the Designs; therefore to the year 1752."
3.2 Bentley] "This Richard Bentley was a [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"This Richard Bentley was a son of the celebrated critic."
The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 251.3.5 sister-art] "Painting and poetry are often [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"Painting and poetry are often spoken of as sister-arts; thus Dryden to Kneller, "Our arts are sisters," "Long time the sister-arts in iron sleep." And Pope, "Epistle to Jervas":—
"Smit with the love of sister-arts we came,And in the title of Dryden's Ode "To the Memory of Mrs. Anne Killigrew," she is described as "Excellent in the two sister arts of Poesy and Painting.""The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 251-252.
And met congenial, mingling flame with flame."—13.
7.1 - 8.6 Each ... awake!] " "Thence endless streams of [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
" "Thence endless streams of fair ideas flow,The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 252.
Strike on the sketch, or in the picture glow."
—Pope, Epistle to Jervas, 43.
"When life awakes and dawns at every line."—Ib. 4."
7.1 - 8.6 Each ... awake!] " "Thence endless streams of [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
" "Thence endless streams of fair ideas flow,The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 252.
Strike on the sketch, or in the picture glow."
—Pope, Epistle to Jervas, 43.
"When life awakes and dawns at every line."—Ib. 4."
17.1 - 20.6 But ... heaven.] "Gray was the favourite poet [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"Gray was the favourite poet of the late Earl of Carlisle. The bust of Gray in the upper school-room in Eton College was presented by him; he delivered an admirable lecture on the writings of Gray at the Sheffield Institute, in December, 1852, which is published in the Eton edition of Gray's "Poems"; and on another occasion I heard him recite this stanza with much feeling."
The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 252.17.1 - 20.6 But ... heaven.] "Gray was the favourite poet [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"Gray was the favourite poet of the late Earl of Carlisle. The bust of Gray in the upper school-room in Eton College was presented by him; he delivered an admirable lecture on the writings of Gray at the Sheffield Institute, in December, 1852, which is published in the Eton edition of Gray's "Poems"; and on another occasion I heard him recite this stanza with much feeling."
The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 252.17.1 - 20.6 But ... heaven.] "Gray was the favourite poet [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"Gray was the favourite poet of the late Earl of Carlisle. The bust of Gray in the upper school-room in Eton College was presented by him; he delivered an admirable lecture on the writings of Gray at the Sheffield Institute, in December, 1852, which is published in the Eton edition of Gray's "Poems"; and on another occasion I heard him recite this stanza with much feeling."
The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 252.17.1 - 20.6 But ... heaven.] "Gray was the favourite poet [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"Gray was the favourite poet of the late Earl of Carlisle. The bust of Gray in the upper school-room in Eton College was presented by him; he delivered an admirable lecture on the writings of Gray at the Sheffield Institute, in December, 1852, which is published in the Eton edition of Gray's "Poems"; and on another occasion I heard him recite this stanza with much feeling."
The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 252.20.4-6 prodigality ... heaven.] "Luke quotes from Dryden:— "Heaven, [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"Luke quotes from Dryden:—
"Heaven, that but once was prodigal before,The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 252.
To Shakespeare gave as much, she could not give him more."
—To my Friend, Mr. Congreve."
21.1 - 24.7 As ... light.] "The thought in this stanza [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"The thought in this stanza and the remarkable expression "luxury of light" occur in Gray's translation of a passage in Tasso, which he made while a student in Cambridge in 1738. The lines are:—
"The diamond there attracts the wondring sight,Mitford, in his "Life of Gray," in the Eton edition, tells us he remembers hearing Dr. Edward Clarke, when Professor of Mineralogy, finish one of his lectures with the eight concluding lines of this translation of Tasso, and rest on the beautiful expression in the last line, quoted above, with peculiar enunciation."The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 252.
Proud of its thousand dies, and luxury of light."
21.1 - 24.7 As ... light.] "The thought in this stanza [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"The thought in this stanza and the remarkable expression "luxury of light" occur in Gray's translation of a passage in Tasso, which he made while a student in Cambridge in 1738. The lines are:—
"The diamond there attracts the wondring sight,Mitford, in his "Life of Gray," in the Eton edition, tells us he remembers hearing Dr. Edward Clarke, when Professor of Mineralogy, finish one of his lectures with the eight concluding lines of this translation of Tasso, and rest on the beautiful expression in the last line, quoted above, with peculiar enunciation."The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 252.
Proud of its thousand dies, and luxury of light."
21.1 - 24.7 As ... light.] "The thought in this stanza [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"The thought in this stanza and the remarkable expression "luxury of light" occur in Gray's translation of a passage in Tasso, which he made while a student in Cambridge in 1738. The lines are:—
"The diamond there attracts the wondring sight,Mitford, in his "Life of Gray," in the Eton edition, tells us he remembers hearing Dr. Edward Clarke, when Professor of Mineralogy, finish one of his lectures with the eight concluding lines of this translation of Tasso, and rest on the beautiful expression in the last line, quoted above, with peculiar enunciation."The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 252.
Proud of its thousand dies, and luxury of light."
21.1 - 24.7 As ... light.] "The thought in this stanza [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"The thought in this stanza and the remarkable expression "luxury of light" occur in Gray's translation of a passage in Tasso, which he made while a student in Cambridge in 1738. The lines are:—
"The diamond there attracts the wondring sight,Mitford, in his "Life of Gray," in the Eton edition, tells us he remembers hearing Dr. Edward Clarke, when Professor of Mineralogy, finish one of his lectures with the eight concluding lines of this translation of Tasso, and rest on the beautiful expression in the last line, quoted above, with peculiar enunciation."The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 252.
Proud of its thousand dies, and luxury of light."
26.6 - 28.6 [...] ... [...].] "The corner of the last [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"The corner of the last stanza of the only existing MS. was torn off when Mason found it, and these stanzas are incomplete. Mason filled up the blanks thus, observing that he was "not quite satisfied with the words inserted in the third line":—
"Enough for me, if to some feeling breastMitford says:—"I do not consider that he has been successful in the selection of the few words which he had added to supply the imperfect lines: my own opinion is, that Gray had in his mind Dryden's 'Epistle to Kneller,' from which he partly took his expressions; under the shelter of that supposition, I shall venture to give another reading:—
My lines a secret sympathy impart;
And as their pleasing influence flows confest,
A sigh of soft reflection heaves the heart."
'Enough for me, if to some feeling breastThe Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 252-253.
My lines a secret sympathy convey;
And as their pleasing influence is exprest,
A sigh of soft reflection dies away.'" "
26.6 - 28.6 [...] ... [...].] "The corner of the last [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"The corner of the last stanza of the only existing MS. was torn off when Mason found it, and these stanzas are incomplete. Mason filled up the blanks thus, observing that he was "not quite satisfied with the words inserted in the third line":—
"Enough for me, if to some feeling breastMitford says:—"I do not consider that he has been successful in the selection of the few words which he had added to supply the imperfect lines: my own opinion is, that Gray had in his mind Dryden's 'Epistle to Kneller,' from which he partly took his expressions; under the shelter of that supposition, I shall venture to give another reading:—
My lines a secret sympathy impart;
And as their pleasing influence flows confest,
A sigh of soft reflection heaves the heart."
'Enough for me, if to some feeling breastThe Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 252-253.
My lines a secret sympathy convey;
And as their pleasing influence is exprest,
A sigh of soft reflection dies away.'" "
26.6 - 28.6 [...] ... [...].] "The corner of the last [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"The corner of the last stanza of the only existing MS. was torn off when Mason found it, and these stanzas are incomplete. Mason filled up the blanks thus, observing that he was "not quite satisfied with the words inserted in the third line":—
"Enough for me, if to some feeling breastMitford says:—"I do not consider that he has been successful in the selection of the few words which he had added to supply the imperfect lines: my own opinion is, that Gray had in his mind Dryden's 'Epistle to Kneller,' from which he partly took his expressions; under the shelter of that supposition, I shall venture to give another reading:—
My lines a secret sympathy impart;
And as their pleasing influence flows confest,
A sigh of soft reflection heaves the heart."
'Enough for me, if to some feeling breastThe Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891, 252-253.
My lines a secret sympathy convey;
And as their pleasing influence is exprest,
A sigh of soft reflection dies away.'" "
Works cited
- The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray: English and Latin. Edited with an introduction, life, notes and a bibliography by John Bradshaw. The Aldine edition of the British poets series. London: George Bell and sons, 1891.
- Gray's English Poems, Original and Translated from the Norse and Welsh. Edited by Duncan C. Tovey. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1922 [1st ed. 1898].
Spelling has been modernized throughout, except in case of conscious archaisms. Contractions, italics and initial capitalization have been largely eliminated, except where of real import. Obvious errors have been silently corrected, punctuation has been supplied. The editor would like to express his gratitude to the library staff of the Göttingen State and University Library (SUB Göttingen) for their invaluable assistance.