William Shakespeare to Mrs Anne, Regular Servant to the Revd Mr Precentor of York
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William Shakespeare to Mrs Anne,
Regular Servant to the Revd Mr Precentor of York
Expanding the poem lines (
) shows the results of a computationally facilitated analysis of the text. These results should be considered as a basis for deeper interpretative enquiry such as can be found in the notes and queries.
William Shakespeare to Mrs Anne,
Regular Servant to the Revd Mr Precentor of York 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
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
Metre: -+|-+|-+|-+|-+/ | Syllables: 10
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 7 textual and 7 explanatory notes/queries.
William Shakespeare to Mrs Anne,
Regular Servant to the Revd Mr Precentor of York 1 Explanatory, 1 Textual Skip to next line
Title/Paratext] "These verses were sent from [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"These verses were sent from Hartlepool to Mason in a letter dated July 16, 1765. They were first published in Mitford's
"Correspondence of Gray and Mason," 1853.
The letter begins with the verses, and then proceeds to
say:—"Tell me if you do not like this, and I will send you a
worse. I rejoice to hear your eyes are better, as much as if they were my
own." Mason acknowledged it on the 22nd July, saying, "As bad as
your verses were they are yours, and, therefore, when I get back to York, I
will paste them carefully in the first page of my Shakespeare to enhance its
value. . . . You will not pity me now, no more than you did when I was in
residence and sore eyes.""
Title/Paratext] "I have followed the copy [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"I have followed the copy given in Mitford's "Correspondence of Gray and Mason," p. 339; but in the Mitford MSS. there is another copy with several variations which I shall note in their places."
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, 264.1.5-6 Mistress Anne!] "Mason's servant at York." J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"Mason's servant at York."
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, 264.3.6-8 right ... man,] "this is an archaic expression, [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"this is an archaic expression, and here simply means "a real man" (not a mere book or a name), right is an adverb, "truly,"— "right fat."—Chaucer. proper, "well-formed":—"Thou art a proper man."—Chaucer. "Moses was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child."—Hebrews, xi. 23."
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, 264.5.6 cankered] "In the Mitford MSS. it [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"In the Mitford MSS. it is "crabbed.""
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, 264.6.1 - 7.6 From ... bright:] "The references are to the [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"The references are to the editions of Shakespeare published by Rowe, 1709; Pope, 1721; Theobald, 1733 (an attorney); Sir Thomas Hanmer, 1743 (a 'baronet'); Warburton, 1747 (a 'parson'), and Dr. Johnson, 1765 (a 'small poet'). Steevens', published in 1766, and Capell's, 1767, were probably announced as in preparation when Gray wrote these lines."
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, 264.6.1 - 7.6 From ... bright:] "The references are to the [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"The references are to the editions of Shakespeare published by Rowe, 1709; Pope, 1721; Theobald, 1733 (an attorney); Sir Thomas Hanmer, 1743 (a 'baronet'); Warburton, 1747 (a 'parson'), and Dr. Johnson, 1765 (a 'small poet'). Steevens', published in 1766, and Capell's, 1767, were probably announced as in preparation when Gray wrote these lines."
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, 264.8.7-9 worst ... all.] "'Worse than all,'—Mitford MSS." J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"'Worse than all,'—Mitford MSS."
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, 264.12.2 residence,] "Mason was Precentor of York, [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"Mason was Precentor of York, and "Residentiary" in the cathedral; in a letter of Gray's (October 19, 1763) he refers to Mason's "repining at his four and twenty weeks' residence at York, unable to visit his bowers, the work of his own hands, at Aston.""
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, 264-265.12.4 marriage,] "Mason at the time Gray [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"Mason at the time Gray sent these verses, was engaged to be married, and his marriage took place on the 25th of September."
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, 265.12.6-7 sore eyes?] "In the Mitford MSS. it [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"In the Mitford MSS. it is "mince pies"; but sore eyes is evidently the correct reading as shown by the extracts from the letters quoted above."
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, 265.17.1 - 20.9 Better ... grave.] "In the Mitford MSS. this [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"In the Mitford MSS. this verse is the third."
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, 265.17.1 - 20.9 Better ... grave.] "In the Mitford MSS. this [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"In the Mitford MSS. this verse is the third."
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, 265.17.1 - 20.9 Better ... grave.] "In the Mitford MSS. this [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"In the Mitford MSS. this verse is the third."
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, 265.17.1 - 20.9 Better ... grave.] "In the Mitford MSS. this [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"In the Mitford MSS. this verse is the third."
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, 265.21.6 Clouet] "Clouet was a celebrated cook; [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"Clouet was a celebrated cook; the meaning is, people in York will taste
cakes and pies that even Clouet never heard of—being made with the help
of Shakespeare, i.e., of the paper of a copy of Shakespeare.
In the British Museum there is the copy of Verral's
"Cookery" which belonged to Gray. The title is—"A
Complete System of Cookery, in which is set forth a variety of genuine
receipts collected from several years' experience under the celebrated M. de
St. Clouet, sometime since Cook to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, by William
Verral, Master of the White Hart Inn in Lewes, Sussex, 1759." This copy
contains several receipts in Gray's handwriting; it subsequently belonged to
Mitford."
22.4-6 works ... fumes] "In the Mitford MS. it [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"In the Mitford MS. it is "work"; and instead of fumes the word seems to be "views.""
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, 265.24.1-3 For ... puddings] "The Mitford MS. has "To [...]" J. Bradshaw, 1891.
"The Mitford MS. has "To . . . cheesecakes.""
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, 265.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.
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.