you will be candid enough to excuse the whole piece for the sake of a few tolerable lines.

For this little while past I have been playing with Statius: we yesterday had a game of quoits. together; you will easily forgive me for having broke his head, as you have a little pique to him. I send you my translation*, which I did not engage in because I liked that part of the poem, nor do I now send it to you because I think it deserves it, but merely to show you how I mispend my days.

Third in the labours of the Disc came on,

With sturdy step and slow, Hippomedon;

Artful and strong he pois'd the well-known weight,
By Phlegyas warn'd, and fir'd by Mnestheus' fate,
That to avoid, and this to emulate.

His vigorous arm he try'd before he flung,
Brac'd all his nerves, and every sinew strang;
Then with a tempest's whirl and wary eye,
Pursa'd his cast, and hurl'd the orb on high;
The orb on high tenacious of its course,
True to the mighty arm that gave it force,
Far overleaps all bound, and joys to see
Its ancient lord secure of victory.

The theatre's green height and woody wall
Tremble ere it precipitates its fall;

The ponderous mass sinks in the cleaving ground,
While vales and woods and echoing hills rebound.
As when from Ætna's smoking summit broke,
The eyeless Cyclops heav'd the craggy rock;
Where Ocean frets beneath the dashing oar,
And parting surges round the vessel roar;
'Twas there be aim'd the meditated harm,
And scarce Ulysses scap'd his giant arm.

This consisted of about 110 lines, which were sent separately and as it was Mr. Gray's first attempt in English verse, it is a curiosity not to be entirely withheld from the reader.

A tiger's pride the victor bore away,

With native spots and artful labour gay,
A shining border round the margin roll'd,
And calm'd the terrors of his claws in gold, &c.

LETTER III.

MR. GRAY TO MR. WEST.

Peterhouse, Dec. 1736.

You must know that I do not take degrees, and, after this term, shall have nothing more of college impertinencies to undergo, which I trust will be some pleasure to you, as it is a great one to me. I have endured lectures daily and hourly, since I came last, supported by the hopes of being shortly at full liberty to give myself up to my friends and classical companions, who, poor souls! though I see them fallen into great contempt with most people here, yet I cannot help sticking to them, and out of a spirit of obstinacy (I think) love them the better for it; and indeed, what can I do else? Must I plunge into metaphysics? Alas! I cannot see in the dark; nature has not furnished me with the optics of a cat. Must I pore upon mathematics? Alas! I cannot see in too much light; I am no eagle. It is very possible that two and two make four, but I would not give four farthings to demonstrate this ever so clearly; and if these be the profits of life, give me the amusements of it. The people I behold all around me, it seems, know all this and more, and yet I do not know one of them who inspires me with any ambition of being

you will be candid enough to excuse the whole piece for the sake of a few tolerable lines.

For this little while past I have been playing with Statius: we yesterday had a game of quoits. together; you will easily forgive me for having broke his head, as you have a little pique to him. I send you my translation*, which I did not engage in because I liked that part of the poem, nor de I now send it to you because I think it deserve it, but merely to show you how I mispend m days.

Third in the labours of the Disc came on,
With sturdy step and slow, Hippomedon;
Artial and strong be pois'd the well-known weight,
By Phlegyes warn'd, and fir'd by Mnestheus' fate,
That to avoid, and this to emulate.

His vigorous arm he try'd before he flang,
Brack all his merves, and every sinew strung;
Then with a tempest's whirl and wary eye,
Pursuit his cast, and hari'd the orb on high;
The orb on high tenacions of its course,
True to the mighty arm that gave it force,
Far overlegs all bound, and joys to see
Das cient lord secure of victory.
The theatre's green height and woody
Tremble ere it precipitates its fall

GRAY,

A tiger's pride the victor bore away,
With native spots and artful labour way,
A shining border round the margon AVA,
And calm'd the terrors of box chews in W,

140

like him. Surely it was of this place (now Cambridge, but formerly known by the name of BabyJon), that the Prophet spoke when he said, "the wild beasts of the desert shall dwell there, and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures, and owls shall build there, and satyrs shall dance there; their forts and towers shall be a den for ever, a joy of wild asses; there shall the great owl make her nest, and lay and hatch and gather under her shadow; it shall be a court of dragons; the screech-owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest." You see here is a pretty collection of desolate animals, which is verified in this town to a tittle; and perhaps it may also allude to your habitation, for you know all types may be taken by abundance of handles: however, I defy your owls to match mine.

If the default of your spirits and nerves be nothing but the effect of the hyp, I have no more to say. We all must submit to that wayward queen; I too in no small degree own her sway;

I feel her influence while I speak her power.

But if it be a real distemper, pray take more care of your health, if not for your own, at least for our sakes, and do not be soon weary of this little world: I do not know what refined friendships you may have contracted in the other, but pray do not be in a hurry to see your acquaintance above; among your terrestrial familiars, however, though I say it that should not say it, there positively is not one that has a greater esteem for you than yours most sincerely, &c.