score pounds a year for my old aunt, and a twenty pound prize in the lottery, and Lord knows what arrears in the treasury, and am a rich fellow enough, go to; and* a fellow that hath had losses, and one that hath two gowns, and every thing handsome about him, and in a few days shall have new window curtains: Are you avized of that? Ay, and a new mattress to lie upon.

My Ode has been rehearsed again and again†, and the scholars have got scraps by heart: I expect to see it torn piece-meal in the North Briton before it is born. If you will come you shall see it, and sing in it amidst a chorus from Salisbury and Gloucester music meeting, great names there, and all well versed in Judas Maccabæus. I wish it were once over; for then I immediately go for a few days to London, and so with Mr. Brown to Aston, though I fear it will rain the whole summer, and Skiddaw will be invisible and inaccessible to mortals.

I have got De la Landes' Voyage through Italy, in eight volumes; he is a member of the academy of sciences, and pretty good to read. I have read too an octavo volume of Shenstone's Letters: Poor Man! he was always wishing for

* Mr. Mason has not remarked that these are the words of Dogberry, in 'Much Ado about Nothing,' which Gray uses. 'I am a wise fellow, and which is more an officer, and which is more an householder, and which is more as pretty a piece of flesh as any in Messina; and one that knows the law, go to, and a rich fellow ' enough, go to; and a fellow that hath had losses, and one that hath two gowns, and every thing handsome about him: bring him away. Oh! that I had been • writ down an ass!"-Ed.

p.

+ Ode for Music on the Duke of Grafton's Installation. See Poems, (Vol. I.) 43. His reason for writing it is given in the next letter.—Mason.

money, for fame, and other distinctions; and his whole philosophy consisted in living against his will in retirement, and in a place which his taste had adorned; but which he only enjoyed when people of note came to see and commend it: his correspondence is about nothing else but this place and his own writings, with two or three neighbouring clergymen who wrote

verses too.

I have just found the beginning of a letter, which somebody had dropped: I should rather call it first thoughts for the beginning of a letter; for there are many scratches and corrections. As I cannot use it myself (having got a beginning already of my own) I send it for your use on some great

occasion.

Dear Sir,

After so long silence, the hopes of pardon, and prospect "of forgiveness might seem entirely extinct, or at least very "remote, was I not truly sensible of your goodness and can"dour, which is the only asylum that my negligence can fly "to, since every apology would prove insufficient to counter"balance it, or alleviate my fault: How then shall my deficiency presume to make so bold an attempt, or be able to "suffer the hardships of so rough a campaign? &c. &c. &c.

LETTER IV.

MR. GRAY TO MR. BEATTIE.

Cambridge, July 16, 1769.

THE late ceremony of the Duke of Grafton's installation has hindered me from acknowledging sooner the satisfaction your friendly compliment gave me: I thought myself bound in gratitude to his Grace, unasked, to take upon me the task of writing those verses which are usually set to music on this occasion*. I do not think them worth sending you, because they are by nature doomed to live but a single day; or, if their existence is prolonged beyond that date, it is only by means of newspaper parodies, and witless criticisms. This sort of abuse I had reason to expect, but did not think it worth while to avoid.

i..

Mr. Foulis is magnificent in his gratitude+: I cannot figure

* In a short note which he wrote to Mr. Stonehewer, June 12, when, at his request he sent him the Ode in manuscript for his Grace's perusal, he expresses this motive more fully. I did not intend the Duke should have heard me till he could not help ' it. You are desired to make the best excuses you can to his Grace for the liberty I have taken of praising him to his face; but as somebody was necessarily to do this, I 'did not see why Gratitude should sit silent and leave it to Expectation to sing, who certainly would have sung, and that à gorge deployée upon such an occasion.—Mason.

+ When the Glasgow edition of Mr. Gray's Poems was sold off (which it was in a short time), Mr. Foulis finding himself a considerable gainer, mentioned to Mr. Beattie, that he wished to make Mr. Gray a present either of his Homer, in 4 vols. folio, or the Greek Historians, printed likewise at his press, in 29 vols. duodecimo.Mason.

to myself how it can be worth his while to offer me such a present. You can judge better of it than I; if he does not hurt himself by it, I would accept his Homer with many thanks. I have not got or even seen it.

I could wish to subscribe to his new edition of Milton, and desire to be set down for two copies of the large paper; but you must inform me where and when I may pay the money.

You have taught me to long for a second letter, and particularly for what you say will make the contents of it. I have nothing to requite it with, but plain and friendly truth; and that you shall have joined to a zeal for your fame, and a pleasure in your

success.

I am now setting forward on a journey towards the North of England; but it will not reach so far as I could wish. I must return hither before Michaelmas, and shall barely have time to visit a few places, and a few friends.

1

LETTER V.

MR. GRAY TO DR. WHARTON.

Pembroke College, July 17, 1769.

DEAR DOCTOR,

Mason being in residence at York, I lay aside my first design of going obliquely to Aston, and thence to Keswick; and set out with Mr. Brown to-morrow the common north road. We shall probably pass two or three days at York, and then come to Old Park; about the end of August we may cross the Appennine, and visit M. Skiddaw, when Mason may accompany or meet us on our way; and so you drop me there, to find my way through the deserts of Lancashire in my return homewards.

I am so fat, that I have suffered more from heat this last fortnight, than ever I did in Italy. The thermometer usually at 75, and (in the sun) at 116. My respects to Mrs. Wharton and the family.

I am ever yours,

T. G.