tibi sit depromptum, (ut fatear) prorsus nescio: sanè ego equidem nihil in capsis reperio quo tibi minimæ partis solutio fiat. Vale, et me ut soles, ama. A.D. 11 Kalend. Februar. XIII. * MR. WEST TO MR. GRAY. I OUGHT to answer you in Latin, but I feel I dare not enter the lists with you-cupidum, pater optime, vires deficiunt. Seriously, you write in that language with a grace and an Augustan urbanity that amazes me: your Greek too is perfect in its kind. And here let me wonder that a man, longè Græcorum doctissimus, should be at a loss for the verse and chapter whence my epigram is taken. I am sorry I have not my Aldus with me, that I might satisfy your curiosity; but he, with all my other literary folks, are left at Oxford, and therefore you must still rest in suspense. I thank you again and again for your medical prescription. I know very well that those "risus, festivitates, et facetie" would contribute greatly to my cure, but then you must be my apothecary as well as physician, and make up the dose as well as direct it: send me, therefore, an electuary of these drugs, made up secundùm artem, "et eris mihi magnus Apollo," in both his capacities as a god of poets and god of physicians Wish me joy of leaving my college, and leave yours as fast as you can. I shall be settled at the Temple very soon. Dartmouth-street, Feb. 21, 1737-8. * This was written in French, but as I doubted whether it would stand the test of polite criticism so well as the preceding would of learned, I chose to translate so much of it as I thought necessary, in order to preserve the chain of correspondence. * I choose to call this delicate Sapphic Ode the first original production of Mr. Gray's muse; for verses imposed either by schoolmasters or tutors ought not, I think, to be taken into the consideration. There is seldom a verse that flows well from the pen of a real poet if it does not flow voluntarily. O ego felix, vice si (nec unquam Multa flagranti radiisq; cincto Cum Dei ardentes medius quadrigas Sentit Olympus ! Ohe; amicule noster, et unde, sodes tu μovoоráτAKTOS adeò repente evasisti? jam te rogitaturum credo. Nescio hercle, sic planè habet. Quicquid enim nugarum oxons inter ambulandum in palimpsesto scriptitavi, hisce te maxumè impertiri visum est, quippe quem probare, quod meum est, aut certè ignoscere solitum probè novi: bonâ tuâ veniâ sit si fortè videar in fine subtristior; nam risui jamdudum salutem dixi; etiam paulò mœstitiæ studiosiorem factum scias, promptumque, Kaivois παλαιὰ δακρύοις στένειν κακά. O lachrymarum fons, tenero sacros Sed de me satis. Cura ut valeas. Jun. 1738. XV. MR. WEST TO MR. GRAY. I RETURN you a thousand thanks for your elegant ode, and wish you every joy you wish yourself in it. But, take my word for it, you will never spend so agreeable a day here as you describe: alas! the sun with us only rises to shew us the way to Westminster-hall. Nor must I forget thanking you for your little Alcaic fragment. The optic Naiads are infinitely obliged to you. I was last week at Richmond Lodge, with Mr. Walpole, for two days, and dined with cardinal Fleury:* as * Sir Robert Walpole. far as my short sight can go, the character of his great art and penetration is very just; he is indeed I Nulli penetrabilis astro. go to-morrow to Epsom, where I shall be for about a month. Excuse me, I am in haste,* but believe me always, &c. August 29, 1738. XVI. MR. GRAY TO MR. WALPOLE. My dear Sir, I should say Mr. Inspector General of the Exports and Imports ;† but that appellation would make but an odd figure in conjunction with the three familiar monosyllables above written, for Non benè conveniunt nec in unâ sede morantur Majestas et amor. Which is, being interpreted, Love does not live at the Custom-house: however, by what style, title, or denomination soever you choose to be dignified or distinguished hereafter, these three words will stick by you like a burr, and you can no more get quit of these and your Christian name than St. Anthony could of his pig. My motions at present (which you are pleased to ask after) are much like those of a pendulum or (Dr. Longically speaking) oscillatory. I swing from chapel or hall home, and from home to chapel or hall. All the strange incidents that happen in my journies and returns I shall be sure to acquaint you with the most wonderful is, that it now rains exceedingly; this has refreshed the prospect, as the way for the most part lies Mr. West seems to have been indeed in haste when he writ this letter; else, surely his fine taste would have led him to have been more profuse in his praise of the Alcaic fragment. He might, I think, have said, without paying too extravagant a compliment to Mr. Gray's genius, that no poet of the Augustan age ever produced four more perfect lines, or what would sooner impose upon the best critic, as being a genuine ancient composition. + Mr. Walpole was just named to that post, which he exchanged soon after for that of Usher of the Exchequer. ‡ Dr. Long, the master of Pembroke-hall, at this time read lectures in experimental philosophy. § All that follows is a humourously-hyperbolic description of the quadrangle of Peterhouse. between green fields on either hand, terminated with buildings at some distance, castles, I presume, and of great antiquity. The roads are very good, being, as I suspect, the works of Julius Cæsar's army; for they still preserve, in many places, the appearance of a pavement in pretty good repair, and, if they were not so near home, might perhaps be as much admired as the Via Appia there are, at present, several rivulets to be crossed, and which serve to enliven the view all around. The country is exceeding fruitful in ravens and such black cattle; but, not to tire you with my travels, I abruptly conclude : August, 1738. Yours, &c. XVII, MR. GRAY TO MR. WEST. I AM coming away all so fast, and leaving behind me, without the least remorse, all the beauties of Sturbridge Fair. Its white bears may roar, its apes may wring their hands, and crocodiles cry their eyes out, all's one for that; I shall not once visit them, nor so much as take my leave. The university has published a severe edict against schismatical congregations, and created half a dozen new little procterlings to see its orders executed, being under mighty apprehensions lest Henley* and his gilt tub should come to the fair and seduce their young ones but their pains are to small purpose; for lo! after all, he is not coming. I am at this instant in the very agonies of leaving college, and would not wish the worst of my enemies a worse situation. If you knew the dust, the old boxes, the bedsteads, and tutors, that are about my ears, you would look upon this letter as a great effort of my resolution and unconcernedness in the midst of evils. I * Orator Henley. |