original argument of this ode, as Mr. Gray had vn in one of the pages of his common-place book, ollows: "The army of Edward I., as they march a deep valley, (and approach Mount Snowdon, Ms.) enly stopped by the appearance of a venerable ated on the summit of an inaccessible rock, who, pice more than human, reproaches the king with all y and desolation (desolation and misery, Ms.) which rought on his country; foretells the misfortunes of man race, and with prophetic spirit declares, that ruelty shall never extinguish the noble ardour of enius in this island; and that men shall never be to celebrate true virtue and valour in immortal to expose vice and infamous pleasure, and boldly tyranny and oppression. His song ended, he pre

cipitates himself from the mountain, and is swallowed up by the river that rolls at its foot."

"Fine (says Mr. Mason) as the conclusion of this ode is at present, I think it would have been still finer, if he could have executed it according to this plan; but, unhappily for his purpose, instances of English poets were wanting. Spenser had that enchanting flow of verse which was peculiarly calculated to celebrate virtue and valour; but he chose to celebrate them, not literally, but in allegory. Shakespeare, who had talents for every thing, was undoubtedly capable of exposing vice and infamous pleasure; and the drama was a proper vehicle for his satire; but we do not ever find that he professedly made this his object; nay, we know that, in one inimitable character, he has so contrived as to make vices of the worst kind, such as cowardice, drunkenness, dishonesty, and lewdness, not only laughable, but almost amiable; for with all these sins on his head, who can help liking Falstaff? Milton, of all our great poets, was the only one who boldly censured tyranny and oppression: but he chose to deliver this censure, not in poetry, but in prose. Dryden was a mere court parasite to the most infamous of all courts. Pope, with all his laudable detestation of corruption and bribery, was a Tory; and Addison, though a Whig, and a fine writer, was unluckily not enough of a poet for his purpose. On these considerations Mr. Gray was necessitated to change his plan towards the conclusion: hence wè perceive, that in the last epode he praises Spenser only for his allegory, Shakspeare for his powers of moving the passions, and Milton for his epic excellence. I remember the ode lay unfinished by him for a year or two on this very account; and I hardly believe that it would ever have had his last hand, but for the circumstance of his hearing Parry play on the Welsh harp at a concert at Cambridge, (see Letter xxv. sect. iv.) which he often declared inspired him with the conclusion.

'Mr. Smith, the musical composer and worthy pupil of Mr. Handel, had once an idea of setting this ode, and of having it performed by way of serenata or oratorio. A common friend of his and Mr. Gray's interested himself much in this design, and drew out a clear analysis of the ode, that Mr. Smith might more perfectly understand the poet's meaning. He conversed also with Mr. Gray on the subject, who gave him an idea for the overture, and marked also some passages in the ode, in order to ascertain which should

if the p

species than w

several of anci

ample

of Ho

cuous

not re

and m

age,

"Pe

is th

coun

lib.

Ode

read

tion

SUT

the

the

tive, which air, what kind of air, and how accomThis design was, however, not executed; and I shall only (in order to give the reader a taste of y's musical feelings) insert in this place what his ts were concerning the overture. It should be so I as to be a proper introduction to the ode; it might f two movements, the first descriptive of the horror ision of battle, the last a march grave and majestic, ssing the exultation and insolent security of conhis movement should be composed entirely of wind nts, except the kettle-drum heard at intervals. apo of it must be suddenly broke in upon, and put by the clang of the harp in a tumultuous rapid t, joined with the voice, all at once, and not ushered symphony. The harmony may be strengthened ther stringed instrument; but the harp should ere prevail, and form the continued running acent, submitting itself to nothing but the voice.' not (adds Mr. Mason) quit this and the preceding out saying a word or two concerning the obscurity s been imputed to them, and the preference which, uence, has been given to his Elegy. It seems as sons, who hold this opinion, suppose that every poetry ought to be equally clear and intelligible: h position nothing can be more repugnant to the pecific natures of composition, and to the practice art. Not to take Pindar and his odes for an exnough what I am here defending were written proa imitation of him,) I would ask, are all the writings , his Epistles, Satires, and Odes, equally perspiAmong his odes, separately considered, are there kable differences of this very kind? Is the spirit ing of that which begins, " Descende cœlo, et dic, "Ode iv. lib. 3, so readily comprehended as sodi, puer, apparatus," Ode xxxviii. lib. 1. And er a finer piece of lyrical composition on that ac"Integer vitæ, scelerisque purus," Ode xxii. erior to "Pindarum quisquis studet æmulari," 0.4; because it may be understood at the first and the latter not without much study and reflecw between these odes, thus compared, there is al difference in point of perspicuity, as between ess of Poesy, and the Prospect of Eton College; n the Spring, and the Bard. 'But' say these ob

jectors, the end of poetry is universally to please. Obscu rity, by taking off from our pleasure, destroys that end.' I will grant that if the obscurity be great, constant, and insurmountable, this is certainly true; but if it be only found in particular passages, proceeding from the nature of the subject and the very genius of the composition, it does not rob us of our pleasure, but superadds a new one, which arises from conquering a difficulty; and the pleasure which accrues from a difficult passage, when well understood, provided the passage itself be a fine one, is always more permanent than that which we discover at the first glance. The Lyric Muse, like other fine ladies, requires to be courted, and retains her admirers the longer for not having yielded too readily to their solicitations. This argument, ending as it does in a sort of simile, will, I am persuaded, not only have its force with the intelligent readers (the ZYNETOÍ), but also with the men of fashion: as to critics of a lower class, it may be sufficient to transcribe, for their improvement, an unfinished remark, or rather maxim, which I found amongst our author's papers; and which he probably wrote on occasion of the common preference given to his Elegy. “The Gout de comparaison (as Bruyere styles it) is the only taste of ordinary minds. They do not know the specific excellence either of an author or a composition: for instance, they do not know that Tibullus spoke the language of nature and love; that Horace saw the vanities and follies of mankind with the most penetrating eye, and touched them to the quick; that Virgil ennobled even the most common images by the graces of a glowing, melodious, and welladapted expression; but they do know that Virgil was a better poet than Horace; and that Horace's Epistles do not run so well as the Elegies of Tibullus.' "

This Ode

Jalv. 1.

Henry

versity.

ted by

Music

that he Mem.

"HENO

Com

And I

And

Mad

Servin

Nor i

Let p

Nor

V

άλιτ

fani

fani

St

b

ODE FOR MUSIC.

(IRREGULAR.)

was performed in the Senate-House at Cambridge, 1769, at the Installation of His Grace AugustusFitzroy, Duke of Grafton, Chancellor of the Uni

(This Ode is printed with the divisions adopthe Composer, Dr. Randall, then Professor of t Cambridge. On Dr. Burney's disappointmen did not set this Ode to music, see Miss Burney's 212; and Cradock's Mem. i. p. 107.)

I. AIR.

, avaunt, ('tis holy ground) 3, and his midnight-crew, orance with looks profound, reaming Sloth of pallid hue, lition's cry profane,

e that hugs her chain, hese consecrated bowers,

ted Flatt'ry hide her serpent-train in flowers.

CHORUS.

vy base, nor creeping Gain,

So Callim. H. in Apoll. ver. 2: 'Ekaç kaç ÖσTIC Virg. Æn. vi. 258: "Procul, O procul este protat. Sylv. iii. 3: "Procul hinc, procul ite nocenaud. Rap. Pros. i. 3: "Gressus removete pro

"Meanwhile welcome joy, and feast, Midnight shout, and revelry,

Tipsy dance, and jollity." Milt. Com. 102. W. ugh he and his cursed crew." Milt. Com. 653. Near to her close and consecrated bower."

Mids. N. Dr. act iii. sc. 2. W.