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SONNET.

A LONELY Man he was, from whom these lays
Flow'd in his cloister'd musings: He in scorn
Held them, the unfeeling multitude, who born
For deeds of nobler purpose, their ripe days
Waste amidst fraudful industry, to raise
Inglorious wealth.-But He, life's studious morn
Gave to the Muse, so best might he adorn
His thoughtful brow, with never-dying bays.
And well the Muse repay'd him. She hath given
An unsubstantial world of richer fee;

High thoughts, unchanging visions, that the leaven
Of earth partake not;-Rich then must he be,
Who of this cloudless world, this mortal heaven,
Possesseth in his right the Sovereignty

ADVERTISEMENT.

IN presenting this new edition of the Works of Gray to the notice of the public, the editor takes the opportunity of stating, that his intention has been to form a more complete collection of the poems than has hitherto appeared: and to accompany the text with such notes and illustrations, as would trace the imitations, and explain the allusions, that occur in the works of a poet, who is almost unequalled, at least in modern times, in the extent of his research, and the variety of his learning. The edition of the late Mr. Wakefield was designed, in some degree, to execute this plan; and the editor has great pleasure in acknowledging some obligations to that work. He has also collected in a short life of Gray, those new materials, which appeared at different times, since the publication of Mr. Mason.

The succeeding volumes contain all the letters

of Gray which were incorrectly published by Mr. Mason; together with those subsequently printed in the works of Lord Orford, and in the Gentleman's Magazine. In addition to these, the editor has been enabled, by the kindness of Richard Wharton, Esq., to enrich his work with many original and highly valuable letters from Gray to his most intimate and respected friend, Dr. Wharton, of Old Park, Durham. From this collection in the hand-writing of Gray, the editor made the selection which he offers to the public, with the most perfect confidence of its affording additional delight to those who have estimated the value of that part of the correspondence of Gray, formerly edited by Mr. Mason. In these additional letters, they will acknowledge the same marks of that sound and correct judgment, that excellent sense, and polished taste, expressed in the most lively and unaffected language, and adorned by a fancy highly playful and elegant.

Mr. Mason, it is known, published about thirty letters from Gray to Dr. Wharton, in many of which he transposed the sentences, inserted paragraphs from one letter into another, and connected these insertions with sentences of his own; in almost all, he altered the style, and changed, in a greater or less degree, the truth and character of the original composition. These letters will now be found restored to their original state from the manuscripts of the author.

The same volume which was entrusted to the present editor was lent by the late Dr. Wharton to Mr. Mason, when the latter was preparing to publish the memoirs of his friend and the editor has the very best authority for stating, that Dr. Wharton was much displeased at the extraordinary liberties which Mr. Mason had taken with the volume that had been entrusted to his care. Much, of course, that may now be published with the greatest propriety, was at the time, in which Mr. Mason lived, very judiciously omitted by him. But for the system of alteration which he has intentionally, constantly, and silently adopted in that which he has published; so as often to disfigure and change the real style and manner of Gray; what reason can be assigned, what apology can be offered?

The editor has also been favoured in the most obliging manner, with copies of the original letters from Gray to Mr. Taylor How, and he has found the same plan of transposition of sentences and alteration of style pursued by Mr. Mason in them. The blank spaces which sometimes occur in the following letters are occasioned by similar deficiencies in the original manuscript. Before Dr. Wharton entrusted his volume of letters to Mr. Mason, he cut out, and erased several passages. The editor has only further to observe, that he has formed the following selection according to the best of his judgment: he has made a few trifling

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