1716–1771. English poet. { Encyclopedia Britannica } { Thomas Gray Archive }
At a Glance
Jane of Lantern Hill (1)
Rilla of Ingleside (2)
Index to This Page
The Bard (1)
Elegy Written in a Country Church-Yard (1)
The Progress of Poesy: A Pindaric Ode (1)
The Bard: A Pindaric Ode (1757 poem)
“Fair laughs the Morn, and soft the Zephyr blows,
“While proudly riding o’er the azure realm
“In gallant trim the gilded Vessel goes;
“Youth on the prow, and Pleasure at the helm;
“Regardless of the sweeping Whirlwind’s sway,
“That, hushed in grim repose, expects his evening-prey.[”] (Lines 71–76)
Rilla of Ingleside, chapter 28 (“hushed in grim repose”).
Elegy Written in a Country Church-Yard (1751 poem)
Some village-Hampden, that with dauntless breast
The little tyrant of his fields withstood;
Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest,
Some Cromwell guiltless of his country’s blood. (Lines 57–60)
Jane of Lantern Hill, chapter 14 (“Behold a mute inglorious Milton in your dad”).
The Progress of Poesy: A Pindaric Ode (1757 poem)
But ah! ’tis heard no more—
Oh! Lyre divine, what daring Spirit
Wakes thee now? tho’ he inherit
Nor the pride, nor ample pinion,
That the Theban Eagle bear
Sailing with supreme dominion
Thro’ the azure deep of air; (Lines 110–17)
Rilla of Ingleside, chapter 26 (“‘With the majesty of pinion / Which the Theban eagles bear, / Sailing with supreme dominion / Through the azure fields of air’”).
Sources
Gray, Thomas. The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray. Edited by John Bradshaw. London: George Bell & Sons, 1891. Online at https://archive.org/details/worksofthomasgra00grayiala/.
“The Progress of Poesy: A Pindaric Ode,” pp. 13–20. “Elegy Written in a Country Church-Yard,” pp. 42–48. “The Bard: A Pindaric Ode,” pp. 21–31.