III.* ON A DISTANT PROSPECT OF Ανθρωπος, ἱκανὴ πρόφασις εἰς τὸ δυστυχεῖν. [See Musæ Etonenses, vol. i. p. 229, and Brit. Bibliographer, vol. ii. p. 214.] YE distant spires, ye antique towers, Of grove, of lawn, of mead survey, 5 * This, as Mason informs us, was the first English production of Gray which appeared in print. It was published in folio, in 1747, and appeared again in Dodsley. Col. vol. ii. p. 267, without the name of the author. A Latin poem by him, On the Prince of Wales's Marriage, had appeared in the Cambridge Collection, in 1736, which is inserted in this edition. V. 2. 66 Luke. "Haunt the watery glade."Pope. Wind. For. + King Henry the Sixth, founder of the College. V. 4. So in the Bard, ii. 3: "And spare the meek usurper's holy head." And in Install. Ode, iv. 12: "the murder'd saint." So Rich. III. ac. v. sc. 1: Holy King Henry." And act iv. sc. iv: "When holy Henry died." This epithet has a peculiar propriety, as Henry the Sixth, though never canonized, was regarded as a saint. See Barrington on the Statutes, p. 416, and Douce. Illust. of Shakesp. ii. 38. Yea and holy Henry lying at Windsor." Barclay. Eclog. p. 4. fol. 66 Whose turf, whose shade, whose flowers among His silver-winding way: Ah, happy hills! ah, pleasing shade! Where once my careless childhood stray'd, I feel the gales that from ye A momentary bliss bestow, blow As waving fresh their gladsome wing, Say, father Thames, for thou hast seen V. 5. "and now to where Majestic Windsor lifts his princely brow." 10 15 20 V. 10. "The vale of Thames fair-winding up." Thoms. Sum. 1417. Fenton in his Ode to Lord Gower, which was praised by Pope and Akenside, had these two lines, iii. 1: 66 Or if invok'd where Thames's fruitful tides Slow thro' the vale in silver volumes play." Spenser. vol. v. p. 87: "Silver-streaming Thames." V. 15. " L'Aura gentil che rasserena i poggi Destando i fior per questo ombroso bosco Al soavesuo spirto riconosco." Petrarca, Son. clxi. V. 19. "And bees their honey redolent of spring," Dryden's Fable on the Pythag. System. Gray." And every field is redolent of spring," L. Welsted's Poems, p. 23. It appears also in the Memoirs of Europe towards the Close of the Eighth Century, by Mrs. Manly, 1716, vol. ii. p. 67: "The lovely Endimion, redolent of youth." See Todd, in a note to Sams. Agonist. (Milton, vol. iv. p. 410). V. 21. This invocation is taken from Green's Grotto: see Dodsley. Col. vol. v. p. 159. Full many a sprightly race Who foremost now delight to cleave, The captive linnet which enthral ? To chase the rolling circle's speed, While some on earnest business bent 'Gainst graver hours that bring constraint Some bold adventurers disdain The limits of their little reign, Var. V. 29. "To chase the hoop's elusive speed." мs. "Say, father Thames, whose gentle pace Perhaps both poets thought of Cowley, vol. i. p. 117: Ye fields of Cambridge, our dear Cambridge, say, Have you not seen us walking every day." Dryden. An. Mirab. St. ccxxxii. "Old father Thames rais'd up his reverend head." V. 23. " By slow Mæander's margent green." Milton Com. 232. W. V. 24. "To virtue, in the paths of pleasure trod." Pope. Essay on Man, iii. 233. V.26. "On the glassy wave." Todd. ed. of Comus, p. 118. V. 27. This expression has been noticed as tautologous. Thomson, on the same subject, uses somewhat redundant language, Spring, 702: "Inhuman caught; and in the narrow cage And unknown regions dare descry: Gay hope is theirs by fancy fed, The sunshine of the breast: And lively cheer, of vigour born; The thoughtless day, the easy night, The spirits pure, the slumbers light, That fly th' approach of morn. V. 30. "The senator at cricket urge the ball." Pope. Dun. iv. 592. 40 45 50 V. 37. This line is taken from Cowley. Pindarique Ode to Hobbes, iv. 7. p. 223: "Till unknown regions it descries." V. 40. " Magnaque post lachrymas etiamnum gaudia pallent." Stat. Theb. i. 620: For other expressions of this nature, see Wakefield's note. Add Sil. Ital. xvi. 432, "lætoque pavore." Luke. V. 44. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind." Pope. Eloisa, ver. 209. Add Essay on Man, iv. 167, "The soul's calm sunshine." V. 47. "In either cheeke depeyncten lively cheere," Spenser. Hobbinol's Dittie, ver. 33. W. See Milton. Ps. lxxxiv. 5. "With joy and gladsome cheer." Luke. V. 49. The temperate sleeps, and spirits light as air." Pope. Im. of Horace, I. 73; Hor. Od. ii. xi. 7. " facilemque somnum :" and Par. L. v. 5: His sleep Was airy light, from pure digestion bred, Alas! regardless of their doom The little victims play; No sense have they of ills to come, Nor care beyond to-day : Yet see, how all around 'em wait And black Misfortune's baleful train! 55 Ah, show them where in ambush stand, To sieze their prey, the murth’rous band! 60 These shall the fury Passions tear, The vultures of the mind, Disdainful Anger, pallid Fear, And Shame that sculks behind; Or pineing Love shall waste their youth, 65 V. 51. "E'en now, regardless of his doom, Applauding honour haunts his tomb." Collins. Ode on the Death of Col. Ross, 4th stanza of his first manuscript. V. 55. These two lines resemble two in Broome. Ode on Melancholy, p. 28: "While round, stern ministers of fate, Pain, and Disease, and Sorrow wait." And Otway. Alcib. act v. sc. 2. p. 84: grim ministers of fate." "Then enter, ye V. 61. "The fury Passions from that flood began." See Pope. Essay on Man, iii. 167. V. 63. " Exsanguisque Metus," Stat. Theb. vii. 49. And from him Milton. Quint. Novemb. 148: "Exsanguisque Horror." Pers. Sat. iii. v. 115, "Timor albus." V. 66. "But gnawing Jealousy out of their sight, Sitting alone, his bitter lips did bite." |