Thomas Gray

"T'was Spring, t'was Summer, all was gay Now Autumn bears a cloud brow The flowers of Spring are swept way And Summer fruits desert the bough"

"Daughter of Jove, relentless power, Thou tamer of the human breast, Whose iron scourge and tort'ring hour The bad affright, afflict the best!"

"What sorrow was, thou bad'st her know, And from her own she learned to melt at others' woe."

"In glittering arms and glory dressed, High he rears his ruby crest. There the thundering strokes begin, There the press and there the din; Talymalfra's rocky shore Echoing to the battle's roar."

"Where his glowing eye−balls turn, Thousand banners round him burn. Where he points his purple spear, Hasty, hasty Rout is there, Marking with indignant eye Fear to stop and shame to fly. There Confusion, Terror's child, Conflict fierce and Ruin wild, Agony that pants for breath, Despair and honourable Death."

"Now my weary lips I close; Leave me, leave me to repose!"

"Iron sleet of arrowy shower Hurtles in the darkened air."

"Too poor for a bribe, and too proud to importune, He had not the method of making a fortune."

"I shall be but a shrimp of an author."

"Comus and his midnight crew."

"While bright-eyed Science watches round."

"Sweet is the breath of vernal shower, The bee's collected treasures sweet, Sweet music's melting fall, but sweeter yet The still small voice of gratitude."

"And weep the more, because I weep in vain."

"Rich windows that exclude the light, And passages that lead to nothing."

"The social smile, the sympathetic tear."

"When love could teach a monarch to be wise, And gospel-light first dawn'd from Bullen's eyes."

"Now as the Paradisiacal pleasures of the Mahometans consist in playing upon the flute and lying with Houris, be mine to read eternal new romances of Marivaux and Crebillon."

"Behind the steps that Misery treads Approaching Comfort view: The hues of bliss more brightly glow Chastised by sabler tints of woe, And blended form, with artful strife, The strength and harmony of life."

"See the wretch that long has tost On the thorny bed of pain, At length repair his vigour lost, And breathe and walk again: The meanest floweret of the vale, The simplest note that swells the gale, The common sun, the air, the skies, To him are opening paradise."

"And hie him home, at evening's close, To sweet repast and calm repose."

"From toil he wins his spirits light, From busy day the peaceful night; Rich, from the very want of wealth, In heaven's best treasures, peace and health."

"From Helicon's harmonious springs A thousand rills their mazy progress take."

"Glance their many-twinkling feet."

"O'er her warm cheek and rising bosom move The bloom of young Desire and purple light of Love."

"Her track, where'er the goddess roves, Glory pursue, and gen'rous shame, Th' unconquerable mind, 3 and freedom's holy flame."

"Far from the sun and summer-gale, In thy green lap was Nature's Darling laid."

"Or ope the sacred source of sympathetic tears."

"He passed the flaming bounds of place and time: The living throne, the sapphire-blaze, Where angels tremble, while they gaze, He saw; but blasted with excess of light, Closed his eyes in endless night."

"Hark, his hands the lyre explore! Bright-eyed Fancy hovering o'er Scatters from her pictured urn Thoughts that breathe, and words that burn."

"Beyond the limits of a vulgar fate, Beneath the good how far,—but far above the great."

"Ye distant spires, ye antique towers, That crown the wat'ry glade."

"Ah, happy hills! ah, pleasing shade! Ah, fields beloved in vain! Where once my careless childhood stray'd, A stranger yet to pain! I feel the gales that from ye blow A momentary bliss bestow."

"Still as they run they look behind, They hear a voice in every wind, And snatch a fearful joy."

"Gay hope is theirs by fancy fed, Less pleasing when possest; The tear forgot as soon as shed, The sunshine of the breast."

"Alas, regardless of their doom, The little victims play! No sense have they of ills to come, Nor care beyond today."

"Ah, tell them they are men!"

"Grim-visaged comfortless Despair."

"And moody madness laughing wild Amid severest woe."

"To each his suff'rings: all are men, Condemn'd alike to groan, The tender for another's pain; Th' unfeeling for his own. Yet ah! why should they know their fate? Since sorrow never comes too late, And happiness too swiftly flies. Thought would destroy their paradise. No more; where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise."

"'Twas on a lofty vase's side, Where China's gayest art had dyed The azure flowers, that blow; Demurest of the tabby kind, The pensive Selima reclined, Gazed on the lake below."

"What female heart can gold despise? What cat's averse to fish?"

"No dolphin came, no Nereid stirred; Nor cruel Tom, nor Susan heard. A favourite has no friend!"

"Not all that tempts your wandering eyes And heedless hearts, is lawful prize; Nor all that glisters gold."

"The Curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea, The plowman homeward plods his weary way, And leaves the world to darkness and to me."

"Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight, And all the air a solemn stillness holds, Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight, And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds."

"Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tow'r The moping owl does to the moon complain."

"Each in his narrow cell forever laid, The rude Forefathers of the hamlet sleep."

"The breezy call of incense-breathing morn."

"For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn, Or busy housewife ply her evening care: No children run to lisp their sire's return, Or climb his knees the envied kiss to share."

"Let not Ambition mock their useful toil, Their homely joys, and destiny obscure; Nor Grandeur hear with a disdainful smile, The short and simple annals of the poor."