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Title
Sir Thomas Gray Monument
Date
1799
Medium
Portland stone & stone
Measurements
H 500 x W (?) x D (?) cm
Accession number
SL2_BC_S003
Acquisition method
commissioned by the owner of Stoke Park, John Penn, the grandson of William Penn who founded Pennsylvania
Work type
Monument
Owner
National Trust
Custodian
National Trust
Work status
extant
Listing status
Grade II (England and Wales)
Listing date
23/09/55
Access
at all times
Inscription description
THIS MONUMENT. / IN HONOUR OF THOMAS GRAY. / WAS ERECTED A.D. 1799. AMONG / THE SCENES CELEBRATED BY THAT / GREAT LYRIC AND ELEGAIC POET. / HE DIED JULY 30TH 1771. AND / LIES UNNOTICED IN THE CHURCHYARD / ADJOINING. UNDER THE TOMBSTONE ON / WHICH HE PIOUSLY AND PATHETICALLY / RECORDED THE INTERMENT OF HIS AUNT AND LAMENTED MOTHER. / HARD BY YON WOOD NOW SMILING AS IN SCORN. / MUTTERING HIS WAYWARD FANCIES HE WOULD ROVE: / NOW DROOPING WOFUL-WAN, LIKE ONE FORLORN. / OR CRAZED WITH CARE. OR CROSS'D IN HOPELESS LOVE. / ONE MORN I MISSED HIM ON THE CUISTOM'D HILL. / ALONG THE HEATH AND NEAR HIS FAVOURITE TREE: / ANOTHER GAME; NOR YET BESIDE THE RILL. / NOR UP THE LAWN, NOR AT THE WOOD WAS HE. / YE DISTANT SPIRES. YE ANTIQUE TOWERS. / THAT CROWN THE WAT'RY GLADE.... / AH. HAPPY HILLS! AH, PLEASING SHADE! / AH. FIELDS BELOV'D 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. / BENEATH WHOSE RUGGED ELMS THAT YEW-TREE'S SHADE. / WHERE HEAVES THE TURF IN MANY A MOULDERING HEAP. / EACH IN HIS NARROW CELL FOR EVER LAID. / THE RUDE FOREFATHERS OF THE HAMLET SLEEP. / THE BOAST OF HERALDRY. THE POMP OF POWER. / AND ALL THAT BEAUTY. ALL THAT WEALTH E'ER GAVE. / AWAIT ALIKE THE INEVITABLE HOUR: / THE PATHS OF GLORY LEAD BUT TO THE GRAVE. LEAD
