MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
No. 375.] DECEMBER 1, 1822. [5 of Vol. 54. 
GRAY’s CHURCH-YARD AT STOKE, NEAR WINDSOR. 
Me. Gray wrote his beautiful “Elegy on a Country Church-yard,”, and others of his 
classical poems, while he resided at Stoke, and he was buried on the spot which his 
genius has immortalized. Elderly peuple lately living in that village remembered his 
retired and secluded character, and they shewed a tree, in which he was accustomed to 
indulge in reading and meditation. The church and church-yard possess more 
interest than commonly belongs to such places, from the above associations, and their 
retired and picturesque situation. Nearly adjoining is the park of Mr. Penn, from 
which the above view of Stoke Clitirch has been taken; and on the same site that 
distinguished scholar and amateur has erected a splendid monument in honour of the 
poet, with the following inscription :—“ This Monument, in honour of Thomas Gray, 
was erected A.D. 1799, among the scenery celebrated by that great lyric and elegiac 
poet. He died in 1771, and lies unnoticed in the adjoining church-yard, under the 
tomb-stone on which he piously and pathetical recorded the interment Of his aunt and 
lamented mother.” 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
ib the Monthly Magazine, published 
the Ist of August, I illustrated the 
effect of excessive taxation and high 
rents from the non-residence of tax- 
receivers and land-proprietors, and 
demonstrated to all, who condescended 
to read, that the present domestic 
miseries of the country arise solely 
Montuy Mag. No. 375. 
from the circumstance of taxes and 
rents being collected in one place, and 
spent and accumulated in another. 
I shewed that the taxes collected 
from house to house throughout the 
parishes of these kingdoms, and in the 
local consumption of taxable commo- 
dities, are paid by the collectors to the 
receivers-general of the counties, and 
remitted by them in mass, without any 
3 consideration 
