NORTH SHORE 
MANCHESTER, MASS., FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1909. 
ENGLISH LITERATURE IN THE. 
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. 
BY D. F. LAMSON. 
We must pass over many names in the 
literary history of the latter half of the 
century under notice that are worthy of 
honorable mention. Such are those of 
Watts, of the ‘‘ Psalms and Hymns,’’ 
Butler, the great logician, Berkely, the 
idealist, Collins one of the best of the 
lyric poets, Richardson, the novelist, 
Young of the “‘ Night Thoughts,’? Ak- 
enside, author of ‘‘ The Pleasures of the 
Imagination,’’ and others once read and 
loved whose writings are little more than 
a fading memory; but a few names: that 
are better remembered remain to be 
noticed. Prominent among these, the 
author of the “Elegy written in a 
Country Church-yard’’ has perhaps the 
highest place. 
Thomas Gray was born in London of 
good parentage, and had the advantages 
of wealth and education. After his col- 
lege course at Cambridge, he made a 
tour of two years through France and 
Italy in company with Walpole, one of 
the most accomplished men of his age. 
Gray took up his residence at the uni- 
versity, and became one of the most 
studious, critical and fastidious scholars 
of thetime. In all departments of learn- 
ing, except mathematics, he may be said 
to have been a master. He was well 
versed in architecture, botany, painting 
and music, as well as in Greek and 
Roman languages and literature. 
Gray’s writings were not numerous; a> 
moderate sized volume contains all his 
verse; his poems have been called “* the 
quintessence, as it were, of thirty years 
of study and contemplation, irradiated by 
bright and fitful gleams of» inspiration.’’ 
Among his best known poems are_ his 
Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton 
College, on the Progress of Poesy, and 
the Bard; but above all standsthe Elegy ; 
the poem on which his fame chiefly rests, 
though all his Compositions are marked 
by musical harmony and a high strain of 
sentiment and feeling,—his lyre never 
sounded a harsh or discordant note. 
Gray had the offer of the laureateship 
which he wisely declined; and after- 
wards obtained the position which he 
had much coveted of the modern History 
professorship at Cambridge; with his 
accustomed indolence, however, he de- 
layed commencing to lecture, and before 
he really entered upon his duties at the 
university, he was seized with fatal ill- 
ness which terminated in less than a 
week, July 30, 1771. He was buried 
in the beautiful churchyard of Stoke 
SERMON. 
“‘Before they call I will answer, and while 
they are yet speaking I will hear.’’? Isaiah 
65 5.24 
The above was the text selected by 
Rev. L. H. Ruge for his sermon at the 
Congregational church, Manchester, last 
Sunday evening. His subject was 
Wireless Telegraphy.’’ 
oe . . 
Wireless telegraphy is no new 
thing,’’? said Mr. Ruge. “‘We read of 
itin the Bible. This is a case of incre- 
dulity again kicked into insensibility by a 
fact. Yesterday mien sneered at Mar- 
coni; today they are dumb with the won- 
der of his work. Never sneer at any- 
thing you do not understand in matter or 
morals. Your incredulity in anything 
may simply be amore felicitous name for 
ignorance and stupidity. 
‘“A few years ago the few miles across 
the English Channel was spanned with 
out any visible means of communication. 
And yet if it was told you could span the 
distance between heaven and earth you 
would sneer. 
~ “*So many wonders have been unfold- 
ed in our day and generation that we no 
longer wonder. ‘The wonders of today 
are nothing more than the harmonizing 
of natural and supernatural law. 
“*Results with wireless telegraphy are 
what count. Aerograms that do not re 
sult in answers are no use. Prayers that 
do not result in answers are no use eith 
er. Unless your mind is properly ad- 
justed to the mind of God of course you 
can have nocommunication with him. 
*“We say men loose their head, their 
witsin time of danger. They don’t; 
they find them. Inthe zone of danger 
no one says who is who, who comes 
first, who has the highest rank, most 
money, most learning. The misery of 
the multitude tinds true level; this is 
true philosophy. 
“If there is not a ship that is safe with- 
out wireless telegraphy, there is not a 
soul safe without prayer. Answer was 
the thing that counted with the Republic. 
What good is there in prayer unless you 
get an answer! You say you have no 
power in prayer. Neither did Binns 
have power foratime. Did he say, ‘it 
is no use, I have no power, I cannot 
send a message!’ No, he just hitched a 
battery to his apparatus and went on 
praying for help. 
“It is the answer that demonstrates 
the fact of communication with God. 
If you can’t get an answer to your prayer, 
just hitch this old Bible battery to your 
soul. Attach a scriptural appeal to your 
dumb lips. No power for prayer like 
this. 
‘“The ether waves of the Baltic were 
fine, but the ether waves of the Bible 
are finer. ‘The ethe: waves of the 
Baltic reached over a hundred miles, but 
the ether waves of the Bible reach from 
earth to heaven When the soul is in 
peril it gives the dumb lips a wide range 
of words and gives eloquence to men of 
dull speech. Those wireless instru- 
ments on the Republic sang a sweeter 
song inthe ears of the passengers than 
they will, perhaps, ever hear again. 
“Air sparks above and submarine bells 
below for souls as well as for ships is 
what we need. 
“‘Sometimes our prayers and answers 
are like tangled up. aerograms and we 
get confused. Just close your ears to 
all other messages and pick out God’s 
message. God sends a distinct answer 
to our prayer; untangle it as Binn. 
‘“There is no Ship like the good old 
gospel shin when the soul realizes its 
danger.’’ 
Pogis, supposed with good reason to be 
the scene which inspired the Elegy. 
Gray was a recluse, fond of music, 
books and flowers; he always dressed 
with great nicety, though not like Gold- 
smith a fop; he wrote slowly and _fasti- 
diously, spent long mornings in study and 
nights of feverishness from ill health. 
He was shy and timid, out of keeping 
with much of his age; he has been com- 
pared to a man out of doors in a windy 
night, carefully shielding the light, but 
the light has burned on witha steady 
glow, and is likely to shed its kindly rays 
through many generations of lovers of 
English verse. 
The Elegy was published in 1750, and 
soon ran through eleven editions, and 
has ever since retained its high place 
among the most finished productions of 
poetry. It is not, like the Bard and the 
Progress of Poesy, ‘* vocal to the intelli- 
gent alone;’’ as Johnson said, ‘“‘it 
abounds with images which finda mirror 
in every soul, and with sentiments to 
which every bosom returns an echo.’”’ 
The poem is the result of almost in- 
finite care and pains, receiving many re- 
visions, which form an interesting study. 
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