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.

(Thomas Gray (1716-1771), British poet. Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard (l. 1-4). . . Gray's English Poems; Original and Translated from the Norse and the Welsh [Thomas Gray]. D. C. Tovey, ed. (1922) Reprint Services.)

The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,
The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea,
The ploughman 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.

(Thomas Gray (1716-1771), British poet. repr. In Poetical Works, ed. J. Rogers (1953). Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, st. 1-2 (1751).)

Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear:
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.

(Thomas Gray (1716-1771), British poet. Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard (l. 53-56). . . Gray's English Poems; Original and Translated from the Norse and the Welsh [Thomas Gray]. D. C. Tovey, ed. (1922) Reprint Services.)

Here rests his head upon the lap of Earth
A Youth to Fortune and to Fame unknown,
Fair Science frown'd not on his humble birth,
And Melancholy mark'd him for her own.

(Thomas Gray (1716-1771), British poet. Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard (l. 117-120). . . Gray's English Poems; Original and Translated from the Norse and the Welsh [Thomas Gray]. D. C. Tovey, ed. (1922) Reprint Services.)

In vain to me the smiling Mornings shine,
And redd'ning Phoebus lifts his golden Fire:
The Birds in vain their amorous Descant join;
Or cheerful Fields resume their green Attire:

(Thomas Gray (1716-1771), British poet. Sonnet on the Death of Mr. Richard West (l. 1-4). . . Gray's English Poems; Original and Translated from the Norse and the Welsh [Thomas Gray]. D. C. Tovey, ed. (1922) Reprint Services.)

Now the rich stream of Music winds along
Deep, majestic, smooth, and strong,

(Thomas Gray (1716-1771), British poet. The Progress of Poesy (l. 7-8). . . Gray's English Poems; Original and Translated from the Norse and the Welsh [Thomas Gray]. D. C. Tovey, ed. (1922) Reprint Services.)

Yet shall he mount, and keep his distant way
Beyond the limits of a vulgar fate:
Beneath the Good how far?but far above the Great.

(Thomas Gray (1716-1771), British poet. The Progress of Poesy (l. 120-122). . . Gray's English Poems; Original and Translated from the Norse and the Welsh [Thomas Gray]. D. C. Tovey, ed. (1922) Reprint Services.)

Her track, where'er the Goddess roves,
Glory pursue, and generous Shame,
Th' unconquerable Mind, and Freedom's holy flame.

(Thomas Gray (1716-1771), British poet. The Progress of Poesy (l. 62-64). . . Gray's English Poems; Original and Translated from the Norse and the Welsh [Thomas Gray]. D. C. Tovey, ed. (1922) Reprint Services.)

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

(Thomas Gray (1716-1771), British poet. The Progress of Poesy (l. 3-4). . . Gray's English Poems; Original and Translated from the Norse and the Welsh [Thomas Gray]. D. C. Tovey, ed. (1922) Reprint Services.)

Nor second He, that rode sublime
Upon the seraph-wings of Ecstasy
The secrets of the Abyss to spy:

(Thomas Gray (1716-1771), British poet. The Progress of Poesy (l. 94-96). . . Gray's English Poems; Original and Translated from the Norse and the Welsh [Thomas Gray]. D. C. Tovey, ed. (1922) Reprint Services.)