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Thomas Gray

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Thomas Gray

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English poet and classical scholar (1716–1771)

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Thomas Gray was an English poet and classical scholar who lived from 1716 to 1771 and is remembered as one of the important literary figures of the eighteenth century. His most famous work, "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," remains widely read today and helped establish him as a significant voice in English poetry during his lifetime.

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Person · Open Library

Born
1716
Died
1771
Works
248

Top works

  • Elegia Grayiana Græce
  • The poems of Thomas Gray
  • Poetical miscellanies
  • The poetical works of Thomas Gray
  • The nunnery

via Open Library + Wikidata

Music · MusicBrainz

Type
Person
Gender
Male
Origin
United Kingdom
Active from
1968-06-13
alternativealternative rockbritishcontemporary folkfolkfolk rock

via MusicBrainz · CC0

Listeners · Last.fm

Listeners
544
Total plays
1,326

Thomas Gray (26 December 1716 – 30 July 1771) was an English poet, classical scholar and professor at Cambridge University. Thomas Gray was born in Cornhill, London, the son of an exchange broker and a milliner. He was the fifth of 12 children and the only child in his family to survive infancy. He lived with his mother after she left his abusive father. He was educated at Eton College where his uncle was one of the masters. He recalled his schooldays as a time of great happiness <a href="https

via Last.fm · Thomas Gray

Quotes

  • 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.

via Wikiquote · CC BY-SA

Wikidata facts

Image
PortraitThomasGrayByJohnGilesEccart1747to1748.jpg
Show 7 more facts
Commons Creator page
Thomas Gray
Commons category
Thomas Gray
date of birth
1716-00-00
date of death
1771-00-00
start of work period
1742-00-00
Sources (3)

via Wikidata · CC0

Works in European collections

11 objects attributed to Thomas Gray, held across European museums, libraries & archives · via Europeana

~15 min read

Article

Plaque marking Thomas Gray's birthplace at 39 Cornhill, London

Thomas Gray (26 December 1716 – 30 July 1771) was an English poet, letter-writer, and classical scholar at Cambridge University, being a fellow first of Peterhouse then of Pembroke College. He is widely known for his Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, published in 1751. Gray was a self-critical writer who published only 13 poems in his lifetime, despite being very popular. He was even offered the position of Poet Laureate in 1757 after the death of Colley Cibber, though he declined.

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