Mr. Gosse's Lecture on Thomas Gray.

The announcement of Mr. Gosse's lecture drew out one of the largest audiences that has ever been collected in Sanders theatre. By half-past seven every seat on the floor and in the first gallery was taken, and later the second gallery also was filled up. Those who came last thus found themselves unfortunately situated. for Mr. Gosse, though better in this respect than any other English lecturer who has visited us, could only be imperfectly heard at times in the back of the hall. In other respects Mr. Gosse's delivery was unusually good. His voice was pleasing in quality and well modulated. The poems he read, especially the translation in blank verse from the Inferno were rendered exceedingly effective by his good delivery.

Mr. Gosse, for the greater part of the time, talked in an informal way about his edition of Gray's works and the "finds" he had made of Gray's works, and the "finds" he had made of Gray's manuscript. "Chips from a Cambridge workshop," was what Mr. Gosse called this informal talk. Mr. John Morley. He said, had started to write up Gray for the English Men of Letter series, but had bequeathed his literary work to Mr. Gosse. From this beginning in the Men of Letters Series, Mr. Gosse betook himself to editing the works of Gray-a task that had never before been thoroughly undertaken. The poet's manuscripts, were widely scattered; most of them had disappeared, and were found only by extended search through the British Museum, Pembroke and Peterhouse Colleges at Cambridge, the Dicey library at South Kensington, Lord Howden's autograph collection, and various private libraries. At Pembroke College he found three folio volumes of manuscript, unexamined since 1814, containing scribbling of every one of Gray's poems. Some of these were new, among them some Latin poems and a translation in verse from Propertius. This latter was written in 1742, in Gray's best period. Mr. Gosse read this poem.

From the Howden collection of autographs Mr. Gosse obtained several unprinted pieces. After reading these, Mr. Gosse spoke briefly upon the age in which Gray lived, and the place he occupied in it. Gray was isolated in his age, and went back for his teachers to Dryden and Cowley. He formed his style on these, and, in a less degree, on Milton and the Greek poets.