There is also a Greek version of the epitaph only, by J. Plumptre, printed with his Greek version of Pope's Messiah. 4to. 1795. In a biographical notice of Dr. Sparke, it is stated that he was among the thirteen candidates when the competition took place for the best translation of Gray's Elegy into Greek. Query, what was this competition, and were any of the other versions published?

Latin:

1. By Lloyd. Query, when and where originally published? My copy, which is among some collections of the late Mr. Haselwood, appears to have been cut out of a Dublin edition. It begins:—

"Audistin! quam lenta sonans campana per agros."

2. By Signor Gio. Costa. 12mo. In Eblana, 1776:—

"Æs triste ingeminat cedentis signa diei."

3. By Gilbert Wakefield, in his "Poemata partim scripta, partim reddita." Cambridge, 1776:—

"Vesper adest, lugubre sonat Campanula; tardis."

4. By C.A. et W.H.R. [C. Anstey and W.H. Roberts.] 4to. London, 1778:—

"Ingeminat signum occiduæ Campana diei."

5. The last-mentioned version originally appeared anonymously in a somewhat different form (4to. Cantab. 1762), the first line being:—

"Audin' ut occiduæ signum Campana diei."

6. An anonymous version, "by a member of the University of Cambridge," printed with the French translation of M. Guedon de Berchere, mentioned below. I have no copy, and do not know the opening line.

7. By S.N.E. 4to. London, 1824. Query, the name of the author. It may perhaps appear on the title-page, which is wanting in my copy:—

"Triste sonans, lentè tinnit campana per agros."

8. By the Rev. J. H. Macauley, in the "Arundines Cami:"—

"Funebris insonuit morituræ nænia lucis."

Italian:

1. By Cesarotti. 8vo. In Padova, 1772:—

"Parte languido il giorno: odine il segno."

2. By Crocchi. Query, when and where originally published? My copy is from the same source as the Latin version by Lloyd:—

"Il Bronzo vespertin con flebil rombo."

3. By Gennari, printed on the same pages with the Latin version by Costa:—

"Nunzio del dì che parte intorno suona."

4. By Giannini. 2nd ed. 4to. London, 1782:—

"Piange la squilla 'l giorno, che si muore."

5. By Torelli. 8vo. Cambridge, 1782:—

"Segna la squilla il dì che già vien manco."

The Latin version by Costa, and the Italian by Cesarotti and Torelli, were reprinted by Bodoni in 1793, in 4to., as a supplement to his edition of Gray.

French:

1. By Mons. P. Guedon de Berchere. I have no copy, and do not know the opening line. Perhaps you will oblige me by inserting it in your list of books wanted to purchase. It is entitled "Elégie composée dans un Cimetière de Campagne." 8vo. Hookham, &c. 1778.

2. By L.D. 8vo. Chatham, 1806. Query, what name is represented by these initials?—

"le Rappel a marqué le jour en son déclin."

3. Prose version. Anonymous. 8vo. A Paris. An vi.:—

"La Cloche du couvre-feu tinte le clas du jour qui expire."

German:

A translation appeared in the Kaleidoscope, a weekly paper published in Liverpool, in May, 1823. It was communicated by a correspondent who had obtained a copy from the writer in Germany:—

"Des Dorfes Glocke schallt den Moor entlang."

I must frankly avow that I have no present object in seeking information beyond the gratification of curiosity; but I would venture to throw out a hint that an edition of this Elegy, exhibiting all the known translations, arranged in double columns, might be made a noble monument to the memory of Gray. The plan would involve the necessity for a folio size, affording scope for pictorial illustration, on a scale capable of doing justice to "the most finished poem in the English language."

J.F.M.