r to a throne and shut the gates of mercy on
mankind, to hide the struggling pangs of conscious truth, to quench the
blushes of ingenuous shame, and to heap the shrine of Luxury and Pride
with incense kindled at the Muse's flame."

[365-24] This line means that they could not become rulers by fighting
and killing their fellowmen as Napoleon did not long afterward.

[366-25] Many of the English poets wrote in praise of the wealthy and
titled in order to be paid or favored by the men they flattered. Gray
thinks that such conduct is disgraceful, and rejoices that the rude
forefathers of the hamlet were prevented from writing poetry for such an
end. The Greeks thought poetry was inspired by one of the Muses, and
genius is often spoken as a flame.

[366-26] _Madding_ means _excited_ or _raging_.

[366-27] The _frail memorials_ were simple headstones, similar to those
one may see in any country graveyard in America. On such headstones may
often be seen _shapeless sculpture_ that would almost provoke a smile,
were it not for its pathetic meaning. A picture of Stoke-Pogis
churchyard shows many stories of the ordinary type.

[366-28] The rhymes were _uncouth_ in the sense that they were unlearned
and unpolished.

[366-29] What facts were inscribed on the headstones? _Elegy_ here means
_praise_. Where were the texts strewn? Why were the texts called _holy?_
What was the nature of the texts? Can you think of one that might have
been used?

[367-30] This is one of the difficult stanzas, and there is some dispute
as to its exact meaning, owing to the phrase, _to dumb forgetfulness a
prey_. Perhaps the correct meaning is shown in the following prose
version: "For who has ever died (resigned this pleasing, anxious being,
left the warm precincts of this cheerful day), a prey to dumb
forgetfulness, and cast not one longing, lingering look behind?"

[367-31] _Thee_ refers to the poet, Gray himself. The remainder of the
poem is personal. Summed up briefly it means that perhaps a sympathetic
soul may some day come to inquire as to the poet's fate, and will be
told by some hoary-headed swain a few of the poet's habits, and then
will have pointed out to him the poet's own grave, on which may be read
his epitaph.

[368-32] _Due_ means _appropriate_ or _proper_.

[368-33] As first written, the poem contained the following stanza,
placed before the epitaph; but in the final revision Gray rejected it as
unworthy. It seems a very crit