year (1742) Gray seems to have applied himself seriously to poetry; for
in this year were produced the "Ode to Spring," his "Prospect of
Eton," and his "Ode to Adversity." He began likewise a Latin poem, "De
Principiis Cogitandi."

It may be collected from the narrative of Mr. Mason that his first
ambition was to have excelled in Latin poetry; perhaps it were
reasonable to wish that he had prosecuted his design; for though there
is at present some embarrassment in his phrase, and some harshness
in his lyric numbers, his copiousness of language is such as very few
possess; and his lines, even when imperfect, discover a writer whom
practice would have made skilful. He now lived on at Peterhouse, very
little solicitous what others did or thought, and cultivated his mind
and enlarged his views without any other purpose than of improving and
amusing himself, when Mr. Mason, being elected Fellow of Pembroke Hall,
brought him a companion who was afterwards to be his editor, and whose
fondness and fidelity has kindled in him a zeal of admiration which
cannot be reasonably expected from the neutrality of a stranger and the
coldness of a critic. In this retirement he wrote (1747) an ode on the
"Death of Mr. Walpole's Cat;" and the year afterwards attempted a
poem of more importance, on "Government and Education," of which the
fragments which remain have many excellent lines. His next production
(1750) was his far-famed "Elegy in the Churchyard," which, finding its
way into a magazine, first, I believe, made him known to the public.

An invitation from Lady Cobham about this time gave occasion to an
odd composition called "A Long Story," which adds little to Gray's
character. Several of his pieces were published (1753) with designs by
Mr. Bentley; and, that they might in some form or other make a book,
only one side of each leaf was printed. I believe the poems and the
plates recommended each other so well that the whole impression was soon
bought. This year he lost his mother. Some time afterwards (1756)
some young men of the college, whose chambers were near his, diverted
themselves with disturbing him by frequent and troublesome noises,
and, as is said, by pranks yet more offensive and contemptuous. This
insolence, having endured it awhile, he represented to the governors
of the society, among whom perhaps he had no friends; and finding his
complaint little regarded, removed himself to Pembroke Hall.

In 1759 he published "T