Thomas Gray in Paris - early April, 1739

from Letter from Mr Gray to Mr West, Paris, April 12, 1739, pages 93-94:

[D]ined at Lord Waldegrave’s; then to the opera. Imagine to yourself for the drama four acts entirely unconnected with each other, each founded on some little history, skilfully taken out of an ancient author, e.g. Ovid’s Metamorphoses, etc., and with great address converted into a French piece of gallantry. For instance, that which I saw, called the “Ballet de la Paix,” had its first act built upon the story of Nireus. Homer having said he was the handsomest man of his time, the poet, imagining such a one could not want a mistress, has given him one. These two come in and sing …   more >>
cite as

Thomas Gray, Letter from Mr Gray to Mr West, Paris, April 12, 1739. In John Drinkwater (ed.), Gray's Poems, Select Letters and Essays (1912), p. 93-94. https://led.kmi.open.ac.uk/entity/lexp/1384356591472 accessed: 29 March, 2024

location of experience: Paris

Listeners

Thomas Gray
scholar, Poet
1716-1771

Listening to

hide composers
Ballet de la Paix

Experience Information

Date/Time early April, 1739
Medium live
Listening Environment in the company of others, indoors, in public

Originally submitted by hgb3 on Wed, 13 Nov 2013 12:59:51 +0000