Manuscript translations of Thomas Gray's poem 'Elegy in a country churchyard' (1751) into Latin and French, c.1810-1840

The collection comprises:

Manuscript translation of Gray's 'Elegy in a Country Churchyard' into Latin hexameters and pentameters, by 'M. L'abbé Buffet' of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. The translation is in a paper-covered exercise book. Undated, early 19th century. The paper in the exercise book is watermarked 'C Wilmott' [a firm known to have been producing paper in the 1810s] (MS 46/1);

Manuscript translation of Gray's 'Elegy in a Country Churchyard' into French by 'M. Kerivalant', on three loose leaves of paper. The handwriting is different to that of MS 46/1. The reverse of one of the leaves is headed 'Antipathies' and contains a paragraph in English describing dislikes or antipathies held by various unrelated people including King Henry III of France, Erasmus and Tycho Brahe downwards. It is in the same hand as the French translation of the 'Elegy' on the other side. Undated, early 19th century (MS 46/2).

Nicolas Le Déist de Kérivalant was a translator. His 'Epigrammes choisies d'Owen, traduites en vers français' was published by M. de Labouïsse in Lyon, France, in 1819. His translation of Gray's 'Elegy' into French verse was published in 1843. It has not yet been possible to find out anything about Monsier L'abbé Buffet. It is possible that there was another person who copied these items out, perhaps as academic exercises.

No archival arrangement has been necessary

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This description is the only finding aid available for the collection. Copyright on the description belongs to The University of Nottingham.

Good

Reprographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposes only, depending on access status and the condition of the documents.

Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Keeper of Manuscripts and Special Collections (email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk).

The collection was acquired by the library of University College Nottingham some time before 1947.