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Compare the familiar line in Gray's _Elegy_: by James Russell Lowell

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This short prose-and-verse piece by James Russell Lowell juxtaposes two well-known lines: Gray's somber "paths of glory lead but to the grave" and Tennyson's more hopeful "path of duty was the way of glory." It also includes a verbose passage that Lowell considered adding to Tennyson's ode to bridge the gap between the two lines.

Poet
James Russell Lowell
Core theme
Art
The PoemFull text

Compare the familiar line in Gray's _Elegy_:

James Russell Lowell

"The paths of glory lead but to the grave." and Tennyson's line, in the _Ode to the Duke of Wellington_: "The path of duty was the way of glory." In a letter to T.W. Higginson, who was editing the _Harvard Memorial Biographies_, in which he was to print the ode, Lowell asked to have the following passage inserted at this point: "Virtue treads paths that end not in the grave, But through those constellations go That shed celestial influence on the brave. If life were but to draw this dusty breath That doth our wits enslave, And with the crowd to hurry to and fro, Seeking we know not what, and finding death, These did unwisely; but if living be, As some are born to know, The power to ennoble, and inspire In other souls our brave desire For fruit, not leaves, of Time's immortal tree, These truly live, our thought's essential fire, And to the saner," etc. Lowell's remark in _The Cathedral_, that "second thoughts are prose," might be fairly applied to this emendation. Fortunately, the passage was never inserted in the ode.

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§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

This short prose-and-verse piece by James Russell Lowell juxtaposes two well-known lines: Gray's somber "paths of glory lead but to the grave" and Tennyson's more hopeful "path of duty was the way of glory." It also includes a verbose passage that Lowell considered adding to Tennyson's ode to bridge the gap between the two lines. The irony lies in Lowell's own words: he stated that "second thoughts are prose," and this awkward addition certainly illustrates his point. Ultimately, the piece serves as a reminder of why great poetry often defies attempts at enhancement.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

  1. "The paths of glory lead but to the grave." / and Tennyson's line…

    Editor's note

    Lowell begins by juxtaposing Gray's somber line from *Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard* with Tennyson's more hopeful line from the *Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington*. This contrast drives the entire piece: Gray suggests that glory culminates in death, while Tennyson asserts that duty *is* glory. Lowell's aim to reconcile these views is what leads him into conflict.

  2. "Virtue treads paths that end not in the grave, / But through those constellations go…"

    Editor's note

    This is the passage Lowell requested to add to Tennyson's ode. It attempts to respond to Gray by suggesting that virtuous lives attain a form of immortality—their impact continues like starlight. The imagery (constellations, celestial influence, Time's immortal tree) is grand, but the syntax is complicated and the rhythm feels forced. Lowell seems to be struggling to convey something that those two borrowed lines already expressed more clearly together.

  3. Lowell's remark in *The Cathedral*, that "second thoughts are prose"…

    Editor's note

    The final sentence of the prose is the real punchline. Lowell's self-critical saying — that revising a poem often saps its poetry — comes back to haunt him. The editor observes, with a hint of satisfaction, that the passage was never actually included in the ode. The takeaway: when two strong lines already create tension, adding more words just weakens it.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

Wry and self-deprecating, the piece feels like a clever trap that Lowell has set for himself. He earnestly presents the attempted change, only for the final sentence to catch him out with his own words. The overall mood is gently ironic, like a good editor smiling while subtly putting a bad revision to rest.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

Paths / the path
Both Gray and Tennyson use the road as a metaphor for life. Gray's *paths* (plural, collective) lead to death, while Tennyson's *path* (singular, chosen) leads to glory. The word carries a lot of weight in just a few words, which is something Lowell's inserted passage doesn't quite achieve.
Constellations / celestial influence
In Lowell's inserted verses, stars symbolize the enduring moral impact of virtuous individuals — the notion that a good life continues to shine after death, similar to how starlight persists beyond its origin. It's an authentic concept, but the way it's presented obscures its essence.
Time's immortal tree
The tree, whose fruit represents real achievement and lasting legacy, stands in contrast to mere leaves, which symbolize surface show and fleeting fame. This imagery resonates with a long-standing tradition of trees representing life, but in this case, it feels more like an artificial addition rather than something that has developed naturally from the poem.
The grave
In Gray's line, the grave serves as the full stop for all human ambition. In contrast, Lowell's passage attempts to argue that the grave isn't the end, but by naming it so often, he keeps drawing the reader's attention back to the very finality he seeks to avoid.

§06Historical context

Historical context

James Russell Lowell (1819–1891) was a leading figure in American literature during the nineteenth century. He was a poet, critic, editor of *The Atlantic Monthly*, and later served as U.S. Ambassador to Britain. The *Harvard Memorial Biographies*, which Thomas Wentworth Higginson edited, honored Harvard alumni who lost their lives in the Civil War. Tennyson's *Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington* (1852) was considered the prestigious elegy of the time, while Gray's *Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard* (1751) was one of the most frequently quoted poems in English. Lowell's effort to connect these two works illustrates the Victorian struggle to balance the concept of heroic death with the Christian hope for immortality—an issue that the Civil War made deeply personal for American readers. His self-reflective saying from *The Cathedral* (1870), that "second thoughts are prose," adds a touch of irony to the notion of a failed revision.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

What are the two lines Lowell is comparing, and where do they come from?

The first quote comes from Thomas Gray's Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard (1751): "The paths of glory lead but to the grave." The second is from Alfred Lord Tennyson's Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington (1852): "The path of duty was the way of glory." Gray takes a fatalistic view, while Tennyson offers a redemptive perspective. Lowell finds the contrast between their views intriguing.

Why did Lowell want to insert the extra passage into Tennyson's ode?

Lowell sensed a conflict between Gray's assertion that glory ends in death and Tennyson's belief that duty is glory. He felt there needed to be a connection — a philosophical argument suggesting that virtuous lives attain true immortality. He aimed for the Harvard Memorial Biographies to convey this argument as part of the tribute to those who died in the Civil War. Ultimately, he sought to counter Gray's pessimism on behalf of the fallen soldiers.

What does "second thoughts are prose" mean?

It’s a line from Lowell's poem The Cathedral, suggesting that when you revisit and interpret a poem, you often swap its natural rhythm for dull, explanatory language — basically, prose pretending to be poetry. The irony is that the passage he added perfectly illustrates this very mistake.

Was the passage ever actually published in the ode?

No. The editor feels a sense of relief knowing that it was never added. The Harvard Memorial Biographies were published without Lowell's changes, keeping Tennyson's ode as it was.

What is the main criticism of Lowell's inserted verses?

The syntax is complicated, the rhythm feels forced, and the imagery (constellations, Time's immortal tree) seems excessive rather than justified. More importantly, the two original lines already create a strong tension on their own—adding a lengthy explanation diminishes that tension instead of resolving it.

What is the theme of immortality doing in a piece about Civil War commemoration?

The Harvard Memorial Biographies paid tribute to young men who lost their lives in the Civil War. For their families and classmates, wondering if those deaths had lasting significance — if the soldiers lived on in some form — was a very real concern. Lowell's added passage is his way of affirming that their impact lasts. However, the poetry struggles to support the heavy argument he places upon it.

Is this piece a poem, an essay, or something else?

It’s a hybrid piece—a brief critical note that includes some verse. The framing prose serves as editorial commentary, while the inserted passage is the verse being analyzed. Altogether, it acts as a small lesson in poetic judgment, highlighting Lowell's own mistake as the example for teaching.

Who was T.W. Higginson, and why does it matter that Lowell wrote to him?

Thomas Wentworth Higginson was a notable abolitionist, a colonel during the Civil War, and a literary editor — most recognized today as the person Emily Dickinson exchanged letters with regarding her poetry. He took on the editing of the Harvard Memorial Biographies. When Lowell wrote to him asking for the inclusion, it indicates that this was a thoughtful and intentional editorial choice, not just a casual note — which makes the omission of the passage even more striking.

Citation

Cite this poem

MLA

Lowell, James Russell. "Compare the familiar line in Gray's _Elegy_:." Storgy, https://storgy.com/poems/compare-the-familiar-line-in-grays-elegy-james-russell-lowell/.

APA

Lowell, J. R. (n.d.). Compare the familiar line in gray's _elegy_:. Storgy. https://storgy.com/poems/compare-the-familiar-line-in-grays-elegy-james-russell-lowell/

TeacherAP Lit Q1 scaffold — preview

Row A — Thesis

1 pt

Lowell's prose commentary on two competing lines about glory stages a literary argument that serves as a poem about poetic economy: by contrasting Gray's stark fatalism with Tennyson's moral optimism and then condemning his own ornate …

  • Row B — Evidence + Commentary4 pts
  • Row C — Sophistication1 pt
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