(1762 - 1834); St Mary Hall Oxf., BA 1784; DD 1802; m. Elizabeth Camplin; Bp. of Bristol 1827.
1791 - 2 [dep. England 6 Jun. 1791] Turin (by 24 - 29 Sep.), Genoa (by 7 - 8 Oct.), Milan (by 15 - 24 Oct.), Parma (26 - 28 Oct.), Modena, Bologna (30 Oct. - 3 Nov.), Florence (6 Nov.), Lucca, Leghorn, Siena (by 27 Nov.), Rome (1 - 25 Dec. - ), Naples (by 29 Dec. 1791 - Jan. 1792), Rome ( - 2 Feb.), Ancona, Bologna, Venice (by 15 - 27 Feb.), Padua, Verona (2 Mar.) [Innsbruck Mar. 1792]
Gray's Letters during the course of a Tour through Germany, Switzerland and Italy in the years 1791 and 1792 [1797] are largely statutory displays of learning, but some of his political comments, given the period of his writing, hold some interest. Thus Turin was 'occupied entirely by military affairs and devotion' (236); no state in Europe seemed, in some respects, 'to be so ill-governed as Genoa' (261); at Parma he reflected that 'the expenditure of all the princes in Europe, like that of all the individuals in England, appears to exceed their revenues' (290 - 1), and at Bologna the 'Pope's viceregent exercises, by intrigue, more authority than he is constitutionally invested with by the state' (299). In Florence Gray stayed at Vanini's, since Megit's was full, and found the city admirable: 'trade and the fine arts seem to flourish there in union' and the Grand Duke Leopold deserved much praise (306). Less seriously, he heard La Corilla recite an impromptu sonnet on Mengs the painter (327). He stayed at Pio's in Rome and immediately his rooms were 'thronged with valets, tradesmen, and antiquarians, with recommendations from Mr Jenkins or his servants' (352). In Rome he observed that 'the French and English, indeed, are now the chief promoters and patrons of the fine arts' (369) and that British artists resided there 'rather to gratify their own taste than in expectation of present patronage' (371). Rome was 'very full of English, many of whom are lodged near each other in the Piazza di Spagna. They associate much together, preferring the company of their countrymen to being carried in crouds, under Mr Jenkins's protection, to concerts and conversaziones' (377). In Naples Gray confirmed the usual English judgment that the Neapolitan nobles 'do not stand high in their general character. Extremely uneducated, and holding literature in contempt, the men have little but their good humour to recommend them' (396).