bay Provisions, that wither the Dauphin or Mon: Luxeinberg are very well in fourt, bung both in with a fatal of Women whom Mada de Maintenon Kalos, that their Grand Monarch is grown so gouly, perish and Superstitions (three admirable Quahties, Nobody knows what to do with Him that the hot Clogy do Fawn him one third of the revenus this year for the War, of which that body grows very weary, as the rest of Frane de I know not if any thing of this to world informing you, or if you would have le ask Him any thing which may to judged for His Majher Service. I that (as it is much Suby) have an Eye upon the than hord, at woll in what regards the publick as in private obligations 4 48. Jelf endeavour to approve My Self With great report and wy I recrved this beday from England & Fox in which are Ld Brington's Prodent I that forward to his Landshy as soon as I now How to do it safoting 212 Extract from a Letter of Prior to Secretary Blathwayt John Gay (1685-1732) was the youngest son of William Gay, of Barnstaple, John Gay where he was born in September 1685. The occupation of his parents is not known, but they were in fairly comfortable circumHe was educated at stances. the Grammar School of Barnstaple, where his earliest verses, about a swallow shot in the churchyard, are said to have been written. Gay was early apprenticed to a silk-mercer in London, but was soon tired of the shop," and easily persuaded his master to discharge him." His verses written at Barnstaple after his return were hidden in the arm of a chair, whence they were not dislodged until 1820. He went back to London, but little is known of his career until, in 1708, he published his first work, the imitative poem called Wine. In 1711 Gay formed the acquaintance of Steele and Pope, and thus entered literary society. John Gay After the Portrait by Sir Godfrey Kneller In 1712 he was appointed domestic steward to the Duchess Engraving from the Illustrated Edition of Gay's Fables of Monmouth, and published his first notable work, Rural Sports, in 1713; the latter succeeded, although, as Swift said, Gay could not "distinguish rye from barley, nor an oak from a crab-tree." His "highest country skill" was fishing for gudgeons. A more important production, and one which holds a place in the history of literature, was The Shepherd's Week of 1714, a set of burlesque pastorals in which Gay exercised his genuine rustic talent while indulging (1685-1732) Pope's resentment against Ambrose Philips. This year, however, was fatal to Gay's independence, for the Duchess discharged him from her service, an appointment in the household of Lord Clarendon fell through, and the poet was penniless. In 1715 Gay produced his entertaining "tragic-comic-pastoral" farce, called The What d'ye Call It, which enjoyed a great success, and his picturesque poem of Trivia in 1716. In these and succeeding years he seems to have led a parasitical life, visiting from house to house, and starving between whiles. In 1720 Gay collected his "Poems" in quarto and made £1000; with this he speculated on the Stock Exchange until he made it a nominal £20,000; the South Sea Bubble burst and Gay was oncc more penniless. He now began to be "always with the Duchess of Queensberry," and this amusing and brilliant lady became Gay's patron-in-ordinary. His famous Fables appeared in 1727; his no less famous Beggar's Opera in 1728, and the sequel, Polly, in 1729; these three books brought money, fame, and scandal to everybody concerned with them. After the publication of Polly, indeed, the "inoffensive John Gay became the terror of ministers and one of the obstructions to the peace of Europe," and Duchesses had to retire from Court for patronising him. Gay did not survive his successes long, but on the 4th of December 1732 died in the house of the Duke of Queensberry in Burlington Gardens. He was ceremoniously buried in Westm nster Abbey, and after all his solicitudes he was found to have £6000 in his possession. "Gay dies unpensioned with a hundred friends," Pope sang, but it is not easy to pity him, for his early indigence was certainly the result of sheer indolence. Gay was amiable, merry, greedy, lazy, and a charming com Alexander Sope a Congratulatory Joem on tion the manner of the last Cants of Long hast thou, Friend been absent from thy soil 2. Did I not see thee when thon first setst sail From a Congratulatory Poem from John Gay to Alexander Pope panion. He loved good eating, smart clothes, and snug quarters, and he hated to work for them; he made himself agreeable to so many wealthy people that he had no need to do so. As some one said of him, he wanted a place with a hand some income and no duties, and to this ideal he practically, though never nominally, managed to attain. |