at Barnstaple. When Gay quitted it, to be bound to a mercer's counter in London, we may judge of the irksomeness of his new position by his silence respecting it, and by the readiness with which his new master shortly discharged him.

In 1712 he was enabled, by being appointed secretary to the Duchess of Monmouth, (an office which procured him more leisure,) to give a decided evidence of poetic wit and worldly wisdom, by inscribing a poem on 'Rural Sports,' to Mr. Pope, the rising sun of whose reputation called into life, with the usual tendency of expansive intellect, many kindred though less known aspirants for fame. Besides this work, and his articles in the 'Spectator' and 'Guardian,' the recommendation of a lively temper and genial disposition, not only laid the foundation of an enduring friendship between Pope and himself, but also at once obtained him admission into that intellectual circle, where his talents excited no envy from their predominance, and his amiability ensured regard.

"The Shepherd's Week,' published in the course of the succeeding year, was written, it is supposed, at Pope's suggestion, with a view of retorting upon a criticism by Steele in the 'Guardian' in favour of Ambrose Philips, who, to the disparagement of Pope, is named by the critic as the only successor, in that style, worthy to be named after Theocritus, Virgil, and Spenser. As the design was to show that to copy nature accurately, rusticity should be represented in all its ignorant grossness, the imitation by Gay in the Proem to the Pastorals is carried out in such a style of obsolete expression, as would at once have buried them in contempt, had not the evident endeavour at truth elicited approval. 'The Wife

of Bath,' a comedy brought upon the stage in 1713, was unfortunate throughout, for as it obtained no favour at its first production, so seventeen years afterwards, when the Beggar's Opera' had achieved universal renown, it was doomed to reiterated rejection.

With the death of Queen Anne, Gay, who had been appointed secretary to Lord Clarendon in his embassy to Hanover, saw his anticipations of patronage decline, for in Swift's opinion the dedication of his 'Shepherd's Week' to Bolingbroke, had lost him the favour of the Hanoverian family. Still, at this period of his career his spirits seem to have been more firm against disappointment, for he wrote a poem upon the arrival of the Princess of Wales, and reaped the reward of perseverance so far that, "both the Prince and Princess went to see his 'What d' ye call it?' a kind of mock tragedy, in which the images were comic and the action grave; so that, as Pope relates, Mr. Cromwell, who could not hear what was said, was at a loss how to reconcile the laughter of the audience with the solemnity of the scene." The popularity of this piece aroused envy, and a reply was written to it by Mr. Theobald and Griffin (a player), entitled "The Key to the What

1

ye call it?" which Gay declared "called him a blockhead and Mr. Pope a knave." His expectations that the success of this burlesque would assist his promotion, proving illusory, he, with the ready depression of a weak man, fell from hope to despondency, so that had it not been for the attention of Lord Burlington, Mr. Pulteney, and Lord Harcourt, he would never have been able to endure a fresh rebuff, which most deservedly befel him in 1717. Having endeavoured in 'Three Hours after Marriage' to burlesque Dr. Woodward, a geologist of estimable character,

(1) Johnson.

the comedy, a joint production of Pope, Gay, and Arbuthnot, so disgusted the audience in the scene where Woodward was ridiculed palpably, by the introduction of a crocodile and a mummy, that it was hissed off with well-merited censure, and inflicted public disgrace upon its authors.

Unaccustomed to the use of wealth, the possession of a thousand pounds, the product of the publication of his poems by subscription, was an event equally beyond his prudence or his equanimity. Distrustful of the former, he called in, as his financial advisers, Lewis, who counselled him to live upon the interest and intrust it to the funds; Arbuthnot, who advised him to live on the principal and trust it to God; Pope and Swift, who told him to purchase an annuity. On the other hand his equanimity was soon banished, when Craggs presented him with some South Sea Stock, and he dreamed of visions of twenty thousand pounds; but fearful of obstructing his own fortune, he disregarded the advice of Fenton to purchase an annuity, which, as he said, “would make him sure of a clean shirt and a shoulder of mutton every day," so that when the bubble burst, and the substance dwindled to the shadow, poor Gay's life almost sank beneath the sudden transition from fancied wealth to real penury.

It is the delight of fortune to mock, with capricious absurdity, the efforts of men to rise above her power, and comicality frequently attends the introduction of life's most important events. Upon one occasion Gay, who had written a tragedy called 'The Captives,' was commanded to read before the Princess of Wales. A large japan screen was placed near him, which he not observing, threw down in his respectful advances towards the august party, reverence for whom completely absorbed the atten

tion of a poet's mind, usually incapable of more than one idea at a time; the Princess and her ladies screamed so violently as entirely to discomfit our author, who was nevertheless still expected to read his play. It was afterwards acted seven nights, the author's third night being by command of their Royal Highnesses, and though its subsequent fate is little known, it had the effect of rousing Gay from indolence, by inspiring him with the idea that he still possessed Court favour. Under this impression he undertook, in 1726, to write a volume of Fables for the young Duke of Cumberland, and had already magnified the promised reward "with all the wild expectations of indigence and vanity." But when the Prince and Princess became King and Queen, and he found all his hopes contracted into the paltry appointment of Gentleman Usher to the Princess Louisa, his disgust became intolerable, and finding that verses and supplications, flattery and remonstrance, were equally unavailing, he appears to have concentrated his wrath in the vehement tirade against Courts with which his Fables and other works abound, until he partially forgot it in the signal success attending his Beggar's Opera.

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This remarkable production was composed in ridicule of the Italian Drama; Cibber rejected it at Drury Lane, but Rich having accepted it, it rendered, as a wit observed, Gay rich and Rich gay." It was framed upon a suggestion of Swift, who remarked one day to the poet what an odd, pretty sort of thing a Newgate Pastoral would make. Gay improved upon this original notion, and determined to compose a comedy upon it. It has been variously criticised as to its effect upon morals, Swift upholding, Dr. Herring, Archbishop of Canterbury, censuring it, and many asserting that since its production robbery increased.

Johnson's opinion seems hardly given with his usual judgment, for whilst stating that it is not likely to do good, he yet thinks that it cannot produce evil, because highwaymen, &c. do not frequent the playhouses. This is fallacious, for there is no production which does not have a tendency of some sort, and therefore cannot be neutral towards the induction of good or evil into the mind; next, the spectacle of crime under circumstances which rob it of its turpitude, and invest it with pseudo-heroism, warps the judgment from its true decision, and recommends vice under the garb of nobility; and lastly, not only in our day, but in Johnson's, the most degraded culprits have had their scenic tastes, which they gratify by attendance at theatrical exhibitions. Moreover such spectacles are not so pernicious in the effect they produce upon those who are thieves already, as from their tendency to induce the honest and upright to degenerate. The Lord Chamberlain seems to have been of this opinion, for, notwithstanding the astounding success of the 'Beggar's Opera,' he prohibited the appearance of the second part, entitled 'Polly,' which "oppression," as Gay called it, turned out profitable, for he recompensed himself by a subscription, which nearly tripled the amount of the first part; the Opera realizing £400, and the second part obtaining almost £1200.

His latter life was passed in the house of the Duke of Queensberry, who so entirely accommodated himself to the humour, or frailty, of his guest, as in some sort to become his steward, managing his money, and giving it to him as he wanted it; so true is it that the weakness of amiability elicits more regard, than the independence of consummate intellect. Yet notwithstanding the attention of his friend, the venom of disappointment rankled within his breast, and his life was rendered gloomy by the.