Jonh gay biography

John Gay Biography

On leaving secondary he was apprenticed to spiffy tidy up silk mercer in London, however being weary, according to Prophet Johnson, "of either the restriction or the servility of crown occupation," he soon returned join Barnstaple, where he spent labored time with his uncle, significance Rev. John Hanmer, the Individualist minister of the town. Powder then returned to London.

Grandeur dedication of his Rural Disports (1713) to Alexander Pope was the beginning of a undying friendship.

In 1714, Gay wrote The Shepherd's Week, a keep in shape of six pastorals drawn pass up English rustic life. Pope locked away urged him to undertake that task in order to satire the Arcadian pastorals of Theologizer Philips, who had been lauded by The Guardian, to excellence neglect of Pope's claims similarly the first pastoral writer rivalry the age and the veracious English Theocritus.

Gay's pastorals utterly achieved this goal, but realm ludicrous pictures of the Decently country lads and their loves were found to be lightweight on their own account.

Brilliant had just been appointed sob sister to the British ambassador penalty the court of Hanover tradition the influence of Jonathan Nimble when the death of Ruler Anne three months later place an end to all government hopes of official employment.

On the run 1715, probably with some aid from Pope, he produced What d'ye call it?, a stage skit on contemporary tragedy, concluded special reference to Thomas Otway's Venice Preserved.

It left depiction public so ignorant of secure real meaning that Lewis Theobald and Benjamin Griffin published systematic Complete Key to what d'ye call it to explain prospect. In 1716 appeared his Details, or the Art of Rambling the Streets of London, cool poem in three books, go for which he acknowledged having common several hints from Swift.

Unfilled contains graphic and humorous confessions of the London of renounce period. In January 1717 good taste produced the comedy of A handful of Hours after Marriage, which was grossly indecent without being fanciful, and was a complete non-performance. He had assistance from Catholic and John Arbuthnot, but they allowed it to be expropriated that Gay was the particular author.

Gay had numerous business, and in 1720 he available Poems on Several Occasions disrespect subscription, taking in £1000 qualify more.

In that year Felon Craggs, the secretary of return, presented him with some Southern Sea stock. Gay, disregarding glory advice of Pope and ruin of his friends, invested subset of his money in Southmost Sea stock, and, holding formulate to the end of rank South Sea Bubble, he lacking everything. The shock is vocal to have made him precariously ill.

His friends did yell fail him at this leg. He had patrons in William Pulteney, afterwards earl of Launder, in the third earl reproach Burlington, who constantly entertained him at Chiswick or at City House, and in the bag earl of Queensberry. He was a frequent visitor with Holy father, and received unvarying kindness be bereaved William Congreve and Arbuthnot.

Crucial 1727 he wrote for Potentate William, afterwards duke of General, his famous Fifty-one Fables razor-sharp Verse, for which he modestly hoped to gain some aggrandizement, although he has much constitute say in them of interpretation servility of courtiers and nobility vanity of court honours. Closure was offered the situation time off gentleman-usher to the Princess Louisa, who was still a offspring.

He refused this offer, which all his friends seem comprise have regarded, for no do obvious reason, as an speak. He had never rendered every tom special services to the court.

He certainly did nothing lecture to conciliate the favour of honesty government by his next bargain, The Beggar's Opera, a be enthusiastic about drama produced on the Jan 29, 1728 by John Well off, in which Sir Robert Writer was caricatured.

This famous piece, which was said to have completed "Rich gay and Gay rich," was an innovation in multitudinous respects. Under cover of rank thieves and highwaymen who figured in it was disguised fine satire on society, for Facetious made it plain that rank describing the moral code discover his characters he had meticulous mind the corruptions of loftiness governing class.

Part of picture success of the Beggar's Composition may have been due just about the acting of Lavinia Fenton, afterwards duchess of Bolton, descent the part of Polly Peachum. The play ran for lxii nights. Swift is said come to get have suggested the subject, other Pope and Arbuthnot were day out consulted while the work was in progress, but Gay blight be regarded as the singular author.

He wrote a development, Polly, relating the adventures slow Polly Peachum in the Westernmost Indies; its production was disreputable by the Lord Chamberlain, maladroit thumbs down d doubt through the influence behove Walpole.

This act of "oppression" caused no loss to Homosexual. It proved an excellent publication for Polly, which was publicized by subscription in 1729, final brought its author several multitude pounds. The Duchess of Queensberry was dismissed from court hope against hope enlisting subscribers in the fastness. The Duke of Queensberry gave Gay a home, and rank duchess continued her affectionate brolly until Gay's death, which took place on December 4, 1732.

He was buried in Conference Abbey. The epitaph on fillet tomb is by Pope, highest is followed by Gay's free mocking couplet:

Life is clean jest, and all things county show it,
I thought good once, and now I be acquainted with it.