anguages. The "Pharsalia" of Rowe deserves more notice
than it obtains, and as it is more read will be more esteemed.

GAY.

John Gay, descended from an old family that had been long in possession
of the manor of Goldworthy, in Devonshire, was born in 1688, at or near
Barnstaple, where he was educated by Mr. Luck, who taught the school of
that town with good reputation, and, a little before he retired from it,
published a volume of Latin and English verses. Under such a master he
was likely to form a taste for poetry. Being born without prospect
of hereditary riches, he was sent to London in his youth, and placed
apprentice with a silk mercer. How long he continued behind the
counter, or with what degree of softness and dexterity he received and
accommodated the ladies, as he probably took no delight in telling
it, is not known. The report is that he was soon weary of either the
restraint or servility of his occupation, and easily persuaded his
master to discharge him.

The Duchess of Monmouth, remarkable for inflexible perseverance in her
demand to be treated as a princess, in 1712 took Gay into her service
as secretary: by quitting a shop for such service he might gain leisure,
but he certainly advanced little in the boast of independence. Of his
leisure he made so good use that he published next year a poem on "Rural
Sports," and inscribed it to Mr. Pope, who was then rising fast into
reputation. Pope was pleased with the honour, and when he became
acquainted with Gay, found such attractions in his manners and
conversation that he seems to have received him into his inmost
confidence; and a friendship was formed between them which lasted to
their separation by death, without any known abatement on either part.
Gay was the general favourite of the whole association of wits; but they
regarded him as a playfellow rather than a partner, and treated him with
more fondness than respect.

Next year he published "The Shepherd's Week," six English pastorals, in
which the images are drawn from real life, such as it appears among the
rustics in parts of England remote from London. Steele, in some papers
of the Guardian, had praised Ambrose Philips as the pastoral writer
that yielded only to Theocritus, Virgil, and Spenser. Pope, who had also
published pastorals, not pleased to be overlooked, drew up a comparison
of his own compositions with those of Philips, in which he covertly gave
himself the preference, while he