POLLY, or the SECOND PART of the ACHILLES, ΑΝ OPERA. THE DISTRESS'D WIFE, A COMEDY. THE REHEARSAL AT GOTHAM, A FAR CE. To which is prefixed an AccoUNT of the LIFE AND WRITINGS OF THE AUTHOR. LONDON: Printed for W. STRAHAN, T. LOWNDES, T. CASLON, AN ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF THE AUTHOR. R. JOHN GAY was born at or near Barn Mtable, in Devonpire, and educated at the free fchool there, under Mr. William Rayner, the mafter, who was well qualified to give him a juft tafte of claffical learning. Being defcended of an ancient family, whofe eftate was greatly impaired, his friends thought proper to place him in a way of improving his fortune by trade. In this defign he was put apprentice to a filk mercer in London. But this ftation not fuiting his liberal spirit, he began to fhew his difguft to a fhop, almoft from his firft entrance therein; and giving little attendance, and lefs attention to the bufinefs, he in a few years procured a release upon eafy terms, and took a final leave of his mafter. Having thus honourably got free from all restraint, he followed the bent of his genius, and foon gave the public fome admirable proofs of the character for which he was formed by nature; by writing his Rural Sports, a georgic, which he addrefs'd to Mr. Pope. Thefe firft fpecimens of his poetical talents, added to the sweetness of his temper, and an almost unexampled fimplicity of manners, immediately procured him the esteem and affection of his brother poets; and particularly A 3 particularly endeared him to Mr. Pope, who was of the fame age with him. In the fociety of fuch friends he paffed a few years, cultivating his mufe in that kind of improvident indolence and independency, which alone could make him perfectly happy. But his tafte of life being too elegant for his fortune, he gladly accepted an offer made him in 1712, of living with the duchefs of Monmouth, as her fecretary. This fituation fet him at full leifure to indulge his poetic vein; and the year following he compofed his Shepberd's Week, and publifh'd it, with a dedication to lord Bolingbroke, in 1714. The fame year he refign'd his poft under the duchefs, being appointed to attend the earl of Clarendon, in the like character, on an embaffy from queen Anne, to the court of Hanover. The queen's death put an end to all his towering hopes however, upon his return home, he was receiv'd with the warmest welcome, by his friend beforemention'd; who advifed him to push the advantage which his laft employ had given him, of being perfonally known to the new fovereign, and his family. Accordingly he foon after took the opportunity of making his court to the princess of Wales, afterwards queen Caroline, on the arrival of her royal highnefs in Eng land. This compliment was well received, and our author's farce, call'd The What d'ye Call it, being brought on the ftage before the end of the feafon, both their royal highneffes honoured it with their prefence. The very kind reception he met with from perfons of the firft diftinction at this time, fill'd him with hopes of more fubftantial favours; and the failure of these made too deep an impreffion upon his tender nature, which upon that account was but ill-fuited to the wavering ftate of a flender fortune. To divert this melancholy, Mr. Pulteney took our author with him to Aix, in France, in the year 1717, and the following year, he was invited by lord Harcourt to his feat in Oxfordfeire. In 1720, he published his poems, in quarto, by fubfcription, with good fuccefs; but this was pre fently |