Volume IV Part 24 (2/2)
A Comedy called The Wife of Bath, first acted 1715, and afterwards revived, altered, and represented at the Theatre Royal in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields.
Three Hours after Marriage, a Comedy; acted at the Theatre-Royal, in which he was a.s.sisted by Pope and Arbuthnot, but had the mortification to see this piece very ill received, if not d.a.m.ned the first night.
He wrote likewise Achilles, an Opera; acted at the Theatre in Covent Garden. This was brought on the stage after his death, and the profits were given to his Sisters.
After experiencing many vicissitudes of fortune, and being for some time chiefly supported by the liberality of the duke and d.u.c.h.ess of Queensberry, he died at their house in Burlington Gardens, of a violent inflammatory fever, in December 1732, and was interred in Westminster, by his n.o.ble benefactors just mentioned, with the following epitaph written by Mr. Pope, who had the sincerest friends.h.i.+p for him on account of his amiable qualities.
'Of manners gentle, of affections mild; In wit a man, simplicity a child; Above temptation in a low estate, And uncorrupted even amongst the great; A safe companion, and an easy friend, Unblamed thro' life, lamented in thy end: These are thy honours! not that here thy bust Is mix'd with heroes, or with kings thy dust, But that the worthy and the good shall say, Striking their pensive bosoms--here lies GAY;'
Then follows this farther inscription,
Here lie the ashes of Mr. John Gay; The warmest friend; The most benevolent man: Who maintained Independency In low circ.u.mstances of fortune; Integrity In the midst of a corrupt age; And that equal serenity of mind, Which conscious goodness alone can give Thro' the whole course of his life.
Favourite of the muses He was led by them to every elegant art; Refin'd in taste And fraught with graces all his own: In various kinds of poetry Superior to many, Inferior to none, His works continue to inspire what his example taught, Contempt of folly, however adorned; Detestation of vice, however dignified; Reverence of virtue, however disgraced.
Charles and Catherine, duke and d.u.c.h.ess of Queensberry, who loved this excellent man living, and regret him dead, have caused this monument to be erected to his memory.
Mr. Gay's moral character seems to have been very amiable. He was of an affable, sweet disposition, generous in his temper, and pleasant in his conversation. His chief failing was an excessive indolence, without the least knowledge of economy; which often subjected him to wants he needed not otherwise have experienced. Dean Swift in many of his letters entreated him, while money was in his hands, to buy an annuity, lest old age should overtake him unprepared; but Mr. Gay never thought proper to comply with his advice, and chose rather to throw himself upon patronage, than secure a competence, as the dean wisely advised. As to his genius it would be superfluous to say any thing here, his works are in the hands of every reader of taste, and speak for themselves; we know not whether we can be justified in our opinion, but we beg leave to observe, that of all Gay's performances, his Pastorals seem to have the highest finis.h.i.+ng; they are perfectly Doric; the characters and dialogue are natural and rurally simple; the language is admirably suited to the persons, who appear delightfully rustic.
[Footnote A: See Jacob.]
[Footnote B: General Dictionary, Article Gay.]
[Footnote C: Swift, ubi supra.]
PHILIP Duke of WHARTON,
The unhappy n.o.bleman, the memoirs of whose life we are now about to relate, was endowed by nature with all those s.h.i.+ning qualifications by which a great man can be formed. He possessed a most extensive memory, a strong and lively imagination, and quick and ready apprehension.
By the immediate authority of his father, our n.o.ble author's studies were confined to one particular branch of learning; with a view, no doubt, that his son's uncommon genius might make the greater progress, and s.h.i.+ne with a superior l.u.s.tre in that species of erudition he had made choice of for him. On this account it was, that the earl his father would not permit the young lord to go to public or private schools, or to any college, or university, but had him carefully instructed by domestic tutors; and as he gave an early display of the most astonis.h.i.+ng parts, the earl bent all his thoughts how to improve them in the best manner, for his son's future advantage.
As soon as this sprightly genius, had laid a sufficient foundation in cla.s.sical learning, he studied history, particularly that of his own country, by which he was able to discern the principles of the const.i.tution, the revolutions it has undergone, the variety of accidents by which it may be endangered, and the true policy by which it can be preserved. While he thus read history, he became a politician; and as he did not neglect other sciences, he acquired a general knowledge both of life and things, before most other persons of distinction begin to read, or think at all.
By his not receiving an academical education, he escaped that stiffness and moroseness of temper frequently contracted by those who have been for some time condemned to a collegiate obscurity. Neither had he the least tincture of a haughty superiority, arising from the n.o.bleness of his birth, and the l.u.s.tre of his abilities. His conversation was easy, pleasant, and instructive, always suited to his company, of whatever quality, humour, or capacity they were.
As it was the earl of Wharton's view, to qualify his son to fill that high station, in which his birth would one day place him with advantage to his country; his great care was to form him a compleat orator. For this purpose some of the princ.i.p.al parts in the best English Tragedies were a.s.sign'd him at times to study, particularly those of Shakespear, which he used to repeat before a private audience. Sometimes his father gave him speeches which had been uttered in the house of peers, and which the young lord got by heart, and delivered with all the graces of action and elocution; with so much propriety of expression, emphasis of voice, and p.r.o.nunciation wherever it was requisite, as shewed his lords.h.i.+p was born for this arduous province. Nor did the excellency of these performances receive a small additional beauty from the gracefulness of his person, which was at once soft and majestic.
Thus endowed by nature to charm and persuade, what expectations might not have been formed on him? A youth of a n.o.ble descent, who added to that advantage the most astonis.h.i.+ng parts ever man possessed, improved by an uncommon and well regulated education. What pity is it, this ill.u.s.trious young man, born to have dictated to the senate, and directed the business of a state, with the eyes of a people fixed upon him, should fall so exceedingly short of those fair hopes, he had so justly raised in every breath. He wanted one quality, without which birth, fortune, and abilities, suffer a considerable diminution. That quality is prudence; of which the duke of Wharton was so dest.i.tute, that all his parts were lost to the world, and the world lost to him.
The first prelude to his misfortunes, may justly be reckoned his falling in love, and privately marrying a young lady, the daughter of major general Holmes; a match by no means suited to his birth, fortune and character; and far less to the ambitious views his father had of disposing of him in such a marriage, as would have been a considerable addition to the fortune and grandeur of his ill.u.s.trious family.
However disappointed the earl of Wharton might be, in his son's marrying beneath his quality; yet that amiable lady who became his daughter-in-law deserved infinitely more felicity than she met with by an alliance with his family; and the young lord was not so unhappy through any misconduct of hers, as by the death of his father, which this precipitate marriage is thought to have hastened. The duke being so early freed from paternal restraints, plunged himself into those numberless excesses, which became at last fatal to him; and he proved, as Pope expresses it,
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