John Gay (1685–1732) was an English poet and dramatist. He was a member of an extraordinary group of authors in the early 18th century—a group that included Alexander Pope, Jonathan Swift, and John Arbuthnot.
Born in Barnstaple, Devon, Gay was schooled at his hometown’s grammar school. He apprenticed to a silk mercer in London but returned home to write and quickly established himself as a minor poet. In 1708, he published his first poem, ‘Wine,’ and, in 1711, a pamphlet on ‘The Present State of Wit.’
Retained secretary to the Duchess of Monmouth (1712,) in 1713 Gay dedicated to Pope the georgic Rural Sports. In 1714, he published The Fan and The Shepherd’s Week. With Pope and Arbuthnot, he wrote the play Three Hours after Marriage (1717,) and, in 1727, he produced the first series of his popular Fables (first published as Fables by Mr. Gay.)
Gay’s celebrated success was the ballad opera The Beggar’s Opera (1728,) which was set to music by the German composer Johann Christoph Pepusch. Blending burlesque and political satire, it dealt with pickpockets, prostitutes, highwaymen, and life in low society. Running for 62 performances, it achieved unparalleled popularity. It was revived to widespread acclaim in the 20th century by the German poet Bertolt Brecht and composer Kurt Weill as Die Dreigroschenoper (1928; The Threepenny Opera.)
Gay suffered poor health from asthma and died early. He was buried (with an epitaph written by Pope) in Westminster Abbey, by the side of the poet Geoffrey Chaucer.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by John Gay
Reproachful speech from either side The want of argument supplied; They rail, reviled; as often ends The contests of disputing friends.
—John Gay
Topics: Arguments
Cowards are cruel, but the brave love mercy and delight to save.
—John Gay
Topics: Cowardice, Coward
Can you support the expense of a husband, hussy, in gaming, drinking and whoring? Have you money enough to carry on the daily quarrels of man and wife about who shall squander most?
—John Gay
Topics: Marriage
How the mother is to be pitied who hath handsome daughters! Locks, bolts, bars, and lectures of morality are nothing to them: they break through them all. They have as much pleasure in cheating a father and mother, as in cheating at cards.
—John Gay
Topics: Family
He, who would free from malice pass his days, must live obscure, and never merit praise.
—John Gay
Topics: Slander
What will not luxury taste? Earth, sea, and air, Are daily ransack’d for the bill of fare. Blood stuffed in skins is British Christians’ food, And France obs marshes of the croaking brood.
—John Gay
Topics: Eating
No retreat. No retreat. They must conquer or die who’ve no retreat.
—John Gay
Topics: Victory
Pride is increased by ignorance; those assume the most who know the least.
—John Gay
Topics: Pride
But his kiss was so sweet, and so closely he pressed, that I languished and pined till I granted the rest.
—John Gay
Sure men were born to lie, and women to believe them!
—John Gay
Topics: Men & Women, Women, Men
A fox may steal your hens, Sir, a whore your health and pence, Sir, your daughter rob your chest, Sir, your wife may steal your rest, Sir, a thief your goods and plate. But this is all but picking, with rest, pence, chest and chicken; it ever was decreed, Sir, if lawyer’s hand is feed, Sir, he steals your whole estate.
—John Gay
Topics: Law
Life is a jest, and All things show it; I thought so once, But now I know it.
—John Gay
Fortune may find a pot, but your own industry must make it boil.
—John Gay
Topics: Industry
To cheat a man is nothing; but the woman must have fine parts, indeed, who cheats a woman.
—John Gay
Topics: Cheating
We only part to meet again.
—John Gay
Topics: Last Words
The brave love mercy, and delight to save.
—John Gay
Topics: Courage, Bravery, Brave
Those who in quarrels interpose, must often wipe a bloody nose.
—John Gay
What frenzy dictates, jealousy believes.
—John Gay
Topics: Jealousy
Lions, wolves, and vultures don’t live together in herds, droves or flocks. Of all animals of prey, man is the only sociable one. Every one of us preys upon his neighbor, and yet we herd together.
—John Gay
Topics: Communism, Socialism
I must have women—there is nothing unbends the mind like them.
—John Gay
Topics: Men, Men & Women, Women
Shadow owes its birth to light.
—John Gay
Topics: Night
O Polly, you might have toyed and kissed, by keeping men off, you keep them on.
—John Gay
Topics: Men & Women
Gamesters and highwaymen are generally very good to their whores, but they are very devils to their wives.
—John Gay
Topics: Crime
By ignorance is pride increased; those most assume who know the least.
—John Gay
Topics: Ignorance
Learning by study must be won; ’twas, ne’er entailed from sire to son.
—John Gay
Topics: Learning
But money, wife, is the true Fuller’s Earth for reputations, there is not a spot or a stain but what it can take out.
—John Gay
Topics: Money
Fill it up. I take as large draughts of liquor as I did of love. I hate a flincher in either.
—John Gay
Topics: Alcoholism, Alcohol
In every rank, both great and small, it is industry that supports us all.
—John Gay
Topics: Industry
The comfortable estate of widowhood is the only hope that keeps up a wife’s spirits.
—John Gay
Fill every glass, for wine inspires us,
And fires us With courage, love and joy.
Women and wine should life employ.
Is there ought to else on earth desirous?
—John Gay
Topics: Wine
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