human kind!
Had I a fortune to my mind,
Should Gay complain; but now, alas!
Through what a world am I to pass;
Where friendship's but an empty name,
And merit's scarcely paid in fame."
Resolv'd to lull his woes to rest.
She told him he should hope the best;
That who instruct the royal race.
Can't fail of some distinguished place.
"Mamma, if you were queen," says he,
"And such a book was writ for me;
I know 'tis so much to your taste,
That Gay would keep his coach at least."
"My child, what you suppose is true,
I see its excellence in you;
Poets whose writing mend the mind,
A noble recompense should find:
But I am barr'd by fortune's frowns.
From the best privilege of crowns;
The glorious godlike power to bless,
And raise up merit in distress."

"But, dear Mamma, I long to know.
Were that the case, what you'd bestow?"
"What I'd bestow," says she, "My dear,
At least five hundred pounds a year."

[Footnote 1: Johnson: _Lives of the Poets_ (ed. Hill), III, p. 274.]

[Footnote 2: Letter to Broome, January 30th, 1724 (Pope: _Works_ (ed.
Elwin and Courthope, VIII, p. 75.))]

[Footnote 3: Swift: _Works_ (ed. Scott), XVII, p. 6.]

[Footnote 4: _Ibid_., XVII, p. 8.]

[Footnote 5: William Augustus (1721-1765), third son of George III;
created Duke of Cumberland, 1726.]

[Footnote 6: Ambrose Philips, the poet.]

[Footnote 7: Swift: _Works_ (ed. Scott), XVI, 389.]

[Footnote 8: _Ibid_., XIX. p. 283.]

[Footnote 9: _Ibid_., XVII, p. 99.]

[Footnote 10: Swift: _Works_ (ed. Scott), XVII, p. 94.]

[Footnote 11: To Amesbury, the principal seat of the Duke of
Queensberry.]

[Footnote 12: Swift: _Works_ (ed. Scott), XVII, p. 66.]

[Footnote 13: _Ibid_., XVII, p. 81.]

[Footnote 14: _Ibid_., XVII, p. 96.]

[Footnote 15: Louisa (1724-1751), the youngest of George II's children.
She married in 1743, Frederick, Prince (afterwards King) of Denmark,]

[Footnote 16: Johnson: _Lives of the Poets_ (ed. Hill), III, p. 274.]

[Footnote 17: Swift: _Works_ (ed. Scott), XVIII, p. 42.]

[Footnote 18: Swift: _Works_ (ed. Scott), XVII, p. 161.]

[Footnote 19: Mrs. Howard.]

[Footnote 20: Sir Robert Walpole.]

[Footnote 21: An allusion to "The Beggar's Opera," which Gay was then
writing.]

[Footnote 22: Printed for the first and only time in "An Account of the
Life and Writings of the Author," in _Plays Written by Mr. John Gay_,
1760.]

CHAPTER VIII

1727