t the intimacy between the poets waxed
apace is evident, for when Pope wrote "A Farewell to London in the year
1715," the concluding stanza was:--

Adieu to all but Gay alone.
Whose soul, sincere and free.
Loves all mankind, but flatters none.
And so may starve with me.

[Footnote 1: _Gay's Chair_, p. 13.]

[Footnote 2: _Dictionary of National Biography._]

[Footnote 3: _Gay's Chair._]

[Footnote 4: _Rural Sports_.]

[Footnote 5: Spence: _Anecdotes_ (ed. Singer), p. 13.]

[Footnote 6: George Cheyne (1671-1743), physician, practised first at
London, and then at Bath.]

[Footnote 7: "The Epigrammatical Petition" is printed on p. 29 of this
work,]

[Footnote 8: "_Key to 'Three Hours after Marriage_,'" p. 7.]

[Footnote 9: John Freind (1675-1728), physician.]

[Footnote 10: Pope: _Works_ (ed. Elwin and Courthope), VI, p. 123.]

[Footnote 11: _Ibid_., VI, p. 124.]

[Footnote 12: A reference to "The Mourning Muse of Alexis: A Pastoral
Lamentary on the Death of Queen Mary." In this piece the Queen is spoken
of as "Pastora."]

[Footnote 13: The references are to "Henry and Emma" and "Hans Carvel."]

[Footnote 14: Pope: _Works_ (ed. Elwin and Courthope), VI, p. 130.]

[Footnote 15: Pope: _Works_ (ed. Elwin and Courthope), VII, p. 408.]

[Footnote 16: _Ibid_., VII, p. 409.]

CHAPTER III

1713

"RURAL SPORTS," "THE FAN," "THE WIFE OF BATH," ETC.

There has been preserved a letter written by Aaron Hill to Richard
Savage, June 23rd, 1766, which contains information concerning the
life of the poet during the next two years. "I would willingly satisfy
the curiosity of your friend, in relation to Mr. Gay, if it were not
easy to get much further information than I am able to give, from Mr.
Budgell or Mr. Pope; to the first of whom, the beginning of his life
was best known, and to the last, its afternoon and evening," Hill
wrote. "As to your question, whether Mr. Gay was ever a domestic of
the Duchess of Monmouth, I can answer it in the affirmative; he was
her secretary about the year 1713, and continued so, till he went over
to Hanover, in the beginning of the following year, with Lord
Clarendon, who was sent thither by Queen Anne. At his return, upon the
death of that Queen, all his hopes became withered, but Mr. Pope (who
you know, is an excellent planter) revived and invigorated his bays,
and indeed, very generously supported him, in some more _solid_
improvements; for remember a l