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 circumstances 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 duchess 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 finishing; 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 nobleman, the memoirs of whose life we are now about