Chapter II: Preface: vii

I.--EARLY YEARS 1

II.--GAY COMMENCES AUTHOR 7

III.--"RURAL SPORTS"--"THE FAN"--"THE WIFE OF BATH"--ETC. 18

IV.--"THE SHEPHERD'S WEEK"--"A LETTER TO A LADY" 24

V.--"THE WHAT D'YE CALL IT"--"AN EPISTLE TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF BURLINGTON"--"TRIVIA, OR, THE ART OF WALKING THE STREETS OF LONDON"--"THREE HOURS AFTER MARRIAGE" 36

VI.--"POEMS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS"--GAY INVESTS HIS EARNINGS IN THE SOUTH SEA COMPANY--THE SOUTH SEA "BUBBLE" BREAKS, AND GAY LOSES ALL HIS MONEY--APPOINTED A COMMISSIONER OF THE STATE LOTTERY--LORD LINCOLN GIVES HIM AN APARTMENT IN WHITEHALL--AT TUNBRIDGE WELLS--CORRESPONDENCE WITH MRS. HOWARD 50

VII.--"THE CAPTIVES"--THE FIRST SERIES OF "FABLES"--GAY AND THE COURT--POPE, SWIFT AND MRS. HOWARD 65

VIII.--"THE BEGGAR'S OPERA" 78

IX.--"POLLY" 92

X.--CORRESPONDENCE (1729) 105

XI.--CORRESPONDENCE (1730) 115

XII.--CORRESPONDENCE (1731) 126

XIII.--DEATH 133

APPENDIX:-- I.--NOTES ON THE SOURCES OF THE TONES OF "THE BEGGAR'S OPERA," by W.H. GRATTAN FLOOD, Mus.D. 150

II.--A CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF THE CORRESPONDENCE OF JOHN GAY 156

III.--PROGRAMME OF THE REVIVAL OF "THE BEGGAR'S OPERA," LYRIC THEATRE; HAMMERSMITH, JUNE 7th, 1920 162

INDEX 163