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 to relate, was endowed by nature with all those shining qualifications by which a great man can be formed.  He possessed a most extensive memory, a strong and lively imagination, and quick and ready apprehension.

By the immediate authority of his father, our noble author’s studies were confined to one particular branch of learning; with a view, no doubt, that his son’s uncommon genius might make the greater progress, and shine with a superior lustre in that species of erudition he had made choice of for him.  On this account it was, that the earl his father would not permit the young lord to go to public or private schools, or to any college, or university, but had him carefully instructed by domestic tutors; and as he gave an early display of the most astonishing parts, the earl bent all his thoughts how to improve them in the best manner, for his son’s future advantage.