CHAPTER X

1729

CORRESPONDENCE

With the composition of “Polly,” the literary life of Gay came practically to an end, although he survived until December 4th, 1732.  During these four years he worked not at all, save occasionally on the second series of “Fables.”

After the prohibition of “Polly,” Gay, who had been ill during 1728, had a severe attack of fever, during which he was attended by the faithful Arbuthnot, and carefully tended by the Duchess of Queensberry.

ALEXANDER POPE TO JOHN GAY.

  [circa December, 1728.]

“No words can tell you the great concern I feel for you; I assure you it was not, and is not, lessened by the immediate apprehension I have now every day lain under of losing my mother.  Be assured, no duty less than that should have kept me one day from attending your condition.  I would come and take a room by you at Hampstead, to be with you daily, were she not still in danger of death.  I have constantly had particular accounts of you from the doctor [Arbuthnot], which have not ceased to alarm me yet.  God preserve your life, and restore your health!  I really beg it for my own sake, for I feel I love you more than I thought in health, though I always loved you a great deal.  If I am so unfortunate as to bury my poor mother, and yet have the good fortune to have my prayers heard for you, I hope we may live most of our remaining days together.  If, as I believe, the air of a better clime, as the southern part of France, may be thought useful for your recovery, thither I would go with you infallibly; and it is very probable we might get the Dean [Swift] with us, who is in that abandoned state already in which I shall shortly be, as to other cares and duties.  Dear Gay, be as cheerful as your sufferings will permit:  God is a better friend than a Court:  even any honest man is a better.  I promise you my entire friendship in all events.”

* * * * *

Gay gradually got well.  “I am glad to hear of your recovery, and the oftener I hear it, the better, when it becomes easy to you to give it,” Pope, who remained a regular correspondent, wrote to him in January, 1729.  But, though Gay was better in health, his spirits were low.

JOHN GAY TO ALEXANDER POPE.

  [Feb. or March, 1729.]

“My melancholy increases, and every hour threatens me with some return of my distemper, nay, I think I may rather say I have it on me.  Not the divine looks, the kind favours, and the expressions of the divine Duchess, who, hereafter, shall be in the place of a queen to me—­nay, she shall be my queen—­nor the inexpressible goodness of the Duke, can in the least cheer me.  The Drawing-room no more receives