John Gay
John Gay
John Gaywas an English poet and dramatist and member of the Scriblerus Club. He is best remembered for The Beggar's Opera, a ballad opera. The characters, including Captain Macheath and Polly Peachum, became household names...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth30 June 1685
love joy youth
Youth's the season made for joys, Love is then our duty.
love confused fleeing
Follow love and it will flee, flee love and it will follow thee.
kings cobblers fame
From kings to cobblers 'tis the same; Bad servants wound their masters' fame.
hate character men
I hate the man who builds his name On ruins of another's fame. Thus prudes, by characters o'erthrown, Imagine that they raise their own. Thus Scribblers, covetous of praise, Think slander can transplant the bays.
hypocrite judging judgement
You can only be called a hypocrite if you judge others first.
changed flower
I sipped each flower, / I changed ev'ry hour, / But here ev'ry flower is united.
age trade
In every age and clime we see, / Two of a trade can ne'er agree.
changed flower
I sipped each flower, / I changed ev'ry hour, / But here ev'ry flower is united.
age trade
In every age and clime we see, / Two of a trade can ne'er agree.
She who has never lov'd, has never liv'd.
light shadow light-and-shadow
Thus shadow owes its birth to light.
two agreement age
In every age and clime we see Two of a trade can never agree.