Peachum, having settled L400 a year on her during pleasure, and upon disagreement L200 a year."[25] She had played in the whole sixty-three performances of the Opera, the forty-seventh performance being set aside for her benefit.  The sixty-third performance took place on June 19th, and that was her last appearance on the boards of a theatre.  In 1751, shortly after the death of his wife, the Duke married her, she being then about forty-three, and he sixty-six.[26]

[Footnote 1:  Swift:  Work (ed.  Scott), XVII, p. 157.]

[Footnote 2:  Ibid., XVII, p. 162.]

[Footnote 3:  See p. 41 of this work.]

[Footnote 4:  Spence:  Anecdotes (ed.  Singer), p. 159.]

[Footnote 5:  Pope:  Works (ed.  Elwin and Courthope), VII, p. 111.]

[Footnote 6:  Boswell:  Life of Johnson (ed.  Hill), II, p. 368.]

[Footnote 7:  Spence:  Anecdotes, p. 159.]

[Footnote 8:  Dr. Herring:  Sermons (1763), p. 5.]

[Footnote 9:  Annual Register (1773), I, p. 132.]

[Footnote 10:  Genest:  History of the Stage, III, p. 223.]

[Footnote 11:  History of Music, V, p. 317.]

[Footnote 12:  Lives of the Poets (ed.  Hill), III, p. 278.]

[Footnote 13:  Boswell:  Life of Johnson (ed.  Hill), II, p. 367.]

[Footnote 14:  Plays Written by Mr. John Gay:  With an Account of the Life and Writings of the Author (1760), VIII.]

[Footnote 15:  Notes and Queries, First Series, I, 178.]

[Footnote 16:  Swift:  Works (ed.  Scott), XVII, p. 216.]

[Footnote 17:  Swift:  Works (ed.  Scott), XVII, p. 165.]

[Footnote 18:  Benjamin Motte, the bookseller.]

[Footnote 19:  The managers and patrons of the Italian Opera, with the King at their head, had formed themselves into an association under this title.]

[Footnote 20:  Swift:  Works (ed.  Scott), XVII, p. 176.]

[Footnote 21:  Swift:  Works (ed.  Scott), XVII, p. 180.]

[Footnote 22:  Ibid., XVII, p. 183.]

[Footnote 23:  Swift:  Works (ed.  Scott), XVII, p. 176.]

[Footnote 24:  Ibid., XVII, p. 189.]

[Footnote 25:  Ibid., XVII, p. 188.]

[Footnote 26:  “The Beggar’s Opera” has been revived many times.  The last and most successful revival was produced by Mr. Nigel Playfair in June, 1920.  At the moment of going to press the first anniversary of the revival has just been celebrated.  A copy of the programme of the first performance of this revival is printed, by kind permission of Mr. Playfair, on page 162 of this work.]

CHAPTER IX

1728-1729

“POLLY”

The success of “The Beggar’s Opera” heartened Gay, as a first great success heartens any man.  At once he conceived the idea of following up this triumph with another opera, but, before actually getting to work, he took things easily.  In March he stayed at Cashiobury with Pulteney, visiting from there Lord Bathurst and the Bolingbrokes.  Shortly after he went to Bath, where he found many friends, including Henrietta, Duchess of Marlborough.