Gay, John

(born , June 30, 1685, Barnstaple, Devon, Eng.—died Dec. 4, 1732, London) British poet and dramatist. From an ancient but impoverished Devonshire family, Gay was apprenticed to a silk mercer in London but was released early. He soon cofounded the journal . His poetry collections included (1713) and (1716). He is best known for the ballad opera (1728), which ran for 62 performances (the longest run to that date). The play, with music by John C. Pepusch (1667–1752), was a cynical tale of thieves and highwaymen intended to mirror the moral degradation of society; its success made it a landmark in music-theatre history. It was adapted by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill as (1928). Gay was buried in Westminster Abbey.

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