Author: GAY (John):
Title: Fables. By Mr. Gay.
Description: London: Printed for J. Tonson and J. Watts; [volume 2]: Printed for J. and P. Kanpton and T. Cox, 1727. 1738 FIRST EDITION of the Fables. volumes in 1. 4to, 238 x 134 mms., pp. [xiv], 173 [174 blank], with engraved vignette on title-page, 51 engraved vignettes (by Fourdrinier, Van der Gucht and Baron after Kent, Wooton and Motte); [volume 2]: [viii], 155 [156 blank], engraved frontispiece,, engraved vignette on title-page, 16 full-page engraved plates (by Scotin after Gravelot). BOUND WITH: GAY (Mr.): The Beggar's Opera. As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal in Lincolns-Inn Fielsd. The Third Edition: With the Ouverture in Score, The Songs, ad the Basses, (The Ouveerture and Basses Compos'd by Dr. Pepusch Curiously Engrav'd on Copper Plates. London: Printed for John Watts..., 1729. 4to, [vi], 60, 46 engraved plates of music, title-page in red and black. BOUND WITH: GAY (Mr.): Polly: An Opera/ Being the Second Part of the Beggar's Opera. London: Printed for the Author, 1729. 4to, pp. [ii], vii [viii Dramatis Personae], 72, 31 pages of engraved music, title-page printed in red and black. Four volumes, bound in contemporary calf, rebacked with old spine and faded label laid down, with the Robert Ball and a small oval bookplate on the front paste-down end-paper, and the ownership from 1810 of Henry White beneath the bookplate, and aanother 18th centry ownership inscription on the verso of the rear end-paper. The publication of Gay's Fables in 1729 was an instant success and hundreds of editions have followed in the succeeding centuries. The Beggar's Opera was performed in 1728 and ran for 62 consecutive performances, he second-longest run in theatre history up to that time. Although Polly was printed and published in 1729, it was not performed until 1777, having fallen foul of the Lord Chamberelain as a filthy and libellous work. At least Gay had made his fortune with his work. David Nokes in his ODNB entry recolrds that " Gay made £693 13s. 6d. from the production of The Beggar's Opera, together with 90 guineas for the copyright of that and The Fables; he treated the money wisely, although his friends all asserted that he would waste it. Three years later he boasted to Swift that his fortune amounted to 'above three thousand four hundred pounds', which was a vast amount."

Keywords: poetry OPERA lliterature


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