Chapter Gatty to Gibbon of G by Biographical Dictionary of English Literature

Gatty to Gibbon

Gatty, Mrs. Alfred (Margaret Scott) (1809-1873).—daughter of Rev. A. J. Scott, D.D., a navy chaplain, who served under, and was the trusted friend of, Nelson. She married the Rev. Alfred Gatty, D.D., Ecclesfield, Yorkshire, and became a highly useful and popular writer of tales for young people. Among her books may be mentioned Parables from Nature, Worlds not Realised, Proverbs Illustrated, and Aunt Judy’s Tales. She also conducted Aunt Judy’s Magazine, and wrote a book on British sea-weeds. Juliana Ewing (q.v.) was her daughter.

Gauden, John (1605-1662).—Theologian, born at Mayfield in Essex, and educated at Cambridge His claim to remembrance rests on his being the reputed author of Eikon Basiliké (the Royal Image), a book purporting to be written by Charles I. during his imprisonment, and containing religious meditations and defences of his political acts. Published immediately after the King’s execution, it produced an extraordinary effect, so much so that Charles II. is reported to have said that, had it been published a week earlier, it would have saved his father’s life. There seems now to be little doubt that Gauden was the author. At all events he claimed to be recompensed for his services, and was made Bishop successively of Exeter and Worcester, apparently on the strength of these claims. The work passed through 50 edition within a year, and was answered by Milton in his Iconoclastes (the Image-breaker).

Gay, John (1685-1732).—Poet and dramatist, born near Barnstaple of a good but decayed family. His parents dying while he was a child he was apprenticed to a silk-mercer in London, but not liking the trade, was released by his master. In 1708 he published a poem, Wine, and in 1713 Rural Sports, which he dedicated to Pope, whose friendship he obtained. A little before this he had received an appointment as secretrayin the houseohld of the Duchess of Monmouth. His next attempts were in the drama, in which he was not at first successful; but about 1714 he made his first decided hit in The Shepherd’s Week, a set of six pastorals designed to satirise Ambrose Philips, which, however, secured public approval on their own merits. These were followed by Trivia (1716), in which he was aided by Swift, an account in mock heroic verse of the dangers of the London streets, and by The Fan. Gay had always been ambitious of public employment, and his aspirations were gratified by his receiving the appointment of secretrayto an embassy to Hanover, which, however, he appears to have resigned in a few months. He then returned to the drama in What d’ye call It, and Three Hours after Marriage, neither of which, however, took the public fancy. In 1720 he published a collection of his poems, which brought him £1000, but soon after lost all his means in the collapse of the South Sea Company. After producing another drama, The Captive, he published his Fables (1727), which added to his reputation, and soon after, in 1728, achieved the great success of his life in The Beggar’s Opera, a Newgate pastoral, suggested by Swift, in which the graces and fantasticalities of the Italian Opera were satirised. A sequel, Polly, was suppressed by the Lord Chamberlain as reflecting upon the Court, but was published and had an enormous sale. The last few years of his life were passed in the household of the Duke of Queensberry, who had always been his friend and patron. He died after three days’ illness, aged 47. Gay was an amiable, easy-going man, who appears to have had the power of attracting the strong attachments of his friends, among whom were Pope and Swift. He seems to have been one of the very few for whom the latter had a sincere affection. He is buried in Westminster Abbey. Of all he has written he is best remembered by one or two songs, of which the finest is Black-eyed Susan.

Geddes, Alexander (1737-1802).—Theologian and scholar, of Roman Catholic parentage, was born at Ruthven, Banffshire, and educated for the priesthood at the local seminary of Scalan, and at Paris, and became a priest in his native county. His translation of the Satires of Horace made him known as a scholar, but his liberality of view led to his suspension. He then went to London, where he became known to Lord Petre, who enabled him to proceed with a new translation of the Bible for English Roman Catholics, which he carried on as far as Ruth, with some of the Psalms, and which was published in 3 vols. (1792-6). This was followed by Critical Remarks on the Hebrew Scriptures, in which he largely anticipated the German school of criticism. The result of this publication was his suspension from all ecclesiastical functions. Geddes was also a poet, and wrote Linton: a Tweedside Pastoral, Carmen Seculare pro Gallica Gente (1790), in praise of the French Revolution. He died without recanting, but received absolution at the hands of a French priest, though public mass for his soul was forbidden by the ecclesiastical powers.