Pair," "A Devonshire Hill," "Letter to a Young Lady," and "To My
Chair." Of this small collection, Mr. John Underhill, who includes it
in his admirable edition of Gay's poems in the "Muses' Library,"
writes: "The evidence in support of their authenticity is (1) the fact
that they were found in a chair which was always spoken of by Gay's
'immediate descendants' as 'having been the property of the poet, and
which, as his favourite easy chair, he highly valued'; and (2) that
'The Ladies' Petition' was printed nearly _verbatim_ from a manuscript
in the handwriting of the poet ... If really Gay's, they [the verses]
may, we think, a great many of them, be safely regarded as the
production of his youth, written, perhaps, during the somewhat
extended visit to Devonshire which preceded his introduction to the
literary world of Pope. The least doubtful piece, 'The Ladies'
Petition' was probably 'thrown off' upon the occasion of his visit to
Exeter in 1715."

If the verses are genuine, they have such biographical interest as is
afforded by an allusion to a youthful love-affair. There are lines "To
Miss Jane Scott":--

The Welsh girl is pretty.
The English girl fair,
The Irish deem'd witty,
The French _débonnaire_;

Though all may invite me,
I'd value them not;
The charms that delight me
I find in a SCOT.