Here lived Gay's good friends the Duke and Duchess of Queensberry, and indeed Gay himself, save when he was at Twickenham with Pope.
At dinner that evening Gay broached the subject of the phenomenal singer whom he had discovered in the streets of St.Giles and his scheme concerning her.

The duke laughed at the poet's visions, but the duchess was fascinated.

Anything of the unusual at once appealed to the warmhearted, impulsive, somewhat eccentric, lady.

Her enthusiasm where she was interested always carried her away, and her impatience and energy would not let her rest until her object was accomplished.
"I would vastly like to hear Mr.Gay's pretty nightingale.

You must bring her to-morrow.