Gentle Shepherd, The

Ballad opera (libretto by Allan Ramsay, using traditional tunes), first produced at the Taylor's Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland, on 29 January 1729. It was first published (1725) as a pastoral comedy, and is therefore not, as is sometimes said, the first ballad opera, since The Beggar's Opera (1728) was staged earlier. In the story, Patie, of noble birth but brought up as a shepherd, wants to marry humble Peggy, but he believes it would be socially impossible. Later it turns out that she too is of noble blood.