Mac, Peachum and Lockit, you know, are infamous fcoundrels. Their lives are as much in your power, as Remember your dying friend! yours are in their 'Tis my last request. Bring thofe villains to the gallows before you, and I am fatisfied. Mat. We'll do't. Jailor. Mifs Polly and Mifs Lucy intreat a word with you. Mach. Gentlemen, adieu. [Exeunt Ben Budge and Mat of the Mint. Enter Lucy and Polly. . my dear PollyMac. My dear LucyWhatfoever hath past between us, is now at an end.-If you are fond of marrying again, the best advice I can give you, is to fhip yourfelves off for the Weft-Indies, where you'll have a fair chance of getting a husband a piece; or by good luck, two or three, as you like beft. Polly. How can I fupport this fight! Lucy. There is nothing moves one fo much as a great man in diftrefs. AIR LXVIII. All you that must take a leap. Lucy. Wou'd I might be hang'd! Polly. And I would fo too. My dear, with you. Mach. O leave me to thought! 1 fear! I doubt! I tremble! I droop! See my courage is out. [Turns up the empty bottle. Lucy. Farewel. Mach. But hark! I hear the toll of the bell. Chorus. Tol de rol lol, &c. Enter Failor: Failor. Four women more, Captain, with a child a piece. See, here they come. 3 Enter Enter women and children. Mac. What, four wives more! This is too muchHere-tell the flieriff's officers I am ready. Enter Beggar and Player. [Exeunt. Play. But, honeft friend, I hope you don't intend that Macheath fhall be really executed. Beg. Moft certainly, Sir: to make the piece perfect, I was for doing ftrict poetical justice. Macheath is to be hanged; and for the other perfonages of the drama, the audience muft fuppofe they were all either hanged or tranfported. Play. Why, then, friend, this is a downright deep tragedy. The catastrophe is manifeftly wrong; for an opera must end happily. Beg. Your objection is very juft, and is eafily removed; for you must allow, that in this kind of drama, 'uis no matter how abfurdly things are brought about. So, you rabble there-run and cry a reprieve-let the prifoner be brought back to his wives in triumph. Play. All this we must do, to comply with the taste of the town. Beg. Through the whole piece you may obferve fuch a fimilitude of manners in high and low life, that it is difficult to determine whether (in the fashionable vices) the fine gentlemen imitate the gentlemen of the road, or the gentlemen of the road the fine gentlemen. Had the play remained as I at first intended, it would have carried a moit excellent moral; 'twould have fhewn that the lower fort of people have their vices in a degree as well as the rich : and that they are punished for them. Enter to them Macheath, with rabble, &c. Mac. So, it feems I am not left to my choice, but must have a wife at laft- Look ye, my dears, we will have no controversy now. Let us give this day to mirth, and I am fure she who thinks herfelf my wife, will testify her joy by a dance. All. Come, a dance, a dance. Mac. Ladies, I hope you will give me leave to prefent a partner to each of you. And (if I may without offence) for this time, I take Polly for mine-and for life, you flut, for we were really married-As for the rest -But, at prefent, keep your own fecret. [To Polly. F A DANCE. A DANCE. AIR LXIX. Lumps of Pudding, &c. Thus I ftand, like a Turk, with his doxies around; From all fides their glances his paffion confound; For black, brown, and fair, his inconftancy burns, And the different beauties fubdue him by turns: Each calls forth her charms, to provoke his defires : Though willing to all, with but one he retires. Then think of this maxim, and put off all forrow, The wretch of to-day, may be happy to-morrow. Chorus. Then think of this maxim, &c. END of the THIRD ACT. A TABLE I. Through all the employments of life. Page 9 10 VI. Virgins are like the fair flower in its luftre. 12 VII. Our Polly is a fad flut, nor heeds what we bave taught her. VIII. Can love be controul'd by advice? 13 14 IX. Ob, Polly, you might have toy'd and kifs'd. 15 X. I, like a fhip in forms, was tofs'd XI. A fox may fleal your hens, Sir. -XIII. The turtle thus, with plaintive crying XV. My heart was fo free. XVI. Were I laid on Greenland's coaft. XVII. Oh, what pain it is to part! XVIII. The mifer thus a fhilling fees. F 2 ibid. 16 18 ibid. 20 ibid. 21 ibid. 22 ACT ACT II. AIR XIX. Fill ev'ry glass, for wine infpires us. XX. Let us take the road. Page 23 25 XXI. If the heart of a man is deprefs'd with cares. ib. XXIII. Before the barn-door crowing. 27 · 28 XXIV. The gamefters and lawyers are jugglers alike. 29 XXVII. Thus when a good housewife fees a rat. XXIX. The first time at the looking-glass. XXX. When you cenfure the age. XXXI. Is then his fate decreed, Sir? 30 32 ibid. 33 34 35 37 ibid. XXXII. You'll think, ere many days enfue. XXXIII. If you at an office folicit your due. XXXIV. Thus when the fwallow feeking prey. XXXV. How happy could I be with either. XXXVI. I'm bubbled. XXXVII. Ceafe your funning. XXXVIII. Why, bow now, Madam Flirt. ACT III. XLI. When young at the bar you firft taught me to score. XLII. My love is all madness and folly. XLIII. Thus gamefters united in friendship, &c. XLIV. The modes of the court fo common are grown. 46 XLV. What gudgeons are we men! XLVI. In the days of my youth, I could bill like a dove, fa, la, la, &c. XLVII. I'm like a Skiff on the ocean toft. XLVIII. When a wife's in her pout. XLIX. A curfe attends that woman's love. LII. Hither, dear busband, turn your eyes. 3 |