The Beggars Opera
contributor: Eric Lease Morgan (Infomotions, Inc.)
creator: Gay, John
date: 0000-00-00
extent: 118220
format: text/plain
language: en
publisher: Wiretap Electronic Text Archive
rights: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/GPL/2.0/
source: beggars.txt
subject: polly
subject: peachum
subject: macheath
subject: lucy
subject: air
subject: based
subject: printed
subject: bear
subject: removed
subject: please
subject: contact
subject: gay
subject: john
subject: beggars
subject: opera
subject: english
subject: literature
type: text
local mirror: gay-beggars-251.txt
concordance: http://infomotions.com/alex/cgi-bin/concordance.pl
plain html: gay-beggars-251.htm
sort title: Beggars Opera, The
full text: THE BEGGAR'S OPERA by JOHN GAY Transcribed by Richard Bear <RBEAR@OREGON.UOREGON.EDU> at the University of Oregon, August 1992. Originally published 1728, this is based on the printed text of 1765. Copyrighted annotations by Mr. Bear have been removed (please contact him if you are interested.) This text is in the PUBLIC DOMAIN, posted to Wiretap January 1994. =================================================================== T H E B E G G A R' S O P E R A. ------------------ Written by Mr. GAY ------------------ Nos haec novimus esse nihil. Mart. DRAMATIS PERSONAE ----------------- MEN Mr. Peachum. Lockit. Macheath. Filch. Jemmy Twitcher, } Crook-Finger'd Jack, } Wat Dreary, } Robin of Bagshot, } Nimming Ned, } Macheath's Gang. Harry Padington, } Mat of the Mint, } Ben Budge, } Beggar. Player. WOMEN Mrs. Peachum. Polly Peachum. Lucy Lockit. Diana Trapes. Mrs. Coaxer, } Dolly Trull, } Mrs. Vixen, } Betty Doxy, } Women of the Town. Jenny Diver, } Mrs. Slammekin, } Sukey Tawdrey, } Molly Brazen, } INTRODUCTION. BEGGAR, PLAYER Beggar. If Poverty be a Title to Poetry, I am sure nobody can dispute mine. I own myself of the Company of Beggars; and I make one at their Weekly Festivals at St. Giles's. I have a small Yearly Salary for my Catches, and am welcome to a Dinner there whenever I please, which is more than most Poets can say. PLAYER. As we live by the Muses, it is but a Gratitude in us to encourage Poetical Merit wherever we find it. The Muses, contrary to all other Ladies, pay no Distinction to Dress, and never partially mistake the Pertness of Embroidery for Wit, nor the Modesty of Want for Dulness. Be the Author who he will, we push his Play as far as it will go. So (though you are in Want) I wish you success heartily. BEGGAR. This piece I own was originally writ for the celebrating the Marriage of James Chanter and Moll Lay, two most excellent Ballad-Singers. I have introduced the Similes that are in all your celebrated Operas; The Swallow, the Moth, the Bee, …