The Beggars Opera | Page 5

Death; I always leave those Affairs to you. Women indeed are bitter
bad Judges in these cases, for they are so partial to the Brave that they
think every Man handsome who is going to the Camp or the Gallows.
AIR III. Cold and raw, &c.
If any Wench Venus's Girdle wear, Though she be never so ugly; Lilies
and Roses will quickly appear, And her Face look wond'rous smugly.
Beneath the left Ear so fit but a Cord, (A Rope so charming a Zone is!)
The Youth in his Cart hath the Air of a Lord, And we cry, There dies an
Adonis!
But really, Husband, you should not be too hard-hearted, for you never
had a finer, braver set of Men than at present. We have not had a
Murder among them all, these seven Months. And truly, my Dear, that
is a great Blessing.
PEACHUM. What a dickens is the Woman always a whimpring about
Murder for? No Gentleman is ever look'd upon the worse for killing a
Man in his own Defence; and if Business cannot be carried on without
it, what would you have a Gentleman do?
MRS. PEACHUM. If I am in the wrong, my Dear, you must excuse me,
for no body can help the Frailty of an over-scrupulous Conscience.
PEACHUM. Murder is as fashionable a Crime as a Man can be guilty
of. How many fine Gentlemen have we in Newgate every Year, purely
upon that Article! If they have wherewithal to persuade the Jury to
bring it in Manslaughter, what are they the worse for it? So, my Dear,
have done upon this Subject. Was Captain Macheath here this Morning,
for the Bank-Notes he left with you last Week?

MRS. PEACHUM. Yes, my Dear; and though the Bank hath stopt
Payment, he was so chearful and so agreeable! Sure there is not a finer
Gentleman upon the Road than the Captain! if he comes from Bagshot
at any reasonable Hour, he hath promis'd to make one this Evening
with Polly and me, and Bob Booty at a Party of Quadrille. Pray, my
Dear, is the Captain rich?
PEACHUM. The Captain keeps too good Company ever to grow rich.
Marybone and the Chocolate-houses are his Undoing. The Man that
proposes to get Money by play should have the Education of a fine
Gentleman, and be train'd up to it from his Youth.
MRS. PEACHUM. Really, I am sorry upon Polly's Account the
Captain hath not more Discretion. What Business hath he to keep
Company with Lords and Gentlemen? he should leave them to prey
upon one another.
PEACHUM. Upon Polly's Account! What, a Plague, does the Woman
mean?--Upon Polly's Account!
MRS. PEACHUM. Captain Macheath is very fond of the Girl.
PEACHUM. And what then?
MRS. PEACHUM. If I have any Skill in the Ways of Women, I am
sure Polly thinks him a very pretty Man.
PEACHUM. And what then? You would not be so mad to have the
Wench marry him! Gamesters and Highwaymen are generally very
good to their Whores, but they are very Devils to their Wives.
MRS. PEACHUM. But if Polly should be in Love, how should we help
her, or how can she help herself? Poor Girl, I am in the utmost Concern
about her.
AIR IV. Why is your faithful Slave disdain'd? &c.
If Love the Virgin's Heart invade, How, like a Moth, the simple Maid
Still plays about the Flame! If soon she be not made a Wife, Her
Honour's sing'd, and then for Life, She's--what I dare not name.
PEACHUM. Look ye, Wife. A handsome Wench in our way of
Business is as profitable as at the Bar of a Temple Coffee-House, who
looks upon it as her livelihood to grant every Liberty but one. You see I
would indulge the Girl as far as prudently we can. In any thing, but
Marriage! After that, my Dear, how shall we be safe? Are we not then
in her Husband's Power? For a Husband hath the absolute Power over
all a Wife's Secrets but her own. If the Girl had the Discretion of a

Court-Lady, who can have a Dozen young Fellows at her Ear without
complying with one, I should not matter it; but Polly is Tinder, and a
Spark will at once set her on a Flame. Married! If the Wench does not
know her own Profit, sure she knows her own Pleasure better than to
make herself a Property! My Daughter to me should be, like a
Court-Lady to a Minister of State, a Key to the whole Gang. Married! If
the Affair is not already done, I'll terrify her from it, by the Example of
our Neighbours.
MRS. PEACHUM. May-hap, my Dear, you may injure the Girl. She
loves to imitate the fine