education perhaps may make her at first think it fomewhat odd. But this I can affirm with a fafe confcience, that many a lady of quality have fervants of this fort in their families, and you can afford an expence as well as the best of them.

Ducat. I have a fortune, Mrs. Trapes, and would fain make a fashionable figure in life; if we can agree upon the price I'll take her into the family.

Trapes. I am glad to fee you fling yourself into the polite tafte with a spirit. Few, indeed, have the turn or talents to get money but fewer know how to spend it handsomely after they have got it. The elegance of luxury confifts in variety, and love requires it as much as any of our appetites and paffions, and there is a time of life when a man's appetite ought to be whetted by a delicacy.

Ducat. Nay, Mrs. Trapes, now you are too hard upon me. Sure, you cannot think me fuch a clown as to be really in love with my wife! We are not fo ignorant here as you imagine; why, I married her in a reasonable way, only for her money.

AIR III. Noel Hills.

He that weds a beauty
Soon will find ber clay;
When pleasure grows a duty,
Farewell love and joy:
He that weds for treasure
(Though he bath a wife)
Hath chofe one lafting pleasure
In a married life.

Enter Damaris.

Damaris, [calling at the door] Damaris, I charge you not to ftir from the door, and the instant you fee your lady at a distance, returning from her walk, be fure to give me notice.

Trapes. She is in moft charming rigging; he won't coft you a penny, fir, in cloaths at firft fetting out. But, alack-a-day! no bargain could ever thrive with dry lips a glafs of liquor makes every thing go fo glibly.

Ducat,

Ducat. Here, Damaris; a glass of rum for Mrs. Dye. [Damaris goes out and returns with a bottle and glass. Trapes. But as I was faying, fir, I would not part with her to any body alive but yourfelf; for, to be fure, I could turn her to ten times the profit by jobs and chance customers. Come, fir, here's to the young lady's health.

Enter Flimzy.

Trapes. Well, Flimzy; are all the ladies fafely landed, and have you done as I order'd you?

Flimzy. Yes, madam. The three ladies for the run of the house are fafely lodged at home; the other is without in the hall to wait your commands. She is a moft delicious creature, that's certain. Such lips, fuch eyes, and fuch flesh and blood! If you had her in London you could not fail of the custom of all the foreign minifters. As I hope to be faved, madam, I was forced to tell her ten thousand lies before I could prevail upon her to come with me. Oh fir, you are the moft lucky, happy man in the world! Shall I go

call her in ?

Trapes. 'Tis neceflary for me firft to inftruct her in her duty and the ways of the family. The girl is bashfu! and modest, so I must beg leave to prepare her by a little private converfation; and afterwards, fir, I fhall leave you to your private converfations.

Flimzy. But I hope, fir, you won't forget poor Flimey; for the richest man alive could not be more fcrupulous than I am upon thefe occafions, and the bribe only can make me excufe it to my confcience. hope, fir, you will pardon my freedom.

[He gives her money.

AIR IV. Sweetheart, think upon me.

My confcience is of courtly mold,

Fit for higheft ftation.

Where's the band, when touch'd with gold,
Proof against temptation?

[Ex. Flimzy.

Ducat. We can never fufficiently encourage fuch ufeful qualifications. You will let me know when

you

I

are ready for me.

[Exit. Trapes.

Trapes. I wonder I am not more wealthy; for, o' my con:cience, I have as few fcruples as thofe that are ten thousand times as rich. But, alack-a-day! I am forced to play at fmall game. I now and then betray and ruin an innocent girl. And what of that? Can I in confcience expect to be equally rich with thofe who betray and ruin provinces and countries? In troth, all their great fortunes are owing to fituation; as for genius and capacity I can match them to a hair: were they in my circumftance, they would act like me; were I in theirs, I fhould be rewarded as a most profound penetrating politician.

AIR V. 'Twas within a furlong.

In pimps and politicians

The genius is the fame;

Both raife their own conditions

On others guilt and shame:
With a tongue well-tipt with lyes
Each the want of parts fupplies,
And with a heart that's all disguise,
Keeps bis fchemes unknown,
Seducing as the devil,

They play the tempter's part,
And hawe, when most they're civil,
Moft mifchief in their heart.

Each a Jecret commerce drives,

Firft corrupts and then connives,

And by his neighbours vices thrives ;
For they are all his own.

Enter Flimzy and Polly.

Trapes. Blefs my eye-fight! what do I fee? I am in a dream, or it is mifs Polly Peachum ! mercy upon me, child, what brought you on this fide of the water?

Polly. Love, madam, and the misfortunes of our family. But I am equally furprized to find an acquaintance here; you cannot be ignorant of my unhappy ftory, and perhaps from you, Mrs. Dye, I may receive fome information that may be useful to me.

Trapes. You need not be much concern'd, mifs Polly, at a sentence of tranfportation, for a young lady of your

your beauty hath wherewithal to make her fortune in

any country.

Polly. Pardon me, madam; you mistake me. Tho' I was educated among the mott profligate in low-life, I never engaged in my father's affairs as a thief or thief-catcher, for indeed I abhorr'd his profellion. Would my papa had never taken it up, he then still had been alive, and I had never known Macheath!

AIR VI. Sortez des vos retraites.
She who bath felt a real pain

By Cupid's dart,

Finds that all absence is in vain

To cure her heart.

Though from my lover caft.

Far as from pole to pole,
Still the pure flame muft laft,
For love is in the foul.

You must have heard, madam, that I was unhappy in my marriage. When Macheath was tranfported, all my peace was banith'd with him; and my papa's death hath now given me liberty to purfue my inclinations.

Trapes. Good lack-a-day! poor Mr. Peachum! Death was fo much obliged to him, that I wonder he did not allow him a reprieve for his own fake. Truly, I think he was obliged to no-body more, except the physicians: but they die it seems too. Death is very impartial; he takes all alike, friends and foes.

Polly. Every monthly feffions-paper, like the apothecary's files (if I may make the comparison) was a record of his fervices. But my papa kept company with gentlemen, and ambition is catching. He was in too much hafte to be rich. I with all great men would take warning. "Tis now feven months fince my papa was hang'd.

Trapes. This will be a great check indeed to your men of enterprizing genius; and it will be unfafe to push at making a great fortune, if fuch accidents grow But fure, child, you are not fo mad as to think of following Macheath.

common.

Polly. In following him I am in purfuit of my quiet. I love him; and, like a troubled ghost, shall never be

at

at reft till I appear to him. If I can receive any information of him from you, it will be a cordial to a wretch in despair.

Trapes. My dear mifs Polly, you must not think of it. 'Tis now above a year and a half fince he robb'd his mafter, ran away from the plantation, and turn'd pirate. Then too what puts you beyond all poffibility of redrefs, is, that fince he came over he married a tranfported flave, one Jenny Diver, and she is gone off with him. You must give over all thoughts of him, for he is a very devil to our fex; not a woman of the greatest vivacity fhifts her inclinations half fo faft as he can. Befides, he would difown you; for, like an upftart, he hates an old acquaintance. I am forry to fee those tears, child, but I love you too well to flatter you. Polly. Why have I a heart fo conftant? cruel love! AIR VII. O Waly, Waly, up the bank. Farewell, farewell, all hopes of bliss! For Polly always must be thine. Shall then my heart be never bis, Which never can again be mine? O love, you play a cruel part, Thy fhaft ftill fefters in the wound; You should reward a conftant heart, Since 'tis, alas, fo seldom found!

Trapes. I tell you once again, mifs Polly, you muft think no more of him. You are like a child who is crying after a butterfly, that is hopping and fluttering upon every flower in the field; there is not a woman that comes in his way, but he must have a taste of; besides, there is no catching him. But, my dear girl, I hope you took care, at your leaving England, to bring off wherewithal to fupport you."

Polly. Since he is loft, I am infenfible of every other misfortune. I brought indeed a fum of money with me, but my cheft was broke open at sea, and I am now a wretched vagabond exposed to hunger and want, unless charity relieve me.

Trapes. Poor child! your father and I have had great dealings together, and I fhall be grateful to his memory. I will look upon you as my daughter; you fhall be with me,

Polly.