I can't find in my heart to have a hand in his death. I with you could have made Polly undertake it. Mrs. Peach. But in cafe of neceffity, our own lives are in danger. Peach. Then, indeed, we must comply with the cuftoms of the world, and make gratitude give way to intereft- -He fhall be taken off. Mrs. Peach. I'll undertake to manage Polly. Now, I'm a wretch, indeed-Methinks I fee him already in the cart, fweeter and more lovely than the nosegay in his hand!-I hear the crowd extolling his refolution and intrepidity!What vollies of fighs are fent from the windows of Holborn, that fo comely a youth fhould be brought to difgrace!-I see him at the tree! The whole circle are in tears!-Even butchers weep!-Jack Ketch himself hefitates to perform his duty, and would be glad to lose his fee, by a reprieve. What then will become of Polly! As yet I may inform him of their defign, and aid him in his escape-It fhall be fo-But then he flies, abfents himself, and I bar myself from his dear, dear converfation! That too will diftract me- -If he keeps out of the way, my Papa and Mamma may in time relent, and we may be happy-If he stays, he is hang'd, and then he is loft for ever!He intended to lie conceal'd in my room, till the dusk of the evening: if they are abroad, I'll this inftant let him out, left fome accident should prevent him. Mach. [Exit and returns. SCENE XIII. Polly, Macheath. AIR XIV. Pretty Parrot fay Pretty Polly, fay, When I was away, Did your fancy never stray, Polly. Polly. Without difguife, Heaving fighs, My conftant heart discover. Mach. O pretty, pretty Poll. Polly. And are you as fond as ever, my dear? Mach. Sufpect my honour, my courage, fufpect any thing but my love-May my piftols mifs fire, and my mare flip her shoulder while I am pursu'd, if I ever forfake thee! Polly. Nay, my dear, I have no reason to doubt you, for I find in the romance you lent me, none of the heroes were ever falfe in love. Mach. 3 AIR XV. Pray, Fair-one be kind—---- My heart was fo free, It rov'd like the bee, 'Till Polly my paffion requited. I chang'd ev'ry hour, But bere ev'ry flower is united. great Polly. Were you fentenced to tranfportation, fure, my dear, you could not leave me behind you could you? Mach. Is there any power, any force that could tear me from thee? You might fooner tear a penfion out of the hands of a courtier, a fee from a lawyer, a pretty woman from a looking-glafs or any woman from Qua drille-But to tear me from thee is impoffible! Polly. AIR XVI. Over the hills and far away. Were I laid on Greenland's coaft, Too foon the half year's night would pass. Soon as the burning day was clos'd, I could mock the fultry toil, When on my charmer's breaft repos'd. Mach. Mach. Polly. Polly. And I would love you all the day, Yes, I would go with thee. But oh!-how fhall I Mach. How! Part! Polly. We muft, we muft-My Papa and Mamma are fet against thy life. They now, ev'n now are in fearch after thee. They are preparing evidence against thee. Thy life depends upon a moment. AIR XVII. Gin thou wert mine awn thing O what pain it is to part! Can I leave thee, can I leave thee! O what pain it is to part! Thus I tear thee from my bleeding heart! One kifs and then-one kifs, begone-farewell. Polly. But my Papa may intercept thee, and then I fhould lose the very glimmering of hope. A few weeks, perhaps, may reconcile us all. Shall thy Polly hear from thee? Mach. Muft I then go ? 1 Polly. And will not abfence change your love? Mach. If you doubt it let me ftay and be hang'd. Polly. Oh, how I fear! How I tremble !-Go-but when fafety will give you leave, you will be fure to see me again; for till then Polly is wretched, ६ AIR XVIII. O the broom, &c. Mach. The mifer thus a fhilling fees, Which he's oblig'd to pay, With fighs refigns it by degrees, Polly. Polly. The boy, thus, when his fparrow's flown, But foon as out of fight 'tis gone, Whines, whimpers, fobs, and cries. [Parting and looking at each other with fondness he at one door, fhe at the other. ACT II. SCENE I. A tavern near Newgate. Jemmy Twitcher, Crook-finger'd Jack, Wat Dreary, Robin of Bagihot, Nimming Ned, Henry Padington, Matt of the Mint, Ben Budge, and the rest of the gang, at the table, with wine, brandy and tobacco. Ben. UT prithee, Matt, what is become of thy Brother Tom? I have not seen him fince my return from transportation. Matt. Poor Brother Tom bad an accident this time twelve month, and fo clever a made fellow he was, that I could not fave him from thofe fleaing rafcals the furgeons; and now, poor man, he is among the otamies at Surgeons Hall. Ben. So it feems, his time was come. Fem. But the prefent time is ours, and no body alive hath more. Why are the laws levell'd at us? Are we more dishoneft than the reft of mankind? What we win, gentlemen, is our own by the laws of armis, and the right of conqueft. Crook. Where fhall we find fuch another fet of prac tical philofophers, who to a man are above the fear of death! Wat. Sound men and true! Robin. Of try'd courage, and indefatigable induftry! Ned. Who is there here that would not die for his friend? Harry. Who is there here that would betray him for his intereft? Matt. Show me a gang of courtiers that can fay as much. Ben. We are for a juft partition of the world, for every man hath a right to enjoy life. Matt. We retrench the fuperfluities of mankind. The world is avaritious, and I hate avarice. A covetous fellow, like a Jack-daw, fteals what he was never made to enjoy, for the fake of hiding it. These are the robbers of mankind, for money was made for the free-hearted and generous, and where is the injury of taking from another what he hath not the heart to make use of? Jem. Our feveral ftations for the day are fixt. luck attend us all. Fill the glaffes. AIR XIX. Fill ev'ry glafs, &c. Matt. Fill ev'ry glass, for wine inspires us, With courage, love and joy; SCENE II. To them enter Macheath. Good Mach. Gentlemen, well met. My heart hath been with you this hour; but an unexpected affair hath detain'd me. No ceremony, I beg you. Matt. We were juft breaking up to go upon duty. Am I to have the honour of taking the air with you, fir, this evening upon the heath? I drink a dram now and then with the ftage-coach-men in the way of friendship and intelligence; and I know that about this time there will be paffengers upon the western road, who are worth speaking with. Mach. I was to have been of that party-but- Mach. Is there any man who fufpects my courage? Mach. My honour and truth to the gang! Matt. I'll be anfwerable for it. Mach. In the divifion of our booty, have I ever fhown the least marks of avarice or injuftice? |