Transcribed from the 1922 William Heinemann (1765 text) edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org [Picture: Book cover] THE BEGGAR’S OPERA INTRODUCTION BEGGAR, PLAYER. BEGGAR. IF Poverty be a Title to Poetry, I am sure no-body 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 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 Chaunter_ 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_, the _Ship_, the _Flower_, &c. Besides, I have a Prison-Scene, which the Ladies always reckon charmingly pathetic. As to the Parts, I have observed such a nice Impartiality to our two Ladies, that it is impossible for either of them to take Offence. I hope I may be forgiven, that I have not made my Opera throughout unnatural, like those in vogue; for I have no Recitative; excepting this, as I have consented to have neither Prologue nor Epilogue, it must be allowed an Opera in all its Forms. The Piece indeed hath been heretofore frequently represented by ourselves in our Great Room at _St. Giles’s_, so that I cannot too often acknowledge your Charity in bringing it now on the Stage. _Player_. But I see it is time for us to withdraw; the Actors are preparing to begin. Play away the Overture. [_Exeunt_. OVERTURE ACT I. SCENE I. SCENE, Peachum’s _House_. Peachum _sitting at a Table with a large Book of Accounts before him_. AIR I. An old Woman clothed in Gray, &c. _Through all the Employments of Life_ _Each Neighbour abuses his Brother_; _Whore and Rogue they call Husband and Wife_: _All Professions be-rogue one another_: _The Priest calls the Lawyer a Cheat_, _The Lawyer be-knaves the Divine_: _And the Statesman_, _because he’s so great_, _Thinks his Trade as honest as mine_. A Lawyer is an honest Employment, so is mine. Like me too he acts in a double Capacity, both against Rogues and for ’em; for ’tis but fitting that we should protect and encourage Cheats, since we live by them.