_Peachum_, _Lockit_, Mrs. _Trapes_. _Peachum._ Dear Mrs. _Dye_, your Servant-- One may know by your Kiss, that your Ginn is excellent. _Mrs. Trapes._ I was always very curious in my Liquors. _Lockit._ There is no perfum'd Breath like it-- I have been long acquainted with the Flavour of those Lips-- Han't I, Mrs. _Dye_. _Mrs. Trapes._ Fill it up-- I take as large Draughts of Liquor, as I did of Love. --I hate a Flincher in either. AIR XLV. A Shepherd kept Sheep, &c. [Music] In the Days of my Youth I could bill like a Dove, _fa, la, la, &c._ Like a Sparrow at all times was ready for Love, _fa, la, la, &c._ The Life of all Mortals in Kissing should pass, Lip to Lip while we're young-- then the Lip to the Glass, _fa, la, &c._ But now, Mr. _Peachum_, to our Business. --If you have Blacks of any kind, brought in of late; Mantoes-- Velvet Scarfs-- Petticoats-- Let it be what it will-- I am your Chap-- for all my Ladies are very fond of Mourning. _Peachum._ Why, look ye, Mrs. _Dye_-- you deal so hard with us, that we can afford to give the Gentlemen, who venture their Lives for the Goods, little or nothing. _Mrs. Trapes._ The hard Times oblige me to go very near in my Dealing. --To be sure, of late Years I have been a great Sufferer by the Parliament. --Three thousand Pounds would hardly make me amends. --The Act for destroying the Mint, was a severe Cut upon our Business-- 'Till then, if a Customer stept out of the way-- we knew where to have her-- No doubt you know Mrs. _Coaxer_-- there's a Wench now ('till to-day) with a good Suit of Clothes of mine upon her Back, and I could never set Eyes upon her for three Months together. --Since the Act too against Imprisonment for small Sums, my Loss there too hath been very considerable, and it must be so, when a Lady can borrow a handsom Petticoat, or a clean Gown, and I not have the least Hank upon her! And, o' my Conscience, now-a-days most Ladies take a Delight in cheating, when they can do it with Safety. _Peachum._ Madam, you had a handsom Gold Watch of us 'tother Day for seven Guineas. --Considering we must have our Profit. --To a Gentleman upon the Road, a Gold Watch will be scarce worth the taking. _Mrs. Trapes._ Consider, Mr. _Peachum_, that Watch was remarkable, and not of very safe Sale. --If you have any black Velvet Scarfs-- they are a handsom Winter-wear, and take with most Gentlemen who deal with my Customers. --'Tis I that put the Ladies upon a good Foot. 'Tis not Youth or Beauty that fixes their Price. The Gentlemen always pay according to their Dress, from half a Crown to two Guineas; and yet those Hussies make nothing of bilking of me. --Then too, allowing for Accidents. --I have eleven fine Customers now down under the Surgeon's Hands-- what with Fees and other Expenses, there are great Goings-out, and no Comings in, and not a Farthing to pay for at least a Month's Clothing. --We run great Risques-- great Risques indeed.