The Beggar's Opera
by John Gay
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About This Book
‘Whore and rogue they call husband and wife:All professions be-rogue one another'The tale of Peachum, thief-taker and informer, conspiring to send the dashing and promiscuous highwayman Macheath to the gallows, became the theatrical sensation of the eighteenth century. In The Beggar’s Opera, John Gay turned conventions of Italian opera riotously upside-down, instead using traditional popular ballads and street tunes, while also indulging in political satire at the expense of the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole. Gay’s highly original depiction of the thieves, informers, prostitutes and highw...
Chapters (79)
- THE BEGGAR’S OPERA
- INTRODUCTION
- ACT I. SCENE I.
- AIR I. An old Woman clothed in Gray, &c.
- AIR II. The bonny gray-ey’d Morn, &c.
- AIR III. Cold and raw, &c.
- AIR IV. Why is your faithful Slave disdain’d? &c.
- AIR V. Of all the simple Things we do, &c.
- AIR VI. What shall I do to shew how much I love her, &c.
- AIR VII. Oh London is a fine Town.
- AIR VIII. Grim King of the Ghosts, &c.
- AIR IX. O Jenny, O Jenny, where hast thou been.
- AIR X. Thomas, I cannot, &c.
- AIR XI. A Soldier and a Sailor.
- AIR XII. Now ponder well, ye Parents dear.
- AIR XIII. Le printems rapelle aux armes.
- AIR XIV. Pretty Parrot, say—
- AIR XV. Pray, Fair one, be kind—
- AIR XVI. Over the Hills and far away.
- AIR XVII. Gin thou wert mine awn thing—
- AIR XVIII. O the Broom, &c.
- ACT II. SCENE I.
- AIR XIX. Fill every Glass, &c.
- AIR XX. March in Rinaldo, with Drums and Trumpets.
- AIR XXI. Would you have a young Virgin, &c.
- AIR XXII. Cotillon.
- AIR XXIII. All in a misty Morning, &c.
- AIR XXIV. When first I laid Siege to my Chloris, &c.
- SCENE II. Newgate.
- AIR XXV. Courtiers, Courtiers, think it no Harm, &c.
- AIR XXVI. A lovely Lass to a Friar came, &c.
- AIR XXVII. ’Twas when the Sea was roaring, &c.
- AIR XXVIII. The Sun had loos’d his weary Teams, &c.
- AIR XXIX. How happy are we, &c.
- AIR XXX. Of a noble Race was Shenkin.
- AIR XXXI.
- AIR XXXII. London Ladies.
- AIR XXXIII. All in the Downs, &c.
- AIR XXXIV. Have you heard of a frolicksome Ditty, &c.
- AIR XXXV. Irish Trot.
- AIR XXXVI.
- AIR XXXVII. Good-morrow, Gossip Joan.
- AIR XXXVIII. Irish Howl.
- SCENE III. The Same.
- AIR XXXIX. The Lass of Patie’s Mill, &c.
- ACT III. SCENE I.
- AIR XL. If Love’s a sweet Passion, &c.
- AIR XLI. South-Sea Ballad.
- AIR XLII. Packington’s Pound.
- SCENE II. A Gaming-House.
- AIR XLIII. Lillibullero.
- SCENE III. Peachum’s Lock.
- AIR XLIV. Down in the North Country, &c.
- AIR XLV. A Shepherd kept Sheep, &c.
- SCENE IV. Newgate.
- AIR XLVI. One Evening, having lost my Way, &c.
- AIR XLVII. Now Roger, I’ll tell thee because thou ’rt my Son.
- AIR XLVIII. O Bessy Bell.
- AIR XLIX. Would Fate to me Belinda give.
- AIR L. Come, sweet Lass.
- AIR LI. The last time I went o’er the Moor.
- AIR LII. Tom Tinker’s my true Love.
- AIR LIII. I am a poor Shepherd undone.
- AIR LIV. Ianthe the lovely, &c.
- AIR LV. A Cobler there was, &c.
- AIR LVI. Bonny Dundee.
- SCENE V. The Condemn’d Hold.
- AIR LVII. Happy Groves.
- AIR LVIII. Of all the Girls that are so smart.
- AIR LIX. Britons strike home.
- AIR LX. Chevy Chase.
- AIR LXI. To old Sir Simon the King.
- AIR LXII. Joy to Great Cæsar.
- AIR LXIII. There was an old Woman.
- AIR LXIV. Did you ever hear of a gallant Sailor.
- AIR LXV. Why are mine Eyes still flowing.
- AIR LXVI. Green Sleeves.
- AIR LXVII. All you that must take a Leap, &c.
- AIR LXVIII. Lumps of Pudding, &c.
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