The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Beggar's Opera, by John Gay

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Title: The Beggar's Opera
to which is prefixed the Musick to each Song

Author: John Gay

Editor: Claud Lovat Fraser

Release Date: April 13, 2008 [EBook #25063]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BEGGAR'S OPERA ***

Produced by Louise Hope

[Transcriber's Note:

This e-text is based on the same printed edition as Project Gutenberg
e-text 2421. Readers who prefer a "cleaner", less cluttered-looking text
file may choose to use that version instead.

The "music" directory associated with the html version of this text
includes pdf and midi (sound) files for all Airs. More information is
at the end of this e-text.]

THE BEGGAR'S OPERA

[Illustration]

The
BEGGAR'S
OPERA.

WRITTEN by Mr. _GAY_.

To which is Prefixed the
MUSICK to each SONG.

[Decoration]

_Nos haec novimus esse nihil._ --MART.

LONDON:
William Heinemann
1921

_To J. G. and to G. L. F., without whom I should have been powerless,
do I dedicate my share in this book. C. L. F._

_Note.-- The Text here given is taken from the edition of 1765. The
scenes have been re-numbered in the modern method denoting actual
changes of place or intervals of time._

_First published September 1921_

_New Impression October 1921_

LIST OF THE PLATES

I. THE BEGGAR Frontispiece
II. MRS. PEACHUM To face page 6
III. POLLY PEACHUM " 18
IV. SCENE: A TAVERN NEAR NEWGATE " 28
V. CAPTAIN MACHEATH " 40
VI. LUCY LOCKIT " 56
VII. PEACHUM " 70
VIII. LOCKIT " 82

CLAUD LOVAT FRASER

That when I die this word may stand for me--
He had a heart to praise, an eye to see,
And beauty was his king.

Dead at the age of thirty-one after a sudden operation, Claud Lovat
Fraser was as surely a victim of the war as though he had fallen in
action. He was full of vigour for his work