ath.
Very sound was the judgment of Rich, immortalised by Pope in "The
Dunciad" (Book III, lines 261-264):--

Immortal Rich! how calm he sits at ease,
'Midst snows of paper, and fierie tale of pease;
And proud his Mistress's orders to perform,
Rides in the whirlwind, and directs the storm;

and the opera, to repeat a well-known _mot_ of the day, "made Gay
rich and Rich gay."

"The Beggar's Opera" was produced on January 29th, 1728, with the
following cast:--

_Peachum_ ... ... ... ... ... MR. HIPPISLEY
_Lockit_ ... ... ... ... ... MR. HALL
_Macheath_ ... ... ... ... ... MR. WALKER
_Filch_ ... ... ... ... ... MR. CLARK
_Jemmy Twitcher_... ... ... ... MR. H. BULLOCK
_Mrs. Peachum_ ... ... ... ... MRS. MARTIN
_Polly Peachum_ ... ... ... ... Miss FENTON
_Lucy Lockit_ ... ... ... ... MRS. EGLETON
_Diana Trapes_ ... ... ... ... MRS. MARTIN

At the first performance the fate of the opera hung for some time in the
balance. Quin is recorded as having said that there was a disposition to
damn it, and that it was saved by the song, "O ponder well! be not
severe!" the audience being much affected by the innocent looks of
Polly, when she came to those two lines which exhibit at once a painful
and ridiculous image--

O ponder well! be not severe!
For on the Rope that hangs my Dear
Depends poor Polly's Life.[6]

Pope, too, and the rest of Gay's friends were present. "We were all at
the first night of it, in great uncertainty of the event; till we were
very much encouraged by hearing the Duke of Argyll, who sat in the
next box to us, say: "It will do--it must do!--I see it in the eyes of
them," he said. "This was a good while before the first act was over,
and so gave us ease soon; for the Duke (besides his own good taste)
has a more particular knack than any one now living, in discovering
the taste of the public. He was quite right in this, as usual, the
good nature of the audience appeared stronger and stronger every set,
and ended in a clamour of applause."[7]

The success of the opera was due to many causes. Some liked it for its
barely veiled allusions on politicians. "Robin of Bagshot, _alias_
Gorgon, _alias_ Bluff Bob, _alias_ Carbuncle, _alias_ Bob Booty," was
very obviously intended for Walpole and his "dear charmers" for his
wife and Molly Skerrett. It may well be believed that the song, "How
happy could I be with either" brought down the house; and the
highwayman