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."
"[pg 80]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