_Macheath_. I shall wish myself with you. Success attend you.
AIR XX. March in _Rinaldo_, with Drums and Trumpets.
_Matt_. _Let us take the Road_. _Hark_! _I hear the Sound of Coaches_! _The Hour of Attack approaches_, _To your Arms_, _brave Boys_, _and load_. _See the Ball I hold_! _Let the Chymists toil like Asses_, _Our Fire their Fire surpasses_, _And turns all our Lead to Gold_.
[The Gang, rang’d in the Front of the Stage, load their Pistols, and stick them under their Girdles; then go off singing the first Part in Chorus.
_Macheath_. What a Fool is a fond Wench! _Polly_ is most confoundedly bit.—I love the Sex. And a Man who loves Money, might as well be contented with one Guinea, as I with one Woman. The Town perhaps have been as much obliged to me, for recruiting it with free-hearted Ladies, as to any Recruiting Officer in the Army. If it were not for us, and the other Gentlemen of the Sword, _Drury-Lane_ would be uninhabited.
AIR XXI. Would you have a young Virgin, &c.
_If the Heart of a Man is deprest with Cares_, _The Mist is dispell’d when a Woman appears_; _Like the Notes of a Fiddle_, _she sweetly_, _sweetly_ _Raises the Spirits_, _and charms our Ears_, _Roses and Lilies her Cheeks disclose_, _But her ripe Lips are more sweet than those_. _Press her_, _Caress her_, _With Blisses_, _Her Kisses_ _Dissolve us in Pleasure_, _and soft Repose_.
I must have Women. There is nothing unbends the Mind like them. Money is not so strong a Cordial for the Time. Drawer—[_Enter Drawer_.] Is the Porter gone for all the Ladies according to my Directions?
_Drawer_. I expect him back every Minute. But you know, Sir, you sent him as far as _Hockley in the Hole_ for three of the Ladies, for one in _Vinegar-Yard_, and for the rest of them somewhere about _Lewkner’s-Lane_. Sure some of them are below, for I hear the Bar-Bell. As they come I will shew them up. Coming, Coming.
_Enter Mrs._ Coaxer, Dolly Trull, _Mrs._ Vixen, Betty Doxy, Jenny Diver, _Mrs._ Slammekin, Suky Tawdry, _and_ Molly Brazen.
_Macheath_. Dear Mrs. _Coaxer_, you are welcome. You look charmingly to-day. I hope you don’t want the Repairs of Quality, and lay on Paint.—_Dolly Trull_! kiss me, you Slut; are you as amorous as ever, Hussy? You are always so taken up with stealing Hearts, that you don’t allow yourself Time to steal any thing else.—Ah _Dolly_, thou wilt ever be a Coquette! Mrs. _Vixen_, I’m yours, I always lov’d a Woman of Wit and Spirit; they make charming Mistresses, but plaguy Wives—_Betty Doxy_! Come hither, Hussy. Do you drink as hard as ever? You had better stick to good wholesom Beer; for in troth, _Betty_, Strong-Waters will in time ruin your Constitution. You should leave those to your Betters.—What! and my pretty _Jenny Diver_ too! As prim and demure as ever! There is not any Prude, though ever so high bred, hath a more sanctify’d Look, with a more mischievous Heart. Ah! thou art a dear artful Hypocrite.—Mrs. _Slammekin_! as careless and genteel as ever! all you fine Ladies, who know your own Beauty, affect an Undress.—But see, here’s _Suky Tawdry_ come to contradict what I was saying. Every thing she gets one way she lays out upon her Back. Why, _Suky_, you must keep at least a Dozen Tallymen. _Molly Brazen_! [_She kisses him_.] That’s well done. I love a free-hearted Wench. Thou hast a most agreeable Assurance, Girl, and art as willing as a Turtle.—But hark! I hear Music. The Harper is at the Door. _If Music be the Food of Love_, _play on_. Ere you seat yourselves, Ladies, what think you of a Dance? Come in. [_Enter Harper_.] Play the _French_ Tune, that Mrs. _Slammekin_ was so fond of.