The Beggar’s Opera quotes

Whore and rogue they call husband and wife: All professions be-rogue one another: The priest calls the lawyer a cheat, The lawyer be-knaves the divine: And the statesman, because he’s so great, Thinks his trade as honest as mine.

A lawyer is an honest employment, so is mine.

Like me too he acts in a double capacity, both against rogues and for ’em; for ’tis but fitting that we should protect and encourage cheats, since we live by them.

If none of the gang take her off, she may, in the common course of business, live a twelvemonth longer.

I love to let women scape. A good sportsman always lets the hen partridges fly, because the breed of the game depends upon them.

Besides, here the law allows us no reward; there is nothing to be got by the death of women—except our wives.

If I am in the wrong, my dear, you must excuse me, for nobody can help the frailty of an over-scrupulous conscience.

Murder is as fashionable a crime as a man can be guilty of.

How many fine gentlemen have we in Newgate every year, purely upon that article! If they have wherewithal to persuade the jury to bring it in manslaughter, what are they the worse for it? So, my dear, have done upon this subject.

And what then? You would not be so mad to have the wench marry him!

Gamesters and highwaymen are generally very good to their whores, but they are very devils to their wives.

But if Polly should be in love, how should we help her, or how can she help herself? Poor girl, I am in the utmost concern about her.

Why must our Polly, forsooth, differ from her sex, and love only her husband? And why must Polly’s marriage, contrary to all observations, make her the less followed by other men?

All men are thieves in love, and like a woman the better for being another’s property.

Air V. Of all the simple things we do, etc.

Air V. Of all the simple things we do, etc.

A maid is like the golden ore, Which hath guineas intrinsical in’t,

Whose worth is never known before It is tried and impressed in the mint. A wife’s like a guinea in gold, Stampt with the name of her spouse; Now here, now there; is bought, or is sold; And is current in every house.

There are not many husbands and wives, who can bear the charges of plaguing one another in a handsome way. If you must be married, could you introduce nobody into our family but a highwayman?

Why, thou foolish jade, thou wilt be as ill-used, and as much neglected, as if thou hadst married a lord!

Let not your anger, my dear, break through the rules of decency, for the Captain looks upon himself in the military capacity, as a gentleman by his profession.

Air VIII. Grim king of the ghosts, etc.

Can love be controlled by advice? Will Cupid our mothers obey?

Though my heart were as frozen as ice, At his flame ’twould have melted away. When he kissed me so closely he pressed, ’Twas so sweet that I must have complied:

If she had only an intrigue with the fellow, why the very best families have excused and huddled up a frailty of that sort. ’Tis marriage, husband, that makes it a blemish.

But money, wife, is the true fuller’s earth for reputations, there is not a spot or a stain but what it can take out.

A rich rogue nowadays is fit company for any gentleman; and the world, my dear, hath not such a contempt for roguery as you imagine. I tell you, wife, I can make this match turn to our advantage.

Parting with him! Why, this is the whole scheme and intention of all marriage-articles. The comfortable estate of widowhood, is the only hope that keeps up a wife’s spirits.

Where is the woman who would scruple to be a wife, if she had it in her power to be a widow, whenever she pleased?

If you have any views of this sort, Polly, I shall think the match not so very unreasonable.

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.

Was this well done, Jenny?—

Women are decoy ducks; who can trust them!

Beasts, jades, jilts, harpies, furies, whores!

Does not man in marriage itself promise a hundred things that he never means to perform?

Do all we can, women will believe us; for they look upon a promise as an excuse for following their own inclinations.

—But here comes Lucy, and I cannot get from her.—Wou’d I were deaf!

Who accuses me?

He that attacks my honour, attacks my livelihood.

—And this usage—Sir—is not to be borne.

Learn to bear your husband’s death like a reasonable woman. ’Tis not the fashion, nowadays, so much as to affect sorrow upon these occasions.

No woman would ever marry, if she had not the chance of mortality for a release.

Act like a woman of spirit, hussy, and thank your father for what he is doing.

But if I could raise a small sum—Would not twenty guineas, think you, move him?—Of all the arguments in the way of business, the perquisite is the most prevailing—Your father’s perquisites for the escape of prisoners must amount to a considerable sum in the year.

Money well timed, and properly applied, will do anything.

If you at an office solicit your due, And would not have matters neglected; You must quicken the clerk with the perquisite too, To do what his duty directed.

Am I then bilked of my virtue? Can I have no reparation?

Sure men were born to lie, and women to believe them!

O villain! Villain!

Air XXXIV. Have you heard of a frolicksome ditty, etc.

How happy could I be with either, Were t’other dear charmer away!

But while you thus tease me together, To neither a word will I say; But tol de rol, etc.

but I’ll be even with him.—The dog is leaky in his liquor, so I’ll ply him that way, get the secret from him, and turn this affair to my own advantage.—Lions, wolves, and vultures don’t live together in herds, droves or flocks.—

Of all animals of prey, man is the only sociable one. Every one of us preys upon his neighbour, and yet we herd together.

—Peachum is my companion, my friend.—According to the custom of the world, indeed, he may quote thousands of precedents for cheating me—And shall not I make use of the privilege of friendship to make him a return.

How can I support this sight!

There is nothing moves one so much as a great man in distress.

Air LXVII. All you that must take a leap, etc.