Enlightenment

The opening song in Polly (1729)

The manners of the great affect;
Stint not your pleasure :
If conscience had their genius checkt,
How got they treasure ?
The more in debt, run in debt the more,
Careless who is undone
Morals and honesty leave to the poor,
As they do at London

The music for the opera was selected from old ballads by Johann Christoph Pepusch (1667-1752), a German-born composer who spent most of his working life in England.

Gay (John), Polly: An Opera. 4to. London, 1742.
[P.15(15)]
Former owner: David Hughes (1727-77