THE BLIND BEGGAR OF BETHNAL GREEN. A MUSICAL AFTER-PIECE. FIRST ACTED AT THE THEATRE-ROYAL in DRURY-LANE, IN THE YEAR 1739. WRITTEN BY ROBERT DODSLEY. P THE EDITOR'S PREFACE. ALTHO LTHOUGH THE BLIND BEGGAR OF BETHNAL GREEN was not announced in the Editor's PROPOSALS, yet he trusts there can be no objection to his introducing it in this volume, as there is room for it, and as the piece has merit; and it completes the number of Dodsley's Afterpieces which are admissible on the stage. It is no small degree of praise to him, that, of five After-Pieces which he brought upon the stage, four of them are worthy of preservation. The fifth, The Triumph of Peace, I have never seen; and, whatever might be its merit when first produced, it is mentioned as, in its nature, merely temporary. The Ballad on which this is founded is in the second volume of Percy's Reliques, under the title of The Beggar's Daughter of Bednall Green, written in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The story is briefly this. A blind Beggar lives on Bethnal Green with his wife and daughter Bessy, who has many admirers of her beauty, but she is despised by the parents of her suitors, on account of her being a Beggar's daughter. Bessy in sorrow gains her parents' consent to leave them, and obtains a place at the Queen's Arms at Rumford. Here she makes every one her friend by her conduct, and has in particular four suitors, a knight, a gentleman, a mer chant, and her master's son, who all make great offers and professions of love. She says she will be guided in her choice by her father; and, on her declaring that he is the blind Beggar of Bethnal-Green, the knight abides by his choice, while the other three declare off from the match. His kinsmen, however, object to the match; THOUGH THE BLINDI not announced in the there can be no ob lame, as there is ro ; and it completes th which are admissibl of praise to him, t ought upon the stage nation. The fifth, ever seen; and, wh produced, it is menti he Ballad on which t particular four suitor. E EDITOR's PREFACE. THE BLIND BEGGAR OF BETHNAL GREEN unced in the Editor's PROPOSALS, yet he an be no objection to his introducing it in as there is room for it, and as the piece has - completes the number of Dodsley's Afterare admissible on the stage. It is no small Lise to him, that, of five After-Pieces which pon the stage, four of them are worthy of The fifth, The Triumph of Peace, I een; and, whatever might be its merit when d, it is mentioned as, in its nature, merely d on which this is founded is in the second Beggar lives on Bethnal Green with his wife 1400 |