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BLIND BEGGAR

OF BETHNAL GREEN.

SCENE I. The Beggar's House.

WELFORD alone.

Well. True, she is but a beggar's daughter, yet her person is lovely; and her amiable qualities such as might well befit a better station. The fame of her uncommon beauty is now spread round the country, and every day produces some new rival of my happiness. How can I hope her heart will continue mine, against so many, and such powerful competitors? But he, whom. I most fear, is Sir William Morley; and her letter to me concerning him has alarm'd me. But here she comes.

Enter BESSY.

Welf. Ah, Bessy! What is it you tell me? Surely you will not be so unkind!

Bessy. You ought not, Welford; you cannot justly accuse me of unkindness.

Welf. Is it not unkind, to tell me you will marry Sir William Morley?

Bessy. I will obey my father.

Welf. I am much afraid, Bessy, your duty to your father is not the only motive to your obedience in this affair. Sir William has wealth and titles to bestow.

Bessy. Now you are unkind, nay cruel, to think that any motive so mean as, that of interest or vanity, could have influence over me.

Welf. What can I think?

Bessy. Think on the situation I am in; think on my father. Can I leave him, blind and helpless, to struggle with infirmity and want, when it is in my power to make his old age comfortable and happy?

SONG.

The faithful Stork behold,
A duteous wing prepare,
Its sire, grown weak and old,
To feed with constant care:

Should I my father leave,

Grown old, and weak, and blind;
To think on Storks, would grieve
And shame my weaker mind. ·

Welf. That shall be no objection; no, Bessy, whilst these hands can work, he never shall know want: your father shall be mine; nay, dearer, a thousand times dearer to me than my own.

Bessy. Why can I not requite such faithful love? [Aside.] But, Welford, suppose my father names to me Sir William for a husband, would you have me so disobey or offend him as to marry another man? 'Tis true, he is but a poor man, a beggar, yet he is my father; and a good father he has been to me.

Welf. He is a good man: and if report say true, far from a common beggar.

Bessy. Sometimes, indeed, I myself suspect that he is not what he seems; and what principally induces me to it is the extraordinary care he has taken of my education, instructing me himself, and teaching me a thousand things above my sphere of life; and this is a further reason why I ought not to disobey him.

Welf. You shall not disobey him, I will not desire it. But, suppose it were possible for me to gain his consent?

Bessy. Then you have mine; for, believe me, Welford, I can propose no happiness to myself, if not with

you; and, should I marry Sir William, it is only because I chuse rather to make myself unhappy than my father.

Welf. Superior goodness! Surely he will not make you miserable, who are so afraid of making him so! And he is too wise to think all happiness confined to greatness.

SONG.

Observe the fragrant blushing Rose,
Tho' in the humble vale it spring,
It smells as sweet, as fair it blows,
As in the garden of a king:

So calm content as oft is found complete
In the low cot, as in the lofty seat.

I will go this instant to him, and try how far I can prevail. I hope your wishes will be in my favour.

Bessy. Go. I dare not wish, lest they should be too much so. For how strongly soever I may be determined to obey my father, I fear lest love should steal away my heart in spite of duty. [Exeunt.

SCENE II. Bethnal Green.

Enter the BLIND BEGGAR led in by a Boy.*

Beggar. So, boy, we are at our journey's end I find: come, stay by me, there's a good boy. Sing thine accustom'd song.

Boy. O yes. For, if it delights you to hear it, it delights me to sing it, and it often makes the passengers stop to listen to it, and then few pass on without giving us at least a trifle.

* See the Editor's Preface, p. 202.

SONG.

I.

Relieve a Beggar, blind and old,
Who charity doth crave;

Nor, stern, the friendly mite with-hold
To keep him from the grave.

II.

His rev'rend locks, as down they flow
In comely curls do wave;
See, on his aged temples grow
The blossoms of the grave.*

III.

To Heav'n his thanks and pray'r he'll raise
Your sight and wealth to save,

So that in peace and length of days

You sink into the grave.

J. P.

[During this Song Passengers enter and listen; and, the Song being done, some give money and pass on.]

A PASSENGER crosses the Stage.

Beggar. Pray remember the blind!

Pass. I have nothing for you, friend. One cannot stir a step without being plagued with the cant of beggars. 'Tis an infamous thing in a trading country, that the poor are not some way or other employed. [Exit.

Beggar. I am afraid that some of the rich are employed full as ill; and, what is still worse, the poor are not the only beggars. Wants, real or imaginary, reach all states; and, as some beg in rags, there are some not asham'd to beg even in lace and velvet. How large a proportion of mankind are beggars in some shape

*This stanza is taken from one which was repeated by Mr. GUTHRIE to BISHOP PERCY, as the only one which he remembered of a much older Ballad on the story of the Blind Beggar than that given by Bp. P. It is preserved in the Introduction to the Ballad.

or other! those only are scandalous ones, who beg by impudence what they should earn by merit.

SONG.

Let begging no longer be taunted,
If honest and free from offence;
Were each man to beg what he wanted,
How many would beggars commence!

Divines might apply for more grace,
Young soldiers for prudence might call;
And many that beg for a pension or place,
Might beg for some merit withal.

Enter a SECOND PASSENger.

Beggar. Pray, Sir! Old and blind

2nd. Pass. Indeed, friend, there are old and distressed enough about me, with whose distresses and honesty I am acquainted, to take all I can spare, without giving to casual beggars. [Exit.

Beggar. Alas! I doubt it not.*

Enter a THIRD PASSENGER.

Beggar. Pray remember the blind!

3 Pass. So, neighbour, you are got to your old seat this afternoon.

* In a Note to the Song of The Beggar Girl, printed in the third volume of my Collection, (p. 304) it is there said, that "The Edi"ditor does not, by any means, wish to inculcate alms-giving to "beggars as a general principle. On the contrary, he thinks that "the general rule should be not to give; but he, who makes-no ex"ceptions to this rule, as society is now circumstanced, will fail to "relieve many real objects of charity." In these sentiments (writ ten upwards of four years ago) still acquiesce; though I have heard many strong arguments for a more rigid conduct towards strol ling beggars, and wish to refer the reader to EDINGTON: A Novel. By RICHARD HEY, Esq. Vol. I. Ch. 11. in which the subject is placed in a very striking point of view.

In the present instance, real, or supposed, History is represented to the reader, or hearer; and the propriety of giving or withholding alms is recommended to his cousideration.

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