“Theywerethreethousandfivehundredmen，ofwhomtheoldestcameshortoffiveandfortyyears，andtheyoungestwasabovetwenty。
Theywerealltallandwellmade，withlongblackhair，forthemostpartcurled，coatsofblackSpanishleather，withsleevesofvelvet，orclothofgold，clothbreecheswithgoldlace，mostofthemscarlet；
girdlesofvelvet，lacedwithgold，withtwopistolsoneachside；acutlasshangingatabelt，suitablytrimmed，threefingersbroadandtwofeetlong；ahawking-bagattheirgirdle，andapowder-flaskhungabouttheirneckwithagreatsilkriband。Someofthemcarriedfirelocks，andothersblunder-busses；theyhadallgoodshoes，withsilkstockings，andeveryoneacapofclothofgold，orclothofsilver，ofdifferentcolours，onhishead，whichwasverydelightfultotheeye。“
“TheBeggars’Opera，“inourowncountry，isanotherinstanceoftheadmirationthatthievesexciteuponthestage。Oftheextraordinarysuccessofthispiece，whenfirstproduced，thefollowingaccountisgiveninthenotesto“TheDunciad，“andquotedbyJohnsoninhis“LivesofthePoets。““Thispiecewasreceivedwithgreaterapplausethanwaseverknown。BesidesbeingactedinLondonsixty-threedayswithoutinterruption，andrenewedthenextseasonwithequalapplause，itspreadintoallthegreattownsofEngland；
wasplayedinmanyplacestothethirtiethandfortiethtime；atBathandBristol，&c。fifty。ItmadeitsprogressintoWales，Scotland，andIreland，whereitwasperformedtwenty-fourdayssuccessively。Theladiescarriedaboutwiththemthefavouritesongsofitinfans，andhouseswerefurnishedwithitinscreens。Thefameofitwasnotconfinedtotheauthoronly。ThepersonwhoactedPolly，tillthenobscure，becameallatoncethefavouriteofthetown；[LaviniaFenton，afterwardsDuchessofBolton。]herpictureswereengravedandsoldingreatnumbers；herlifewritten，booksoflettersandversestoherpublished，andpamphletsmadeevenofhersayingsandjests。