en comes his wife, Esther Steady, home from
the market, between whom and her husband there is a pithy dialogue.
Captain Riches and Captain Poverty then meet, without rancour, however,
and have a long discourse about the providence of God, whose agents they
own themselves to be. Enter then an old worthless scoundrel called
Diogyn Trwstan, or Luckless Lazybones, who is upon the parish, and who,
in a very entertaining account of his life, confesses that he was never
good for anything, but was a liar and an idler from his infancy. Enter
again the Miser along with poor Lowry, who asks the Miser for meal and
other articles, but gets nothing but threatening language. There is then
a very edifying dialogue between Mr Contemplation and Mr Truth, who, when
they retire, are succeeded on the stage by the Miser and John the
Tavern-keeper. The publican owes the Miser money, and begs that he will
be merciful to him. The Miser, however, swears that he will be satisfied
with nothing but bond and judgment on his effects. The publican very
humbly says that he will go to a friend of his in order to get the bond
made out; almost instantly comes the Fool who reads an inventory of the
publican's effects. The Miser then sings for very gladness, because
everything in the world has hitherto gone well with him; turning round,
however, what is his horror and astonishment to behold Mr Death, close by
him. Death hauls the Miser away, and then appears the Fool to moralise
and dismiss the audience.

The appropriate explanations mentioned in the title are given in various
songs which the various characters sing after describing themselves, or
after dialogues with each other. The announcement that the whole
exposition, etc., will be after the rule of the four elements, is rather
startling; the dialogue, however, between Captain Riches and Captain
Poverty shows that Tom was equal to his subject, and promised nothing
that he could not perform.

_Enter_ CAPTAIN POVERTY

O Riches, thy figure is charming and bright,
And to speak in thy praise all the world doth delight,
But I'm a poor fellow all tatter'd and torn,
Whom all the world treateth with insult and scorn.

RICHES

However mistaken the judgment may be
Of the world which is never from ignorance free,
The parts we must play, which to us are assign'd,
According as God has enlightened our mind.