Wit and Mirth: or Pills to Purge Melancholy, Vol. 5 of 6

Volume five of this six‑part anthology gathers a lively mix of songs, verses and stage pieces that once entertained London audiences in the early 1700s. Set to music by leading composers such as John Blow and Henry Purcell, each number pairs witty lyrics with melodies that still sparkle when rendered in modern MIDI files. The text preserves original spelling and punctuation, offering a genuine taste of early‑modern English humor.

The collection swings from cheeky love‑songs and pastoral sketches to sharp political jabs and rib‑tickling epilogues, each maintaining a light‑hearted tone that invites listeners to linger on clever wordplay and lively rhythms. Arranged alphabetically, you can wander from “Bonny Peggy Ramsey” to “A Pox on those Fools” at will. Accompanying MIDI tracks let you hear the tunes as they were intended, while the printed lyrics remain fully accessible, making this volume a charming window onto the theatrical flair of a bygone age.