26 OCTOBER 1974, Page 5

The Threepenny Election Sir: I'm surprised Basil Charles (October 14 )

didn't mention the full complement M Peachum's gang — Jemmy Twitcher, °Miming Ned, Harry Paddington and all. The list ends with Ben Budge, whom Gay (with the quaint orthography of the time) spells with one n. Ben is a sanctimonious fellow, always ready With statements like, 'We are for a just Partition of the world, for every man bath a right to enjoy life.' But he's a ,crook like the rest; and when Macheath ',ails, he gives Ben some apt 'advice — 'Look well to your self, for in all Probability you may live some months longer,' Pat Rogers ,Preswylf a, Llanerchymedd, Anglesey, "wYnedd