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courteous thief。 Now； one morning at five of the clock； he robbed a
gentleman near Barnet of 560； and riding straight for York； he
appeared on the Bowling Green at six in the evening。 Being presently
recognised by his victim； he was apprehended； and at the trial which
followed he pleaded a triumphant alibi。 But vanity was too strong for
discretion； and no sooner was Swiftnicks out of danger； than he boasted； as
well he might； of his splendid courage。 Forthwith he appeared a popular
hero； obtained a commission in Lord Moncastle's regiment； and married a
fortune。 And then came Turpin to filch his glory！ Nor need Turpin
have stooped to a vicarious notoriety； for he possessed a certain rough；
half conscious humour； which was not despicable。 He purchased a new
fustian coat and a pair of pumps； in which to be hanged； and he hired five
poor men at ten shillings the day； that his death might not go unmourned。
Above all； he was distinguished in prison。 A crowd thronged his cell to
identify him； and one there was who offered to bet the keeper half a guinea
that the prisoner was not Turpin； whereupon Turpin whispered the keeper；
‘Lay him the wager； you fool； and I will go you halves。' Surely this
impudent indifference might have kept green the memory of the man who
never rode to York！
If the Scoundrel may claim distinction on many grounds； his character
is singularly uniform。 To the anthropologist he might well appear the
survival of a savage race； and savage also are his manifold superstitions。
He is a creature of times and seasons。 He chooses the occasion of his
deeds with as scrupulous a care as he examines his formidable crowbars
and jemmies。 At certain hours he would refrain from action； though
every circumstance favoured his success： he would rather obey the
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restraining voice of a wise； unreasoning wizardry； than fill his pockets
with the gold for which his human soul is ever hungry。 There is no law
of man he dares not break but he shrinks in horror from the infringement
of the unwritten rules of savagery。 Though he might cut a throat in self…
defence； he would never walk under a ladder； and if the 13th fell on a
Friday； he would starve that day rather than obtain a loaf by the method he
best understands。 He consults the omens with as patient a divination as
the augurs of old； and so long as he carries an amulet in his pocket； though
it be but a pebble or a polished nut； he is filled with an irresistible courage。
For him the worst terror of all is the evil eye； and he would rather be
hanged by an unsuspected judge than receive an easy stretch from one
whose glance he dared not face。 And while the anthropologist claims
him for a savage； whose civilisation has been arrested at brotherhood with
the Solomon Islanders； the politician might pronounce him a true
communist； in that he has preserved a wholesome contempt of property
and civic life。 The pedant； again； would feel his bumps； prescribe a
gentle course of bromide； and hope to cure all the sins of the world by a
municipal Turkish bath。 The wise man； respecting his superstitions； is
content to take him as he finds him； and to deduce his character from his
very candid history； which is unaffected by pedant or politician。
Before all things； he is sanguine； he believes that Chance； the great
god of his endeavour； fights upon his side。 Whatever is lacking to…day；
to…morrow's enterprise will fulfil； and if only the omens be favourable； he
fears neither detection nor the gallows。 His courage proceeds from this
sanguine temperament； strengthened by shame and tradition rather than
from a self… controlled magnanimity； he hopes until despair is inevitable；
and then walks firmly to the gallows； that no comrade may suspect the
white feather。 His ambition； too； is the ambition of the savage or of the
child； he despises such immaterial advantages as power and influence；
being perfectly content if he have a smart coat on his back and a bottle of
wine at his elbow。 He would rather pick a lock than batter a constitution；
and the world would be well lost； if he and his doxy might survey the ruin
in comfort。
But if his ambition be modest； his love of notoriety is boundless。 He
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A BOOK OF SCOUNDRELS
must be famous； his name must be in the mouths of men； he must be
immortal （for a week） in a rough woodcut。 And then； what matters it
how soon the end？ His braveries have been hawked in the street； his
prowess has sold a Special Edition； he is the first of his race； until a
luckier rival eclipses him。 Thus； also； his dandyism is inevitable： it is not
enough for him to cover his nakednesshe must dress； and though his
taste is sometimes unbridled； it is never insignificant。 Indeed； his
biographers have recorded the expression of his fancy in coats and small…
clothes as patiently and enthusiastically as they have applauded his
courage。 And truly the love of magnificence； which he shares with all
artists； is sincere and characteristic。 When an accomplice of Jonathan
Wild's robbed Lady Mn at Windsor； his equipage cost him forty pounds；
and Nan Hereford was arrested for shoplifting at the very moment that
four footmen awaited her return with an elegant sedan…chair。
His vanity makes him but a prudish lover； who desires to woo less than
to be wooed； and at all times and through all moods he remains the
primeval sentimentalist。 He will detach his life entirely from the
catchwords which pretend to govern his actions； he will sit and croon the
most heartrending ditties in celebration of home…life and a mother's love；
and then set forth incontinently upon a well…planned errand of plunder。
For all his artistry； he lacks balance as flagrantly as a popular politician or
an advanced journalist。 Therefore it is the more remarkable that in one
point he displays a certain caution： he boggles at a superfluous murder。
For all his contempt of property； he still preserves a respect for life； and
the least suspicion of unnecessary brutality sets not only the law but his
own fellows against him。 Like all men whose god is Opportunity； he is a
reckless gambler； and； like all gamblers； he is monstrously extravagant。
In brief； he is a tangle of picturesque qualities； which； until our own
generation； was incapable of nothing save dulness。
The Bible and the Newgate Calendarthese twain were George
Borrow's favourite reading； and all save the psychologist and the pedant
will applaud the preference。 For the annals of the ‘family' are
distinguished by an epic severity； a fearless directness of speech； which
you will hardly match outside the Iliad or the Chronicles of the Kings。
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But the Newgate Calendar did not spring ready…made into being： it is the
result of a curious and gradual development。 The chap…books came first；
with their bold type； their coarse paper； and their clumsy； characteristic
woodcutsthe chap…books； which none can contemplate without an
enchanted sentiment。 Here at last you come upon a literature； which has
been read to pieces。 The very rarity of the slim； rough volumes； proves
that they have been handed from one greedy reader to another； until the
great libraries alone are rich enough to harbour them。 They do not boast
the careful elegance of a famous press： many of them came from the
printing…office of a country town： yet the least has a simplicity and
concision； which are unknown in this age of popular fiction。 Even their
lack of invention is admirable： as the same woodcut might be used to
represent Guy； Earl of Warwick； or the last highwayman who suffered at
Tyburn； so the same enterprise is ascribed with a delightful ingenuousness
to all the heroes who rode abroad under the stars to fill their pockets。
The Life and Death of Gamaliel Ratsey delighted England in 1605；
and was the example of after ages。 The anecdote of the road was already
crystallised； and henceforth the robber was unable to act contrary to the
will of the chap…book。 Thus there grew up a folk…lore of thievery： the
very insistence upon the same motive suggests the fairytale； and； as in the
legends of every country； there is an identical element which the
anthropologists call ‘human'； so in the annals of adventure there is a set of
invariable incidents； which are the essence of thievery。 The industrious
hacks； to whom we owe the entertainment of the chap…books； being seedy
parsons or lawyers' clerks； were conscious of their literary deficiencies：
they preferred to obey tradition rather than to invent ineptitudes。 So you
may trace the same jest； the same intrigue through the unnumbered lives
of three centuries。 And if； being a philosopher； you neglect the obvious
plagiarism； you may induce from these similariti