Besidestheprophets，therehavebeenthealmanackmakers，Lilly，PoorRobin，Partridge，andFrancisMoore，physician，inEngland，andMatthewLaensbergh，inFranceandBelgium。Butgreatasweretheirpretensions，theyweremodestyitselfincomparisonwithMerlin，Shipton，andNixon，whofixedtheirmindsuponhigherthingsthantheweather，andwhowerenotsorestrainedintheirflightsoffancyastoprophesyforonlyoneyearatatime。Aftersuchprophetsasthey，thealmanackmakershardlydeservetobementioned；no，noteventherenownedPartridge，whosewonderfulprognosticationssetallEnglandagogin1708，andwhosedeath，atatimewhenhewasstillaliveandkicking，wassopleasantlyandsatisfactorilyprovedbyIsaacBickerstaff。Theanti-climaxwouldbetoopalpable，andtheyandtheirdoingsmustbeleftuncommemorated。
　　Jack。Whereshallwefindsuchanothersetofpracticalphilosopherswho，toaman，areabovethefearofdeath？
　　Wat。Soundmenandtrue！
　　Robin。Oftriedcourageandindefatigableindustry！
　　Ned。Whoisthereherethatwouldnotdieforhisfriend？
　　Harry。Whoisthereherethatwouldbetrayhimforhisinterest？
　　Mat。Showmeagangofcourtiersthatcouldsayasmuch！
　　DialogueofthievesintheBeggars’Opera。
　　Whetheritbethatthemultitude，feelingthepangsofpoverty，sympathisewiththedaringandingeniousdepredatorswhotakeawaytherichman’ssuperfluity，orwhetheritbetheinterestthatmankindingeneralfeelfortherecordsofperilousadventures，itiscertainthatthepopulaceofallcountrieslookwithadmirationupongreatandsuccessfulthieves。Perhapsboththesecausescombinetoinvesttheircareerwithcharmsinthepopulareye。AlmosteverycountryinEuropehasitstraditionalthief，whoseexploitsarerecordedwithallthegracesofpoetry，andwhosetrespasses——
　　“arecitedupinrhymes，Andsungbychildreninsucceedingtimes。“
　　[Shakspeare’sRapeofLucretia。]
　　Thosetravellerswhohavemadenationalmannersandcharacteristicstheirpeculiarstudy，haveoftenobservedandremarkeduponthisfeeling。ThelearnedAbbeleBlanc，whoresidedforsometimeinEnglandatthecommencementoftheeighteenthcentury，says，inhisamusinglettersontheEnglishandFrenchnations，thathecontinuallymetwithEnglishmenwhowerenotlessvaininboastingofthesuccessoftheirhighwaymenthanofthebraveryoftheirtroops。
　　Talesoftheiraddress，theircunning，ortheirgenerosity，wereinthemouthsofeverybody，andanotedthiefwasakindofheroinhighrepute。Headdsthatthemob，inallcountries，beingeasilymoved，lookingeneralwithconcernuponcriminalsgoingtothegallows；butanEnglishmoblookeduponsuchsceneswith’extraordinaryinterest:
　　theydelightedtoseethemgothroughtheirlasttrialswithresolution，andapplaudedthosewhowereinsensibleenoughtodieastheyhadlived，bravingthejusticebothofGodandmen:such，hemighthaveadded，asthenotedrobberMacpherson，ofwhomtheoldballadsays——
　　“Saerantingly，saewantonly，Saedauntinglygaedhe:
　　Heplayedaspring，anddanceditroundBeneaththegallowstree。“
　　AmongthesetraditionalthievesthemostnotedinEngland，orperhapsinanycountry，isRobinHood，anamewhichpopularaffectionhasencircledwithapeculiarhalo。“Herobbedtherichtogivetothepoor；“andhisrewardhasbeenanimmortalityoffame，atitheofwhichwouldbethoughtmorethansufficienttorecompenseabenefactorofhisspecies。Romanceandpoetryhavebeenemuloustomakehimalltheirown；andtheforestofSherwood，inwhichheroamedwithhismerrymen，armedwiththeirlongbows，andcladinLincolngreen，hasbecometheresortofpilgrims，andaclassicspotsacredtohismemory。Thefewvirtueshehad，whichwouldhaveensuredhimnopraiseifhehadbeenanhonestman，havebeenblazonedforthbypopularrenownduringsevensuccessivecenturies，andwillneverbeforgottenwhiletheEnglishtongueendures。Hischaritytothepoor，andhisgallantryandrespectforwomen，havemadehimthepre-eminentthiefofalltheworld。
　　AmongEnglishthievesofalaterdate，whohasnotheardofClaudeDuval，DickTurpin，JonathanWild，andJackSheppard，thoseknightsoftheroadandofthetown，whosepeculiarchivalryformedatoncethedreadandthedelightofEnglandduringtheeighteenthcentury？
　　Turpin’sfameisunknowntonoportionofthemalepopulationofEnglandaftertheyhaveattainedtheageoften。HiswondrousridefromLondontoYorkhasendearedhimtotheimaginationofmillions；
　　hiscrueltyinplacinganoldwomanuponafire，toforcehertotellhimwhereshehadhiddenhermoney，isregardedasagoodjoke；andhisproudbearinguponthescaffoldislookeduponasavirtuousaction。TheAbbeleBlanc，writingin1737，sayshewascontinuallyentertainedwithstoriesofTurpin——how，whenherobbedgentlemen，hewouldgenerouslyleavethemenoughtocontinuetheirjourney，andexactapledgefromthemnevertoinformagainsthim，andhowscrupuloussuchgentlemenwereinkeepingtheirword。Hewasonedaytoldastorywithwhichtherelatorwashethehighestdegreedelighted。Turpin，orsomeothernotedrobber，stoppedamanwhomheknewtobeveryrich，withtheusualsalutation——“Yourmoneyoryourlife！“butnotfindingmorethanfiveorsixguineasabouthim，hetookthelibertyofentreatinghim，inthemostaffablemanner，nevertocomeoutsoillprovided；addingthat，ifhefellinwithhim，andhehadnomorethansuchapaltrysum，hewouldgivehimagoodlicking。Anotherstory，toldbyoneofTurpin’sadmirers，wasofarobberyhehadcommitteduponaMr。C。nearCambridge。Hetookfromthisgentlemanhiswatch，hissnuff-box，andallhismoneybuttwoshillings，and，beforehelefthim，requiredhiswordofhonourthathewouldnotcausehimtobepursuedorbroughtbeforeajustice。Thepromisebeinggiven，theybothpartedverycourteously。TheyafterwardsmetatNewmarket，andrenewedtheiracquaintance。Mr。C。
　　kepthiswordreligiously；henotonlyrefrainedfromgivingTurpinintocustody，butmadeaboastthathehadfairlywonsomeofhismoneybackagaininanhonestway。Turpinofferedtobetwithhimonsomefavouritehorse，andMr。C。acceptedthewagerwithasgoodagraceashecouldhavedonefromthebestgentlemaninEngland。Turpinlosthisbetandpaiditimmediately，andwassosmittenwiththegenerousbehaviourofMr。C。thathetoldhimhowdeeplyheregrettedthatthetriflingaffairwhichhadhappenedbetweenthemdidnotpermitthemtodrinktogether。ThenarratorofthisanecdotewasquiteproudthatEnglandwasthebirthplaceofsuchahighwayman。
　　[TheAbbe，inthesecondvolume，intheletterNo。79，dressedtoMonsieurdeBuffon，givesthefollowingcuriousparticularsoftherobbersof1757，whicharenotwithoutinterestatthisday，ifitwereonlytoshowthevastimprovementwhichhastakenplacesincethatperiod:——“Itisusual，intravelling，toputtenoradozenguineasinaseparatepocket，asatributetothefirstthatcomestodemandthem:therightofpassport，whichcustomhasestablishedhereinfavouroftherobbers，whoarealmosttheonlyhighwaysurveyorsinEngland，hasmadethisnecessary；andaccordinglytheEnglishcallthesefellowsthe’GentlemenoftheRoad，’thegovernmentlettingthemexercisetheirjurisdictionupontravellerswithoutgivingthemanygreatmolestation。Tosaythetruth，theycontentthemselveswithonlytakingthemoneyofthosewhoobeywithoutdisputing；butnotwithstandingtheirboastedhumanity，thelivesofthosewhoendeavourtogetawayarenotalwayssafe。Theyareverystrictandsevereinlevyingtheirimpost；andifamanhasnotwherewithaltopaythem，hemayrunthechanceofgettinghimselfknockedontheheadforhispoverty。
　　“Aboutfifteenyearsago，theserobbers，withtheviewofmaintainingtheirrights，fixeduppapersatthedoorsofrichpeopleaboutLondon，expresslyforbiddingallpersons，ofwhatsoeverqualityorcondition，fromgoingoutoftownwithouttenguineasandawatchaboutthem，onpainofdeath。Inbadtimes，whenthereislittleornothingtobegotontheroads，thesefellowsassembleingangs，toraisecontributionseveninLondonitself；andthewatchmenseldomtroublethemselvestointerferewiththemintheirvocation。“]
　　NotlessfamiliartothepeopleofEnglandisthecareerofJackSheppard，asbrutalaruffianaseverdisgracedhiscountry，butwhohasclaimsuponthepopularadmirationwhichareverygenerallyacknowledged。Hedidnot，likeRobinHood，plundertherichtorelievethepoor，norrobwithanuncouthsortofcourtesy，likeTurpin；butheescapedfromNewgatewiththefettersonhislimbs。Thisachievement，morethanoncerepeated，hasencircledhisfelonbrowwiththewreathofimmortality，andmadehimquiteapatternthiefamongthepopulace。Hewasnomorethantwenty-threeyearsofageatthetimeofhisexecution，andhediedmuchpitiedbythecrowd。Hisadventureswerethesoletopicsofconversationformonths；theprint-shopswerefilledwithhiseffigies，andafinepaintingofhimwasmadebySirRichardThornhill。Thefollowingcomplimentaryversestotheartistappearedinthe“BritishJournal“ofNovember28th，1724。
　　“Thornhill！’tisthinetogildwithfameTh’obscure，andraisethehumblename；
　　Tomaketheformeludethegrave，AndSheppardfromoblivionsave！
　　ApellesAlexanderdrew——
　　CesaristoAureliusdue；
　　CromwellinLilly’sworksdothshine，AndSheppard，Thornhill，livesinthine！“
　　SohighwasJack’sfamethatapantomimeentertainment，called“HarlequinJackSheppard，“wasdevisedbyoneThurmond，andbroughtoutwithgreatsuccessatDruryLaneTheatre。Allthesceneswerepaintedfromnature，includingthepublic-housethattherobberfrequentedinClaremarket，andthecondemnedcellfromwhichhehadmadehisescapeinNewgate。
　　TheRev。Mr。Villette，theeditorofthe“AnnalsofNewgate，“
　　publishedin1754，relatesacurioussermonwhich，hesays，afriendofhishearddeliveredbyastreet-preacheraboutthetimeofJack’sexecution。Theorator，afteranimadvertingonthegreatcarementookoftheirbodies，andthelittlecaretheybestowedupontheirsouls，continuedasfollows，bywayofexemplifyingtheposition:——“Wehavearemarkableinstanceofthisinanotoriousmalefactor，wellknownbythenameofJackSheppard。Whatamazingdifficultieshasheovercome！
　　whatastonishingthingshasheperformed！andallforthesakeofastinking，miserablecarcass；hardlyworththehanging！Howdexterouslydidhepickthechainofhispadlockwithacrookednail！howmanfullyhebursthisfettersasunder！——climbupthechimney！——wrenchoutanironbar！——breakhiswaythroughastonewall！——makethestrongdoorofadarkentryflybeforehim，tillhegotupontheleadsoftheprison！then，fixingablankettothewallwithaspike，hestoleoutofthechapel。Howintrepidlydidhedescendtothetopoftheturner’shouse！——howcautiouslypassdownthestair，andmakehisescapetothestreetdoor！
　　“Oh！thatyewerealllikeJackSheppard！Mistakemenot，mybrethren；Idon’tmeaninacarnal，butinaspiritualsense，forI