nineteenth　century　they　might　have　been　the　vendors　of　patent　pills；　or　the
  chairmen　of　bubble　companies。　　Whatever　trade　they　had　followed；　their
  names　would　have　been　on　every　hoarding；　their　wares　would　have　been
  puffed　in　every　journal。　　They　understood　the　art　of　publicity　better　than
  any　of　their　contemporaries；　and　they　are　remembered　not　because　they
  were　the　best　thieves　of　their　time；　but　because　they　were　determined　to
  interest　the　people　in　their　misdeeds。　　Gilderoy's　brutality；　which　was
  always　theatrical；　ensured　a　constant　remembrance；　and　the　lofty　gallows
  added　to　his　repute；　while　the　brilliant　inspiration　of　the　strings；　which
  decorated　Rann's　breeches；　was　sufficient　to　conquer　death。　　How　should
  a　hero　sink　to　oblivion　who　had　chosen　for　himself　so　splendid　a　name　as
  Sixteen…　String　Jack？
  So　far；　then；　their　achievement　is　parallel。　　And　parallel　also　is　their
  taste　for　melodrama。　　Each　employed　means　too　great　or　too　violent　for
  the　end　in　view。　　Gilderoy　burnt　houses　and　ravished　women；　when　his
  sole　object　was　the　acquisition　of　money。　　Sixteen…String　Jack　terrified
  Bagnigge　Wells　with　the　dreadful　announcement　that　he　was　a
  highwayman；　when　his　kindly；　stupid　heart　would　have　shrunk　from　the
  shedding　of　a　drop　of　blood。　　So　they　both　blustered　through　the　world；
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  the　one　in　deed；　the　other　in　word；　and　both　played　their　parts　with　so　little
  refinement　that　they　frightened　the　groundlings　to　a　timid　admiration。
  Here　the　resemblance　is　at　an　end。　　In　the　essentials　of　their　trade
  Gilderoy　was　a　professional；　Rann　a　mere　amateur。　　They　both　bullied；
  but；　while　Sixteen…String　Jack　was　content　to　shout　threats；　and　pick　up
  half…a…crown；　Gilderoy　breathed　murder；　and　demanded　a　vast　ransom。
  Only　once　in　his　career　did　the　‘disgraceful　Scotsman'　become　gay　and
  debonair。　　Only　once　did　he　relax　the　tension　of　his　frown；　and　pick
  pockets　with　the　lightness　and　freedom　of　a　gentleman。　　It　was　on　his
  voyage　to　France　that　he　forgot　his　old　policy　of　arson　and　pillage；　and
  truly　the　Court　of　the　Great　King　was　not　the　place　for　his　rapacious
  cruelty。　　Jack　Rann；　on　the　other　hand；　would　have　taken　life　as　a
  prolonged　jest；　if　Sir　John　Fielding　and　the　sheriffs　had　not　checked　his
  mirth。　　He　was　but　a　bungler　on　the　road；　with　no　more　resource　than　he
  might　have　learned　from　the　common　chap…book；　or　from　the　dying
  speeches；　hawked　in　Newgate　Street。　　But　he　had　a　fine　talent　for
  merriment；　he　loved　nothing　so　well　as　a　smart　coat　and　a　pretty　woman。
  Thieving　was　no　passion　with　him；　but　a　necessity。　　How　could　he　dance
  at　a　masquerade　or　court　his　Ellen　with　an　empty　pocket？　　So　he　took　to
  the　road　as　the　sole　profession　of　an　idle　man；　and　he　bullied　his　way　from
  Hounslow　to　Epping　in　sheer　lightness　of　heart。　　After　all；　to　rob　Dr。　Bell
  of　eighteenpence　was　the　work　of　a　simpleton。　　It　was　a　very　pretty　taste
  which　expressed　itself　in　a　pea…green　coat　and　deathless　strings；　and　Rann
  will　keep　posterity's　respect　rather　for　the　accessories　of　his　art　than　for　the
  art　itself。　　On　the　other　hand；　you　cannot　imagine　Gilderoy　habited
  otherwise　than　in　black；　you　cannot　imagine　this　monstrous　matricide
  taking　pleasure　in　the　smaller　elegancies　of　life。　　From　first　to　last　he　was
  the　stern　and　beetle…browed　marauder；　who　would　have　despised　the
  frippery　of　Sixteen…String　Jack　as　vehemently　as　his　sudden　appearance
  would　have　frightened　the　foppish　lover　of　Ellen　Roach。
  Their　conduct　with　women　is　sufficient　index　of　their　character。　　Jack
  Rann　was　too　general　a　lover　for　fidelity。　　But　he　was　amiable；　even　in
  his　unfaithfulness；　he　won　the　undying　affection　of　his　Ellen；　he　never
  stood　in　the　dock　without　a　nosegay　tied　up　by　fair　and　nimble　fingers；　he
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  was　attended　to　Tyburn　by　a　bevy　of　distinguished　admirers。　　Gilderoy；
  on　the　other　hand；　approached　women　in　a　spirit　of　violence。　　His　Sadic
  temper　drove　him　to　kill　those　whom　he　affected　to　love。　　And　his　cruelty
  was　amply　repaid。　　While　Ellen　Roach　perjured　herself　to　save　the　lover；
  to　whose　memory　she　professed　a　lifelong　loyalty；　it　was　Peg　Cunningham
  who　wreaked　her　vengeance　in　the　betrayal　of　Gilderoy。　　He　remained
  true　to　his　character；　when　he　ripped　up　the　belly　of　his　betrayer。　　This
  was　the　closing　act　of　his　life。
  Rann；　also；　was　consistent；　even　to　the　gallows。　　The　night　before　his
  death　he　entertained　seven　women　at　supper；　and　outlaughed　them　all。
  The　contrast　is　not　so　violent　as　it　appears。　　The　one　act　is　melodrama；
  the　other　farce。　　And　what　is　farce；　but　melodrama　in　a　happier　shape？
  THOMAS　PURENEY
  THOMAS　PURENEY
  THOMAS　PURENEY；　Archbishop　among　Ordinaries；　lived　and
  preached　in　the　heyday　of　Newgate。　　His　was　the　good　fortune　to　witness
  Sheppard's　encounter　with　the　topsman；　and　to　shrive　the　battered　soul　of
  Jonathan　Wild。　　Nor　did　he　fall　one　inch　below　his　opportunity。
  Designed　by　Providence　to　administer　a　final　consolation　to　the　evil…doer；
  he　permitted　no　false　ambition　to　distract　his　talent。　　As　some　men　are
  born　for　the　gallows；　so　he　was　born　to　thump　the　cushion　of　a　prison
  pulpit；　and　his　peculiar　aptitude　was　revealed　to　him　before　he　had　time　to
  spend　his　strength　in　mistaken　endeavour。
  For　thirty　years　his　squat；　stout　figure　was　amiably　familiar　to　all　such
  as　enjoyed　the　Liberties　of　the　Jug。　　For　thirty　years　his　mottled　nose　and
  the　rubicundity　of　his　cheeks　were　the　ineffaceable　ensigns　of　his
  intemperance。　　Yet　there　was　a　grimy　humour　in　his　forbidding　aspect。
  The　fusty　black　coat；　which　sat　ill　upon　his　shambling　frame；　was　all
  besmirched　with　spilled　snuff；　and　the　lees　of　a　thousand　quart　pots。　　The
  bands　of　his　profession　were　ever　awry　upon　a　tattered　shirt。　　His　ancient
  wig　scattered　dust　and　powder　as　he　went；　while　a　single　buckle　of　some
  tawdry　metal　gave　a　look　of　oddity　to　his　clumsy；　slipshod　feet。　　A
  caricature　of　a　man；　he　ambled　and　chuckled　and　seized　the　easy　pleasures
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  within　his　reach。　　There　was　never　a　summer's　day　but　he　caught　upon　his
  brow　the　few　faint　gleams　of　sunlight　that　penetrated　the　gloomy　yard。
  Hour　after　hour　he　would　sit；　his　short　fingers　hardly　linked　across　his
  belly；　drinking　his　cup　of　ale；　and　puffing　at　a　half…extinguished　tobacco…
  pipe。　　Meanwhile　he　would　reflect　upon　those　triumphs　of　oratory　which
  were　his　supreme　delight。　　If　it　fell　on　a　Monday　that　he　took　the　air；　a
  smile　of　satisfaction　lit　up　his　fat；　loose　features；　for　still　he　pondered　the
  effect　of　yesterday's　masterpiece。　　On　Saturday　the　glad　expectancy　of　to…
  morrow　lent　him　a　certain　joyous　dignity。　　At　other　times　his　eye　lacked
  lustre；　his　gesture　buoyancy；　unless　indeed　he　were　called　upon　to　follow
  the　cart　to　Tyburn；　or　to　compose　the　Last　Dying　Speech　of　some
  notorious　malefactor。
  Preaching　was　the　master　passion　of　his　life。　　It　was　the　pulpit　that
  reconciled　him　to　exile　within　a　great　city；　and　persuaded　him　to　the
  enjoyment　of　roguish　company。　　Those　there　were　who　deemed　his　career
  unfortunate；　but　a　sense　of　fitness　might　have　checked　their　pity；　and　it
  was　only　in　his　hours　of　maudlin　confidence　that　the　Reverend　Thomas
  confessed　to　disappointment。　　Born　of　respectable　parents　in　the　County
  of　Cambridgeshire；　he　nurtured　his　youth　upon　the　exploits　of　James　Hind
  and　the　Golden　Farmer。　　His　boyish　pleasure　was　to　lie　in　the　ditch；
  which　bounded　his　father's　orchard；　studying　that　now　forgotten
  masterpiece；　‘There's　no　Jest　like　a　True　Jest。'　Then　it　was　that　he　felt
  ‘immortal　longings　in　his　blood。'　　He　would　take　to　the　road；　so　he　swore；
  and　hold　up　his　enemies　like　a　gentleman。　　Once；　indeed；　he　was
  surprised　by　the　clergyman　of　the　parish　in　act　to　escape　from　the　rectory
  with　two　volumes　of　sermons　and　a　silver　flagon。　　The　divine　was
  minded　to　speak　seriously　to　him　concerning　the　dreadful　sin　of　robbery；
  and　having　strengthened　him　with　texts　and　good　counsel；　to　send　him
  forth　unpunished。　　‘Thieving　and　covetousness；'　said　the　parson；　‘must
  inevitably　bring　you　to　the　gallows。　　If　you　would　die　in　your　bed；　repent
  you　of　your　evildoing；　and　rob　no　more。'　　The　exhortation　was　not　lost
  upon　Pureney；　who；　chastened　in　spirit；　straightly　prevailed　upon　his　father
  to　enter　him　a　pensioner　at　Corpus　Christi　College　in　the　University　of
  Cambridge；　that　at　the　proper　time　he　might　take　orders。
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  At　Cambridge　he　gathered　no　more　knowledge　than　was　necessary　for
  his　profession；　and　wasted　such　hours　as　should　have　been　given　to　study
  in　drinking；　d