III　A　PARALLEL　（SHEPPARD　AND　CARTOUCHE）
  A　PARALLEL　（SHEPPARD　AND　CARTOUCHE）
  IF　the　seventeenth　century　was　the　golden　age　of　the　hightobyman；　it
  was　at　the　advent　of　the　eighteenth　that　the　burglar　and　street…robber　plied
  their　trade　with　the　most　distinguished　success；　and　it　was　the　good
  fortune　of　both　Cartouche　and　Sheppard　to　be　born　in　the　nick　of　time。
  Rivals　in　talent；　they　were　also　near　contemporaries；　and　the　Scourge　of
  Paris　may　well　have　been　famous　in　the　purlieus　of　Clare　Market　before
  Jack　the　Slip…String　paid　the　last　penalty　of　his　crimes。　　As　each　of　these
  great　men　harboured　a　similar　ambition；　so　their　careers　are　closely
  parallel。　　Born　in　a　humble　rank　of　life；　Jack；　like　Cartouche；　was　the
  architect　of　his　own　fortune；　Jack；　like　Cartouche；　lived　to　be　flattered　by
  noble　dames　and　to　claim　the　solicitude　of　his　Sovereign；　and　each　owed
  his　pre…eminence　rather　to　natural　genius　than　to　a　sympathetic　training。
  But；　for　all　the　Briton's　artistry；　the　Frenchman　was　in　all　points　save
  one　the　superior。　　Sheppard's　brain　carried　him　not　beyond　the　wants　of
  to…day　and　the　extortions　of　Poll　Maggot。
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  Who　knows　but　he　might　have　been　a　respectable　citizen；　with　never　a
  chance　for　the　display　of　his　peculiar　talent；　had　not　hunger　and　his
  mistress's　greed　driven　him　upon　the　pad？　　History　records　no　brilliant
  robbery　of　his　own　planning；　and　so　circumscribed　was　his　imagination
  that　he　must　needs　pick　out　his　own　friends　and　benefactors　for
  depredation。　　His　paltry　sense　of　discipline　permitted　him　to　be　betrayed
  even　by　his　brother　and　pupil；　and　there　was　no　cracksman　of　his　time
  over　whose　head　he　held　the　rod　of　terror。　　Even　his　hatred　of　Jonathan
  Wild　was　the　result　not　of　policy　but　of　prejudice。　　Cartouche；　on　the
  other　hand；　was　always　perfect　when　at　work。　　The　master　of　himself；　he
  was　also　the　master　of　his　fellows。　　There　was　no　detail　of　civil　war　that
  he　had　not　made　his　own；　and　he　still　remains；　after　nearly　two　centuries；
  the　greatest　captain　the　world　has　seen。　　Never　did　he　permit　an
  enterprise　to　fail　by　accident；　never　was　he　impelled　by　hunger　or
  improvidence　to　fight　a　battle　unprepared。　　His　means　were　always　neatly
  fitted　to　their　end；　as　is　proved　by　the　truth　that；　throughout　his　career；　he
  was　arrested　but　once；　and　then　not　by　his　own　inadvertence　but　by　the
  treachery　of　others。
  Yet　from　the　moment　of　arrest　Jack　Sheppard　asserted　his　magnificent
  superiority。　　If　Cartouche　was　a　sorry　bungler　at　prison…breaking；
  Sheppard　was　unmatched　in　this　dangerous　art。　　The　sport　of　the　one　was
  to　break　in；　of　the　other　to　break　out。　　True；　the　Briton　proved　his
  inferiority　by　too　frequently　placing　himself　under　lock　and　key；　but　you
  will　forgive　his　every　weakness　for　the　unexampled　skill　wherewith　he
  extricated　himself　from　the　stubbornest　dungeon。　　Cartouche　would
  scarce　have　given　Sheppard　a　menial's　office　in　his　gang。　　How　cordially
  Sheppard　would　have　despised　Cartouche's　solitary　experiment　in　escape！
  To　be　foiled　by　a　dog　and　a　boxmaker's　daughter！　　Would　not　that　have
  seemed　contemptible　to　the　master　breaker　of　those　unnumbered　doors　and
  walls　which　separate　the　Castle　from　the　freedom　of　Newgate　roof？
  Such；　then；　is　the　contrast　between　the　heroes。　　Sheppard　claims　our
  admiration　for　one　masterpiece。　　Cartouche　has　a　sheaf　of　works；　which
  shall　carry　him　triumphantly　to　the　remotest　future。
  And　when　you　forget　a　while　professional　rivalry；　and　consider　the
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  delicacies　of　leisure；　you　will　find　the　Frenchman's　greatness　still
  indisputable。　　At　all　points　he　was　the　prettier　gentleman。　　Sheppard；　to
  be　sure；　had　a　sense　of　finery；　but　he　was　so　unused　to　grandeur　that
  vulgarity　always　spoiled　his　effects。　　When　he　hied　him　from　the
  pawnshop；　laden　with　booty；　he　must　e'en　cram　what　he　could　not　wear
  into　his　pockets；　and　doubtless　his　vulgar　lack　of　reticence　made　detection
  easier。　　Cartouche；　on　the　other　hand；　had　an　unfailing　sense　of
  proportion；　and　was　never　more　dressed　than　became　the　perfect　dandy。
  He　was　elegant；　he　was　polished；　he　was　joyous。　　He　drank　wine；　while
  the　other　soaked　himself　in　beer；　he　despised　whatever　was　common；
  while　his　rival　knew　but　the　coarser　flavours　of　life。
  The　one　was　distinguished　by　a　boisterous　humour；　a　swaggering　pride
  in　his　own　prowess；　the　wit　of　the　other　might　be　edged　like　a　knife；　nor
  would　he　ever　appeal　for　a　spectacle　to　the　curiosity　of　the　mob。　　Both
  were　men　of　many　mistresses；　but　again　in　his　conduct　with　women
  Cartouche　showed　an　honester　talent。　　Sheppard　was　at　once　the　prey　and
  the　whipping…block　of　his　two　infamous　doxies；　who　agreed　in　deformity
  of　feature　as　in　contempt　for　their　lover。　　Cartouche；　on　the　other　hand；
  chose　his　cabaret　for　the　wit　of　its　patronne；　and　was　always　happy　in　the
  elegance　and　accomplishment　of　his　companions。　　One　point　of　likeness
  remains。　　The　two　heroes　resembled　each　other　not　only　in　their
  profession；　but　in　their　person。　　Though　their　trade　demanded　physical
  strength；　each　was　small　and　slender　of　build。　　‘A　little；　slight…limbed
  lad；'　says　the　historian　of　Sheppard。　　‘A　thin；　spare　frame；'　sings　the　poet
  of　Cartouche。　　Here；　then；　neither　had　the　advantage；　and　if　in　the　shades
  Cartouche　despises　the　clumsiness　and　vulgarity　of　his　rival；　Sheppard
  may　still　remember　the　glory　of　Newgate；　and　twit　the　Frenchman　with　the
  barking　of　the　boxmaker's　dog。　　But　genius　is　the　talent　of　the　dead；　and
  the　wise；　who　are　not　partisans；　will　not　deny　to　the　one　or　to　the　other　the
  possession　of　the　rarer　gift。
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  VAUX
  TO　Haggart；　who　babbled　on　the　Castle　Rock　of　Willie　Wallace　and
  was　only　nineteen　when　he　danced　without　the　music；　to　Simms；　alias
  Gentleman　Harry；　who　showed　at　Tyburn　how　a　hero　could　die；　to　George
  Barrington；　the　incomparably　witty　and　adroitto　these　a　full　meed　of
  honour　has　been　paid。　　Even　the　coarse　and　dastardly　Freney　has
  achieved；　with　Thackeray's　aid　（and　Lever's）　something　of　a　reputation。
  But　James　Hardy　Vaux；　despite　his　eloquent　bid　for　fame；　has　not　found
  his　rhapsodist。　　Yet　a　more　consistent　ruffian　never　pleaded　for　mercy。
  From　his　early　youth　until　in　1819　he　sent　forth　his　Memoirs　to　the　world；
  he　lived　industriously　upon　the　cross。　　There　was　no　racket　but　he　worked
  it　with　energy　and　address。　　Though　he　practised　the　more　glorious　crafts
  of　pickpocket　and　shoplifter；　he　did　not　despise　the　begging…letter；　and　he
  suffered　his　last　punishment　for　receiving　what　another's　courage　had
  conveyed。　　His　enterprise　was　not　seldom　rewarded　with　success；　and　for
  a　decade　of　years　he　continued　to　preserve　an　appearance　of　gentility；　but
  it　is　plain；　even　from　his　own　narrative；　that　he　was　scarce　an　artist；　and
  we　shall　best　understand　him　if　we　recognise　that　he　was　a　Philistine
  among　thieves。　　He　lived　in　an　age　of　pocket…　picking；　and　skill　in　this
  branch　is　the　true　test　of　his　time。　　A　contemporary　of　Barrington；　he　had
  before　him　the　most　brilliant　of　examples；　which　might　properly　have
  enforced　the　worth　of　a　simple　method。　　But；　though　he　constantly　brags
  of　his　success　at　Drury　Lane；　we　take　not　his　generalities　for　gospel；　and
  the　one　exploit　whose　credibility　is　enforced　with　circumstance　was　pitiful
  both　in　conception　and　performance。　　A　meeting　of　freeholders　at　the
  ‘Mermaid　Tavern；'　Hackney；　was　the　occasion；　and　after　drawing　blank
  upon　blank；　Vaux　succeeded　at　last　in　extracting　a　silver　snuff…box。　　Now；
  his　clumsiness　had　suggested　the　use　of　the　scissors；　and　the　victim　not
  only　discovered　the　scission　in　his　coat；　but　caught　the　thief　with　the
  implements　of　his　art　upon　him。　　By　a　miracle　of　impudence　Vaux
  escaped　conviction；　but　he　deserved　the　gallows　for　his　want　of　principle；
  and　not　even　sympathy　could　have　let　drop　a　tear；　had　justice　seized　her
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  due。　　On　the　straight　or　on　the　cross　the　canons　of　art　deserve　respect；　and
  a　thief　is　great；　not　because　he　is　a　thief；　but　because；　in　filling　his　own
  pocket；　he　preserves　from　violence　the　legitimate　traditions　of　his　craft。
  But　it　was　in　conflict　with　the　jewellers　that　Vaux　best　proved　his　mettle。
  It　was　his　wont　to　clothe　himself　‘in　the　most　elegant　attire；'　and　on　the
  pretence　of　purchase　to　rifle　the　shops　of　Piccadilly。　　For　this　offence
  ‘pinching'　the　Cant　Dictionary　calls　ithe　did　his　longest　stretch　of　time；
  and　here　his　admirable　qualities　of　cunning　and　coolness　found　their　most
  generous　scope。　　A　love　of　fine　clothes　he　shared　with　all　the　best