suggestion　of　false　shame　or　idle　regret；　and　a　natural　vanity　lifts　each　of
  them　out　of　the　pit　of　commonplace　on　to　the　tableland　of　the　heroic。
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  They　set　forth　their　depredation；　as　a　victorious　general　might　record　his
  triumphs；　and　they　excel　the　nimblest　Ordinary　that　ever　penned　a　dying
  speech　in　all　the　gifts　of　the　historian。
  But　when　you　leave　the　study　for　the　field；　the　Switcher　instantly
  declares　his　superiority。　　He　had　the　happiness　to　practise　his　craft　in　its
  heyday；　while　Simms　knew　but　the　fag…　end　of　a　noble　tradition。　　Haggart；
  moreover；　was　an　expert；　pursuing　a　difficult　art；　while　Simms　was　a　bully；
  plundering　his　betters　by　bluff。　　Simms　boasted　no　quality　which　might
  be　set　off　against　the　accurate　delicacy　of　Haggart's　hand。　　The
  Englishman　grew　rich　upon　a　rolling　eye　and　a　rusty　pistol。　　He　put　on
  his　‘fiercest　manner；'　and　believed　that　the　world　would　deny　him　nothing。
  The　Scot；　rejoicing　in　his　exquisite　skill；　went　to　work　without　fuss　or
  bluster；　and　added　the　joy　of　artistic　pride　to　his　delight　in　plunder。
  Though　Simm's　manner　seems　the　more　chivalrous；　it　required　not　one
  tithe　of　the　courage　which　was　Haggart's　necessity。　　On　horseback；　with
  the　semblance　of　a　fire…arm；　a　man　may　easily　challenge　a　coachful　of
  women。　　It　needs　a　cool　brain　and　a　sound　courage　to　empty　a　pocket　in
  the　watchful　presence　of　spies　and　policemen。　　While　Gentleman　Harry
  chose　a　lonely　road；　or　the　cover　of　night　for　his　exploits；　the　Switcher
  always　worked　by　day；　hustled　by　a　crowd　of　witnesses。
  Their　hours　of　leisure　furnish　a　yet　more　striking　contrast。　　Simms
  was　a　polished　dandy　delighting　in　his　clothes；　unhappy　if　he　were
  deprived　of　his　bottle　and　his　game。　　Haggart；　on　the　other　hand；　was
  before　all　things　sealed　to　his　profession。　　He　would　have　deserted　the
  gayest　masquerade；　had　he　ever　strayed　into　so　light　a　frivolity；　for　the
  chance　of　lightening　a　pocket。　　He　tasted　but　few　amusements　without
  the　limits　of　his　craft；　and　he　preserved　unto　the　end　a　touch　of　that　dour
  character　which　is　the　heritage　of　his　race。　　But；　withal；　he　was　an
  amiable　decent　body；　who　would　have　recoiled　in　horror　from　the　drunken
  brutality　of　Gentleman　Harry。　　Though　he　bragged　to　George　Combe　of
  his　pitiless　undoing　of　wenches；　he　never　thrust　a　crab…stick　into　a
  woman's　eye；　and　he　was　incapable　of　rewarding　a　kindness　by　robbery
  and　neglect。　　Once　at　Newcastlehe　arrayed　himself　in　a　smart　white
  coat　and　tops；　but　the　splendour　ill　became　his　red…headed　awkwardness；
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  and　he　would　have　stood　aghast　at　the　satin　frocks　and　velvet　waistcoats　of
  him　who　broke　the　hearts　of　Drury　Lane。　　But　if　he　were　gentler　in　his
  life；　Haggart　was　prepared　to　fight　with　a　more　reckless　courage　when　his
  trade　demanded　it。　　It　was　the　Gentleman's　boast　that　he　never　shed　the
  blood　of　man。　　When　David　found　a　turnkey　between　himself　and
  freedom；　he　did　not　hesitate　to　kill；　though　his　remorse　was　bitter　enough
  when　he　neared　the　gallows。　　In　brief；　Haggart　was　not　only　the　better
  craftsman；　but　the　honester　fellow；　and　though　his　hands　were　red　with
  blood；　he　deserved　his　death　far　less　than　did　the　more　truculent；　less
  valiant　Simms。　　Each　had　in　his　brain　the　stuff　whereof　men　of　letters　are
  made：　this　is　their　parallel。　　And；　by　way　of　contrast；　while　the　Switcher
  was　an　accomplished　artist；　Gentleman　Harry　was　a　roystering　braggart。
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  DEACON　BRODIE　AND
  CHARLES　PEACE
  I　DEACON　BRODIE
  AS　William　Brodie　stood　at　the　bar；　on　trial　for　a　his　life；　he　seemed
  the　gallantest　gentleman　in　court。　　Thither　he　had　been　carried　in　a　chair；
  and；　still　conscious　of　the　honour　paid　him；　he　flashed　a　condescending
  smile　upon　his　judges。　　His　step　was　jaunty　as　ever；　his　superb　attire　well
  became　the　Deacon　of　a　Guild。　　His　coat　was　blue；　his　vest　a　very　garden
  of　flowers；　while　his　satin　breeches　and　his　stockings　of　white　silk　were
  splendid　in　their　simplicity。　　Beneath　a　cocked　hat　his　hair　was　fully
  dressed　and　powdered；　and　even　the　prosecuting　counsel　assailed　him　with
  the　respect　due　to　a　man　of　fashion。　　The　fellow's　magnificence　was
  thrown　into　relief　by　the　squalor　of　his　accomplice。　　For　George　Smith
  had　neither　the　money　nor　the　taste　to　disguise　himself　as　a　polished　rogue；
  and　he　huddled　as　far　from　his　master　as　he　could　in　the　rags　of　his　mean
  estate。　　Nor　from　this　moment　did　Brodie　ever　abate　one　jot　of　his　dignity。
  He　faced　his　accusers　with　a　clear　eye　and　a　frigid　amiability；　he　listened
  to　his　sentence　with　a　calm　contempt；　he　laughed　complacently　at　the
  sorry　interludes　of　judicial　wit；　and　he　faced　the　last　music　with　a　bravery
  and　a　cynicism　which　bore　the　stamp　of　true　greatness。
  It　was　not　until　after　his　crime　that　Brodie's　heroism　approved　itself。
  And　even　then　his　was　a　triumph　not　of　skill　but　of　character。　　Always　a
  gentleman　in　manner　and　conduct；　he　owed　the　success　and　the　failure　of
  his　life　to　this　one　quality。　　When　in　flight　he　made　for　Flushing　on　board
  the　Endeavour；　the　other　passengers；　who　knew　not　his　name；　straightway
  christened　him　‘the　gentleman。'　　The　enterprise　itself　would　have　been
  impossible　to　one　less　persuasively　gifted；　and　its　proper　execution　is　a
  tribute　to　the　lofty　quality　of　his　mind。　　There　was　he　in　London；　a
  stranger　and　a　fugitive；　yet　instead　of　crawling　furtively　into　a　coal…barge
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  he　charters　a　ship；　captures　the　confidence　of　the　captain；　carries　the　other
  passengers　to　Flushing；　when　they　were　bound　for　Leith；　and　compels
  every　one　to　confess　his　charm！　　The　thief；　also；　found　him　irresistible；
  and　while　the　game　lasted；　the　flash　kens　of　Edinburgh　murmured　the
  Deacon's　name　in　the　hushed　whisper　of　respect。
  His　fine　temperament　disarmed　treachery。　　In　London　he　visited　an
  ancient　doxy　of　his　own；　who；　with　her　bully；　shielded　him　from　justice；
  though　betrayal　would　have　met　with　an　ample　reward。　　Smith；　if　he
  knew　himself　the　superior　craftsman；　trembled　at　the　Deacon's　nod；　who
  thus　swaggered　it　through　life；　with　none　to　withhold　the　exacted
  reverence。　　To　this　same　personal　compulsion　he　owed　his　worldly
  advancement。　　Deacon　of　the　Wrights'　Guild　while　still　a　young　man；　he
  served　upon　the　Council；　was　known　for　one　of　Edinburgh's　honoured
  citizens；　and　never　went　abroad　unmarked　by　the　finger　of　respectful　envy。
  He　was　elected　in　1773　a　member　of　the　Cape　Club；　and　met　at　the　Isle　of
  Man　Arms　in　Craig's　Close　the　wittiest　men　of　his　time　and　town。
  Raeburn；　Runciman；　and　Ferguson　the　poet　were　of　the　society；　and　it　was
  with　such　as　these　that　Brodie　might　have　wasted　his　vacant　hour。　　Indeed；
  at　the　very　moment　that　he　was　cracking　cribs　and　shaking　the　ivories；　he
  was　a　chosen　leader　of　fashion　and　gaiety；　and　it　was　the　elegance　of　the
  ‘gentleman'　that　distinguished　him　from　his　fellows。
  The　fop；　indeed；　had　climbed　the　altitudes　of　life；　the　cracksman　still
  stumbled　in　the　valleys。　　If　he　had　a　ready　cunning　in　the　planning　of　an
  enterprise；　he　must　needs　bungle　at　the　execution；　and　had　he　not　been
  associated　with　George　Smith；　a　king　of　scoundrels；　there　would　be　few
  exploits　to　record。　　And　yet　for　the　craft　of　housebreaker　he　had　one　solid
  advantage：　he　knew　the　locks　and　bolts　of　Edinburgh　as　he　knew　his
  primerfor　had　he　not　fashioned　the　most　of　them　himself？　　But；　his
  knowledge　once　imparted　to　his　accomplices；　he　cheerfully　sank　to　a
  menial's　office。　　In　no　job　did　he　play　a　principal's　part：　he　was　merely
  told　off　by　Smith　or　another　to　guard　the　entrance　and　sound　the　alarm。
  When　M‘Kain's　on　the　Bridge　was　broken；　the　Deacon　found　the　false
  keys；　it　was　Smith　who　carried　off　such　poor　booty　as　was　found。　　And
  though　the　master　suggested　the　attack　upon　Bruce's　shop；　knowing　full
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  well　the　simplicity　of　the　lock；　he　lingered　at　the　Vintner's　over　a　game　of
  hazard；　and　let　the　man　pouch　a　sumptuous　booty。
  Even　the　onslaught　upon　the　Excise　Office；　which　cost　his　life；　was
  contrived　with　appalling　clumsiness。　　The　Deacon　of　the　Wrights'　Guild；
  who　could　slash　wood　at　his　will；　who　knew　the　artifice　of　every　lock　in
  the　city；　let　his　men　go　to　work　with　no　better　implements　than　the　stolen
  coulter　of　a　plough　and　a　pair　of　spurs。　　And　when　they　tackled　the　ill
  omened　job；　Brodie　was　of　those　who　brought　failure　upon　it。　　Long　had
  they　watched　the　door　of　the　Excise；　long　had　they　studied　the　habits　of　it