ways with him； and another's well…filled pocket； since； sensible of danger； he cared not to risk his neck for a purse that did not contain so much as would ‘sweeten a grawler。' At its best； his method was always wittythat is the single word which will characterise itwitty as a piece of Heine's prose； and as dangerous。 He would run over a man's pockets while he spoke with him； returning what he chose to discard without the lightest breath of suspicion。 ‘A good workman；' his contemporaries called him； and they thought it a shame for him to be idle。 Moreover； he did not blunder unconsciously upon his triumph； he tackled the trade in so fine a spirit of analysis that he might have been the very Aristotle of his science。 ‘The keek…cloy；' he wrote； in his hints to young sportsmen； ‘is easily picked。 If the notes are in the long fold just tip them the forks； but if there is a purse or open money in the case； you must link it。' The breast…pocket； on the other hand； is a severer test。 ‘Picking the suck is sometimes a kittle job；' again the philosopher speaks。 ‘If the coat is buttoned it must be opened by slipping past。 Then bring the lil down between the flap of the coat and the body； keeping your spare arm across your man's breast； and so slip it to a comrade； then abuse the fellow for jostling you。'
Not only did he master the tradition of thievery； he vaunted his originality with the familiar complacence of the scoundrel。 Forgetting that it was by burglary that he was undone； he explains for his public glorification that he was wont to enter the houses of Leith by forcing the small window above the outer door。 This artifice； his vanity grumbles； is now common； but he would have all the world understand that it was his own invention； and he murmurs with the pedantry of the convicted criminal that it is now set forth for the better protection of honest citizens。 No less admirable in his own eyes was that other artifice which induced him to conceal such notes as he managed to filch in the collar of his coat。 Thus he eluded the vigilance of the police； which searched its prey in those days with a sorry lack of cunning。 In truth； Haggart's wits were as nimble as his fingers； and he seldom failed to render a profitable account of his talents。 He beguiled one of his sojourns in gaol by manufacturing tinder wherewith to light the prisoners' pipes； and it is not astonishing that he won a general popularity。 In Ireland； when the constables would take him for a Scot； he answered in high Tipperary； and saved his skin for a while by a brogue which would not have shamed a modern patriot。 But quick as were his wits； his vanity always outstripped them； and no hero ever bragged of his achievements with a louder effrontery。
Now all you ramblers in mourning go； For the prince of ramblers is lying low； And all you maidens that love the game； Put on your mourning veils again。
Thus he celebrated his downfall in a ballad that has the true Newgate ring； and verily in his own eyes he was a hero who carried to the scaffold a dauntless spirit unstained by treachery。
He believed himself an adept in all the arts； as a squire of dames he held himself peerless； and he assured the ineffable Combe； who recorded his flippant utterance with a credulous respect； that he had sacrificed hecatombs of innocent virgins to his importunate lust。 Prose and verse trickled with equal facility from his pen； and his biography is a masterpiece。 Written in the pedlar's French as it was misspoken in the hells of Edinburgh； it is a narrative of uncommon simplicity and directness； marred now and again by such superfluous reflections as are the natural result of thievish sentimentality。 He tells his tale without paraphrase or adornment； and the worthy Writer to the Signet； who prepared the work for the Press； would have asked three times the space to record one…half the adventures。 ‘I sunk upon it with my forks and brought it with me'； ‘We obtained thirty…three pounds by this affair'is there not the stalwart flavour of the epic in these plain； unvarnished sentences？
His other accomplishments are pallid in the light of his brilliant left hand。 Once； at Derryhe attended a cock… fight； and beguiled an interval by emptying the pockets of a lucky bookmaker。 An expert； who watched the exploit in admiration； could not withhold a compliment。 ‘You are the Switcher；' he exclaimed； ‘some take all； but you leave nothing。' And it is as the Switcher that Haggart keeps his memory green。
II GENTLEMAN HARRY
GENTLEMAN HARRY
‘DAMN ye both！ stop； or I will blow your brains out！' Thus it was that Harry Simms greeted his victims； proving in a phrase that the heroic age of the rumpad was no more。 Forgotten the debonair courtesy of Claude Duval！ Forgotten the lightning wit； the swift repartee of the incomparable Hind！ No longer was the hightoby…gloak a ‘gentleman' of the road； he was a butcher； if not a beggar； on horseback； a braggart without the courage to pull a trigger； a swashbuckler； oblivious of that ancient style which converted the misery of surrender into a privilege。 Yet Harry Simms； the supreme adventurer of his age； was not without distinction； his lithe form and his hard…ridden horse were the common dread of England； his activity was rewarded with a princely treasure； and if his method were lacking in urbanity； the excuse is that he danced not to the brilliant measure of the Cavaliers； but limped to the clumsy fiddle…scraping of the early Georges。
At Eton； where a too…indulgent grandmother had placed him； he ransacked the desks of his school…fellows； and avenged a birching by emptying his master's pockets。 Wherefore he lost the hope of a polite education； and instead of proceeding with a clerkly dignity to King's College； in the University of Cambridge； he was ignominiously apprenticed to a breeches…maker。 The one restraint was as irksome as the other； and Harry Simms abandoned the needle； as he had scorned the grammar； to go upon the pad。 Though his early companions were scragged at Tyburn； the light…fingered rascal was indifferent to their fate； and squandering such booty as fell to his share； he bravely ‘turned out' for more。 Tottenham Court Fair was the theatre of his childish exploits； and there he gained some little skill in the picking of pockets。 But a spell of bad trade brought him to poverty； and he attempted to replenish an empty pocket by the childish expedient of a threatening letter。
The plan was conceived and executed with a futility which ensured an instant capture。 The bungler chose a stranger at haphazard； commanding him； under penalty of death； to lay five guineas upon a gun in Tower Wharf； the guineas were cunningly deposited； and the rascal； caught with his hand upon the booty； was committed to Newgate。 Youth； and the intercession of his grandmother； procured a release； unjustified by the infamous stupidity of the trick。 Its very clumsiness should have sent him over sea； and it is wonderful that from a beginning of so little promise； he should have climbed even the first slopes of greatness。 However； the memory of gaol forced him to a brief interlude of honesty； for a while he wore the pink coat of Colonel Cunningham's postillion； and presently was promoted to the independence of a hackney coach。
Thus employed； he became acquainted with the famous Cyprians of Covent Garden； who； loving him for his handsome face and sprightly gesture； seduced him to desert his cab for an easier profession。 So long as the sky was fair； he lived under their amiable protection； but the summer having chased the smarter gentry from town； the ladies could afford him no more than would purchase a horse and a pair of pistols； so that Harry was compelled to challenge fortune on the high road。 His first journey was triumphantly successful。 A post…chaise and a couple of coaches emptied their wealth into his hands； and； riding for London； he was able to return the favours lavished upon him by Covent Garden。 At the first touch of gold he was transformed to a finished blade。 He purchased himself a silver…hilted sword； which he dangled over a discreet suit of black velvet； a prodigious run of luck at the gaming…tables kept his purse well lined； and he made so brilliant an appearance in his familiar haunts that he speedily gained the name of ‘Gentleman Harry。' But the money； lightly won； was lightly spent。 The tables took back more than they gave； and before long Simms was astride his horse again； flourishing his irons； and crying： ‘Stand and deliver'！ upon every road in England。
Epping Forest was his general hunting…ground； but his enterprise took him far afield； and if one night he galloped by starlight across Bagshot Heath； another he was holding up the York stage with unbridled insolence。 He robbed； he roared； he blustered with praiseworthy industry； and good luck coming to the aid of caution； he escaped for a while the necessary punishment of his crimes。 It was on Stockbridge Downs that he met his first check。
He had stopped a chariot； and came off with a hatful of gold； but the victims； impatient of disaster； raised the county； and Gentleman Harry was laid by the heels。 Never at a loss； he condescen