my Proposal without further Hefitation, "unless like a Woman you are afraid of

blooding your Cloaths, or like a Fool "are terrified with the Apprehenfions of

being hanged in Chains. Take my Word " for it, you had better be an honest Man "than half a Rogue. Do not think of con

tinuing in my Gang without abandoning "yourself abfolutely to my Pleafure; for no "Man fhall ever receive a Favour at my Hands, who sticks at any thing, or is guided by any other Law than that of << my Will.

WILD thus ended his Speech, which had not the defired Effect on Marybone: He agreed to the Robbery, but would not undertake the Murther, as Wild (who feared that by Marybone's demanding to fearch the Gentleman's Neck, he might hazard Sufpicion himself) infifted. Marybone was immediately entered by Wild in his BlackBook, and was presently after impeached and executed, as a Fellow on whom his Leader could not place fufficient Dependence.

VOL. III.

P

CHAP.

CHA P. IV.

In which a young Hero, of wonderful good Promife, makes his firft Appearance, with many other GREAT

MATTERS.

UR Hero next applied himself to another of his Gang, who inftantly received his Orders, and inftead of hesitating at a fingle Murther, asked if he should blow out the Brains of all the Paffengers, Coachman and all. But Wild, whofe Moderation we have before noted, would not permit him; and therefore having given him an exact Description of the devoted Perfon, with his other neceffary Inftructions, he difmiffed him, with ftricteft Orders to avoid, if poffible, doing hurt to any other Per fon.

THE Name of this Youth, who will hereafter make fome Figure in this Hiftory, being the Achates of our Æneas, or rather the Hapheftion of our Alexander was Fireblood.

blood. He had every Qualification to make a Second-Rate GREAT MAN; or in other Words, he was completely equipped for the Tool of a Real or Firft-Rate GREAT MAN. We fhall therefore (which is the propereft Way of dealing with this Kind of GREATNESS) defcribe him negatively, and content ourselves with telling our Reader what Qualities he had not: In which Number were Humanity, Modefty, and Fear, not one Grain of any of which was mingled in his whole Compofition.

We will now leave this Youth, who was esteemed the most promifing of the whole Gang, and whom Wild often declared to be one of the prettieft Lads he had ever seen, of which Opinion, indeed, were most other People of his Acquaintance; we will however leave him at his Entrance on this Enterprize, and keep our Attention fixed on our Hero, whom we fhall obferve taking large Strides towards the Summit of human Glory.

WILD, immediately at his Return to Town, went to pay a Vifit to Mifs Latitia Snap; for he had that Weakness of suffering himself to be enflaved by Women, so naturally incident to Men of Heroic Dispofition; to fay the Truth, it might more properly be called a Slavery to his own Appetite; for could he have fatisfied that, he had not cared three Farthings what had become of the little Tyrant for whom he profest fo violent a Regard. Here he was informed that Mr. Heartfree had been conveyed to Newgate the Day before, the Writ being then returnable. He was fomewhat concerned at this News; not from any Compaffion for the Misfortunes of Heartfree, whom he hated with fuch Inveteracy, that one would have imagined he had fuffered the fame Injuries from him which he had done towards him. His Concern therefore had another Motive: In Fact, he was uneafy at the Place of Mr. Heartfree's Confinement, as it was to be the Scene of his future Glory, and where confequently he fhould be frequently obliged to see a

Face

Face which Hatred and not Shame, made him deteft the Sight of.

To prevent this, therefore, feveral Methods suggested themselves to him. At first, he thought of removing him out of the Way by the ordinary Method of Murther, which he doubted not but Fireblood would be very ready to execute; for that Youth had at their last Interview, fworn, D-n bis Eyes, he thought there was no better Paftime than blowing a Man's Brains out. But befides the Danger of this Method, it did not look horrible nor barbarous enough for the laft Mischief which he fhould do to Heartfree. Confidering, therefore, a little farther with himself, he at length came to a Refolution to hang him if poffible, the very next Seffions.

Now, tho' the Obfervation, How apt Men are to hate those they injure, or how unforgiving they are of the Injuries they do themfelves, be common enough, yet I do not remember to have ever seen the Reason of this ftrange Phænomenon, as at firft it appears. Know therefore, Reader, that with much and fevere

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