เ 'make him inwardly satisfied with himself. For what but some such inward satisfaction as this could inspire men possessed of power, of wealth, of every human blessing, 'which pride, avarice, or luxury could desire, to forsake 'their homes, abandon ease and repose, and at the expense 'of riches and pleasures, at the price of labour and hardship, and at the hazard of all that fortune hath liberally given them, could send them at the head of a multitude 'of Prigs called an army, to molest their neighbours; to 'introduce rape, rapine, bloodshed, and every kind of misery among their own species? What but some such glorious appetite of mind could inflame princes, endowed ' with the greatest honours, and enriched with the most plentiful revenues, to desire maliciously to rob those subjects of their liberties, who are content to sweat for 'the luxury, and to bow down their knees to the pride ' of those very princes? What but this can inspire them to destroy one half of their subjects, in order to reduce 'the rest to absolute dependence on their own wills, and เ on those of their brutal successors? What other motive 'could seduce a subject, possessed of great property in community, to betray the interest of his fellow-subjects, ' of his brethren, and his posterity, to the wanton disposition of such princes? Lastly, what less inducement 'could persuade the Prig to forsake the methods of acquiring a safe, an honest, and a plentiful livelihood, and, at the hazard of even life itself, and what is mistakingly called dishonour, to break openly and bravely through 'the laws of his country, for uncertain, unsteady, and 'unsafe gain? Let me then hold myself contented with 'this reflection, that I have been wise, though unsuccess'ful, and am a GREAT, though an unhappy Man.' เ His soliloquy and his punch concluded together; for he had at every pause comforted himself with a sip. And now it came first into his head that it would be more difficult to pay for it than it was to swallow it, when, to his great pleasure, he beheld at another corner of the room one of the gentlemen whom he had employed in the attack on Heartfree, and who, he doubted not, would readily lend him a guinea or two; but he had the mortification, on applying to him, to hear that the gamingtable had stript him of all the booty which his own generosity had left in his possession. He was therefore obliged to pursue his usual method on such occasions: so, cocking his hat fiercely, he marched out of the room without making any excuse, or any one daring to make the least demand. CHAPTER V. Containing many surprising adventures, which our Hero, with GREAT GREATNESS achieved. We will now leave our hero to take a short repose, and return to Mr. Snap's, where, at Wild's departure, the fair Theodosia had again betaken herself to her stocking, and Miss Letty had retired upstairs to Mr. Bagshot; but that gentleman had broken his parole, and, having conveyed himself below stairs behind a door, he took the opportunity of Wild's sally to make his escape. We shall only observe, that Miss Letty's surprise was the greater, as she had, notwithstanding her promise to the contrary, taken the precaution to turn the key; but, in her hurry, she did it ineffectually. How wretched must have been the situation of this young creature, who had not only lost a lover, on whom her tender heart perfectly doated, but was exposed to the rage of an injured father, tenderly jealous of his honour, which was deeply engaged to the sheriff of London and Middlesex for the safe custody of the said Bagshot, and for which two very good responsible friends had given not only their words but their bonds. But let us remove our eyes from this melancholy object, and survey our hero, who, after a successless search for Miss Straddle, with wonderful greatness of mind, and steadiness of countenance, went early in the morning to visit his friend Heartfree, at a time when the common. herd of friends would have forsaken and avoided him. He entered the room with a cheerful air, which he presently changed into surprise on seeing his friend in a nightgown, with his wounded head bound about with linen, and looking extremely pale from a great effusion of blood. When Wild was informed by Heartfree what had happened he first expressed great sorrow, and afterwards suffered as violent agonies of rage against the robbers to burst from him. Heartfree, in compassion to the deep impressions his misfortunes seemed to make on his friend, endeavoured to lessen it as much as possible, at the same time exaggerating the obligation he owed to Wild, in which his wife likewise seconded him; and they breakfasted with more comfort than was reasonably to be expected after such an accident. Heartfree expressing great satisfaction that he had put the Count's note in another pocket-book, adding, that such a loss would have been fatal to him; 'for to confess the truth to you, my dear friend,' said he, 'I have had some losses lately which 'have greatly perplexed my affairs; and, though I have many debts due to me from people of great fashion, I assure you I know not where to be certain of getting a 'shilling.' Wild greatly felicitated him on the lucky accident of preserving his note, and then proceeded, with much acrimony, to inveigh against the barbarity of people of fashion, who kept tradesmen out of their money. While they amused themselves with discourses of this VOL. IV. N kind, Wild, meditating within himself whether he should borrow or steal from his friend, or indeed, whether he could not effect both, the apprentice brought a bank-note of 500l. in to Heartfree, which, he said, a gentlewoman in the shop, who had been looking at some jewels, desired him to exchange.-Heartfree looking at the number, immediately recollected it to be one of those he had been robbed of. With this discovery he acquainted Wild, who, with the notable presence of mind, and unchanged complexion, so essential to a great character, advised him to proceed cautiously; and offered (as Mr. Heartfree himself was, he said, too much flustered to examine the woman with sufficient art) to take her into a room in his house alone. He would, he said, personate the master of the shop, would pretend to shew her some jewels, and would undertake to get sufficient information out of her to secure the rogues, and most probably all their booty. This proposal was readily and thankfully accepted by Heartfree. Wild went immediately up stairs into the room appointed, whither the apprentice, according to appointment, conducted the lady. The apprentice was ordered down stairs the moment the lady entered the room; and Wild, having shut the door, approached her with great ferocity in his looks, and began to expatiate on the complicated baseness of the crime she had been guilty of; but though he uttered many good lessons of morality, as we doubt whether from a particular reason they may work any very good effect on our reader, we shall omit his speech, and only mention his conclusion, which was by asking her what mercy she could now expect from him? Miss Straddle, for that was the young lady, who had had a good execution, and had been more than once present at the Old Bailey, very confidently denied the whole charge, and said, she had received the note from a friend. เ Wild then raising his voice, told her, she should be immediately committed, and she might depend on being convicted; but,' added he, changing his tone, as I 'have a violent affection for thee, my dear Straddle, 'if you will follow my advice, I promise you, on my 'honour to forgive you, nor shall you be ever called in question on this account.' 'Why, what would you have me to do, Mr. Wild?' replied the young lady, with a pleasanter aspect.-'You must know then,' said Wild, 'the money you picked out of my pocket (nay, by G-d you did, and if you offer to flinch, you shall be con'victed of it) I won at play of a fellow, who, it seems rob'bed my friend of it; you must, therefore, give an in'formation on oath against one Thomas Fierce, and say, เ that you received the note from him, and leave the rest I am certain, Molly, you must be sensible of your obligations to me, who return good for evil to you ' in this manner.' The lady readily consented, and advanced to embrace Mr. Wild, who stepped a little back, and cried, 'Hold, Molly; there are two other notes of 2007. each to be accounted for, where are they?' The lady protested with the most solemn asseverations that she knew of no more; with which, when Wild was not satisfied, she cried, 'I will stand search.' That you เ to me. เ shall,' answered Wild, and stand strip too.' He then proceeded to tumble and search her, but to no purpose, till at last she burst into tears, and declared she would tell the truth (as indeed she did); she then confessed that she had disposed of the one to Jack Swagger, a great favourite of the ladies, being an Irish gentleman, who had been bred clerk to an attorney, afterwards whipped out of a regiment of dragoons, and was then a Newgate solicitor, and a bawdyhouse bully; and as for the other, she had laid it all out that very morning in brocaded silks, and Flanders lace. With this account Wild, who |