Hisvanityandhislazinesswerealikeinvincible.Hebelievedhimselfamiracleoflearningaswellasaperfectthief,andphysicaltoilwasthesole`lay\'forwhichheprofessednocapacity.Forawhilehecorrectedthepressforaprinter,andheroundlyassertsthathisknowledgeofliteratureandofforeigntonguesrenderedhiminvaluable.ItwasvanityagainthatinducedhimtoasserthisinnocencewhenhewaslaggedforsovulgaracrimeasstealingawipefromatradesmaninChanceryLane.AtthemomentofarresthewasonhiswaytopurchasebasecoinfromaWhitechapelbit-faker:but,despitehisnefariouserrand,heisrighteouslywrathfulatwhatheassertswasanunjustconviction,andhenceforthheassumedthecrownofmartyrdom.Hisfirstandlastambitionduringtheintervalsoffreedomwasgentility,andsolongashewasnotatworkhelivedthelifeofarespectablegrocer.AlthoughthecasualCyprianflitsacrosshispage,hepursuedtheoneflameofhislifeforthegoodmotive,andheaffectstobeaverymodelofdomesticity.Thesentimentofpietyalsowasstronguponhim,andifhedidnot,liketheillustriousPeace,prayforhisjailer,herivalledthePrisonOrdinaryincomfortingthecondemned.Haditonlybeenhisfatetodieonthegallows,howunctuoushadbeenhiscroak!
Thetextofhis`Memoirs\'havingbeenedited,itisscarcepossibletodefinehisliterarytalent.Thebook,asitstands,isanexcellentpieceofnarrative,butitlosessomewhatbythepretenceofstyle.Theman\'sinvulnerableconceitpreventedanabsolutefrankness,andthereislittleenoughhilaritytocorrecttheacidsentimentandtheintolerablevowsofrepentance.Again,thoughheknowshissubject,andcanpatterflashwiththebest,hisincorrigiblerespectabilityleadshimtoapethemannerofaGrubStreethack,andtobanishtoavocabularythosepearlsofslangwhichmighthaveaddedvigourandlustretohissomewhattiresomepage.However,thethiefcannotescapehisinevitabledefects.Thevanity,theweakness,thesentimentalityofthosewhoarebornbeastsofprey,yethavethefacultyofdepredationonlyhalf-developed,arethefoesoftruth,anditiswelltorememberthattheautobiographyofarascalistaintedatitssource.Acongenialpickpocket,equippedwiththeself-knowledgeandthecandourwhichwouldenablehimtorecognisehimselfanoutlawandjusticehisenemyratherthananinstrumentofmalice,wouldproveaNapoleonratherthanaVaux.Sothatwemuste\'enacceptourNewgateCalendarwithitsmanyfaultsuponitshead,andbecontent.
Forittakesamanofgeniustowriteabook,andthethiefwhoturnsauthorcommonlyinhabitsaparadiseofthesecond-rate.
GEORGEBARRINGTON
GEORGEBARRINGTON