proposetospiritualisethesethings。Whatashameitwouldbeifweshouldnotthinkitworthourwhiletotakeasmuchpains，andemployasmanydeepthoughts，tosaveoursoulsashehasdonetopreservehisbody！
“Letmeexhortye，then，toopenthelocksofyourheartswiththenailofrepentance！Burstasunderthefettersofyourbelovedlusts！——
mountthechimneyofhope！——takefromthencethebarofgoodresolution！——breakthroughthestonewallofdespair，andallthestrongholdsinthedarkentryofthevalleyoftheshadowofdeath！
Raiseyourselvestotheleadsofdivinemeditation！——fixtheblanketoffaithwiththespikeofthechurch！letyourselvesdowntotheturner’shouseofresignation，anddescendthestairsofhumility！Soshallyoucometothedoorofdeliverancefromtheprisonofiniquity，andescapetheclutchesofthatoldexecutionertheDevil！“
ButpopularasthenameofJackSheppardwasimmediatelyafterhehadsufferedthelastpenaltyofhiscrimes，itwasasnothingcomparedtothevastrenownwhichhehasacquiredintheselatterdays，afterthelapseofacenturyandaquarter。Poetstoooften，arenotfullyappreciatedtilltheyhavebeendeadahundredyears，andthieves，itwouldappear，sharethedisadvantage。Butposterityisgratefulifourcontemporariesarenot；andJackSheppard，faintlypraisedinhisownday，shinesoutinourstheheroofheroes，preeminentaboveallhisfellows。Thornhillmadebutonepictureoftheillustriousrobber，butCruikshankhasmadedozens，andtheartoftheengraverhasmultipliedthemintothousandsandtensofthousands，untilthepopulaceofEnglandhavebecomeasfamiliarwithJack’sfeaturesastheyarewiththeirown。Jack，theromantic，istheheroofthreegoodlyvolumes，andthedelightofthecirculatinglibraries；
andthetheatreshavebeensmittenwiththeuniversalenthusiasm。
Managershavesettheirplaymongersatwork，andJack’sstoryhasbeenreproducedintheshapeofdrama，melodrama，andfarce，athalfadozenplacesofentertainmentatonce。NeverwassuchadisplayofpopularregardforaheroaswasexhibitedinLondonin1840fortherenownedJackSheppard:robberyacquiredadditionallustreinthepopulareye，andnotonlyEnglishmen，butforeigners，caughtthecontagion；andoneofthelatter，firedbytheexample，robbedandmurderedavenerable，unoffending，andtooconfidingnobleman，whomitwashisespecialdutytohaveobeyedandprotected。Buthewasacowardandawretch；——itwasasolitarycrime——hehadnotmadeadaringescapefromdungeonwalls，orriddenfromLondontoYork，andhediedamidtheexecrationsofthepeople，affordingamelancholyexemplificationofthetriteremark，thateverymanisnotgreatwhoisdesirousofbeingso。
JonathanWild，whosenamehasbeenimmortalisedbyFielding，wasnofavouritewiththepeople。Hehadnoneofthevirtueswhich，combinedwithcrimes，makeupthecharacterofthegreatthief。Hewasapitifulfellow，whoinformedagainsthiscomrades，andwasafraidofdeath。Thismeannesswasnottobeforgivenbythecrowd，andtheypeltedhimwithdirtandstonesonhiswaytoTyburn，andexpressedtheircontemptbyeverypossiblemeans。HowdifferentwastheirconducttoTurpinandJackSheppard，whodiedintheirneatestattire，withnosegaysintheirbutton-holes，andwiththecouragethatacrowdexpects！ItwasanticipatedthatthebodyofTurpinwouldhavebeendelivereduptothesurgeonsfordissection，andthepeopleseeingsomemenverybusilyemployedinremovingit，suddenlysetuponthem，rescuedthebody，boreitaboutthetownintriumph，andthenburieditinaverydeepgrave，filledwithquick-lime，tohastentheprogressofdecomposition。Theywouldnotsufferthecorpseoftheirhero，ofthemanwhohadriddenfromLondontoYorkinfour-and-twentyhourstobemangledbytherudehandsofunmannerlysurgeons。
ThedeathofClaudeDuvalwouldappeartohavebeennolesstriumphant。Claudewasagentlemanlythief。AccordingtoButler，inthefamousodetohismemory，he“TaughtthewildArabsoftheroadTorobinamoregentlemode；
TakeprizesmoreobliginglythanthoseWhoneverhadbreenbredfilous；
AndhowtohanginamoregracefulfashionThane’erwasknownbeforetothedullEnglishnation。“
Infact，hewasthepinkofpoliteness，andhisgallantrytothefairsexwasproverbial。Whenhewascaughtatlast，pentin“stonewallsandchainsandirongrates，“——theirgriefwasinproportiontohisraremeritsandhisgreatfame。Butlersays，thattohisdungeon“——cameladiesfromallparts，Toofferupcloseprisonerstheirhearts，Whichhereceivedastributedue——
Neverdidboldknight，torelieveDistresseddames，suchdreadfulfeatsachieve，Asfeebledamsels，forhissake，Wouldhavebeenproudtoundertake，And，bravelyambitioustoredeemTheworld’slossandtheirown，Strovewhoshouldhavethehonourtolaydown，Andchangealifewithhim。“
AmongthenotedthievesofFrance，thereisnonetocomparewiththefamousAimerigotTetenoire，whoflourishedinthereignofCharlesVI。Thisfellowwasattheheadoffourorfivehundredmen，andpossessedtwoverystrongcastlesinLimousinandAuvergne。Therewasagooddealofthefeudalbaronabouthim，althoughhepossessednorevenuesbutsuchastheroadaffordedhim。Athisdeathheleftasingularwill。“Igiveandbequeath，“saidtherobber，“onethousandfivehundredfrancstoSt。George’sChapel，forsuchrepairsasitmayneed。Tomysweetgirlwhosotenderlylovedme，Igivetwothousandfivehundred；andthesurplusIgivetomycompanions。Ihopetheywillallliveasbrothers，anddivideitamicablyamongthem。Iftheycannotagree，andthedevilofcontentiongetsamongthem，itisnofaultofmine；andIadvisethemtogetagoodstrong，sharpaxe，andbreakopenmystrongbox。Letthemscrambleforwhatitcontains，andtheDevilseizethehindmost。“ThepeopleofAuvergnestillrecountwithadmirationthedaringfeatsofthisbrigand。
Oflateryears，theFrenchthieveshavebeensuchunmitigatedscoundrelsastohaveleftbutlittleroomforpopularadmiration。ThefamousCartouche，whosenamehasbecomesynonymouswithruffianintheirlanguage，hadnoneofthegenerosity，courtesy，anddevotedbraverywhicharesorequisitetomakearobber-hero。HewasbornatParis，towardstheendoftheseventeenthcentury，andbrokenaliveonthewheelinNovember1727。Hewas，however，sufficientlypopulartohavebeenpitiedathisdeath，andafterwardstohaveformedthesubjectofamuchadmireddrama，whichborehisname，andwasplayedwithgreatsuccessinallthetheatresofFranceduringtheyears1734，5，and6。InourowndaytheFrenchhavebeenmorefortunateinarobber；VidocqbidsfairtorivalthefameofTurpinandJackSheppard。Alreadyhehasbecometheheroofmanyanapocryphaltale——
alreadyhiscompatriotsboastofhismanifoldachievements，andexpresstheirdoubtswhetheranyothercountryinEuropecouldproduceathiefsoclever，soaccomplished，sogentlemanly，asVidocq。
GermanyhasitsSchinderhannes，HungaryitsSchubry，andItalyandSpainawholehostofbrigands，whosenamesandexploitsarefamiliarashouseholdwordsinthemouthsofthechildrenandpopulaceofthosecountries。TheItalianbandittiarerenownedovertheworld；andmanyofthemarenotonlyveryreligiousafterafashion，butverycharitable。Charityfromsuchasourceissounexpected，thatthepeopledoteuponthemforit。Oneofthem，whenhefellintothehandsofthepolice，exclaimed，astheyledhimaway，“Hofattopittcarita！“——“Ihavegivenawaymoreincharitythananythreeconventsintheseprovinces。“Andthefellowspoketruth。
InLombardy，thepeoplecherishthememoryoftwonotoriousrobbers，whoflourishedabouttwocenturiesagoundertheSpanishgovernment。Theirstory，accordingtoMacfarlane，iscontainedinalittlebookwellknowntoallthechildrenoftheprovince，andreadbythemwithmuchmoregustothantheirBibles。
Schinderhannes，therobberoftheRhine，isagreatfavouriteonthebanksoftheriverwhichhesolongkeptinawe。ManyamusingstoriesarerelatedbythepeasantryofthescurvytricksheplayedoffuponrichJews，ortoo-presumingofficersofjustice——ofhisprincelygenerosity，andundauntedcourage。Inshort，theyareproudofhim，andwouldnomoreconsenttohavethememoryofhisachievementsdissociatedfromtheirriverthantheywouldtohavetherockofEhrenbreitsteinblowntoatomsbygunpowder。
Thereisanotherrobber-hero，ofwhosecharacterandexploitsthepeopleofGermanyspeakadmiringly。MauschNadelwascaptainofaconsiderablebandthatinfestedtheRhine，Switzerland，Alsatia，andLorraineduringtheyears1824，5，and6。LikeJackSheppard，heendearedhimselftothepopulacebyhismosthazardousescapefromprison。Beingconfined，atBremen，inadungeon，onthethirdstoryoftheprisonofthattown，hecontrivedtolethimselfdownwithoutexcitingthevigilanceofthesentinels，andtoswimacrosstheWeser，thoughheavilyladenwithirons。Whenabouthalfwayover，hewasespiedbyasentinel，whofiredathim，andshothiminthecalfoftheleg:buttheundauntedrobberstruckoutmanfully，reachedtheshore，andwasoutofsightbeforetheofficersofjusticecouldgetreadytheirboatstofollowhim。Hewascapturedagainin1826，triedatMayence，andsentencedtodeath。Hewasatall，strong，handsomeman，andhisfate，villainashewas，excitedmuchsympathyalloverGermany。Theladiesespeciallywereloudintheirregretthatnothingcouldbedonetosaveaherosogood-looking，andofadventuressoromantic，fromtheknifeoftheheadsman。
Mr。Macfarlane，inspeakingofItalianbanditti，remarks，thattheabusesoftheCatholicreligion，withitsconfessionsandabsolutions，havetendedtopromotecrimeofthisdescription。But，headds，moretruly，thatpriestsandmonkshavenotdonehalfthemischiefwhichhasbeenperpetratedbyballad-mongersandstory-tellers。Ifhehadsaidplay-wrightsalso，thelistwouldhavebeencomplete。Infact，thetheatre，whichcanonlyexpecttoprosper，inapecuniarysense，bypanderingtothetastesofthepeople，continuallyrecurstotheannalsofthievesandbandittiforitsmostfavouriteheroes。Thesetheatricalrobbers；withtheirpicturesqueattire，wildhaunts，jolly，reckless，devil-may-caremanners，takeawonderfulholdupontheimagination，and，whatevertheiradvocatesmaysaytothecontrary，exerciseaveryperniciousinfluenceuponpublicmorals。IntheMemoirsoftheDukeofGuiseupontheRevolutionofNaplesin1647and1648，itisstated，thatthemanners，dress，andmodeoflifeoftheNeapolitanbandittiwererenderedsocaptivatinguponthestage，thattheauthoritiesfounditabsolutelynecessarytoforbidtherepresentationofdramasinwhichtheyfigured，andeventoprohibittheircostumeatthemasquerades。Sonumerouswerethebandittiatthistime，thattheDukefoundnodifficultyinraisinganarmyof。
them，toaidhiminhisendeavourstoseizeonthethroneofNaples。
Hethusdescribesthem；[Seealso“ForeignQuarterlyReview，“vol。iv。