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an advanced journalist。 Therefore it is the more remarkable that in one
point he displays a certain caution： he boggles at a superfluous murder。
For all his contempt of property； he still preserves a respect for life； and
the least suspicion of unnecessary brutality sets not only the law but his
own fellows against him。 Like all men whose god is Opportunity； he is a
reckless gambler； and； like all gamblers； he is monstrously extravagant。
In brief； he is a tangle of picturesque qualities； which； until our own
generation； was incapable of nothing save dulness。
The Bible and the Newgate Calendarthese twain were George
Borrow's favourite reading； and all save the psychologist and the pedant
will applaud the preference。 For the annals of the ‘family' are
distinguished by an epic severity； a fearless directness of speech； which
you will hardly match outside the Iliad or the Chronicles of the Kings。
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But the Newgate Calendar did not spring ready…made into being： it is the
result of a curious and gradual development。 The chap…books came first；
with their bold type； their coarse paper； and their clumsy； characteristic
woodcutsthe chap…books； which none can contemplate without an
enchanted sentiment。 Here at last you come upon a literature； which has
been read to pieces。 The very rarity of the slim； rough volumes； proves
that they have been handed from one greedy reader to another； until the
great libraries alone are rich enough to harbour them。 They do not boast
the careful elegance of a famous press： many of them came from the
printing…office of a country town： yet the least has a simplicity and
concision； which are unknown in this age of popular fiction。 Even their
lack of invention is admirable： as the same woodcut might be used to
represent Guy； Earl of Warwick； or the last highwayman who suffered at
Tyburn； so the same enterprise is ascribed with a delightful ingenuousness
to all the heroes who rode abroad under the stars to fill their pockets。
The Life and Death of Gamaliel Ratsey delighted England in 1605；
and was the example of after ages。 The anecdote of the road was already
crystallised； and henceforth the robber was unable to act contrary to the
will of the chap…book。 Thus there grew up a folk…lore of thievery： the
very insistence upon the same motive suggests the fairytale； and； as in the
legends of every country； there is an identical element which the
anthropologists call ‘human'； so in the annals of adventure there is a set of
invariable incidents； which are the essence of thievery。 The industrious
hacks； to whom we owe the entertainment of the chap…books； being seedy
parsons or lawyers' clerks； were conscious of their literary deficiencies：
they preferred to obey tradition rather than to invent ineptitudes。 So you
may trace the same jest； the same intrigue through the unnumbered lives
of three centuries。 And if； being a philosopher； you neglect the obvious
plagiarism； you may induce from these similarities a cunning theory
concerning the uniformity of the human brain。 But the easier explanation
is； as always； the more satisfactory； and there is little doubt that in
versatility the thief surpassed his historian。
Had the chap…books still been scattered in disregarded corners； they
would have been unknown or misunderstood。 Happily； a man of genius
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A BOOK OF SCOUNDRELS
came in the nick to convert them into as vivid and sparkling a piece of
literature as the time could show。 This was Captain Alexander Smith；
whose Lives of the Highwaymen； published in 1719； was properly
described by its author as ‘the first impartial piece of this nature which
ever appeared in English。' Now； Captain Smith inherited from a
nameless father no other patrimony than a fierce loyalty to the Stuarts； and
the sanguine temperament which views in horror a well…ordered life。
Though a mere foundling； he managed to acquire the rudiments； and he
was not wholly unlettered when at eighteen he took to the road。 His
courage； fortified by an intimate knowledge of the great tradition； was
rewarded by an immediate success； and he rapidly became the master of
so much leisure as enabled him to pursue his studies with pleasure and
distinction。 When his companions damned him for a milksop； he was
loftily contemptuous； conscious that it was not in intelligence alone that he
was their superior。 While the Stuarts were the gods of his idolatry； while
the Regicides were the fiends of his frank abhorrence； it was from the
Elizabethans that he caught the splendid vigour of his style； and he owed
not only his historical sense； but his living English to the example of
Philemon Holland。 Moreover； it is to his constant glory that； living at a
time that preferred as well to attenuate the English tongue as to degrade
the profession of the highway； he not only rode abroad with a fearless
courtesy； but handled his own language with the force and spirit of an
earlier age。
He wrote with the authority of courage and experience。 A hazardous
career had driven envy and malice from his dauntless breast。 Though he
confesses a debt to certain ‘learned and eminent divines of the Church of
England；' he owed a greater debt to his own observation； and he knew
none betterhow to recognise with enthusiasm those deeds of daring
which only himself has rivalled。 A master of etiquette； he distributed
approval and censure with impartial hand； and he was quick to condemn
the smallest infraction of an ancient law。 Nor was he insensible to the
dignity of history。 The best models were always before him。 With
admirable zeal he studied the manner of such masters as Thucydides and
Titus Livius of Padua。 Above all； he realised the importance of setting
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A BOOK OF SCOUNDRELS
appropriate speeches in the mouths of his characters； and； permitting his
heroes to speak for themselves； he imparted to his work an irresistible air
of reality and good faith。 His style； always studied； was neither too low
nor too high for his subject。 An ill…balanced sentence was as hateful to
him as a foul thrust or a stolen advantage。
Abroad a craftsman； he carried into the closet the skill and energy
which distinguished him when the moon was on the heath。 Though not
born to the arts of peace； he was determined to prove his respect for letters；
and his masterpiece is no less pompous in manner than it is estimable in
tone and sound in reflection。 He handled slang as one who knew its
limits and possibilities； employing it not for the sake of eccentricity； but to
give the proper colour and sparkle to his page； indeed； his intimate
acquaintance with the vagabonds of speech enabled him to compile a
dictionary of Pedlar's French； which has been pilfered by a whole battalio