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‘We left our country for our country's good。' That line； thrown fortuitously into four hundred pages of solid prose； has emerged to become the common possession of Fleet Street。 It is the man's one title to literary fame； for spurning the thievish practice he knew so well； he was righteously indignant when The London Spy was fathered upon him。 Though he emptied his contemporary's pockets of many thousands； he enriched the Dictionary of Quotations with one line； which will be repeated so long as there is human hand to wield a pen。 And； if the High Constable of Paramatta was tediously respectable； George Barrington； the Prig； was a man of genius。
THE SWITCHER AND GENTLEMAN HARRY
I THE SWITCHER
THE SWITCHER
DAVID HAGGART was born at Canonmills； with no richer birthright than thievish fingers and a left hand of surpassing activity。 The son of a gamekeeper； he grew up a long…legged； red…headed callant； lurking in the sombre shadow of the Cowgate； or like the young Sir Walter； championing the Auld Town against the New on the slopes of Arthur's Seat。 Kipping was his early sin； but the sportsman's instinct； born of his father's trade； was so strong within him； that he pinched a fighting cock before he was breeched； and risked the noose for horse…stealing when marbles should have engrossed his boyish fancy。 Turbulent and lawless； he bitterly resented the intolerable restraint of a tranquil life； and； at last； in the hope of a larger liberty； he enlisted for a drummer in the Norfolk Militia； stationed at the moment in Edinburgh Castle。 A brief； insubordinate year； misspent in his country's service； proved him hopeless of discipline： he claimed his discharge； and henceforth he was free to follow the one craft for which nature and his own ambition had moulded him。
Like Chatterton； like Rimbaud； Haggart came into the full possession of his talent while still a child。 A Barrington of fourteen； he knew every turn and twist of his craft； before he escaped from school。 His youthful necessities were munificently supplied by facile depredation； and the only hindrance to immediate riches was his ignorance of flash kens where he might fence his plunder。 Meanwhile he painted his soul black with wickedness。 Such hours as he could snatch from the profitable conduct of his trade he devoted to the austere debauchery of Leith or the Golden Acre。 Though he knew not the seduction of whisky； he missed never a dance nor a raffle； joining the frolics of prigs and callets in complete forgetfulness of the shorter catechism。 In vain the kirk compared him to a ‘bottle in the smoke'； in vain the minister whispered of hell and the gallows； his heart hardened； as his fingers grew agile； and when； at sixteen； he left his father's house for a sporting life； he had not his equal in the three kingdoms for cunning and courage。
His first accomplice was Barney M'Guire； whountil a fourteen stretch sent him to Botany Bayplayed Clytus to David's Alexander； and it was at Portobello Races that their brilliant partnership began。 Hitherto Haggart had worked by stealth； he had tracked his booty under the cloud of night。 Now was the moment to prove his prowess in the eye of day； to break with a past which he already deemed ignoble。 His heart leaped with the occasion： he tackled his adventure with the hot…head energy of a new member； big with his maiden speech。 The victim was chosen in an instant： a backer； whose good fortune had broken the bookmakers。 There was no thief on the course who did not wait； in hungry appetence； the sportsman's descent from the stand； yet the novice outstripped them all。 ‘I got the first dive at his keek…cloy；' he writes in his simple； heroic style； ‘and was so eager on my prey； that I pulled out the pocket along with the money； and nearly upset the gentleman。' A steady brain saved him from the consequence of an o'erbuoyant enthusiasm。 The notes were passed to Barney in a flash； and when the sportsman turned upon his assailant； Haggart's hands were empty。
Thereupon followed an infinite series of brilliant exploits。 With Barney to aid； he plundered the Border like a reiver。 He stripped the yeomen of Tweedside with a ferocity which should have avenged the disgrace of Flodden。 More than once he ransacked Ecclefechan； though it is unlikely that he emptied the lean pocket of Thomas Carlyle。 There was not a gaff from Newcastle to the Tay which he did not haunt with sedulous perseverance； nor was he confronted with failure； until his figure became a universal terror。 His common method was to price a horse； and while the dealer showed Barney the animal's teeth； Haggart would slip under the uplifted arm； and ease the blockhead of his blunt。 Arrogant in his skill； delighted with his manifold triumphs； Haggart led a life of unbroken prosperity under the brisk air of heaven； and； despite the risk of his profession； he remained two years a stranger to poverty and imprisonment。 His worst mishap was to slip his forks into an empty pocket； or to encounter in his cups a milvadering horse… dealer； but his joys were free and frank； while he exulted in his success with a boyish glee。 ‘I was never happier in all my life than when I fingered all this money；' he exclaims when he had captured the comfortable prize of two hundred pounds。 And then he would make merry at Newcastle or York； forgetting the knowing ones for a while； going abroad in white cape and tops； and flicking his leg like a gentleman with a dandy whip。 But at last Barney and a wayward ambition persuaded him to desert his proper craft for the greater hazard of cracking a crib； and thus he was involved in his ultimate ruin。 He incurred and he deserved the untoward fate of those who overlook their talents' limitation； and when this master of pickpockets followed Barney through the window of a secluded house upon the York Road； he might already have felt the noose tightening at his neck。 The immediate reward of this bungled attack was thirty pounds； but two days later he was committed with Barney to the Durham Assizes； where he exchanged the obscurity of the perfect craftsman for the notoriety of the dangerous gaol…bird。
For the moment； however； he recovered his freedom： breaking prison； he straightway conveyed a fiddlestick to his comrade； and in a twinkling was at Newcastle again； picking up purses well lined with gold； and robbing the bumpkins of their scouts and chats。 But the time of security was overpast。 Marked and suspicious； he began to fear the solitude of the country； he left the horse…fair for the city； and sought in the budging…kens of Edinburgh the secrecy impossible on the hill…side。 A clumsy experiment in shop…lifting doubled his danger； and more than once he saw the inside of the police…office。 Henceforth； he was free of the family； he loafed in the Shirra…Brae； he knew the flash houses of Leith and the Grassmarket。 With Jean Johnston； the blowen of his choice； he smeared his hands with the squalor of petty theft； and the drunken recklessness wherewith he swaggered it abroad hastened his approaching downfall。
With a perpetual anxiety to avoid the nippers his artistry dwindled。 The left hand； invincible on the Cheviots； see