ith equal pride and
indifference, that what he did was purely from a principle of doing
good. As to a gratuity for the trouble he had taken, he left it totally
to yourself; you might do it in what you thought fit. Even when money
was presented to him he received it with the same negligent grace,
always putting you in mind that it was your own act, that you did it
merely out of your generosity, and that it was no way the result of his
request, that he took it as a favour, not as a reward.

By this dexterity in his management he fenced himself against the rigour
of the law, in the midst of these notorious transgressions of it, for
what could be imputed to Mr. Wild? He neither saw the thief who took
away your goods, nor received them after they were taken; the method he
pursued in order to procure you your things again was neither dishonest
or illegal, if you will believe his account on it, and no other than his
account could be gotten. According to him it was performed after this
manner: after having enquired amongst such loose people as he
acknowledged he had acquaintance with, and hearing that such a robbery
was committed at such a time, and such and such goods were taken, he
thereupon had caused it to be intimated to the thief that if he had any
regard for his own safety he would cause such and such goods to be
carried to such a place; in consideration of which, he might reasonably
hope such a reward, naming a certain sum. If it excited the thief to
return the goods, it did not thereby fix any guilt or blame upon
Jonathan; and by this description, I fancy my readers will have a pretty
clear idea of the man's capacity, as well as of his villainy.

Had Mr. Wild continued satisfied with this way of dealing in all human
probability he might have gone to his grave in peace, without any
apprehensions of punishment but what he was to meet within a world to
come. But he was greedy, and instead of keeping constant to this safe
method, came at last to take the goods into his own custody, giving
those that stole them what he thought proper, and then making such a
bargain with the loser as he was able to bring him up to, sending the
porter himself, and taking without ceremony whatever money had been
given him. But as this happened only in the two last years of his life,
it is fit I should give you some instances of his behaviour before, and
these not from the hearsay of the town, but within the compass of my own
knowledge.

A g