ssemblage were disappointed in their
anticipated vengeance, by the interposition of the turnkeys, and the
pretended friend escaped the meditated castigation.

"Observe, again," said the narrator, "that dashing young fellow, arrayed
in the first style of dandyism."

"My good fellow," interrupted Bob, "he is not, I should think, one of
the community; he has, apparently, the manners of the well bred and
accomplished gentleman." "And for that very reason, Sir, is the better
qualified to ~29~~ carry on his profession with impunity; he whom you
dignify with the appellation of a well bred and accomplished gentleman,
is all that you have expressed of him, with the exception of one word,
that is, substitute for gentleman, swindler, and the character is justly
delineated. This fellow, of desperate enterprize, is one of the numerous
practitioners of knavery, who set themselves up for men of property
and integrity, the more easily to defraud the unwary and ignorant out of
their substance and effects. This Spark, connecting himself with several
others of similar pursuit, they took a genteel house in a respectable
part of the town, and dividing themselves into classes of masters,
clerks, out-riders, shopmen, porters, and servants, and thus making
a show of opulence, they easily obtained credit, and laid in goods of
every kind, which they sent into the country and sold, or bartered for
other commodities; these commodities they brought up to London, and sold
for ready money, generally taking in exchange double the quantity, and
paying for the same with notes of their own drawing, indorsing, and
fabricating, for the purpose of cheating the poor deluded farmer,
shopkeeper, and tradesman in the interior of the country. With respect
to tradesmen in town, the goods they took of them on trust they disposed
of to Jews, and other receivers of stolen goods, at about thirty per
cent under value, for ready money, nay, forty per cent rather than not
have the cash; and as their stay in one place could not safely exceed
five months, on account of their creditors calling in their debts,
and their country notes becoming due, they used to make all possible
dispatch to dispose of the various articles, and evacuate the premises
before detection. This done, they played the same game elsewhere, when,
_Proteus_ like, they changed shapes, and disguised themselves so as
not to be known, and carried on business in another house, but in a
different name; the m