he serious
illness of his wife, and his own sufferings from attacks of
gout. These troubles and others may well increase our
admiration for the genius which, in the face of all
difficulties, is shown in "Jonathan Wild."

_I.--Mr. Wild's Early Exploits_

Mr. Jonathan Wild, who was descended from a long line of great men, was
born in 1665. His father followed the fortunes of Mr. Snap, who enjoyed
a reputable office under the sheriff of London and Middlesex; and his
mother was the daughter of Scragg Hollow, Esq., of Hockley-in-the-Hole.
He was scarce settled at school before he gave marks of his lofty and
aspiring temper, and was regarded by his schoolfellows with that
deference which men generally pay to those superior geniuses who will
exact it of them. If an orchard was to be robbed, Wild was consulted;
and though he was himself seldom concerned in the execution of the
design, yet was he always concerter of it, and treasurer of the booty,
some little part of which he would now and then, with wonderful
generosity, bestow on those who took it. He was generally very secret on
these occasions; but if any offered to plunder of his own head without
acquainting Master Wild, and making a deposit of the booty, he was sure
to have an information against him lodged with the schoolmaster, and to
be severely punished for his pains.

At the age of seventeen his father brought the young gentleman to town,
where he resided with him till he was of an age to travel.

Men of great genius as easily discover one another as Freemasons can. It
was therefore no wonder that the Count la Ruse--who was confined in Mr.
Snap's house until the day when he should appear in court to answer a
certain creditor--soon conceived an inclination to an intimacy with our
young hero, whose vast abilities could not be concealed from one of the
count's discernment; for though the latter was exceedingly expert at his
cards, he was no match for Master Wild, who never failed to send him
away from the table with less in his pocket than he brought to it. With
so much ingenuity, indeed, could our young hero extract a purse, that
his hands made frequent visits to the count's pocket before the latter
had entertained any suspicion of him. But one night, when Wild imagined
the count asleep, he made so unguarded an attack upon him that the other
caught him in the act. However, he did not think proper to acquaint him
with the discovery he had made