The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-11-21
JONATHAN WILD,

Or as his biographcr.llrnr Field
ing. very property styles him. IOWA
ArAN wild TuE GREAT. possess
ed a bold heart. n LAUNDERING voice,
and steady CountcnanCc qualti-
cations thai were admirably adapted
In facilitate his huge aud woudcrlnl
undertakings. IN circumstances that
required colonriug. W lid AWAY kept
rs nearly Ia the truth as possible :
and that. as he used 10 observe in pr
,atc, was turning the cannon of the
enemy against themselves ! " Per.
nit mr. To assure Nuu." said hc 10 n
friend. =. although the idea mav hr
somewhat coarse. had rather stand
on the summit of duughill. than NJ
the bottom of a bill in paradise fol.
did not the devil declare. it was bet
ter io reign IN hcil, than Ia be n Va.
! let de chambr' in heaven ?" iona
than. AT an eaiIy period OF his call
j ing. laid down several maXimq asrcr.
] tain methods Of obtaining greatness:
among which are the following | q.
Never Ia do more mise hief 10 anotll-
er. than is necessary to effect Your
purpos, ). for mischief is too preci-
ons thing To be thrown away. 9.
To know no distinction Of men from
affection. but To sacrifice all with e
quail readiness to Your interest. 3.
| Never communicate more of an al
fair. than is necessary ~ the person
Who is 10 execute il. 4. To forgive
no enemy i; but he cautions. and of
ten dllatory, in revenge. s. To
shun poverty aud distress. &. To
lomeht eternal lralouslcs in the gang.
one OF another. 7. That good
name. like money, must he parted
with. or AT least greatly risked, 10
bring the owner amy advantage. g..
That virtue. like precious stones, is
easily counterleitcd that the coun-
ter lcits. in both cases, adorn the
nearer equally. and that very frW
| have the dlsCernmciIi sufficient To dis
tInguish the counterfeit Jewel from
| the real one. 9. Men should pro-
claim their own virtues, as shop
keepers expose their goods, in order
10 profit by them. 10. That the heart
is the proper seat of hatred ; and the
countenanCe OF affection aud friend
ship. Mr.. Wild was born at VOL
verhampton. in StaIford,hire. about
the year 1859. his father being an
honest and laborious Carpentcr,who,
after brstoWIng a tolcTablc educate
on on jon tIHAN. apprcnticcd him
IN buckle maker al Birmingham.
! Here he deserted distressed vile
and infant. and repaired to London.
where he contracted some debts, for
which he was Imprisoned IN the
compiler for abonl -four ears aud IN
that learned seminary it Vas, that
he imblhcd ideas. and formed con
nexions. which paved the way Ia his
future greatness. On Monday, Fc-
bruary Is. l724-5, Jonathan was
Appreciated at his house ~ the Old
Bailey. charged with assisting n
highWayman to escape from a con
stable at Bow aud the charge be
! ing fully subs'auIatrd. he was com
mitted to NrWgatc. Beside this
charge there were several .nIorma-
TONS filed against him 10 the follow.
ing effect. That for many years
past. be had been a confederate with
great numbers of highway men. pick :
pockets, houscbrcakcrS. shoplittcrs.
and other thieves. That he had for
mrd kind oi thicNiUg C0rporatlon,
0i which he was the director, or
commander III chief /; and that, not
WithstandlEg his pretended services
in detecting Offenders. he procured
such only to be hanged as concealed
ar refused 10 share their booty With
him. That hc had di, idcd the tpWn
and country INTO 50 many districts.
aud appointed district gangs Tor
each vino rrgGlarl y produced their
account tohim comcralng even in
his oWn house. those villains WAC ran
a risk Of detection. That he bad
not only been receiver Of stoiea
goods aud writings Of all kinds. ,or
near fifteen years past. bat also o.
ca,lonaIIy turned rohhcr himself. IN
conjunction with his con,rderates.
" bon he protected, at such periods.
by assuming the functions Of civil
officer carrying for that pur-
pose SHIRT silver staff as "A badge
rnntL..I.il, 4 nnf IN. n..I ~, n.,,. l. .