Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-10-14
REVIEW.

MEMOIRS OF VIpoca-There is no better read
ing for an honest man than the memoirs Oh
rogue, written by himself The renowned one
whose name is above, was chief of the Police
in Paris for seventeen years-after he had been
practising in his vocation about as many more
His appointment confirmed the authority OF the
proverb concerning the wisdom of setting one
thief to catch another
In his preface, Vidocq laments that ne had
entrusted his manuscripts to man OF letters
| from whom, however, he rescued them, when
the literato had spoiled two volumes OF the iour.
He was offended at the interpretations OF pue-
rifle language attributed to himself, and at the
, suppression of some of his candid explanations,
or rather of some glozing comments, by winch
| he disguised from others, and perhaps from hlm-
self the true character of his life and actions.
| However, the words attributed to him seem 10
| have disturbed him as much as the actions; per-
haps he blushed more to have his talents oo-
scured, than his moraIS-at any rate, TINS is q
failing that belongs to better men. He would
rather be guilty of a crime than commit blum
| der.
| A book so full of adventure, and that lifts the
curtain which conceals all the rogues of France
and their system, must needs be interesting; but
| it would have been good service, to morals and
taste, if the publishers had suppressed many of
the details, and made book OF about halt the
size. There are narratives in It, more adapted
to the state Of society in Paris, than in New
England.
| This illustrious man was born at Arras in
| l775 i'm a house next to that in which Robes
pierre was born. The boy shadowed forth the
man; he was athletic and bold terror to his
| comrades, and curse to the dogs and cats oil
his neighborhood. His first robbery was that
of his fathers chest; but other villains, more
experienced, initiated him into more adven-
| turous acts. Being Obliged to leave Arras, with
out the ceremony of taking leave, he fled to
Holland, that he might come from thence to
the New World: but fortunately no ship was
ready and this quarter of the earth had one
scoundrel less Had he arrived and taken to
| politics, there is no telling how high he would
| have risen. Then he became servant to the
merry-andrew of a travelling menagerie, and
took lessons in tumbng. This life offering few
attractions and small pay, he moved the pity of
an exhibition of puppets, who compared him
| in his menagere to Daniel in the lions den
though the parallel extended no further than to
| the lions.
At this "theatre Of amusing varieties" Uor
so il was called,) the life was too pleasant to
last, and being discharged, he carried the pack
of travelling doctor. His next resource was
the army and he enlisted and deserted to the
Austrians, whom he left in the same manner,
to enlist in another French regiment in which
| he killed q German nuSSdr WnllSl crying SUI
render! surrender"
| AT last he was so securely lodged in prison,
that it was no easy matter to escape, and some
| of his perjured comrades duplicating him in
| forgery of public document, to enable one Of
them to escape, he was sentenced to the galleys
| for eight years-for he protests his own inno-
cence An attempt to escape, in which he was
caught in hole that he could neither get through
nor back, without losing some of his flesh, caus-
ed him to be removed to stronger apartment,
where from the society of sharpers, he was in
troduced to that Of bandits, burglars, and as
sassins.
| He escaped again, and fed to Ostend, where
he engaged in smuggling, pursuit of too much
| comparative honesty to interest him long.
"Parricde," says he I" is the only crime with
which | have not been charged" while he af-
! firms that he was never sentenced for any but
the forgery Of his companions. This however
carried him to the galleys, where he had both
| high and low companions. Among others Gen
eral Sarazn, who was lately there working Out
his penalty for bigamy. The manner Of march
ing to Brest, where the prisoners are situated,
is peculiar. The convicts are attached in pairs
TO chain, which the whole lines OF them carry
between them so that all must move together
| But Vidocq found means to escape from
| Brest, became schoolmaster and sacrlstan, and
| afterwards went to Holland, where he was I'M
| pressed into the navy.
| Ellis singular fatty that he had to submit TO
INTERESTINGLY" Qor thief likes good EXCUSE
as well as an honest man loves a good moive)
soon threw him on shore, and into bad compa-
n.y. His "imperous necessity" brought him
again among sharpers, and carried him to the
Bicetre. Here he was well known and es-
teemed for his courage and actions that he "had
complete Court" But, said he, this prison
glory was now hateful to me-the more read
the soul of malefactors, the more ptied socie
ty for having nourished in its bosom such off
spring" These new views Of his old comrades,
however, opened upon him as he was negotiating
with the police for the employment and wages
of thieEtaker and traitor. Enjoying in the
prison the highest reputation for fidelity to his
comrades, (though without the modcum of no.
nor that belongs to thieves) the secrets Of the
inmates were his, and he revealed so many that
the police had great accession of prisoners
He shall speak for himself
Each day increased the number of my dis
coveries Ofthe many who were committed to
prison, there were none who did not owe their
arrest to me, and not one ofthem for moment