These Are Called
Footpads, And Are The Lowest Class Of English Rogues; Amongst Whom
In General There Reigns Something Like Some Regard To Character.
The highest order of thieves are the pickpockets or cutpurses, whom
you find everywhere; and sometimes even in the best companies.
They
are generally well and handsomely dressed, so that you take them to
be persons of rank; as indeed may sometimes be the case: persons
who by extravagance and excesses have reduced themselves to want,
and find themselves obliged at last to have recourse to pilfering
and thieving.
Next to them come the highwaymen, who rob on horseback; and often,
they say, even with unloaded pistols, they terrify travellers, in
order to put themselves in possession of their purses. Among these
persons, however, there are instances of true greatness of soul,
there are numberless instances of their returning a part of their
booty, where the party robbed has appeared to be particularly
distressed; and they are seldom guilty of murder.
Then comes the third and lowest, and worst of all thieves and
rogues, the footpads before mentioned; who are on foot, and often
murder in the most inhuman manner, for the sake of only a few
shillings, any unfortunate people who happen to fall in their way.
Of this several mournful instances may be read almost daily in the
English papers. Probably they murder, because they cannot like
highwaymen, aided by their horses, make a rapid flight: and
therefore such pests are frequently pretty easily pursued and taken
if the person robbed gives information of his robbery in time.
But to return to our stage, I must observe, that they have here a
curious way of riding, not in, but upon a stage-coach. Persons to
whom it is not convenient to pay a full price, instead of the
inside, sit on the top of the coach, without any seats or even a
rail. By what means passengers thus fasten themselves securely on
the roof of these vehicles, I know not; but you constantly see
numbers seated there, apparently at their ease, and in perfect
safety.
This they call riding on the outside; for which they pay only half
as much as those pay who are within: we had at present six of these
passengers over our heads, who, when we alighted, frequently made
such a noise and bustle, as sometimes almost frightened us. He who
can properly balance himself, rides not incommodiously on the
outside; and in summer time, in fine weather, on account of the
prospects, it certainly is more pleasant than it is within:
excepting that the company is generally low, and the dust is
likewise more troublesome than in the inside, where, at any rate,
you may draw up the windows according to your pleasure.
In Kensington, where we stopped, a Jew applied for a place along
with us; but as there was no seat vacant in the inside, he would not
ride on the outside, which seemed not quite to please my travelling
companions.
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