self-conceit; and of the murderer's part in the repulsive drama, in
which the law appears at such great disadvantage to itself and to
society, being acted almost to the last with a self-complacency that
would be horribly ludicrous if it were not utterly revolting; is
presented in the case of Hocker.

Here is an insolent, flippant, dissolute youth: aping the man of
intrigue and levity: over-dressed, over-confident, inordinately
vain of his personal appearance: distinguished as to his hair,
cane, snuff-box, and singing-voice: and unhappily the son of a
working shoemaker. Bent on loftier flights than such a poor house-
swallow as a teacher in a Sunday-school can take; and having no
truth, industry, perseverance, or other dull work-a-day quality, to
plume his wings withal; he casts about him, in his jaunty way, for
some mode of distinguishing himself--some means of getting that head
of hair into the print-shops; of having something like justice done
to his singing-voice and fine intellect; of making the life and
adventures of Thomas Hocker remarkable; and of getting up some
excitement in connection with that slighted piece of biography. The
Stage? No. Not feasible. There has always been a conspiracy
against the Thomas Hockers, in that kind of effort. It has been the
same with Authorship in prose and poetry. Is there nothing else? A
Murder, now, would make a noise in the papers! There is the gallows
to be sure; but without that, it would be nothing. Short of that,
it wouldn't be fame. Well! We must all die at one time or other;
and to die game, and have it in print, is just the thing for a man
of spirit. They always die game at the Minor Theatres and the
Saloons, and the people like it very much. Thurtell, too, died very
game, and made a capital speech when he was tried. There's all
about it in a book at the cigar-shop now. Come, Tom, get your name