man than they had represented him to be. In fine, he told me the
newspapers had always taken great pride in misrepresenting him; but
he said so many good things of himself, and recounted the many
scrapes he had been in with such evident self-satisfaction, that I
began to mistrust there was something in him. It was at least
certain that he had hung himself to the government, in the very
harmless belief that it could not get along without him. Of his
pranks, as related by himself, I had no very high opinion, inasmuch
as they made public virtue cut a very sorry figure. He, however,
requested me to bear in mind the fact, that he never squared his
opinions with those who set so high a value upon public virtue that
they were for ever nursing it and weeping over it at their
firesides.

"He thought the nation extremely fortunate in possessing an
individual capable of rendering it services so varied as he was
capable of. He made power his game, and to the end of extending
universal liberty to vagabonds, he had at his command the services
of no less than four hundred and forty as arrant knaves as ever did
bloodletting at elections, or managed the rascality necessary to the
success of their candidate. They had given up the business of
stealing; and being much in need of money and clean raiment, had
taken to the more profitable occupation of president-making,
hoping ere long to be rewarded by a grateful government with
important and lucrative appointments.

"This Captain Splinters, of whom so much was said, expressed great
sympathy for my misfortunes, and seemed to entertain a hearty horror
for such fellows as Fopp. He said that now, being on the road to
fame, it was only necessary to fasten to him, when, having great