compliance, yet might he, by a sugar-plum, be brought to your
purpose; indeed, to say the truth, he was to be bribed to
anything, which made many say he was certainly born to be a great
man.

He was scarce settled at school before he gave marks of his lofty
and aspiring temper; and was regarded by all his schoolfellows
with that deference which men generally pay to those superior
geniuses who will exact it of them. If an orchard was to be robbed
Wild was consulted, and, though he was himself seldom concerned in
the execution of the design, yet was he always concerter of it,
and treasurer of the booty, some little part of which he would now
and then, with wonderful generosity, bestow on those who took it.
He was generally very secret on these occasions; but if any
offered to plunder of his own head, without acquainting master
Wild, and making a deposit of the booty, he was sure to have an
information against him lodged with the schoolmaster, and to be
severely punished for his pains.

He discovered so little attention to school-learning that his
master, who was a very wise and worthy man, soon gave over all
care and trouble on that account, and, acquainting his parents
that their son proceeded extremely well in his studies, he
permitted his pupil to follow his own inclinations, perceiving
they led him to nobler pursuits than the sciences, which are
generally acknowledged to be a very unprofitable study, and indeed
greatly to hinder the advancement of men in the world: but though
master Wild was not esteemed the readiest at making his exercise,
he was universally allowed to be the most dexterous at stealing it
of all his schoolfellows, being never detected in such furtive