“If on the one hand I was now rejoiced to find myself in the city, which of all others I had wished to be in, how mortified was I on the other when I considered the condition of my purse, which was as empty as any hermit’s. Doubtless, thought I, Naples is a place where pleasures abound: but they are as dear here as elsewhere, and a man without money in his pocket will cut but a very ridiculous figure. I knew well that I must be industrious, and accordingly addressed myself to certain other gentlemen who lived by their wits. I apprised them of my desire and necessity to become one of their brethren. My roguish air prepossessed them instantly in my favour, and after a short examination which I was obliged to undergo, I was pronounced to be fully qualified to be one of their company. I was no sooner enrolled, than they made me commence my operations in their way of business. By their own confession I acquitted myself as if the principles were innate with me; and accordingly I was soon employed in all sorts of thieving, that is to say, in cutting purses, picking locks, stealing cloaks in the darkness of the night; in short a hundred such-like exercises, which are but A, B, C, to old practitioners in the science, but have a wonderful tendency to raise an honest man step by step to the gallows. “But without vanity, my abilities were of too superior a kind to confine myself to these little tricks, and I certainly performed two or three which were considered master-pieces. I must relate one of them to you. The Lord High Constable’s house was the rendezvous of every person of quality, who assembled there of an evening to play. I had already been once in this house while the game had been going on, and had observed every thing with a curious eye. I had particularly noticed that on each of the tables there stood two handsome silver candlesticks with wax lights, and I determined to think of some expedient by which I could possess myself of a pair of them. With this view I bought a pair of pewter ones of about the same height, with two wax candles in them. I managed to get these very conveniently into my pocket, and one evening having dressed myself so that I might pass for a boy belonging to one of the gentlemen of the party, I stole to the high Constable’s house, and posted myself at the door of a small room where two young gentlemen only were at play. I perceived with pleasure that all the pages of the house were engaged in the other rooms, which appeared to be full of company. My two players continued engaged together for a long time, and their candles being almost burnt out seemed to require fresh ones. I seized this favourable moment, and drawing from my pocket my pewter candlesticks, I lighted my wax candles by the lamp on the staircase, and entered the room in which the two gentlemen were with a most respectful bow, and with my two candlesticks in my hand. These I placed boldly on