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illustrations of madness.
21

their profession ; hire themselves out as spies, and discover the secrets of government to the enemy, or confederate to work events of the most atrocious nature. At home they lie together in promiscuous intercourse and filthy community.

The principal of this crew, is named Bill, or the King : he formerly surpassed the rest in skill, and in the dexterity with which he worked the machine : he is about 64 or 5 years of age, and in person resembles the late Dr. De Valangin, but his features are coarser ; perhaps, he is a nearer likeness to the late Sir William Pultney, to whom he is made a duplicate. It was on account of something worked by this wretch, that another, by the force of assailment[1], actuated Rhynwick Williams to the commission of his monstrous practices. He also took Hadfield in

  1. This term, which frequently occurs, and is not to be found in our dictionaries, either originates with Mr. M. or is extracted from the vocabulary of the pneumatic gang.