of reform as the laws.  “The greatest criminals in this town,” said Walpole,[147] “are the officers of justice; there is no tyranny they do not exercise, no villany of which they do not partake.”  Many of the magistrates were never impartial, except, as Fielding said:  “when they could get nothing on either side.”  One class of constables was described by Fielding in “Amelia."[148] The watchmen intended “to guard our streets by night from thieves and robbers, an office which at least requires strength of body, are chosen out of those poor old decrepit people, who are from their want of bodily strength rendered incapable of getting a livelihood by work.  These men, armed only with a pole, which some of them are scarce able to lift, are to secure the persons and houses of his Majesty’s subjects from the attacks of young, bold, stout, desperate, and well-armed villains.  If the poor old fellows should run away from such enemies, no one, I think, can wonder, unless it be that they were able to make their escape.”  Defoe’s pickpockets are always more afraid of being mobbed on the spot, than of being detected and punished by the police.  Well known highwaymen not infrequently rode through the streets of London with armed companions, although large rewards were offered for their capture.  Many of the constables were of the most villanous character.  The following incident, recorded by Walpole, is only one of many instances of their brutality which might be mentioned.[149] “There has lately been the most shocking scene of murder imaginable; a parcel of drunken constables took it into their heads to put the laws in execution against disorderly persons, and so took up every woman they met till they had collected five or six and twenty, all of whom they thrust into St. Martin’s round house, where they kept them all night, with doors and windows closed.  The poor creatures, who could not stir or breathe, screamed as long as they had any breath left, begging at least for water; one poor wretch said she was worth eighteen-pence, and would gladly give it for a draught of water, but in vain!  So well did they keep them there, that in the morning four were found stifled to death; two died soon after, and a dozen more are in a shocking way.  In short, it is horrid to think what the poor creatures suffered.  Several of them were beggars, who, from having no lodging, were necessarily found in the street, and others honest labouring women.  One of the dead was a poor washer-woman, big with child, who was returning home late from washing. * * * These same men, the same night, broke into a bagnio in Covent Garden, and took up Jack Spencer, Mr. Stewart, and Lord George Graham, and would have thrust them into the round-house with the poor women if they had not been worth more than eighteen-pence!”