Theft

"Of course clergymen and other paid teachers and moralists admonished us to be upright and unselfish, and for people with good incomes it was easy to condemn those living on the edge of poverty as inferior, impractical, shiftless, and lacking respect for the social code. It was easy to shout thief at the other fellow when you had no temptation to steal-I mean steal in a petty way. But stealing in a big way was often accepted as good business judgment."

"Who steals a bugle-horn, a ring, a steed, Or such like worthless thing, has some discretion; 'Tis petty larceny: not such his deed Who robs us of our fame, our best possession."

"To keep my hands from picking and stealing."

"'Tis bad enough in man or woman To steal a goose from off a common; But surely he's without excuse Who steals a common from the goose."

"In vain we call old notions fudge And bend our conscience to our dealing. The Ten Commandments will not budge And stealing will continue stealing."

"Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant."

"Stolen sweets are always sweeter: Stolen kisses much completer; Stolen looks are nice in chapels: Stolen, stolen be your apples."

"Well, well, be it so, thou strongest thief of all, For thou hast stolen my will, and made it thine."

"Henry Ducard: When you lived among the criminals, did you start to pity them?"