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most distinguished； and turn a while from epigram and jest to empty the
pocket of a rich acquaintance。 And ever with so tactful a certainty； with
so fine a restraint of the emotions； that suspicion was preposterous。 To
catalogue his exploits is superfluous； yet let it be recorded that once he
went to Court； habited as a clergyman； and came home the richer for a
diamond order； Lord C's proudest decoration。 Even the assault upon
Prince Orloff was nobly planned。 Barrington had precise intelligence of
the marvellous snuff…box the Empress's own gift to her lover； he knew
also how he might meet the Prince at Drury Lane； he had even discovered
that the Prince for safety hid the jewel in his vest。 But the Prince felt the
Prig's hand upon the treasure； and gave an instant alarm。 Over…
confidence； maybe； or a too liberal dinner was the cause of failure； and
Barrington； surrounded in a moment； was speedily in the lock…up。 It was
the first rebuff that the hero had received； and straightway his tact and
ingenuity left him。 The evidence was faulty； the prosecution declined；
and naught was necessary for escape save presence of mind。 Even
friends were staunch； and had Barrington told his customary lie； his
character had gone unsullied。 Yet having posed for his friends as a
student of the law； at Bow Street he must needs declare himself a doctor；
and the needless discrepancy ruined him。 Though he escaped the gallows；
there was an end to the diversions of intellect and fashion； as he
discovered when he visited the House of Lords to hear an appeal； and
Black Rod ejected him at the persuasion of Mr。 G。 As yet unused to
insult； he threatened violence against the aggressor； and finding no bail he
was sent on his first imprisonment to the Bridewell in Tothill Fields。
Rapid； indeed； was the descent。 At the first grip of adversity； he forgot
his cherished principles； and two years later the loftiest and most elegant
gentlemen that ever picked a pocket was at the Hulksfor robbing a harlot
at Drury Lane！ Henceforth； his insolence and artistry declined； and；
though to the last there were intervals of grandeur； he spent the better part
of fifteen years in the commission of crimes； whose very littleness
condemned them。 At last an exile from St。 James's and Ranelagh； he was
forced into a society which still further degraded him。 Hitherto he had
shunned the society of professed thieves； in his golden youth he had
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scorned to shelter him in the flash kens； which were the natural harbours
of pickpockets。 But now； says his biographer； he began to seek evil
company； and； the victim of his own fame； found safety only in obscene
concealment。
At the Hulks he recovered something of his dignity； and discretion
rendered his first visit brief enough。 Even when he was committed on a
second offence； and had attempted suicide； he was still irresistible； and he
was discharged with several years of imprisonment to run。 But； in truth；
he was born for honour and distinction； and common actions； common
criminals； were in the end distasteful to him。 In his heyday he stooped no
further than to employ such fences as might profitably dispose of his booty；
and the two partners of his misdeeds were both remarkable。
James； the earlier accomplice affected clerical attire； and in 1791 ‘was
living in a Westphalian monastery； to which he some years ago retired； in
an enviable state of peace and penitence； respected for his talents； and
loved for his amiable manners； by which he is distinguished in an eminent
degree。' The other ruffian； Lowe by name； was known to his own
Bloomsbury Square for a philanthropic and cultured gentleman； yet only
suicide saved him from the gallows。 And while Barrington was wise in
the choice of his servants； his manners drove even strangers to admiration。
Policemen and prisoners were alike anxious to do him honour。 Once
when he needed money for his own defence； his brother thieves； whom he
had ever shunned and despised； collected 100 for the captain of their
guild。 Nor did gaoler and judge ever forget the respect due to a
gentleman。 When Barrington was tried and condemned for the theft of
Mr。 Townsend's watch at Enfield RacesSeptember 15； 1790； was the day
of his last transgressionone knows not which was the more eloquent in
his respect； the judge or the culprit。
But it was not until the pickpocket set out for Botany Bay that he took
full advantage of his gentlemanly bearing。 To thrust ‘Mr。' Barrington
into the hold was plainly impossible； even though transportation for seven
years was his punishment。 Wherefore he was admitted to the boatswain's
mess； was allowed as much baggage as a first…class passenger； and
doubtless beguiled the voyage （for others） with the information of a well…
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stored mind。 By an inspiration of luck he checked a mutiny； holding the
quarter…deck against a mob of ruffians with no weapon but a marline…spike。
And hereafter； as he tells you in his ‘Voyage to New South Wales；' he was
accorded the fullest liberty to come or go。 He visited many a foreign port
with the officers of the ship； he packed a hundred note…books with trite
and superfluous observations； he posed； in brief； as the captain of the ship
without responsibility。 Arrived at Port Jackson； he was acclaimed a hero；
and received with obsequious solicitude by the Governor； who promised
that his ‘future situation should be such as would render his banishment
from England as little irksome as possible。' Forthwith he was appointed
high constable of Paramatta； and； like Vautrin； who might have taken the
youthful Barrington for another Rastignac； he ended his days the
honourable custodian of less fortunate convicts。 Or； as a broadside ballad
has it；
He left old Drury's flash purlieus； To turn at last a
copper。
Never did he revert to his ancient practice。 If in his youth he had
lived the double…life with an effrontery and elegance which Brodie himself
never attained； henceforth his career was single in its innocence。 He
became a prig in the less harmful and more offensive sense。 After the
orthodox fashion he endeared himself to all who knew him； and ruled
Paramatta with an equable severity。 Having cultivated the humanities for
the base purposes of his trade； he now devoted himself to literature with an
energy of dulness； becoming； as it were； a liberal education personified。
His earlier efforts had been in verse； and you wonder that no enterprising
publisher had ventured on a limited edition。 Time was he composed an
ode to Light； and once recovering from a fever contracted at Ballyshannon；
he addressed a few burning lines to Hygeia：
Hygeia！ thou whose eyes display The lustre of meridian
day；
and so on for endless couplets。 Then； had he not celebrated in
immortal verse his love for Miss Egerton； untimely drowned in the waters
of the Boyne？ But now； as became the Constable of Paramatta； he chose
the sterner medium； and followed up his ‘Voyage to New South Wales'
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with several exceeding trite and valuable histories。
His most ambitious work was dedicated in periods of unctuous piety to
his Majesty King George III。； and the book's first sentence is characteristic
of his method and sensibility： ‘In contemplating the origin； rise； and fall
of nations； the mind is alternately filled with a mixture of sacred pain and
pleasure。' Would you read further？ Then you will find Fauna and Flora；
twin goddesses of ineptitude； flitting across the page； unreadable as a
geographical treatise。 His first masterpiece was translated into French；
anno VI。； and the translator apologises that war with England alone
prevents the compilation of a suitable biography。 Was ever thief treated
with so grave a consideration？
Then another work was prefaced by the Right Hon。 William Eden； and
all were ‘embellished with beautiful coloured plates；' and ran through
several editions。 Once only did he return to poetry； the favoured medium
of his youth； and he returned to write an imperishable line。 Even then his
pedantry persuaded him to renounce the authorship； and to disparage the
achievement。 The occasion was the opening of a theatre at Sydney；
wherein the parts were sustained by convicts。 The cost of admission to
the gallery was one shilling； paid in money； flour； meat； or spirits。
The play was entitled The Revenge and the Hotel； and Barrington
provided the prologue； which for one passage is for ever memorable。
Thus it runs：