a book of scoundrels(流浪之书)-第32章
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A BOOK OF SCOUNDRELS
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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A BOOK OF SCOUNDRELS
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：
From distant climes； o'er widespread seas； we come；
Though not with much eclat or beat of drum； True patriots we； for
be it understood； We left our country for our country's good。
No private views disgraced our generous zeal； What urged our
travels was our country's weal； And none will doubt； but that our
emigration Has proved most useful to the British nation。
‘We left our country for our country's good。' That line； thrown
fortuitously into four hundred pages of solid prose； has emerged to
become the common possession of Fleet Street。 It is the man's one title
to literary fame； for spurning the thievish practice he knew so well； he was
righteously indignant when The London Spy was fathered upon him。
Though he emptied his contemporary's pockets of many thousands； he
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A BOOK OF SCOUNDRELS
enriched the Dictionary of Quotations with one line； which will be
repeated so long as there is human hand to wield a pen。 And； if the High
Constable of Paramatta was tediously respectable； George Barrington； the
Prig； was a man of genius。
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A BOOK OF SCOUNDRELS
THE SWITCHER AND
GENTLEMAN HARRY
I THE SWITCHER
DAVID HAGGART was born at Canonmills； with no richer birthright
than thievish fingers and a left hand of surpassing activity。 The son of a
gamekeeper； he grew up a long…legged； red…headed callant； lurking in the
sombre shadow of the Cowgate； or like the young Sir Walter； championing
the Auld Town against the New on the slopes of Arthur's Seat。 Kipping
was his early sin； but the sportsman's instinct； born of his father's trade；
was so strong within him； that he pinched a fighting cock before he was
breeched； and risked the noose for horse…stealing when marbles should
have engrossed his boyish fancy。 Turbulent and lawless； he bitterly
resented the intolerable restraint of a tranquil life； and； at last； in the hope
of a larger liberty； he enlisted for a drummer in the Norfolk Militia；
stationed at the moment in Edinburgh Castle。 A brief； insubordinate year；
misspent in his country's service； proved him hopeless of discipline： he
claimed his discharge； and henceforth he was free to follow the one craft
for which nature and his own ambition had moulded him。
Like Chatterton； like Rimbaud； Haggart came into the full possession
of his talent while still a child。 A Barrington of fourteen； he knew every
turn and twist of his craft； before he escaped from school。 His youthful
necessities were munificently supplied by facile depredation； and the only
hindrance to immediate riches was his ignorance of flash kens where he
might fence his plunder。 Meanwhile he painted his soul black with
wickedness。 Such hours as he could snatch from the profitable conduct
of his trade he devoted to the austere debauchery of Leith or the Golden
Acre。 Though he knew not the seduction of whisky； he missed never a
dance nor a raffle； joining the frolics of prigs and callets in complete
forgetfulness of the shorter catechism。 In vain the kirk compared him to
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a ‘bottle in the smoke'； in vain the minister whispered of hell and the
gallows； his heart hardened； as his fingers grew agile； and when； at sixteen；
he left his father's house for a sporting life； he had not his equal in the
three kingdoms for cunning and courage。
His first accomplice was Barney M'Guire； whountil a fourteen
stretch sent him to Botany Bayplayed Clytus to David's Alexander； and it
was at Portobello Races that their bri
