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was a connection of the family into which the notorious adventurer
had married. It is not unlikely that Thackeray had seen the work
published in 1810--the year of Stoney-Bowes's death--in which the
whole unhappy romance was set forth. This was 'THE LIVES OF ANDREW
ROBINSON BOWES ESQ., and THE COUNTESS OF STRATHMORE. Written from
thirty-three years' Professional Attendance, from letters and other
well authenticated Documents by Jesse Foot, Surgeon.' In this book
we find several incidents similar to ones in the story. Bowes cut
down all the timber on his wife's estate, but 'the neighbours would
not buy it.' Such practical jokes as Barry Lyndon played upon his
son's tutor were played by Bowes on his chaplain. The story of
Stoney and his marriage will be found briefly given in the notice of
the Countess's life in the DICTIONARY OF NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY.

Whence that part of the romantic interlude dealing with the stay in
the Duchy of X----, dealt with in chapter x., etc., was inspired,
Thackeray's own note\books (as quoted by Mrs Ritchie) conclusively
show: 'January 4,1844. Read in a silly book called L'EMPIRE, a good
story about the first K. of Wurtemberg's wife; killed by her husband
for adultery. Frederic William, born in 1734 (?), m. in 1780 the
Princess Caroline of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel, who died the 27th
September 1788. For the rest of the story see L'EMPIRE, OU DIX ANS
SOUS NAPOLEON, PAR UN CHAMBELLAN: Paris, Allardin, 1836; vol. i.
220.' The 'Captain Freny' to whom Barry owed his adventures on his
journey to Dublin (chapter iii.) was a notorious highwayman, on
whose doings Thackeray had enlarged in the fifteenth chapter of his
IRISH SKETCH BOOK.

Despite the slowness with which it was written, and the seeming
neglect with which it was permitted to remain unreprinted, BARRY
LYNDON was to be hailed by competent critics as one of Thackeray's
finest performances, though the author himself seems to have had no
strong regard for the story. His daughter has recorded, 'My father
once said to me when I was a girl: "You needn't read BARRY LYNDON,
you won't like it." Indeed, it is scarcely a book to LIKE, but one
to admire and to wonder at for its consummate power and mastery.'
Another novelist, Anthony Trollope, has said of it: 'In imagination,
language, construction, and general literary capacity, Thackeray
never did anything more remarkable than BARRY LYNDON.' Mr Leslie
Stephen says: 'All later critics have recognised in this book one of
his most powerful performances. In directness and vigour he never
surpassed it.'

W.J.




The Memoires of BARRY LYNDON, ESQ.




CHAPTER I

MY PEDIGREE AND FAMILY--UNDERGO THE INFLUENCE OF THE TENDER PASSION


Since the days of Adam, there has been hardly a mischief done in
this world but a woman has been at the bottom of it. Ever since ours
was a family (and that must be very NEAR Adam's time,--so old,
noble, and illustrious are the Barrys, as everybody knows) women
have played a mighty part with the destinies of our race.

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