stocracy of the land. But, in truth, I had small
inducements to remain in it after having tasted of the genteeler and
more complete pleasures of English and Continental life; and we passed
our summers at Buxton, Bath, and Harrogate, while Hackton Castle was
being beautified in the elegant manner already described by me, and the
season at our mansion in Berkeley Square.

It is wonderful how the possession of wealth brings out the virtues of
a man; or, at any rate, acts as a varnish or lustre to them, and
brings out their brilliancy and colour in a manner never known when the
individual stood in the cold grey atmosphere of poverty. I assure you it
was a very short time before I was a pretty fellow of the first class;
made no small sensation at the coffee-houses in Pall Mall and
afterwards at the most famous clubs. My style, equipages, and elegant
entertainments were in everybody's mouth, and were described in all the
morning prints. The needier part of Lady Lyndon's relatives, and such as
had been offended by the intolerable pomposity of old Tiptoff, began to
appear at our routs and assemblies; and as for relations of my own, I
found in London and Ireland more than I had ever dreamed of, of cousins
who claimed affinity with me. There were, of course, natives of my own
country (of which I was not particularly proud), and I received visits
from three or four swaggering shabby Temple bucks, with tarnished lace
and Tipperary brogue, who were eating their way to the bar in London;
from several gambling adventurers at the watering-places, whom I soon
speedily let to know their place; and from others of more reputable
condition. Among them I may mention my cousin the Lord Kilbarry, who, on
the score of his relationship, borrowed thirty pieces from me to pay his
landlady in Swallow Street; and whom, for my own reasons, I allowed to
maintain and credit a connection for which the Heralds' College gave no
authority whatsoever. Kilbarry had a cover at my table; punted at play,
and paid when he liked, which was seldom; had an intimacy with, and was
under considerable obligations to, my tailor; and always boasted of his
cousin the great Barry Lyndon of the West country.

Her Ladyship and I lived, after a while, pretty separate when in London.
She preferred quiet: or to say the truth, I preferred it; being a great
friend to a modest tranquil behaviour in woman, and a taste for the
domestic pleasures. Hence I encouraged her to dine at ho