to England with despatches; it's all a mistake, however, he says. He
believes he might have had the opportunity, had he cared for it.”
If there was not much in these passing notices of his father, there was
quite enough to impart to them an intense degree of interest. There is
a wondrous charm, besides, in reading of the young days of those we have
only known in maturer life, in hearing of them when they were fresh,
ardent, and impetuous; in knowing, besides, how they were regarded by
contemporaries, how loved and valued. It was not merely that Ormsby
recurred in almost every page of this journal, but the record bore
testimony to his superiority and the undisputed sway he exercised over
his companions. This same power of dominating and directing had been
the distinguishing feature of his after-life, and many an unruly and
turbulent spirit had been reclaimed under Ormsby Conyers's hands.
As he read on, he grew also to feel a strong interest for the writer
himself; the very heartiness of the affection he bestowed on his father,
and the noble generosity with which he welcomed every success of that
“dear fellow Ormsby,” were more than enough to secure his interest for
him. There was a bold, almost reckless dash, too, about Barrington which
has a great charm occasionally for very young men. He adventured upon
life pretty much as he would try to cross a river; he never looked for
a shallow nor inquired for a ford, but plunged boldly in, and trusted
to his brave heart and his strong arms for the rest. No one, indeed,
reading even these rough notes, could hesitate to pronounce which of the
two would “make the spoon,” and which “spoil the horn.” Young Conyers
was eager to find some mention of the incident to which Miss Barrington
had vaguely alluded. He wanted to read George Barrington's own account
before he opened the little pamphlet she gave him, but the journal
closed years before this event; and although some of the letters came
down to a later date, none approached the period he wanted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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