Her Ladyship had a house in Berkeley Square, London, more splendid than that which she possessed in Dublin; and, knowing that she would come thither, I preceded her to the English capital, and took handsome apartments in Hill Street, hard by.  I had the same intelligence in her London house which I had procured in Dublin.  The same faithful porter was there to give me all the information I required.  I promised to treble his wages as soon as a certain event should happen.  I won over Lady Lyndon’s companion by a present of a hundred guineas down, and a promise of two thousand when I should be married, and gained the favours of her favourite lady’s-maid by a bribe of similar magnitude.  My reputation had so far preceded me in London that, on my arrival, numbers of the genteel were eager to receive me at their routs.  We have no idea in this humdrum age what a gay and splendid place London was then:  what a passion for play there was among young and old, male and female; what thousands were lost and won in a night; what beauties there were—­how brilliant, gay, and dashing!  Everybody was delightfully wicked:  the Royal Dukes of Gloucester and Cumberland set the example; the nobles followed close behind.  Running away was the fashion.  Ah! it was a pleasant time; and lucky was he who had fire, and youth, and money, and could live in it!  I had all these; and the old frequenters of ‘White’s,’ ‘Wattier’s,’ and ‘Goosetree’s’ could tell stories of the gallantry, spirit, and high fashion of Captain Barry.

The progress of a love-story is tedious to all those who are not concerned, and I leave such themes to the hack novel-writers, and the young boarding-school misses for whom they write.  It is not my intention to follow, step by step, the incidents of my courtship, or to narrate all the difficulties I had to contend with, and my triumphant manner of surmounting them.  Suffice it to say, I did overcome these difficulties.  I am of opinion, with my friend the late ingenious Mr. Wilkes, that such impediments are nothing in the way of a man of spirit; and that he can convert indifference and aversion into love, if he have perseverance and cleverness sufficient.  By the time the Countess’s widowhood was expired, I had found means to be received into her house; I had her women perpetually talking in my favour, vaunting my powers, expatiating upon my reputation, and boasting of my success and popularity in the fashionable world.

Also, the best friends I had in the prosecution of my tender suit were the Countess’s noble relatives; who were far from knowing the service that they did me, and to whom I beg leave to tender my heartfelt thanks for the abuse with which they then loaded me! and to whom I fling my utter contempt for the calumny and hatred with which they have subsequently pursued me.