himself, and lies buried in a cross-road in the neighbourhood of Prescott, in Lancashire. The circumstances that gave rise to the supposition of his guilt, as an incendiary, were these:

Combustibles had been conveyed into the hospital through a pane of glass, though the fire did not take effect until Lowe had set out for Liverpool, where he pretended business. Yet there having been neither fire nor candle used in the house, he was questioned, by letter, on the subject, and prevaricated so much in the answers returned, that with the magistrates of Bow-street there was not a shadow of doubt that he was the principal offender in setting fire to the building. And this suspicion seems very strongly corroborated by his untimely death, of which he was the immediate author.

Mr. Barrington's new junction with Mr. Lowe, having rendered Mr. James rather a dead weight upon his hands, he began to think about breaking with him, which he did not find a difficult matter; as James, having at the bottom some remorse of conscience for his neglect of the laws of justice and moral obligation, he very easily quitted Mr. Barrington's connection; and what is more extraordinary, being a Roman Catholic by profession, retired to a monastery upon the Continent, there in all pro bability to end his days in piety and peace. Barrington, on the other hand, seemed to increase in temerity and desperation; for on his form

ing a connection with Lowe, which was but a short time previous to that evening of the month of January, which is observed as the anniversary of the Queen's birth-day, it was resolved on between them, that, habited as a clergyman, he should repair to court, and there endeavour, not only to pick the pockets of some of the company, but what was a much bolder, and a much more novel attempt, to cut off the diamond orders of some of the Knights of the Garter, Bath, and Thistle, who, on such days, usually wear the collars of their respective orders over their coats. In this enterprize The succeeded beyond the most sanguine expectations that could have been formed, by either his new accomplice Lowe or himself; for he found means to deprive a nobleman of his diamond order, and also contrived to get away from the palace without suspicion; but it must be acknowledged, that at that time the attendance of the Police Officers, as at present, did not lead so frequently to the detection of these marauders. This being an article of too much value to dispose of in England, it is reported that it was sold to a Dutchman, or rather to a Dutch Jew, who came over from Holland once or twice a year, for the sole object of buying jewels that had been stolen: and though a stranger, he is generally reported to have given a much greater price for such articles, than could have been gotten from the receivers in town.

J

Thus far had Barrington proceeded in a course of general deception, and to many, in the appearance of supporting a fair reputation; but now, as it will appear in the next Chapter, the fatal moment was rapidly approaching, which was for ever to stigmatize his character, and place him at such a distance from the consolation and the conscious superiority of a good conscience, as to render his return from whence he had fallen, nearly hopeless and impracticable.

CHAP. VI.

Barrington robs the celebrated Russian Prince Orloff at Covent Garden Theatre-Is detected-Examined at Bow-street, and set at liberty from Tothill-fields Bridewell-Returns to his former practices-Is discovered, and turned out of the House of Lords, through the information of a Mr. G

for threatening of whom he is apprehended by a peace warrant, and recommitted to prison for want of bail-Is released, and detected in picking the pocket of a woman at Drury Lane Theatre-Is sentenced to three year's hard labour on board the Hulks-Is released by the interference of Messrs. Erskine and Campbell-Detected in a robbery in St. Sepulchre's Church-Tried and sentenced to the Hulks-Is again relieved-Goes to Dublin; is there detected picking a nobleman's pocket, and committed for trial.

THE celebrated Russian Prince Orloff paid his first visit to England in the winter of 1775. The high degree of estimation in which that nobleman had long been held by the late Empress Catherine, had ultimately heaped upon him of her distinguishing favours not a few. Among other things of this cast, she had ex

pressed her approbation of his merits by presenting him with a gold snuff-box, set with brilliants, generally supposed to have been worth no less a sum than 30,000l. This distinguishing trophy having caught the eye of Barrington, and impelled him to contrive means to get it into his possession, he thought a fit opportunity presented itself one night at Covent Garden Theatre; where, getting near the Prince, he had the dexterity to convey it out of his Excellency's waistcoat pocket into his own; when being immediately suspected by the Prince, he seized him by the collar: yet in the bustle that took place, Barrington slipped the box into his hand, which that nobleman gladly retained, though Barrington, to the astonishment of all around, was secured and lodged in Tothillfields Bridewell till the Wednesday following, when his examination took place at the Public Office in Bow-street.

When Sir John Fielding being examinant, Mr. Barrington represented himself as a native of Ireland, of an affluent and respectable family. That he had been educated in the medical line, and came to England to improve himself by the extent of his connections. To this plausible representation he added so many tears, and seemed to rest so much upon his being an unfortunate gentleman, rather than a guilty culprit, that Prince Orloff declining to prose cute him, he was dismissed, with an admonition from the Magistrate to amend his future conduct; but this it will appear had no manner