Personal sketches of his own times, Vol. 2 (of 3) — Background and Themes

Dueling as Social Theater

The catalog subjects list “Ireland — Social life and customs — 18th century” and “19th century,” and the excerpts confirm that Barrington treats dueling as a central social ritual. The chapter “The Fire-Eaters” describes a “passion for duelling in Ireland” and includes a “list of official and judicial duellists in author’s time.” Barrington presents dueling not merely as violence but as a codified performance: the “Fire-eaters’ Society” had “rules of duelling and points of honour” called the “Thirty-six Commandments.” One anecdote recounts a “ludicrous affair between Frank Skelton and an exciseman,” where Skelton “shoots the exciseman and runs away” with “curious reasons.” Another tells of “Honourable Barry Yelverton challenged by nine officers at once,” leading to an “elucidation of the Fire-eaters’ Resolutions.” These episodes suggest that dueling functioned as a form of social theater, with its own etiquette, humor, and absurdities.

Mrs. Jordan: The Actress Offstage

Barrington’s portrait of Mrs. Jordan occupies a significant portion of the excerpts, offering a counterpoint to the dueling narratives. He describes her daily routine: “in the mornings she usually seemed depressed; at noon she went to rehearsal—came home fatigued, dined at three, and then reclined in her chamber till it was time to dress.” The contrast between her offstage languor and onstage vitality is stark: “the moment her foot touched the scenic boards her spirit seemed to be regenerated.” Barrington records her own explanation: “Habit! old habit! … I told Nature I was then at her service … I became, in fact, merely her puppet.” This self-deprecating account of her craft reveals a performer who attributed her success to instinct rather than calculation. Barrington also notes that during her 1809 visit to Dublin, she “disappointed all” in private society because “there was about her no display.” The sketch thus emphasizes the gap between public performance and private demeanor.

Legal and Personal Anecdotes

Barrington’s position as a judge informs many of the sketches. The catalog subject “Judges — Ireland — Biography” is reflected in anecdotes about legal figures, such as “Lord Kilkenny’s memorable duels and law-suits” and “his lordship is shot by Mr. Ball, an attorney.” The volume also includes a “singular duel between the author and Mr. Richard Daley,” where Barrington himself is a participant. His second is the “celebrated Balloon Crosby,” described as having a “singular appearance and character.” These personal vignettes blend legal observation with memoir. Barrington’s tone is often wry, as when he notes that a dueling code was “called the Thirty-six Commandments.” The excerpts do not reveal the outcome of many episodes, but they establish Barrington as a narrator who is both insider and commentator, using his own experiences to illuminate the customs of his time.

Readers should approach this volume as a collection of discrete sketches rather than a continuous narrative. Barrington’s voice is that of a participant-observer, and his judgments are often implicit in the anecdotes he chooses to tell. The excerpts suggest that the book rewards those interested in the intersection of legal history, social ritual, and theatrical biography. Because the text is incomplete in the excerpts, some episodes may lack resolution, but the vividness of Barrington’s detail compensates for any gaps.

The rain kept Sir Jonah’s duels and Mrs. Jordan’s laughter company that afternoon. His gossip about Georgian drawing-rooms made me wonder what those same rooms held later, when political wives bore the weight of it all. By dusk, I had turned to Wives of the Prime Ministers, 1844-1906 — Text and Context instead, another kind of stage, quieter but no less storied.