Readers of this book might be forgiven for assuming it was written by George Barrington, the celebrated "genteel" pickpocket transported to New South Wales in 1791. But the only connection between Barrington, whose real name was Waldron, and this "Voyage to Botany Bay" is the use made of his reputation by unscrupulous publishers exploiting the popular interest in both criminals and Botany Bay. In the early 1790s, many titles attributed to Barrington were in circulation, all of them a composite of several authorised accounts of Australia but none of them written by Barrington himself. In fact, new texts attributed to Barrington continued to be printed long after his death in 1804. Research indicates that this is the sixth edition of an earlier publication entiltled "Voyage to New South Wales," but with an additional brief biography of Barrington attached between the contents and the main narrative. While a sequel was eventually printed, and often included in a double volume, the sequel is not included here. Garvey AB17. Legend has it that Barrington prevented his ship from being seized by his fellow convicts and that he was recommended to the favourable consideration of Governor Philip who made him Superintendent of Convicts at Parramatta in 1792. Yet the account says little about convict life and concentrates on the customs of the Inidgenous population and its encounters with the British. For those unacquainted with early accounts of NSW, the story offers insight into late 18th-century British attempts to comprehend Australia. But the main interest for collectors may be the book's complex publishing history. Bonus: GARVEY, Nathan, The Celebrated George Barrington: A Spurious Author, the Book Trade, and Botany Bay. Potts Point, Australia: Hordern House, 2008, viii, 327 p. Hardcover with a little dust to white dustjacket. An excellent reference on the history of this work which we will include with "Barrington's" work.
