Cirrus@Austlit

'However painful to confess our errors, still imperative truth renders it a duty. I was a prisoner, and came here with Captain Murray and Lieutenant Edgeworth, of the 33d Dragoons, for bigamy. I was promised by government to be shown lenity, consequently I did not stand my trial, but pleaded to the general issue.'

Parmeter explains later in his letter that he would 'never have thought of a second marriage' except that he was led to understand from a report in the Globe Newspaper that 'my first wife and paramour were taken prisoners by the French at Hambourgh, where she was reported to have died'.

During Governor Macquarie's governorship, Parmeter was given leave to 'resume my professional capacity. After I had acted as surgeon to the Lunatic Asylum two years, for which I received a small salary, I resided at Windsor, and for nearly eight years professional career, I obtained the respect of seven districts, and received, as a testimony of their regard, a valuable consideration.'

Parmeter further recounts that he was later incapacitated by a 'sudden stroke of the palsy' and fell into debt, and 'is now an author, not from choice, by necessity'.

It seems likely that the 'unintentional misrepresentation' to which Parmeter refers is the Australian's quotation of Parmeter's remarks at the farewell dinner for Governor Brisbane. On that occasion, Parmeter said: 'I came out to this colony though not as a prisoner, but, still I have had some slight acquaintance with those who have formerly held that situation'.