Tales and Novels Volume 02
Edgeworth, Maria, 1767-1849
English
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TALES AND NOVELS
MARIA EDGEWORTH.
VOL. II. POPULAR TALES.
1857.
PREFACE.
Some author says, that a good book needs no apology; and, as a preface
is usually an apology, a book enters into the world with a better grace
without one. I, however, appeal to those readers who are not gluttons,
but epicures, in literature, whether they do not wish to see the bill of
fare? I appeal to monthly critics, whether a preface that gives a view
of the pretensions of the writer is not a good thing? The author may
overvalue his subject, and very naturally may overrate the manner in
which it is treated; but still he will explain his views, and facilitate
the useful and necessary art which the French call _reading with the
thumb_. We call this _hunting a book_, a term certainly invented by a
sportsman. I leave the reader to choose which he pleases, whilst I lay
before him the contents and design of these volumes.
Burke supposes that there are eighty thousand readers in Great Britain,
nearly one hundredth part of its inhabitants! Out of these we may
calculate that ten thousand are nobility, clergy, or gentlemen of the
learned professions. Of seventy thousand readers which remain, there
are many who might be amused and instructed by books which were not
professedly adapted to the classes that have been enumerated. With this
view the following volumes[1] have been composed. The title of POPULAR
TALES has been chosen, not as a presumptuous and premature claim to
popularity, but from the wish that they may be current beyond circles
which are sometimes exclusively considered as polite.
The art of printing has opened to all classes of people various new
channels of entertainment and information.--Amongst the ancients, wisdom
required austere manners and a length of beard to command attention; but
in our days, instruction, in the dress of innocent amusement, is
not denied admittance amongst the wise and good of all ranks. It is
therefore hoped that a succession of stories, adapted to different ages,
sexes, and situations in life, will not be rejected by the public,
unless they offend against morality, tire by their sameness, or disgust
by their imitation of other writers.
RICHARD LOVELL EDGEWORTH.
[Footnote 1: This Work was originally published in three volumes.]
CONTENTS
LAME JERVAS 1
THE WILL 55
THE LIMERICK GLOVES 101
OUT OF DEBT OUT OF DANGER 129
THE LOTTERY 161
ROSANNA 195
MURAD THE UNLUCKY 245
THE MANUFACTURERS 281
THE CONTRAST 317
THE GRATEFUL NEGRO 399
TO-MORROW 421
LAME JERVAS
CHAPTER I.
Some years ago, a lad of the name of William Jervas, or, as he was
called from his lameness, Lame Jervas, whose business it was to tend the
horses in one of the Cornwall tin-mines, was missing. He was left one
night in a little hut, at one end of the mine, where he always slept;
but in the morning, he could no where be found; and this his sudden
disappearance gave rise to a number of strange and ridiculous stories
among the miners. The most rational, however, concluded that the lad,
tired of his situation, had made his escape during the night. It was
certainly rather surprising that he could no where be traced; but after
the neighbours had wondered and talked for some time about it, the
circumstance was by degrees forgotten. The name of William Jervas was
scarcely remembered by any, except two or three of the oldest miners,
when, twenty years afterward, there came a party of gentlemen and ladies
to see the mines! and, as the guide was showing the curiosities of the
place, one among the company, a gentleman of about six-and-thirty years
of age, pointed to some letters that were carved on the rock, and asked,
"Whose name was written there?" "Only the name of one William Jervas,"
answered the guide; "a poor lad, who ran away from the mines a great
long while ago." "Are you sure that he ran away?" said the gentleman.
"Yes," answered the guide, "sure and certain I am of that." "Not at all
sure and certain of any such thing," cried one of the oldest of the
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