Tales and Novels — Volume 09
Edgeworth, Maria, 1767-1849
English
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Below is a summary of Tales and Novels — Volume 09
TALES AND NOVELS
BY
MARIA EDGEWORTH
IN TEN VOLUMES
WITH ENGRAVINGS ON STEEL
VOL. IX.
HARRINGTON; THOUGHTS ON BORES;
AND
ORMOND.
TO THE READER.
In my seventy-fourth year, I have the satisfaction of seeing another work
of my daughter brought before the public. This was more than I could have
expected from my advanced age and declining health.
I have been reprehended by some of the public critics for the _notices_
which I have annexed to my daughter's works. As I do not know their reasons
for this reprehension, I cannot submit even to their respectable authority.
I trust, however, the British public will sympathize with what a father
feels for a daughter's literary success, particularly as this father and
daughter have written various works in partnership.
The natural and happy confidence reposed in me by my daughter puts it in my
power to assure the public that she does not write negligently. I can
assert that twice as many pages were written for these volumes as are now
printed.
The first of these tales, HARRINGTON, was occasioned by an extremely
well-written letter, which Miss Edgeworth received from America, from a
Jewish lady, complaining of the illiberality with which the Jewish nation
had been treated in some of Miss Edgeworth's works.
The second tale, ORMOND, is the story of a young gentleman, who is in some
respects the reverse of Vivian. The moral of this tale does not immediately
appear, for the author has taken peculiar care that it should not obtrude
itself upon the reader.
Public critics have found several faults with Miss Edgeworth's former
works--she takes this opportunity of returning them sincere thanks for the
candid and lenient manner in which her errors have been pointed out. In the
present Tales she has probably fallen into many other faults, but she has
endeavoured to avoid those for which she has been justly reproved.
And now, indulgent reader, I beg you to pardon this intrusion, and, with
the most grateful acknowledgments, I bid you farewell for ever.
RICHARD LOVELL EDGEWORTH.
_Edgeworthstown, May_ 31,1817.
_Note_--Mr. Edgeworth died a few days after he wrote this Preface--the
13th June, 1817.
* * * * *
HARRINGTON.
CHAPTER I.
When I was a little boy of about six years old, I was standing with a
maid-servant in the balcony of one of the upper rooms of my father's house
in London--it was the evening of the first day that I had ever been in
London, and my senses had been excited, and almost exhausted, by the vast
variety of objects that were new to me. It was dusk, and I was growing
sleepy, but my attention was awakened by a fresh wonder. As I stood peeping
between the bars of the balcony, I saw star after star of light appear in
quick succession, at a certain height and distance, and in a regular line,
approaching nearer and nearer. I twitched the skirt of my maid's gown
repeatedly, but she was talking to some acquaintance at the window of a
neighbouring house, and she did not attend to me. I pressed my forehead
more closely against the bars of the balcony, and strained my eyes more
eagerly towards the object of my curiosity. Presently the figure of the
lamp-lighter with his blazing torch in one hand, and his ladder in the
other, became visible; and, with as much delight as philosopher ever
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