按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Severity was the order of those times。 The reign of sugar…plums had
scarcely begun。 It was not； as now； only ignorance and fanaticism that
encouraged the giving of pain； it was the universal custom。 People were
still hanged for stealing； women were still burntso we have been assured…
…in St。 Stephen's Green； though； it is true； they were considerately
strangled first。 Children were bullied and tortured with the kindest
intentions； even Maria Edgeworth at her fashionable school was stretched
in a sort of machine to make her grow； Mr。 Day； as we know； to please the
lady of his affections； passed eight hours a day in the stocks in order to
turn out his knock…knees。 One feels that a generation of ladies and
gentlemen who submitted to such inflictions surely belonged to a race of
heroes and heroines； and that； if the times were difficult and trying； the
people also were stronger to endure them； and must have been much better
fitted with nerves than we are。
Miss Edgeworth's life has been so often told that I will not attempt to
recapitulate the story at any length。 She well deserved her reputation。
Her thoughts were good； her English was good； her stories had the charm
of sincerity； and her audience of children was a genuine audience； less
likely to be carried away by fashion than more advanced critics might be。
There is a curious matter…of…fact element in all she wrote； combined with
extraordinary quickness and cleverness； and it must be remembered； in
trying to measure her place in literature； that in her day the whole great
17
… Page 18…
Castle Rackrent
school of English philosophical romance was in its cradle； George Eliot
was not in existence； my father was born in the year in which THE
ABSENTEE was published。 Sir Walter Scott has told us that it was Miss
Edgeworth's writing which first suggested to him the idea of writing about
Scotland and its national life。 Tourgenieff in the same way says that it
was after reading her books on Ireland that he began to write of his own
country and of Russian peasants as he did。 Miss Edgeworth was the
creator of her own special world of fiction； though the active Mr。
Edgeworth crossed the t's and dotted the i's； interpolated； expurgated； to
his own and Maria's satisfaction。 She was essentially a modest woman；
she gratefully accepted his criticism and emendations。 Mr。 Clark Russell
quotes Sydney Smith； who declared that Mr。 Edgeworth must have written
or burst。 'A discharge of ink was an evacuation absolutely necessary to
avoid fatal and plethoric congestion。' The only wonder is that；
considering all they went through； his daughter's stories survived to tell
their tale； and to tell it so well； with directness and conviction； that best of
salt in any literary work。 A letter Maria wrote to her cousin will be
remembered。 'I beg； dear Sophy；' she says； 'that you will not call my
stories by the sublime name of my works； I shall else be ashamed when
the little mouse comes forth。'
Maria's correspondence is delightful； and conveys us right away into
that bygone age。 The figures rapidly move across her scene； talking and
unconsciously describing themselves as they go； you see them all through
the eyes of the observant little lady。 She did not go very deep； she seems
to me to have made kindly acquaintance with some； to have admired
others with artless enthusiasm。 I don't think she troubled herself much
about complication of feeling； she liked people to make repartees； or to
invent machines； to pay their bills； and to do their duty in a commonplace
and cheerfully stoical fashion。 But then Maria Edgeworth certainly did
not belong to our modern schools； sipping the emetic goblet to give
flavour to daily events； nor to that still more alarming and spreading clique
of DEGENERES who insist upon administering such doses to others to
relieve the tedium of the road of life。
Perhaps we in our time scarcely do justice to Miss Edgeworth's
18
… Page 19…
Castle Rackrent
extraordinary cleverness and brightness of apprehension。 There is more
fun than humour in her work； and those were the days of good rollicking
jokes and laughter。 Details change so quickly that it is almost impossible
to grasp entirely the aims and intentions of a whole set of people just a
little different from ourselves in every single thing； who held their heads
differently； who pointed their toes differently； who addressed each other in
a language just a little unlike our own。 The very meanings of the words
shift from one generation to another； and we are perhaps more really in
harmony with our great…great… grandfathers than with the more immediate
generations。
Her society was charming； so every one agrees； and her acquaintance
with all the most remarkable men of her time must not be forgotten； nor
the genuine regard with which she inspired all who came across her path。
'In external appearance she is quite the fairy of our nursery tale； the
WHIPPETY STOURIE； if you remember such a sprite； who came flying
through the window to work all sorts of marvels；' writes Sir Walter。 'I
will never believe but what she has a wand in her pocket； and pulls it out
to conjure a little before she begins those very striking pictures of
manners。'
Among others Sir William Hamilton has left a pleasing description of
Miss Edgeworth。 'If you would study and admire her as she deserves；
you must see her at home；' says he； 'and hear her talk。 She knows an
infinite number of anecdotes about interesting places and persons； which
she tells extremely well； and never except when they arise naturally out of
the subject。 。 。 。 To crown her merits； she seemed to take a prodigious
fancy to me； and promised to be at home； and made me promise to be at
Edgeworthstown for a fortnight some time next vacation。' We owe to
him also an amusing sketch of some other collateral members of the
family； the fine animated old lady； who immediately gets him to explain
the reason why a concave mirror inverts while a convex mirror leaves
them erect； the young ladies； one of whom was particularly anxious to
persuade him that the roundness of the planets was produced by friction；
perhaps by their being shaken together like marbles in a bag。
There is also an interesting letter from Sir W。 Hamilton at
19
… Page 20…
Castle Rackrent
Edgeworthstown on 23rd September 1829。 Wordsworth is also staying
there。 'After some persuasion Francis and I succeed in engaging Mr。
Wordsworth in many very interesting conversations。 Miss Edgeworth has
had for some time a very serious illness； but she was able to join us for
dinner the day that I arrived； and she exhibited in her conversations with
Mr。 Wordsworth a good deal of her usual brilliancy； she also engaged Mr。
Marshall in some long conversations upon Ireland； and even Mr。
Marshall's son； whose talent for silence seems to be so very profound； was
thawed a little on Monday evening； and discussed after tea the formation
of the solar system。 Miss Edgeworth tells me that she is at last employed
in writing for the public after a long interval； but does not expect to have
her work soon ready for publication。' ＇There is a curious criticism of
Miss Edgeworth by Robert Hall； the great preacher； which should not be
passed over。 'As to her style；' he says； 'she is simple and elegant； content to
convey her thoughts in their most plain and natural form； that is indeed the
perfection of style。 。 。 。 In point of tendency；' he continues； 'I sh