castle rackrent-第3部分

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us；　ingenious；　energetic　gentleman；　sat　writing　with　powdered　hair　and　a　queue；　with　tights　and　buckles；　bolt　upright　in　a　stiff　chair；　while　his　family；　also　bequeued　and　becurled　and　bekerchiefed；　were　gathered　round　him　in　a　group；　composedly　attentive　to　his　explanations；　as　he　points　to　the　roll　upon　the　table；　or　reads　from　his　many　MSS。　and　note…　books；　for　their　edification。

To　have　four　wives　and　twenty…two　children；　to　have　invented　so　many　machines；　engines；　and　curricles；　steeples　and　telegraph　posts；　is　more　than　commonly　falls　to　the　lot　of　one　ordinary　man；　but　such　we　know　was　Mr。　Edgeworth's　history　told　by　his　own　lips。

I　received　by　chance　an　old　newspaper　the　other　day；　dated　the　23rd　July　1779。　　It　is　called　the　LONDON　PACKET；　and　its　news；　told　with　long　s's　and　pretty　curly　italics；　thrills　one　even　now　as　one　looks　over　the　four　short　pages。　　The　leading　article　is　entitled　'Striking　Instance　of　the　PERFIDY　of　France。'　　It　is　true　the　grievance　goes　back　to　Louis　XIV。；　but　the　leader　is　written　with　plenty　of　spirit　and　present　indignation。　　Then　comes　news　from　America　and　the　lists　of　New　Councillors　elected：

'Artemus　Ward；　Francis　Dana；　Oliver　Prescott；　Samuel　Baker；　while　a　very　suitable　sermon　on　the　occasion　is　preached　by　the　Rev。　Mr。　Stillman　of　Boston。'　　How　familiar　the　names　all　sound！　　Then　the　thanks　of　the　Members　of　Congress　are　given　to　'General　Lee；　Colonel　Moultrie；　and　the　officers　and　soldiers　under　their　command　who　on　the　28th　of　June　last　Repulsed　with　so　much　Valour　the　attack　that　was　made　that　day　on　the　State　of　South　Carolina　by　the　fleet　and　army　of　his　Britannic　Majesty。'

There　is　an　irresistible　spirit　of　old…world　pigtail　decorum　and　dash　about　it　all。　　We　read　of　our　'grand　fleet'　waiting　at　Corunna　for　the　Spanish；　of　80；000　men　on　the　coast　of　Brittany　supposed　to　be　ready　for　an　invasion　of　England；　of　the　Prince　of　Conde　playing　at　cards；　with　Northumberland　House　itself　for　stakes　（Northumberland　House　which　he　is　INTENDING　to　take）。　　We　read　the　list　of　Lottery　Prizes；　of　the　L1000　and　L500　tickets；　of　the　pressing　want　of　seamen　for　His　Majesty's　Navy；　and　how　the　gentlemen　of　Ireland　are　subscribers　to　a　bounty　fund。　　Then　comes　the　narrative　of　James　Caton　of　Bristol；　who　writes　to　complain　that　while　transacting　his　business　on　the　Bristol　Exchange　he　is　violently　seized　by　a　pressgang；　with　oaths　and　imprecations。　　Mr。　Farr；　attempting　to　speak　to　him；　is　told　by　the　Lieutenant　that　if　he　does　not　keep　off　he　will　be　shot　with　a　pistol。　　Mr。　Caton　is　violently　carried　off；　locked　up　in　a　horrible　stinking　room；　prevented　from　seeing　his　friends；　after　a　day　or　two　he　is　forced　on　board　a　tender；　where　Mr。　Tripp；　a　midshipman；　behaves　with　humanity；　but　the　Captain　and　Lieutenant　outvie　each　other　in　brutality；　Captain　Hamilton　behaving　as　an　'enraged　partisan。'　　Poor　Mr。　Caton　is　released　at　last　by　the　exertions　of　Mr。　Edmund　Burke；　of　Mr。　Farr；　and　another　devoted　friend；　who　travel　post…haste　to　London　to　obtain　a　Habeas　Corpus；　so　that　he　is　able　to　write　indignantly　and　safe　from　his　own　home　to　the　LONDON　PACKET　to　describe　his　providential　escape。　　The　little　sheet　gives　one　a　vivid　impression　of　that　daily　life　in　1779；　when　Miss　Edgeworth　must　have　been　a　little　girl　of　twelve　years　old；　at　school　at　Mrs。　Lataffiere's；　and　learning　to　write　in　her　beautiful　handwriting。　　It　was　a　time　of　great　events。　　The　world　is　fighting；　armies　marching　and　counter…marching；　and　countries　rapidly　changing　hands。　　Miss　Seward　is　inditing　her　elegant　descriptions　for　the　use　of　her　admiring　circle。　　But　already　the　circle　is　dwindling！　　Mr。　Day　has　parted　from　Sabrina。　　The　well…known　episodes　of　Lichfield　gaieties　and　love…makings　are　over。　　Poor　Major　Andre　has　been　exiled　from　England　and　rejected　by　Honora。　　The　beautiful　Honora；　whose　〃blending　charms　of　mind　and　person〃　are　celebrated　by　one　adoring　lover　after　another；　has　married　Mr。　Edgeworth。　She　has　known　happiness；　and　the　devoted　affection　of　an　adoring　husband；　and　the　admiring　love　of　her　little　step…daughter；　all　this　had　been　hers；　and　now　all　this　is　coming　to　an　end；　and　the　poor　lady　lying　on　her　death…bed　imploring　her　husband　to　marry　her　sister　Elizabeth。　　Accordingly　Mr。　Edgeworth　married　Elizabeth　Sneyd　in　1780；　which　was　also　the　year　of　poor　Andre's　death。

There　is　a　little　oval　picture　at　the　National　Gallery　in　Dublin；　the　photograph　of　a　sketch　at　Edgeworthstown　House；　which　gives　one　a　very　good　impression　of　the　family　as　it　must　have　appeared　in　the　reigns　of　King　George　and　the　third　Mrs。　Edgeworth。　　The　father　in　his　powder　and　frills　sits　at　the　table　with　intelligent；　well…informed　finger　showing　some　place　upon　a　map。　He　is　an　agreeable…looking　youngish　man；　Mrs。　Edgeworth；　his　third　wife；　is　looking　over　his　shoulder；　she　has　marked　features；　beautiful　eyes；　she　holds　a　child　upon　her　knee；　and　one　can　see　the　likeness　in　her　to　her　step…daughter　Honora；　who　stands　just　behind　her　and　leans　against　the　chair。　　A　large　globe　appropriately　stands　in　the　background。　　The　grown…up　ladies　alternate　with　small　children。　　Miss　Edgeworth　herself；　sitting　opposite　to　her　father；　is　the　most　prominent　figure　in　the　group。　　She　wears　a　broad　leghorn　hat；　a　frizzed　coiffure；　and　folded　kerchief；　she　has　a　sprightly；　somewhat　French　appearance；　with　a　marked　nose　of　the　RETROUSSE　order。　　I　had　so　often　heard　that　she　was　plain　that　to　see　this　fashionable　and　agreeable　figure　was　a　pleasant　surprise。

Miss　Edgeworth　seems　to　be　about　four…and…twenty　in　the　sketch；　she　was　born　in　1767；　she　must　have　been　eleven　in　1778；　when　Mr。　Edgeworth　finally　came　over　to　Ireland　to　settle　on　his　own　estate；　and　among　his　own　people。　　He　had　been　obliged　some　years　before　to　leave　Edgeworthstown　on　account　of　Mrs。　Honora　Edgeworth's　health；　he　now　returned　in　patriarchal　fashion　with　Mrs。　Elizabeth　Edgeworth；　his　third　wife；　with　his　children　by　his　first；　second；　and　third　marriages；　and　with　two　sisters…in…　law　who　had　made　their　home　in　his　family。　　For　thirty…five　years　he　continued　to　live　on　in　the　pretty　old　home　which　he　now　adapted　to　his　large　family；　and　which；　notwithstanding　Miss　Edgeworth's　objections；　would　have　seemed　so　well　fitted　for　its　various　requirements。　　The　daughter's　description　of　his　life　there；　of　his　work　among　his　tenants；　of　his　paternal　and　spirited　rule；　is　vivid　and　interesting。　　When　the　present　owner　of　Edgeworthstown　talked　to　us　of　his　grandfather；　one　felt　that；　with　all　his　eccentricities；　he　must　have　been　a　man　of　a　far…　seeing　mind　and　observation。　　Mr。　Erroles　Edgeworth　said　that　he　was　himself　still　reaping　the　benefit　of　his　grandfather's　admirable　organisation　and　arrangements　on　the　estate；　and　that　when　people　all　around　met　with　endless　difficulties　and　complications；　he　had　scarcely　known　any。　　Would　that　there　had　been　more　Mr。　Edgeworths　in　Ireland！

Whatever　business　he　had　to　do；　his　daughter　tells　us；　was　done　in　the　midst　of　his　family。　　Maria　copied　his　letters　of　business　and　helped　him　to　receive　his　rents。　　'On　most　Irish　estates；'　says　Miss　Edgeworth；　'there　is；　or　there　was；　a　personage　commonly　called　a　driver；a　person　who　drives　and　impounds　cattle　for　rent　and　arrears。'　　The　drivers　are；　alas！　　from　time　to　time　too　necessary　in　collecting　Irish　rents。　　Mr。　Edgeworth　desired　that　none　of　his　tenants　should　pay　rent　to　any　one　but　himself；　thus　taking　away　subordinate　interference；　he　became　individually　acquainted　with　his　tenantry。　　He　also　made　himself　acquainted　with　the　different　value　of　land　on　his　estate。　　In　every　case　where　the　tenant　had　improved　the　land　his　claim　to　preference　over　every　new　proposer　was　admitted。　　The　mere　plea；　'I　have　been　on　your　Honour's　estate　so　many　years；'　was　disregarded。　　'Nor　was　it　advantageous　that　each　son；'　says　Miss　Edgeworth；　'of　the　original　tenant　should　live　on　his　subdivided　little　potato　garden　without　further　exertion　of　mind　or　body。'　Further　on　she　continues：　　'Not　being　in　want　of　ready　money；　my　father　was　not　obliged　to　let　his　land　to　the　highest　bidder。　　He　could　afford　to　have　good　tenants。'　　In　the　old　leases　claims　of　duty…fowl；　of　duty…work；　of　man　or　beast　had　been　inserted。　　Mr。　Edgeworth　was　one　of　the　first　to　abolish　them。　　The　only　clause　he　continued　in　every　lease　was　the　alienation　fine；　which　was　to　protect　the　landlord　and　to　prevent　a　set　of　middlemen　from　taking　land　at　a　reasonable　rent；　and　letting　it　immediately　at　the　highest　possible　price。　　His　indulgence　as　to　the　time　he　allowed　for　the　payment　of　rent　was　unusually　great；　but　beyond　the　half　year　the　tenants　knew　his　strictness　so　well；　that　they　rarely　ventured　to　go　into　arrears；　and　never　did　so　with　impunity。　　'To　his　character　as　a　good　landlord；'　she　continues；　'was　added　that　he　was　a　real　gentleman；　this　phrase　comprises　a　good　deal　in　the　opinion　of　the　lower　Irish。'　　There　is　one　very　curious　paragraph　in　which　Miss　Edgeworth　describes　how　her　father　knew　how　to　make　use　of　the　tenants'　prejudices；　putting　forward　his　wishes　rather　than　his　convictions。　　'It　would　be　impossible　for　me；'　says　his　daughter；　'without　ostentation　to　give　any　of　the　proofs　I　might　record　of　my　father's　libe