Sitting round the fire

[Maria Edgeworth to Mrs. Ruxton]

Edgeworthstown,

Nov. 18, 1793.

This evening my father has been reading out Gay's Trivia to our great entertainment. I wished very much, my dear aunt, that you and Sophy had been sitting round the fire with us. If you have Trivia, and if you have time, will you humour your niece so far as to look at it? I think there are many things in it which will please you, especially the"Patten and the Shoe black," and the old woman hovering over her little fire in a hard winter. Pray tell me if you like it. I had much rather make a bargain with any one I loved to read the same book with them at the same hour, than to look at the moon like Rousseau's famous lovers."Ah! that is because my dear niece has no taste and no eyes." But I assure you I am learning the use of my eyes main fast, and make no doubt, please Heaven I live to be sixty, to see as well as my neighbours.

I am scratching away very hard at the Freeman Family.*

[Maria Edgeworth]

*i.e. Patronage, which, however, was laid aside, and not published till 1813.

-from The Life and Letters of Maria Edgeworth edited by Augustus J. C. Hare.

Death in the family

Maria Edgeworth to Mrs. Ruxton.

Edgeworthtown, Feb. 11, 1790.

Your friendship, my dear Aunt Ruxton, has, I am sure, considerably alleviated the anguish of mind my father has had to feel, and your letter and well-deserved praise of my dear mother's fortitude and exertion were a real pleasure to her. She has indeed had a great deal to bear, and I think her health has suffered, but I hope not materially. In my father's absence, she ordered everything, did everything, felt everything herself. Unless, my dear aunt, you had been present during the last week of dear Honora's * sufferings, I think you could not form an idea of anything so terrible or so touching. Such extreme fortitude,such affection, such attention to the smallest feelings of others, as she showed on her deathbed! My father has carefully kept his mind occupied ever since his return,but we cannot help seeing his feelings at intervals. He has not slept for two or three nights, and is, I think, far from well to-day.

He said the other day, speaking of Honora, "My dear daughters, I promise you one thing, I never will reproach any of you with Honora. I will never reproach you with any of her virtues." There could not be a kinder or more generous promise, but I could not help fearing that my father should refrain from speaking of her too much, and that it would hurt hismind. He used to say it was a great relief to him to talk of my mother Honora.
Maria Edgeworth


*Honora Edgeworth, fifteen years old, died of consumption, only daughter of Honora (Sneyd) Edgeworth, Maria's step-mother, number one.




-from The Life and Letters of Maria Edgeworth edited by Augustus J. C. Hare.