castle rackrent-第5章

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Green；'　says　Lockhart；　and　he　quotes　an　old　saying　of　Sir　Robert　Peel's；　'that　Sir　Walter's　reception　in　the　High　Street　of　Edinburgh　in　1822　was　the　first　thing　that　gave　him　（Peel）　a　notion　of　the　electric　shock　of　a　nation's　gratitude。'　'I　doubt　if　even　that　scene　surpassed　what　I　myself　witnessed；'　continues　the　biographer；　'when　Sir　Walter　returned　down　Dame　Street　after　inspecting　the　Castle　of　Dublin。'

From　ovations　to　friendship　it　was　Sir　Walter's　inclination　to　turn。　　On　the　1st　August　he　came　to　Edgeworthstown；　accompanied　by　his　family。　　'We　remained　there　for　several　days；　making　excursions　to　Loch　Oel；　etc。　　Mr。　Lovell　Edgeworth　had　his　classical　mansion　filled　every　evening　with　a　succession　of　distinguished　friends。　　Here；　above　all；　we　had　the　opportunity　of　seeing　in　what　universal　respect　and　comfort　a　gentleman's　family　may　live　in　that　country；　provided　only　they　live　there　habitually　and　do　their　duty。　。　。　。　Here　we　found　neither　mud　hovels　nor　naked　peasantry；　but　snug　cottages　and　smiling　faces　all　about。　。　。　。　Here　too　we　pleased　ourselves　with　recognising　some　of　the　sweetest　features　in　Goldsmith's　picture　of　〃Sweet　Auburn！　　loveliest　village　of　the　plain。〃'　Oliver　Goldsmith　received　his　education　at　this　very　school　of　Edgeworthstown；　and　Pallas　More；　the　little　hamlet　where　the　author　of　THE　VICAR　OF　WAKEFIELD　first　saw　the　light；　is　still；　as　it　was　then；　the　property　of　the　Edgeworths。

So　Scott　came　to　visit　his　little　friend；　and　the　giant　was　cheered　and　made　welcome　by　her　charming　hospitality。　　It　was　a　last　gleam　of　sunshine　in　that　noble　life。　　We　instinctively　feel　how　happy　they　all　were　in　each　other's　good　company。　　We　can　almost　overhear　some　of　their　talk；　as　they　walk　together　under　the　shade　of　the　trees　of　the　park。　　One　can　imagine　him　laughing　in　his　delightful　hearty　way；　half　joking；　half　caressing。　Lockhart　had　used　some　phrase　（it　is　Lockhart　who　tells　us　the　story）　which　conveyed　the　impression　that　he　suspects　poets　and　novelists　of　looking　at　life　and　at　the　world　chiefly　as　materials　for　art。　　'A　soft　and　pensive　shade　came　over　Scott's　face。　　〃I　fear　you　have　some　very　young　ideas　in　your　head；〃　he　says。　　〃God　help　us；　what　a　poor　world　this　would　be　if　that　were　the　true　doctrine！　　I　have　read　books　enough；　and　observed　and　conversed　with　enough　eminent　minds　in　my　time；　but　I　assure　you　I　have　heard　higher　sentiments　from　the　lips　of　poor　uneducated　men　and　women；　exerting　the　spirit　of　severe　yet　gentle　heroism；　or　speaking　their　simple　thoughts；　than　I　ever　met　with　out　of　the　pages　of　the　Bible。　　We　shall　never　learn　to　feel　and　respect　our　real　calling　unless　we　have　taught　ourselves　to　consider　everything　as　moonshine　compared　with　the　education　of　the　heart；〃'　said　the　great　teacher。　　'Maria　did　not　listen　to　this　without　some　water　in　her　eyes；her　tears　are　always　ready　when　a　generous　string　is　touched；but　she　brushed　them　gaily　aside；　and　said；　〃You　see　how　it　is：　　Dean　Swift　said　he　had　written　his　books　in　order　that　people　should　learn　to　treat　him　like　a　great　lord；　Sir　Walter　writes　his　in　order　that　he　might　be　able　to　treat　his　people　as　a　great　lord　ought　to　do。〃'

Years　and　years　afterwards　Edward　Fitzgerald　stayed　at　Edgeworthstown；　and　he　also　carries　us　there　in　one　of　his　letters。　　He　had　been　at　college　with　Mr。　Frank　Edgeworth；　who　had　succeeded　to　the　estate；　and　had　now　in　1828　come　to　stay　with　him。　　The　host　had　been　called　away；　but　the　guest　describes　his　many　hostesses：　　'Edgeworth's　mother；　aged　seventy…four；　his　sister；　the　great　Maria；　aged　seventy…two；　and　another　cousin　or　something。　　All　these　people　were　pleasant　and　kind；　the　house　pleasant；　the　grounds　ditto；　a　good　library；　so　here　I　am　quite　at　home；　but　surely　must　go　to　England　soon。'　　One　can　imagine　Fitzgerald　sitting　in　the　library　with　his　back　to　the　window　and　writing　his　letters　and　reading　his　thirty…two　sets　of　novels；　while　the　rain　is　steadily　pouring　outside；　and　the　Great　Authoress　（so　he　writes　her　down）　as　busy　as　a　bee　sitting　by　chattering　and　making　a　catalogue　of　her　books。　　'We　talk　about　Walter　Scott；　whom　she　adores；　and　are　merry　all　day　long；'　he　says。　　'When　I　began　this　letter　I　thought　I　had　something　to　say；　but　I　believe　the　truth　was　I　had　nothing　to　do。'

Two　years　later　Mr。　Fitzgerald　is　again　there　and　writing　to　Frederick　Tennyson：　　'I　set　sail　from　Dublin　to…morrow　night；　bearing　the　heartfelt　regrets　of　all　the　people　of　Ireland　with　me。'　　Then　comes　a　flash　of　his　kind　searching　lantern：　　'I　had　a　pleasant　week　with　Edgeworth。　　He　farms　and　is　a　justice；　and　goes　to　sleep　on　the　sofa　of　evenings。　　At　odd　moments　he　looks　into　Spinoza　and　Petrarch。　　People　respect　him　very　much　in　these　parts。'　　Edward　Fitzgerald　seems　to　have　had　a　great　regard　for　his　host；　the　more　he　knows　him　the　more　he　cares　for　him；　he　describes　him　'firing　away　about　the　odes　of　Pindar。'　　They　fired　noble　broadsides　those　men　of　the　early　Victorian　times；　and　when　we　listen　we　still　seem　to　hear　their　echoes　rolling　into　the　far　distance。　　Mr。　Fitzgerald　ends　his　letter　with　a　foreboding　too　soon　to　be　realised：　　'Old　Miss　Edgeworth　is　wearing　away。　　She　has　a　capital　bright　soul；　which　even　now　shines　quite　youthfully　through　her　faded　carcase。'　　It　was　in　May　1849　that　Maria　Edgeworth　went　to　her　rest。　　She　died　almost　suddenly；　with　no　long　suffering；　in　the　arms　of　her　faithful　friend　and　step…　mother。


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NOTES　ON　'CASTLE　RACKRENT'

In　1799；　When　Maria　was　in　London；　she　and　her　father　went　to　call　upon　Mr。　Johnson；　the　bookseller；　who　was　then　imprisoned　in　the　King's　Bench　for　a　publication　which　was　considered　to　be　treasonable；　and　they　probably　then　and　there　arranged　with　him　for　the　publication　of　CASTLE　RACKRENT；　for　in　January　1800；　writing　to　her　cousin；　Miss　Ruxton；　Maria　says；　'Will　you　tell　me　what　means　you　have　of　getting　parcels　from　London　to　Arundel；　because　I　wish　to　send　my　aunt　a　few　popular　tales。　。　。　。　We　have　begged　Johnson　to　send　CASTLE　RACKRENT；　and　hope　it　has　reached　you。　　DO　NOT　MENTION　THAT　IT　IS　OURS。'

The　second　edition　of　CASTLE　RACKRENT　came　out　with　Miss　Edgeworth's　name　to　it　in　1811。　　'Its　success　was　so　triumphant；'　Mrs。　Edgeworth　writes；'that　some　oneI　heard　his　name　at　the　time；　but　do　not　now　remember　itnot　only　asserted　that　he　was　the　author；　but　actually　took　the　trouble　to　copy　out　several　chapters　with　corrections　and　erasions　as　if　it　was　his　original　manuscript。'

It　was　when　Miss　Edgeworth　first　came　to　Ireland；so　she　tells　one　of　her　correspondents；that　she　met　the　original　Thady　of　CASTLE　RACKRENT。　　His　character　struck　her　very　much；　and　the　story　came　into　her　mind。　　She　purposely　added　to　the　agent's　age　so　as　to　give　time　for　the　events　to　happen。

Honest　Thady　tells　the　story；　you　can　almost　hear　his　voice；　and　see　him　as　he　stands：　'I　wear　a　long　greatcoat　winter　and　summer；　which　is　very　handy；　as　I　never　put　my　arms　into　the　sleeves；　they　are　as　good　as　new；　though　come　Holantide　next　I've　had　it　these　seven　years：　it　holds　on　by　a　single　button　round　my　neck；　cloak　fashion。　　To　look　at　me；　you　would　hardly　think　〃Poor　Thady〃　was　the　father　of　Attorney　Quirk；　he　is　a　high　gentleman；　and　never　minds　what　poor　Thady　says；　and　having　better　than　fifteen　hundred　a　year　landed　estate；　looks　down　upon　honest　Thady；　but　I　wash　my　hands　of　his　doings；　and　as　I　have　lived；　so　will　I　die；　true　and　loyal　to　the　family。　　The　family　of　Rackrents　is；　I　am　proud　to　say；　one　of　the　most　ancient　in　the　kingdom。'　　And　then　he　gives　the　history　of　the　Rackrents；　beginning　with　Sir　Patrick；　who　could　sit　out　the　best　man　in　Ireland；　let　alone　the　three　kingdoms　itself；　and　who　fitted　up　the　chicken…house　to　accommodate　his　friends　when　they　honoured　him　unexpectedly　with　their　company。　　There　was　'such　a　fine　whillaluh　at　Sir　Patrick's　funeral；　you　might　have　heard　it　to　the　farthest　end　of　the　county；　and　happy　the　man　who　could　get　but　a　sight　of　the　hearse。'　　Then　came　Sir　Murtagh；　who　used　to　boast　that　he　had　a　law…suit　for　every　letter　in　the　alphabet。　'He　dug　up　a　fairy…mount　against　my　advice；'　says　Thady；　'and　had　no　luck　afterwards。　。　。　。　Sir　Murtagh　in　his　passion　broke　a　blood…vessel；　and　all　the　law　in　the　land　could　do　nothing　in　that　case。　。　。　。　My　lady　had　a　fine　jointure　settled　upon　her；　and　took　herself　away；　to　the　great　joy　of　the　tenantry。　　I　never　said　anything　one　way　or　the　other；'　says　Thady；　'whilst　she　was　part　of　the　family；　but　got　up　to　see　her　go　at　three　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　〃It's　a　fine　morning；　honest　Thady；〃　says　she；　〃good…bye　to　ye；〃　and　into　the　carriage　she　stepped；　without　a　word　more；　good　or　bad；　or　even　half…a…crown；　but　I　made　my　bow；　and　stood　to　see　her　safe　out　of　sight　for　the　sake　of　the　family。'

How　marvellously　vivid　it　all　is！　　every　word　tells　as　the　generations　pass　before　us。　　The　very　spirit　of　romantic　Irish　fidelity　is　incarnate　in　Thady。　　Jason　Quirk　represents　the　feline　element；　which　also　belongs　to　our　extraordinary　Celtic　race。　　The　little　volume　contains　the　history　of　a　nation。　　It　is　a　masterpiece　which　Miss　Edgeworth　has　never　surpassed。　　It　is　almost　provoking　to　have　so　many　details　of　other　and　less　interesting　stories；　such　as　EARLY　LESSONS；　A　KNAPSACK；　THE　PRUSSIAN　VASE；　etc。；　and　to　hear　so　little　of　these　two　books　by　which　she　will　be　best　remembered。


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AUTHOR'S　PREFACE

The　Prevailing　taste　of　the　public　for　anecdote　has　been　censured　and　ridiculed　by　critics　who　aspire　to　the　character　of　superior　wisdom；　but　if　we　consider　it　in　a　proper　point　of　view；　this　taste　is　an　incontestable　proof　of　the　good　sense　and　profoundly　philosophic　temper　of　the　present　times。　　Of　the　numbers　who　study；　or　at　least　who　read　history；　how　few　derive　any　advantage　from　their　labours！　　The　heroes　of　history　are　so　decked　out　by　the　fine　fancy　of　the　professed　historian；　they　talk　in　such　measured　prose；　and　act　from　such　sublime　or　such　diabolical　motives；　that　few　have　sufficient　taste；　wickedness；　or　heroism；　to　sympathise　in　their　fate。　　Besides；　there　is　much　uncertainty　even　in　the　best　authenticated　ancient　or　modern　histories；　and　that　love　of　truth；　which　in　some　minds　is　innate　and　immutable；　necessarily　leads　to　a　love　of　secret　memoirs　and　private　anecdotes。　　We　cannot　judge　either　of　the　feelings　or　of　the　characters　of　men　with　perfect　accuracy；　from　their　actions　or　their　appearance　in　public；　it　is　from　their　careless　conversations；　their　half…finished　sentences；　that　we　may　hope　with　the　greatest　probability　of　success　to　discover　their　real　characters。　　The　life　of　a　great　or　of　a　little　man　written　by　himself；　the　familiar　letters；　the　diary　of　any　individual　published　by　his　friends　or　by　his　enemies；　after　his　decease；　are　esteemed　important　literary　curiosities。　　We　are　surely　justified；　in　this　eager　desire；　to　collect　the　most　minute　facts　relative　to　the　domestic　lives；　not　only　of　the　great　and　good；　but　even　of　the　worthless　and　insignificant；　since　it　is　only　by　a　comparison　of　their　actual　happiness　or　misery　in　the　privacy　of　domestic　life　that　we　can　form　a　just　estimate　of　the　real　reward　of　virtue；　or　the　real　punishment　of　vice。　　That　the　great　are　not　as　happy　as　they　seem；　that　the　external　circumstanc