INTRODUCTION
I
The story of the Edgeworth Family, if it were properly told, should be
as long as the ARABIAN NIGHTS themselves; the thousand and one
cheerful intelligent members of the circle, the amusing friends and
relations, the charming surroundings, the cheerful hospitable home, all go
to make up an almost unique history of a county family of great parts and
no little character. The Edgeworths were people of good means and
position, and their rental, we are told, amounted to nearly L3000 a year.
At one time there was some talk of a peerage for Mr. Edgeworth, but he
was considered too independent for a peerage.
The family tradition seems to have been unconventional and spirited
always. There are records still extant in the present Mr. Edgeworth\'s
possession,--papers of most wonderful vitality for parchment,--where you
may read passionate remonstrances and adjurations from greatgrandfathers
to great-great-grandfathers, and where great-greatgrandmothers
rush into the discussion with vehement spelling and
remonstrance, and make matters no better by their interference. I never
read more passionately eloquent letters and appeals. There are also
records of a pleasanter nature; merrymakings, and festive preparations,
and 12s. 6d. for a pair of silk stockings for Miss Margaret Edgeworth to
dance in, carefully entered into the family budget. All the people whose
portraits are hanging up, beruffled, dignified, calm, and periwigged, on the
old walls of Edgeworthstown certainly had extraordinarily strong
impressions, and gave eloquent expression to them. I don\'t think people
could feel quite so strongly now about their own affairs as they did then;
there are so many printed emotions, so many public events, that private
details cannot seem quite as important. Edgeworths of those days were
farther away from the world than they are now, dwelling in the plains of
Longford, which as yet were not crossed by iron rails.