You will rejoice, I am sure, my dear Sophy, to see by the date of this
letter that we are safe back at Edgeworthstown. The scenes we have gone
through for some days past have succeeded one another like the pictures
in a magic-lantern, and have scarcely left the impression of reality
upon the mind. It all seems like a dream, a mixture of the ridiculous
and the horrid. "Oh ho!" says my aunt, "things cannot be very bad with
my brother, if Maria begins her letters with magic-lantern and
reflections on dreams."
When we got into the town this morning we saw the picture of a deserted,
or rather a shattered village--many joyful faces greeted us at the doors
of the houses--none of the windows of the new houses in Charlotte Row
were broken: the mob declared they would not meddle with them because
they were built by the two good ladies, meaning my aunts.
Last night my father was alarmed at finding that both Samuel and John,
[Footnote: John Jenkins, a Welsh lad; both he and Samuel thought better
of it and remained in the service.] who had stood by him with the utmost
fidelity through the Longford business, were at length panic-struck:
they wished now to leave him. Samuel said: "Sir, I would stay with you
to the last gasp, if you were not so foolhardy," and here he cried
bitterly; "but, sir, indeed you have not heard all I have heard. I have
heard about two hundred men in Longford swear they would have your
life." All the town were during the whole of last night under a similar
panic, they were certain the violent Longford yeomen would come and cut
them to pieces. Last night was not pleasant, but this morning was
pleasant--and why it was a pleasant morning I will tell you in my next.
_Sept. 19._
I forgot to tell you of a remarkable event in the history of our return;
all the cats, even those who properly belong to the stable, and who had
never been admitted to the honours of the sitting in the kitchen, all
crowded round Kitty with congratulatory faces, crawling up her gown,
insisting upon caressing and being caressed when she reappeared in the
lower regions. Mr. Gilpin's slander against cats as selfish, unfeeling
animals is thus refuted by stubborn facts.
When Colonel Handfield told the whole story of the Longford mob to Lord
Cornwallis, he said he never saw a man so much astonished. Lord
Longford, Mr. Pakenham, and Major Edward Pakenham, have shown much
warmth of friendship upon this occasion.
Enclosed I send you a little sketch, which I traced from one my mother
drew for her father, of the situation of the field of battle at
Ballinamuck, it is about four miles from The Hills. My father, mother,
and I rode to look at the camp; perhaps you recollect a pretty turn in
the road, where there is a little stream with a three-arched bridge: in
the fields which rise in a gentle slope, on the right-hand side of this
stream, about sixty bell tents were pitched, the arms all ranged on the
grass; before the tents, poles with little streamers flying here and
there; groups of men leading their horses to water, others filling
kettles and black pots, some cooking under the hedges; the various
uniforms looked pretty; Highlanders gathering blackberries. My father
took us to the tent of Lord Henry Seymour, who is an old friend of his;
he breakfasted here to-day, and his plain English civility, and quiet
good sense, was a fine contrast to the mob, etc. Dapple, [Footnote:
Maria Edgeworth's horse.] your old acquaintance, did not like all the
sights at the camp as well as I did.
_Oct 3, '98._
My father went to Dublin the day before yesterday, to see Lord
Cornwallis about the Court of Enquiry on the sergeant who harangued the
mob. About one o'clock to-day Lovell returned from the Assizes at
Longford with the news, met on the road, that expresses had come an hour
before from Granard to Longford, for the Reay Fencibles, and all the
troops; that there was another _rising_ and an attack upon Granard: four
thousand men the first report said, seven hundred the second. What the
truth may be it is impossible to tell, it is certain that the troops are
gone to Granard, and it is yet more certain that all the windows in this
house are built halfway up, guns and bayonets dispersed by Captain
Lovell in every room. The yeomanry corps paraded to-day, all steady:
guard sitting up in house and in the town to-night.
_Thursday Morning._
All alive and well. A letter from my father: he stays to see Lord
Cornwallis on Friday. Deficient arms for the corps are given by Lord
Castlereagh.
* * * * *
Mrs. Edgeworth writes:
The sergeant was to have been tried at the next sessions, but he was by
this time ashamed and penitent, and Mr. Edgeworth did not press the
trial, but knowing the man was, among his other weaknesses, very much
afraid of ghosts, he said to him as he came out of the Court House, "I
believe, after all, you had rather see me alive than have my ghost
haunting you!"
* * * * *
In 1798 _Practical Education_ was published in two large octavo volumes,
bearing the joint names of Richard and Maria Edgeworth upon their
title-page. This was the first work of that literary partnership of
father and daughter which Maria Edgeworth describes as "the joy and
pride of my life."
* * * * *
MARIA _to_ MISS SOPHY RUXTON.