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TITLE: TALES AND NOVELS, VOLUME 1
AUTHOR: MARIA EDGEWORTH
EBOOK: E06302 (O'Briens Book Cellar)
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

TALES AND NOVELS, VOLUME I

MORAL TALES

BY

MARIA EDGEWORTH

PREFACE.

It has been somewhere said by Johnson, that merely to invent a story is
no small effort of the human understanding. How much more difficult
is it to construct stories suited to the early years of youth, and,
at the same time, conformable to the complicate relations of modern
society--fictions, that shall display examples of virtue, without
initiating the young reader into the ways of vice--narratives, written in
a style level to his capacity, without tedious detail, or vulgar idiom!
The author, sensible of these difficulties, solicits indulgence for such
errors as have escaped her vigilance.

In a former work the author has endeavoured to add something to the
increasing stock of innocent amusement and early instruction, which the
laudable exertions of some excellent modern writers provide for the
rising generation; and, in the present, an attempt is made to provide for
young people, of a more advanced age, a few Tales, that shall neither
dissipate the attention, nor inflame the imagination.

In a work upon education, which the public has been pleased to notice, we
have endeavoured to show that, under proper management, amusement and
instruction may accompany each other through many paths of literature;
whilst, at the same time, we have disclaimed and reprehended all attempts
to teach in play. Steady, untired attention is what alone produces
excellence. Sir Isaac Newton, with as much truth as modesty, attributed
to this faculty those discoveries in science, which brought the heavens
within the grasp of man, and weighed the earth in a balance. To inure the
mind to athletic vigour is one of the chief objects of good education;
and we have found, as far as our limited experience has extended, that
short and active exertions, interspersed with frequent agreeable
relaxation, form the mind to strength and endurance, better than
long-continued feeble study.

Hippocrates, in describing the robust temperament, tells us that the
_athletae_ prepare themselves for the _gymnasium_ by strong exertion,
which they continued till they felt fatigue; they then reposed till they
felt returning strength and aptitude for labour: and thus, by alternate
exercise and indulgence, their limbs acquire the firmest tone of health
and vigour. We have found, that those who have tasted with the keenest
relish the beauties of Berquin, Day, or Barbauld, pursue a demonstration
of Euclid, or a logical deduction, with as much eagerness, and with more
rational curiosity, than is usually shown by students who are nourished
with the hardest fare, and chained to unceasing labour.

"Forester" is the picture of an eccentric character--a young man who
scorns the common forms and dependencies of civilized society; and who,
full of visionary schemes of benevolence and happiness, might, by
improper management, or unlucky circumstances, have become a fanatic and
a criminal.

The scene of "The Knapsack" is laid in Sweden, to produce variety; and to
show that the rich and poor, the young and old, in all countries, are
mutually serviceable to each other; and to portray some of those virtues
which are peculiarly amiable in the character of a soldier.

"Angelina" is a female Forester. The nonsense of _sentimentality_ is here
aimed at with the shafts of ridicule, instead of being combated by
serious argument. With the romantic eccentricities of Angelina are
contrasted faults of a more common and despicable sort. Miss Burrage is
the picture of a young lady who meanly natters persons of rank; and who,
after she has smuggled herself into good company, is ashamed to
acknowledge her former friends, to whom she was bound by the strongest
ties of gratitude.

"Mademoiselle Panache" is a sketch of the necessary consequences of
imprudently trusting the happiness of a daughter to the care of those who
can teach nothing but accomplishments.

"The Prussian Vase" is a lesson against imprudence, and on exercise of
judgment, and an eulogium upon our inestimable trial by jury. This tale
is designed principally for young gentlemen who are intended for the bar.

"The Good Governess" is a lesson to teach the art of giving lessons.

In "The Good Aunt," the advantages which a judicious early education
confers upon those who are intended for public seminaries are pointed
out. It is a common error to suppose that, let a boy be what he may, when
sent to Eton, Westminster, Harrow, or any great school, he will be
moulded into proper form by the fortuitous pressure of numbers; that
emulation will necessarily excite, example lead, and opposition polish
him. But these are vain hopes: the solid advantages which may be attained
in these large nurseries of youth must be, in a great measure, secured by
previous domestic instruction.

These Tales have been written to illustrate the opinions delivered in
"Practical Education." As their truth has appeared to me to be confirmed
by increasing experience, I sat down with pleasure to write this
preface for my daughter. It is hoped that the following stories will
afford agreeable relaxation from severer studies, and that they will be
thought--what they profess to be--_Moral_ Tales.

R.L. EDGEWORTH

CONTENTS.

FORESTER

THE PRUSSIAN VASE

THE GOOD AUNT

ANGELINA; OR, L'AMIE INCONNUE

THE GOOD FRENCH GOVERNESS

MADEMOISELLE PANACHE

THE KNAPSACK

FORESTER

Forester was the son of an English gentleman, who had paid some attention
to his education, but who had some singularities of opinion, which
probably influenced him in his conduct toward his children.

Young Forester was frank, brave, and generous, but he had been taught to
dislike politeness so much, that the common forms of society appeared to
him either odious or ridiculous; his sincerity was seldom restrained by
any attention to the feelings of others. His love of independence was
carried to such an extreme, that he was inclined to prefer the life of
Robinson Crusoe in his desert island, to that of any individual in
cultivated society. His attention had been early fixed upon the follies
and vices of the higher classes of people; and his contempt for selfish
indolence was so strongly associated with the name of gentleman, that he
was disposed to choose his friends and companions from amongst his
inferiors: the inequality between the rich and the poor shocked him; his
temper was enthusiastic as well as benevolent; and he ardently wished to
be a man, and to be at liberty to act for himself, that he might reform
society, or at least his own neighbourhood. When he was about nineteen
years old, his father died, and young Forester was sent to Edinburgh, to
Dr. Campbell, the gentleman whom his father had appointed his guardian.
In the choice of his mode of travelling his disposition appeared. The
stage-coach and a carrier set out nearly at the same time from Penrith.
Forester, proud of bringing his principles immediately into action, put
himself under the protection of the carrier, and congratulated himself
upon his freedom from prejudice. He arrived at Edinburgh in all the glory
of independence, and he desired the carrier to set him down at Dr.
Campbell's door.

"The doctor is not at home," said the footman, who opened the door.

"He _is_ at home," exclaimed Forester with indignation; "I see him at the
window."

"My master is just going to dinner, and can't see any body now," said the
footman; "but if you will call again at six o'clock, maybe he may see
you, my good lad."

"My name is Forester--let me in," said Forester, pushing-forwards.

"Forester!--Mr. Forester!" said the footman; "the young gentleman that
was expected in the coach to-day?" Without deigning to give the footman
any explanation, Forester took his own portmanteau from the carrier; and
Dr. Campbell came down-stairs just when the footman was officiously
struggling with the young gentleman for his burden. Dr. Campbell
received his pupil very kindly; but Forester would not be prevailed upon
to rub his shoes sufficiently upon the mat at the bottom of the stairs,
or to change his disordered dress before he made his appearance in the
drawing-room. He entered with dirty shoes, a threadbare coat, and hair
that looked as if it never had been combed; and he was much surprised by
the effect which his singular appearance produced upon the risible
muscles of some of the company.

"I have done nothing to be ashamed of," said he to himself; but,
notwithstanding all his efforts to be and to appear at ease, he was
constrained and abashed. A young laird, Mr. Archibald Mackenzie, seemed
to enjoy his confusion with malignant, half-suppressed merriment, in
which Dr. Campbell's son was too good-natured, and too well-bred, to
participate. Henry Campbell was three or four years older than Forester,
and _though_ he looked like a gentleman, Forester could not help being
pleased with the manner in which he drew him into conversation. The
secret magic of politeness relieved him insensibly from the torment of
false shame.

"It is a pity this lad was bred up a gentleman," said Forester to
himself, "for he seems to have some sense and goodness."

Dinner was announced, and Forester was provoked at being interrupted in
an argument concerning carts and coaches, which he had begun with Henry
Campbell. Not that Forester was averse to eating, for he was at this
instant ravenously hungry: but eating in company he always found equally
repugnant to his habits and his principles. A table covered with a clean
table-cloth; dishes in nice order; plates, knives, and forks, laid at
regular distances, appeared to our young Diogenes absurd superfluities,
and he was ready to exclaim, "How many things I do not want!" Sitting
down to dinner, eating, drinking, and behaving like other people,
appeared to him difficult and disagreeable ceremonies. He did not
perceive that custom had rendered all these things perfectly easy to

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