begun by her father years before in partnership with his second wife,
when Thomas Day began writing "Sandford and Merton," with the original
intention that it should be worked in as a part of the whole scheme.

In the year 1800 Miss Edgeworth, thirty-three years old, began her
independent career as a novelist with "Castle Rackrent;" and from that
time on, work followed work in illustration of the power of a woman of
genius to associate quick wit and quick feeling with sound sense and a
good reason for speaking. Sir Walter Scott in his frank way declared
that he received an impulse from Miss Edgeworth's example as a
story-teller. In the general preface to his own final edition of the
Waverley Novels he said that "Without being so presumptuous as to hope to
emulate the rich humour, pathetic tenderness, and admirable tact, which
pervade the works of my accomplished friend, I felt that something might
be attempted for my own country of the same kind with that which Miss
Edgeworth so fortunately achieved for Ireland--something which might
introduce her natives to those of the sister kingdom in a more favourable
light than they had been placed hitherto, and tend to procure sympathy
for their virtues and indulgence for their foibles."

Of the three stories in this volume, who--"Murad the Unlucky" and "The
Limerick Gloves"--first appeared in three volumes of "Popular Tales,"
which were first published in 1804, with a short introduction by Miss
Edgeworth's father. "Madame de Fleury" was written a few years later.

H. M.