Miss Edgeworth now began to write some of the stories which were
afterwards published under the title of _Moral Tales_, but which she at
first intended as a sequel to _The Parent's Assistant_; and she began to
think of writing _Irish Bulls._

* * * * *

_To_ MISS SOPHY RUXTON.

EDGEWORTHSTOWN, _Oct. 1797._

I do not like to pour out the gratitude I feel for your unremitting
kindness to me, my dear Sophy, in vain thanks; but I may as well pour it
out in words, as I shall probably never be able to return the many good
turns you have done me. I am not nearly ready yet for _Irish Bulls._ I
am going directly to _Parent's Assistant._ Any good anecdotes from the
age of five to fifteen, good latitude and longitude, will suit me; and
if you can tell me any pleasing misfortunes of emigrants, so much the
better. I have a great desire to draw a picture of an anti-Mademoiselle
Panache, a well-informed, well-bred French governess, an emigrant.

By the blind bookseller my father will send you some books, and I hope
that we shall soon have finished Godwin, that he may set out for Black
Castle. There are some parts of his book [Footnote: _Essays_, by the
author of _Caleb Williams._] that I think you will like much--"On
Frankness," and "Self-taught Genius;" but you will find much to blame in
his style, and you will be surprised that he should have written a
dissertation upon English style. I think his essay on Avarice and
Profusion will please you, even after Smith: he has gone a step farther.