214 Miss Edgeworth. 



ther her head nor her heart; for whilst she 

 seems wholly unconscious of her own merit, 

 she is feelingly alive to the desert of every 

 other individual. What was said by Maria 

 Theresa of General Loudon may be very ap- 

 propriately applied to this lady. The General 

 being wanted at a levee by the Empress, and 

 not being found, she observed, that " in peace 

 you must seek him behind the door, in the day 

 of battle you are certain of finding him in the 

 front of danger." 



o: 



Miss Edgeworth, in the common intercourse of 

 life, is free from every assumption of superiority; 

 it is with her pen alone she exercises it, in vin- 

 dicating the cause of virtue and suffering hu- 

 manity. The family is composed of children, 

 of different marriages ; yet nothing can be more 

 delightful than the harmony which prevails. 

 The ardent sentiment of benevolence, that 

 prompts and animates their general labors, has 

 the effect to modify or extinguish every in- 

 dividual selfish feeling ; while the most strenu- 

 ous endeavors of every member of this pleasant 

 community are called into action, to promote the 

 comfort and happiness of the whole. The first 

 care of each seems to be that of forwarding 

 such objects as meet the general wish of the 

 whole party. 



