father, will be
with us in a few days, and Captain Beaufort returns from London on
Monday. You see what a large and happy family we are!!!

Do I not give you some proof, my dear Mr. and Mrs. Ticknor, of my
affection in writing to you at this moment? and if I write without
much sense or connection you will not be surprised.

My head is really upside down, and my feelings so divided between
joy and sorrow--joy for Honora's happiness, but sorrow for the
parting that must be!

It will all settle down under the hand of strong necessity and of
lenient time. My sisters Fanny and Harriet will stay with us some
weeks after the marriage; this will be a great comfort.

Mr. Butler will perform the happy, awful ceremony. How people who
do not love can ever dare to marry, to approach the altar to
pronounce that solemn vow, I cannot conceive.

My thoughts are so engrossed by this subject that I absolutely
cannot tell you of anything else. You must tell me of everything
that interests you, else I shall not forgive myself for my egotism.

I am most sincerely and affectionately, my dear Mrs. Ticknor, with
affectionate remembrances to your engaging daughter, not forgetting
your little darling,

Yours most sincerely,

MARIA EDGEWORTH.

Mention Lockhart's _Memoirs of Scott_, of which my head and heart
were full before this present all-engrossing subject overcame me.

I shall be quite rational again, I am sure, by the time your answer
reaches me, so pray do not treat me as quite a hopeless person to
write rationally to.

Mrs. Edgeworth desires me to send you her very affectionate
remembrances.

I believe, I am almost sure, that I wrote to you, my dear Mr.
Ticknor, some months ago while you were on the Continent, to thank
you for the present you sent me, through Mr. Norton's means, of an
American edition of my works. I thought it beautifully printed and
bound, and the engravings excellent, particularly that for _Helen_,
and the vignette for _Helen_, which we have not in the English
edition. I have another American copy of this edition, and I have
left yours for life with my brother Francis and my Spanish sister
Rosa, who live in a little cottage near Windsor, and have not
money to indulge themselves in the luxury of books. I hope you wil