that I have heard you say in her praise. So little change has been
made in the way of living, that you would feel as if you were going
on with your usual occupations and conversation amongst us. We
laugh and talk and enjoy the good of every day, which is more than
sufficient. How long this may last we cannot tell. I am going on in
the old way, writing stories. I cannot be a captain of dragoons,
and sitting with my hands before me would not make any of us one
degree safer. I have finished a volume of wee-wee stories about the
size of the _Purple Jar_, all about Rosamond. My father has made
our little rooms so nice for us; they are all fresh painted and
papered. Oh, rebels! oh, French! spare them. We have never injured
you, and all we wish is to see everybody as happy as ourselves.

The summer passed with immunity from open insurrection in County
Longford; but it shortly appeared that the people were secretly leagued
with the rest of their countrymen, and only waited the arrival of the
French to break into rebellion. Soon the whole district about
Edgeworthstown was disturbed, and in September it was needful for the
family to beat a precipitate retreat from home, leaving it in the hands
of the rebels. Happily it was spared from pillage, thanks to one of the
invaders, to whom Mr. Edgeworth had once shown kindness. The family were
only away five days. A battle had speedily settled the rebels and
dispersed the French, whom their own allies had deserted at the first
volley. But those days, although only five days, seemed a life-time to
Miss Edgeworth, from the dangers and anxieties the family underwent in
their course.

By November all disturbances had so far subsided around Edgeworthstown
as to allow the family to busy themselves with private theatricals, Miss
Edgeworth writing the play, the children acting it, the father building
the stage. At the end of the year Mr. Edgeworth was returned for the
last Irish Parliament, and the family went with him to Dublin. The Union
was then the hot theme of debate, the Irish having incontestably shown
themselves incapable of home rule. Mr. Edgeworth very characteristically
spoke for the Union and voted against it, declaring "that England has
not any right to do Ireland good against her will."

In the spring of 1799 Mr., Mrs. and Miss Edgeworth went to England and
renewed their acquaintance with Mr. Watt, Dr. Darwin and Mr. William