nce, and her fame as a writer rests on them.
The best known of these are "Castle Rackrent," "Moral Tales," "Tales of
Fashionable Life," "Frank," "The Modern Griselda," and "Helen." Miss
Edgeworth excels in the truthful delineation of character, and her works
are full of practical good sense and genuine humor.

Mrs. Bollingbroke. I wish I knew what was the matter with me this morning.
Why do you keep the newspaper all to yourself, my dear?

Mr. Bolingbroke. Here it is for you, my dear; I have finished it. Mrs. B.
I humbly thank you for giving it to me when you have done with it. I hate
stale news. Is there anything in the paper? for I can not be at the
trouble of hunting it.

Mr. B. Yes, my dear; there are the marriages of two of our friends.

Mrs.B. Who? Who?

Mr. B. Your friend, the widow Nettleby, to her cousin John Nettleby.

Mrs. B. Mrs. Nettleby? Dear! But why did you tell me?

Mr. B. Because you asked me, my dear.

Mrs. B. Oh, but it is a hundred times pleasanter to read the paragraph
one's self. One loses all the pleasure of the surprise by being told.
Well, whose was the other marriage?

Mr. B. Oh, my dear, I will not tell you; I will leave you the pleasure of
the surprise.

Mrs. B. But you see I can not find it. How provoking you are, my dear! Do
pray tell me.

Mr. B. Our friend Mr. Granby.

Mrs. B. Mr. Granby? Dear! Why did you not make me guess? I should have
guessed him directly. But why do you call him our friend? I am sure he is
no friend of mine, nor ever was. I took an aversion to him, as you
remember, the very first day I saw him. I am sure he is no friend of mine.

Mr. B. I am sorry for it, my dear; but I hope you will go and see Mrs.
Granby.

Mrs. B. Not I, indeed, my dear. Who was she?

Mr. B. Miss Cooke.

Mrs. B. Cooke? But, there are so many Cookes. Can't you distinguish her
any way? Has she no Christian name?

Mr. B. Emma, I think. Yes, Emma.

Mrs. B. Emma Cooke? No; it can not be my friend Emma Cooke; for I am sure
she was cut out for an old maid.

Mr. B. This lady seems to me to be cut out for a good wife.

Mrs. B. Maybe so. I am sure I'll never go to see her. Pray, my dear, how
came you to see so much of her?

Mr. B. I have seen very little of her, my dear. I only saw her two or
three times before she was married.

Mrs. B. Then, my dear, how could you decide that she was cut out for a
good wife? I am sure you could not judge of her by seeing her only two or
three