h were sent out in packets and lent
from one member of the family to another before finally reaching Mr.
Johnson, the publisher's, hands. Maria Edgeworth in some of her letters
from Clifton alludes with some indignation to the story of Mrs. Hannah
More's ungrateful _protegee_ Lactilla, the literary milkwoman, whose
poems Hannah More was at such pains to bring before the world, and for
whom, with her kind preface and warm commendations and subscription
list, she was able to obtain the large sum of 500_l._ The ungrateful
Lactilla, who had been starving when Mrs. More found her out, seems to
have lost her head in this sudden prosperity, and to have accused her
benefactress of wishing to steal a portion of the money. Maria Edgeworth
must have been also interested in some family marriages which took place
about this time. Her own sister Anna became engaged to Dr. Beddoes, of
Clifton, whose name appears as prescribing for the authors of various
memoirs of that day. He is 'a man of ability, of a great name in the
scientific world,' says Mr. Edgeworth, who favoured the Doctor's
'declared passion,' as a proposal was then called, and the marriage
accordingly took place on their return to Ireland. Emmeline, another
sister, was soon after married to Mr. King, a surgeon, also living at
Bristol, and Maria was now left the only remaining daughter of the
first marriage, to be good aunt, sister, friend to all the younger
members of the party. She was all this, but she herself expressly states
that her father would never allow her to be turned into a nursery drudge;
her share of the family was limited to one special little boy. Meanwhile
her pen-and-ink children are growing up, and starting out in the world
on their own merits.

'I beg, dear Sophy,' she writes to her cousin, 'that you will not call
my little stories by the sublime name of my works; I shall else be
ashamed when the little mouse comes forth. The stories are printed and
bound the same size as 'Evenings at Home,' but I am afraid you will
dislike the title. My father had sent the 'Parents' Friend,' but Mr.
Johnson has degraded it into 'Parents' Assistant.'

In 1797, says Miss Beaufort, who was to be so soon more intimately
connected with the Edgeworth family, Johnson wished to publish more
volumes of the 'Parents' Assistant' on fine paper, with prints, and Mrs.
Ruxton asked me to make some designs for them. These designs seem to
have given great satisfaction to the Edgeworth