wever, is his _History of
England_ (1707-1720). It covers the period from the Roman occupation to
his own times, and continued to be the standard work on the subject until
it was superseded by translations of Rapin's French _History of England_.

EDGEWORTH, MARIA (1767-1849).--Novelist, only child of Richard E., of
Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford, was _b._ near Reading. Her _f._, who was
himself a writer on education and mechanics, bestowed much attention on
her education. She showed early promise of distinction, and assisted her
_f._ in his literary labours, especially in _Practical Education_ and
_Essay on Irish Bulls_ (1802). She soon discovered that her strength lay
in fiction, and from 1800, when her first novel, _Castle Rackrent_,
appeared, until 1834, when her last, _Helen_, was _pub._, she continued
to produce a series of novels and tales characterised by ingenuity of
invention, humour, and acute delineation of character. Notwithstanding a
tendency to be didactic, and the presence of a "purpose" in most of her
writings, their genuine talent and interest secured for them a wide
popularity. It was the success of Miss E. in delineating Irish character
that suggested to Sir W. Scott the idea of rendering a similar service to
Scotland. Miss E., who had great practical ability, was able to render
much aid during the Irish famine. In addition to the works above
mentioned, she wrote _Moral Tales_ and _Belinda_ (1801), _Leonora_
(1806), _Tales of Fashionable Life_ (1809 and 1812), and a Memoir of her
_f._

EDWARDS, JONATHAN (1702?-1758).--Theologian, _s._ of a minister, was _b._
at East Windsor, Connecticut, _ed._ at Yale Coll., and licensed as a
preacher in 1722. The following year he was appointed as tutor at Yale, a
position in which he showed exceptional capacity. In 1726 he went to
Northampton, Conn., as minister of a church there, and remained for 24
years, exercising his ministry with unusual earnestness and diligence. At
the end of that time, however, he was in 1750 dismissed by his
congregation, a disagreement having arisen on certain questions of
discipline. Thereafter he acted as a missionary to the Indians of
Massachusetts. While thus engaged he composed his famous treatises, _On
the Freedom of the Will_ (1754), and _On Original Sin_ (1758).
Previously, in 1746, he had produced his treatise, _On the Religious
Affections_. In 1757 he was appointed Pres. of Princeton Coll., New
Jersey, but was almost immediat