ance of Jeffrey, renewed
many old friendships and formed new ties. It was a feature of Miss
Edgeworth, as it had been of her father, and it is one that speaks
eloquently in favor of their characters, that they never lost a friend
or dropped connection with those in whom they had once been interested.
Friends once made were friends for life, and were sure of a warm welcome
if they came to Ireland, or of a ready answer to any call they might
make upon time or heart. Miss Edgeworth's amiable character won for her
a far larger circle of friends than her father ever possessed; she had
none of those angles in her character which repelled so many from him.
Wherever she went she expressed her gratified surprise at the cordiality
which people showed towards her, and she met no less of it in Scotland
than elsewhere.

After a few weeks spent at Edinburgh William Edgeworth joined his
sisters in a tour through the Highlands. Loch Katrine had, of course,
special interest to her because of its connection with Scott. She does
not think it more beautiful than Killarney: "But where is the lake of
our own or any other times that has such delightful power over the
imagination by the recollection it raises?"

This Highland tour afforded her great pleasure. "The 'felicity-hunters'
have found more felicity than such hunters usually meet with."
Unfortunately it ended badly. She caught cold, and was taken ill with a
very severe attack of erysipelas that laid her up for ten days in a
small Scotch inn. She had been ailing more or less for some months past,
and this attack was probably only a climax. As soon as she could move,
some friends took her into their house and nursed her tenderly, but she
was weak for some time after. But almost before it was true, she tells
her stepmother that she is off the invalid list. Scott was anxious to
have her at Abbotsford, and promised to nurse her carefully. At the end
of July she and her sisters yielded to his friendly entreaties, and
spent a fortnight with him in his home. Lockhart speaks of the time of
her visit as one of the happiest in Scott's life. Until the Misses
Edgeworth arrived the season had been wet. It was a great joy to Sir
Walter that with her appearance summer appeared too. On his expressing
this, Miss Sophy Edgeworth mentioned the Irish tune, "You've brought the
summer with you," and repeated the first line of the words Moore had
adapted to it. "How pretty!" said Sir Walter; "Moore's the man