ch a
testimony of his esteem and affection. I know full well, most
sincerely I feel, that he over-values infinitely what I have
written; but of this I am proud, because it proves to me that
private friendship of his which I value above all, even his public
praise....

Believe me, my dear sir, I feel it all; and if I could, as you say,
flatter myself that Sir Walter Scott was in any degree influenced
to write and publish this novel from seeing my sketches of Irish
character, I should indeed triumph in the thought of having been
the proximate cause of such happiness to millions.

Among the many advanced movements that Mr. Edgeworth had advocated was
the cause of Catholic emancipation. In such public measures as her
father had felt an interest, Miss Edgeworth felt one too; and it was a
great joy to her that not only she, but her father's sister, had lived
to see this measure carried. It is amusing to learn that it was a
grievance of O'Connell's against Miss Edgeworth that she never directly
espoused this cause by means of her pen. This was, in real fact, a
compliment, as showing what a power her writings had become.

In the summer, the "reaper whose name is Death" reappeared amidst that
united family, carrying off this time the able engineer, William
Edgeworth, who also succumbed to the fatal family malady. It was a shock
and a grief to his devoted sister, who sorrowed the more when she saw
her juniors go before her, and the grief told on her own health. She was
ailing until autumn, often confined to the sofa and forbidden her pen,
though, happily for her, neither her needle nor her books. Her idle
fancy began once more to weave romances, and she planned the story of
_Helen_ and made some notes for it. Contrary to her previous custom, she
did not draw up a complete sketch, as she had done while writing under
her father's guidance. She jotted down the rough outlines, and trusted
to spontaneous promptings to fill in the details. But she was not even
certain at all whether she should attempt to write it; and although
encouraged by the success of _Harry and Lucy_, she was nervous about
grappling with higher work, deprived of the guide who had been her
life-long stay.

For years she had rejected all suggestions to turn her attention once
more to novel-writing, and but for the encouragement of her sister
Harriet (Mrs. Butler), _Helen_ would probably never have seen the light.