Tales and Novels, vol 2

Tales and Novels, vol 2

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Title: Tales & Novels, Vol. 2
Author: Maria Edgeworth
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TALES AND NOVELS
MARIA EDGEWORTH.
VOL. II. POPULAR TALES.
1857.

PREFACE.
Some author says, that a good book needs no apology; and, as a preface
is usually an apology, a book enters into the world with a better grace
without one. I, however, appeal to those readers who are not gluttons,
but epicures, in literature, whether they do not wish to see the bill of
fare? I appeal to monthly critics, whether a preface that gives a view of
the pretensions of the writer is not a good thing? The author may
overvalue his subject, and very naturally may overrate the manner in
which it is treated; but still he will explain his views, and facilitate the
useful and necessary art which the French call reading with the thumb.
We call this hunting a book, a term certainly invented by a sportsman. I
leave the reader to choose which he pleases, whilst I lay before him the
contents and design of these volumes.
Burke supposes that there are eighty thousand readers in Great Britain,
nearly one hundredth part of its inhabitants! Out of these we may
calculate that ten thousand are nobility, clergy, or gentlemen of the
learned professions. Of seventy thousand readers which remain, there
are many who might be amused and instructed by books which were
not professedly adapted to the classes that have been enumerated. With
this view the following volumes[1] have been composed. The title of
POPULAR TALES has been chosen, not as a presumptuous and

premature claim to popularity, but from the wish that they may be
current beyond circles which are sometimes exclusively considered as
polite.
The art of printing has opened to all classes of people various new
channels of entertainment and information.--Amongst the ancients,
wisdom required austere manners and a length of beard to command
attention; but in our days, instruction, in the dress of innocent
amusement, is not denied admittance amongst the wise and good of all
ranks. It is therefore hoped that a succession of stories, adapted to
different ages, sexes, and situations in life, will not be rejected by the
public, unless they offend against morality, tire by their sameness, or
disgust by their imitation of other writers.
RICHARD LOVELL EDGEWORTH.
[Footnote 1: This Work was originally published in three volumes.]
CONTENTS
LAME JERVAS 1 THE WILL 55 THE LIMERICK GLOVES 101
OUT OF DEBT OUT OF DANGER 129 THE LOTTERY 161
ROSANNA 195 MURAD THE UNLUCKY 245 THE
MANUFACTURERS 281 THE CONTRAST 317 THE GRATEFUL
NEGRO 399 TO-MORROW 421

LAME JERVAS

CHAPTER I.
Some years ago, a lad of the name of William Jervas, or, as he was
called from his lameness, Lame Jervas, whose business it was to tend
the horses in one of the Cornwall tin-mines, was missing. He was left
one night in a little hut, at one end of the mine, where he always slept;
but in the morning, he could no where be found; and this his sudden
disappearance gave rise to a number of strange and ridiculous stories
among the miners. The most rational, however, concluded that the lad,
tired of his situation, had made his escape during the night. It was
certainly rather surprising that he could no where be traced; but after
the neighbours had wondered and talked for some time about it, the
circumstance was by degrees forgotten.