The Rose, Thistle, and Shamrock: 'An orator is the worse person to tell a plain fact''

By Maria Edgeworth

Maria Edgeworth was born at Black Bourton, Oxfordshire on January 1st 1768. Her early years were with her mother's family in England. Sadly, her mother died when Maria was five.

Maria was educated at Mrs Lattafière's school in Derby in 1775. There she studied dancing, French and other subjects. Maria transferred to Mrs Devis's school in Upper Wimpole Street, London. Her father began to focus more attention on Maria in 1781 when she nearly lost her sight to an eye infection.

She returned home to Ireland at 14 and took charge of her younger siblings. She herself was home-tutored by her father in Irish economics and politics, science, literature and law. Despite her youth literature was in her blood. Maria also became her father's assistant in managing the family’s large Edgeworthstown estate.

Maria first published 1795 with ‘Letters for Literary Ladies’. That same year ‘An Essay on the Noble Science of Self-Justification’, written for a female audience, advised women on how to obtain better rights in general and specifically from their husbands.

‘Practical Education’ (1798) is a progressive work on education. Maria’s ambition was to create an independent thinker who understands the consequences of his or her actions.

Her first novel, ‘Castle Rackrent’ was published anonymously in 1800 without her father's knowledge. It was an immediate success and firmly established Maria’s appeal to the public.

Her father married four times and the last of these to Frances, a year younger and a confidante of Maria, who pushed them to travel more widely: London, Britain and Europe were all now visited.

The second series of ‘Tales of Fashionable Life’ (1812) did so well that she was now the most commercially successful novelist of her age.

She particularly worked hard to improve the living standards of the poor in Edgeworthstown and to provide schools for the local children of all and any denomination.

After a visit to see her relations Maria had severe chest pains and died suddenly of a heart attack in Edgeworthstown on 22nd May 1849. She was 81.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stage Door
• Release date: Jul 19, 2019
• ISBN: 9781787806887

Maria Edgeworth

Although born in England in 1768, Maria Edgeworth was raised in Ireland from a young age after the death of her mother. After nearly losing her sight at age fourteen, Edgeworth was tutored at home by her father, helping to run their estate and taking charge of her younger siblings. Over the course of her life she collaborated and published books with her father, and produced many more of her own adult and children’s works, including such classics as Castle Rackrent, Patronage, Belinda, Ormond and The Absentee. Edgeworth spent her entire life on the family estate, but kept up friendships and correspondences with her contemporaries Sir Walter Scott and Lord Byron, and her writing had a profound influence upon Jane Austen and William Makepeace Thackeray. Edgeworth was outspoken on the issues of poverty, women’s rights, and racial inequalities. During the beginnings of famine in Ireland, Edgeworth worked in relief and support of the sick and destitute. She died in 1849 at the age of 81.

Book preview

The Rose, Thistle, and Shamrock by Maria Edgeworth

A DRAMA. IN THREE ACTS

Maria Edgeworth was born at Black Bourton, Oxfordshire on January 1st 1768. Her early years were with her mother's family in England. Sadly, her mother died when Maria was five.

Maria was educated at Mrs Lattafière's school in Derby in 1775. There she studied dancing, French and other subjects.  Maria transferred to Mrs Devis's school in Upper Wimpole Street, London. Her father began to focus more attention on Maria in 1781 when she nearly lost her sight to an eye infection.

She returned home to Ireland at 14 and took charge of her younger siblings. She herself was home-tutored by her father in Irish economics and politics, science, literature and law. Despite her youth literature was in her blood.  Maria also became her father's assistant in managing the family’s large Edgeworthstown estate.

Maria first published 1795 with ‘Letters for Literary Ladies’. That same year ‘An Essay on the Noble Science of Self-Justification’, written for a female audience, advised women on how to obtain better rights in general and specifically from their husbands.

‘Practical Education’ (1798) is a progressive work on education. Maria’s ambition was to create an independent thinker who understands the consequences of his or her actions.

Her first novel, ‘Castle Rackrent’ was published anonymously in 1800 without her father's knowledge. It was an immediate success and firmly established Maria’s appeal to the public.

Her father married four times and the last of these to Frances, a year younger and a confidante of Maria, who pushed them to travel more widely: London, Britain and Europe were all now visited.

The second series of ‘Tales of Fashionable Life’ (1812) did so well that she was now the most commercially successful novelist of her age.

She particularly worked hard to improve the living standards of the poor in Edgeworthstown and to provide schools for the local children of all and any denomination.

After a visit to see her relations Maria had severe chest pains and died suddenly of a heart attack in Edgeworthstown on 22nd May 1849. She was 81.

Index of Contents

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ

SCENE:—The Village of Bannow, in Ireland.

THE ROSE, THE THISTLE AND THE SHAMROCK

ACT I

SCENE I

SCENE II

SCENE III

ACT II

SCENE I

SCENE II

SCENE III

SCENE IV

SCENE V

ACT III

SCENE I

SCENE II

SCENE III

SCENE IV

MARIA EDGEWORTH – A SHORT BIOGRAPHY

MARIA EDGEWORTH – A CONCISE BIBLIOGRAPHY

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ

MEN

SIR WILLIAM HAMDEN.  An Elderly English Gentleman.

CHRISTY GALLAGHER.  Landlord of an Irish village inn.

MR. ANDREW HOPE.  A Drum-major in a Scotch regiment.

OWEN LARKEN. The Son of the Widow Larken—a Boy of about fifteen.

GILBERT.  An English Servant of Sir William Hamden.

WOMEN

MISS O’HARA.  A young Heiress—Niece of Sir William Hamden.

MISS FLORINDA GALLAGHER. Daughter of Christy Gallagher.

THE WIDOW LARKEN.  Mother of Owen and of Mabel.

MABEL LARKEN.  Daughter of the Widow Larken.

BIDDY DOYLE.  Maid of the Inn.

Band of a Regiment.

SCENE:—The Village of Bannow, in Ireland.

THE ROSE, THE THISTLE AND THE SHAMROCK

ACT I

SCENE I

A Dressing-Room in Bannow-Castle, in Ireland.

Enter SIR WILLIAM HAMDEN, in his morning-gown.

SIR WILLIAM

Every thing precisely in order, even in Ireland!—laid, I do believe, at the very same angle at which they used to be placed on my own dressing-table, at Hamden-place, in Kent. Exact Gilbert! most punctual of valet de chambres!—and a young fellow, as he is, too! It is admirable!—Ay, though he looks as if he were made of wood, and moves like an automaton, he has a warm heart, and a true English spirit—true-born English every inch of him. I remember him, when first I saw him ten years ago at his father’s, Farmer Ashfield’s, at the harvest-home; there was Gilbert in all his glory, seated on the top of a hay-rick, singing,

"Then sing in praise of men of Kent,

So loyal, brave, and free;

Of Britain’s race, if one surpass,

A man of Kent is he!"

How he brought himself to quit the men of Kent to come to Ireland with me is wonderful. However, now he is here, I hope he is tolerably happy: I must ask the question in direct terms; for Gilbert would never speak till spoken to, let him feel what he might.

SIR WILLIAM [Calls]

Gilbert!—Gilbert!

[Enter GILBERT.

GILBERT

Here, sir.

SIR WILLIAM

Gilbert, now you have been in Ireland some weeks, I hope you are not unhappy.

GILBERT

No, sir, thank you, sir.

SIR WILLIAM

But are you happy, man?

GILBERT

Yes, sir, thank you, sir.

[GILBERT retires, and seems busy arranging his master’s clothes: SIR WILLIAM continues dressing.

SIR WILLIAM [Aside]

Yes, sir, thank you, sir. As dry as a chip—sparing of his words, as if they were his last. And the fellow can talk if he would—has humour, too, if one could get it out; and eloquence, could I but touch the right string, the heartstring. I’ll try again.

[Aloud]

Gilbert!

GILBERT

Yes, sir.

[Comes forward respectfully.

SIR WILLIAM

Pray what regiment was it that was passing yesterday through the village of Bannow?

GILBERT

I do not know, indeed, sir.

SIR WILLIAM

That is to say, you saw they were Highlanders, and that was enough for you—you are not fond of the Scotch, Gilbert?

GILBERT

No, sir, I can’t say as I be.

SIR WILLIAM

But, Gilbert, for my sake you must conquer this prejudice. I have many Scotch friends whom I shall go to visit one of these days—excellent friends they are!

GILBERT

Are they, sir? If so be you found them so, I will do my best, I’m sure.

SIR WILLIAM

Then pray go down to the inn here, and inquire if any of the Scotch officers are there.

GILBERT

I will, sir. I heard say the officers went off this morning.

SIR WILLIAM

Then you need not go to inquire for them.

GILBERT

No, sir. Only as I heard say, the drum-major and band is to stay a few days in Bannow, on account