Edgeworth shared with her father a strong interest in Irish speech and mamers. It was this interest which produced her Castle Rackrent (1800) with its Glossary on Irish manners and, their joint work, the Essay on Irish Bulls (1802). Maria’s few surviving commonplace books contain some notes of Irish sayings and doings but she rarely wrote of them in her letters and the voluminous Edgeworth papers are not a treasure house of material of this kind. The first of the extracts printed below is a specimen of ‘Irish vituperation’, the sort of item to be found in the commonplace books, and Maria Bullworth sent it to Walter Scott in 1824. [n.1] It may be compared to the Irish shoeblack’s speech in the Essay on Irish Bulls [n.2]. The second item is extracted from two letters written in 1829 to her favourite sister, Mrs Frances Maria Wilson; the text is reproduced as written, including the occasional omission of punctuation, apart from minor changes in paragraphing and the substitution of single for double quotation marks. |
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I. LANGAN’S DEFEAT
A gentleman who passed through Bridge Street in Dublin on the 12th of June last after the news of Langan the boxers defeat had reached Dublin saw a crowd of people assembled, listening to {53} a woman who stood with one arm akimbo mid with her stick in the other hand struck the ground exclaiming:
‘Oh Langan! Langan! Langan! Where are you now! You’re be’t! you’re be’t! - Bet by an English buck! - Well be’t so ye are & kicked - och! that ever I should see this day! - That Paddy’s land should ever see this day! - To see the shamrock trodden under fut (foot) [n.3] by an English buck! - But the devil mend ye!
Oh Donolly Donolly! Sweet Dan Donolly! les you that could fight your way like a jantleman, so you could - You never was be’t, but you came home with your victories to die dacent in Paddy’s land. My darlant (darling) you was! - I’ll drink your health as long as I live so I will - and who dares say I wont.
Is it not a poor thing that I should lose my whole estate upon you Langan! - Isn’t it a pretty way I am in? - I lost my estate and I must give up my six horses, and my coach to the back of and all for you! you! YOU! - Ye-Spalpeen- you! - But it’s not for the estate, nor for the horses, nor for the coach I’m grieving, but Oh it’s the shame I - it’s the shame! - it’s the shame ! - Please God I might recover the estate, but I never can recover the shame! the shame ! the SHAME!
They say you fought like a man but they lie - I say you sold yourself and your country but no matter! - Some tells me you ran away to Warwig (Warwick) - Some tells me you wouldn’t fight - Some tells me you are dead - Some tells me you are sick & took physic & were blistered & plaistered - and others tells me ... I don’t know what to b’lieve - I dont know what to believe - I dont know what to believe! - Och that Paddy’s land [n.4] should ever see this day! {54}
Langan I’ll tell you what ... and I’m sure all here will agree, will acquiesce with me ... you ought to cut your throat or hang yourself like Lord Castlereagh sooner than ever come again to Paddy’s land -
Don’t come Langan! - Don’t come Langan for if you do I’ll kick you Langan - I’ll knock you down - and kick you for falling -
If you do come itself you must cross the say (sea) - and if you do cross the sea you must come in some sort of a ship & if you do get into a ship I’ll curse that ship, and it shall never reach Paddy’s land! -
Having said this the woman thumped her stick upon the flag with great emphasis - then walked off in a leisurely dignified manner - A little chimney sweeper met heir - as she passed along she looked calmly at him and said ‘Get out of my Way my little flour merchant’ - and so walked on.
*This lost estate was what she meant to have bought if she had won her bet on Langan’s head.
Notes
1. ‘National Library of Scotland MS 3899 f8., letter of 6 July 1824. The enclosure is missing but there can be no doubt that it corresponded with the item here primed which I found on a loose colored sheet of paper among the Edgeworth food, papers in my possession.
2. Tales and Novels by Maria Edgeworth (1832), Vol. I, Castle Rackrent and Essay on Irish Bull, pp. 190-95.
3. In the original the Irishism is written immediately above the gloss, in a separate line.
4. In sending this to Scott, Maria Edgeworth commented. ‘There, are some things I think I could have have made rather better - But even in my infinite conceit, I respect the truth of nature & leave it all in your Honor’s honor. I doubted whether Paddy’s land was a genuine expression; not having happened to hear it in our parts - & I could have washed to substitute - the t’ree kingdoms - or the united kingdom or - dear little Dublin - or in the last extreme Dunleary-itself! - which according to my notions would have sounded more natural - But upon strict enquiry ... I have satisfied myself dear Paddy’s land is the true reading - or the true speaking ...’
II. AN IRISH WEDDING ( Aug. 5th 1829)
We were at a wedding a few days ago and I wish you had seen it - Peter Langans eldest daughter to Pat Green of the Hill - very well suited in age looks - everything - It had been going on many a month - Greens father wanted £200 - they split the differ and Peter gave 150 But begged it might not be mentioned - Would not have it known on any account that he would give so much - The marriage was all rightly done - No running away and acting of anger penitence and forgiveness [n.5]
So we were all particularly glad to grace these proper nuptials with our presence - Grandmamma - Mamma - Honora - Maria Lucy walked to Peter Langans - day fine - He came out to receive us with a face shining with the oil of gladness - smooth-smooth shaved - (the sun illuminating his countenance as when we came home after the rebellion) - {55} a few years older than at that time but little the worse for the wear - He welcomed us with an air which many a born gentleman might have envied - led us in through kitchen with blazing hearth & preparations of roasting and boiling and pots of flesh &c like the wedding of Camachio the rich - & through an open door the boiling of pot seen in the yard.
You know Peter’s house is a carman’s inn with many rooms in a line. My grandfather might have delighted himself in this house by standing at the far door and looking through! - We passed through the kitchen to a room on the left (size of Mamma’s dressing room - ) In which was a dinner table laid out larger than our oval table - covered with as clean a cloth & glasses - cruet stand - every thing nice - a decanter of white wine - and in the middle a very nicely dressed salad - (Dressed by Mr O Donogho’s servant) Mr Donoghoe met us in this room with his kind black face - There was a dim oval mirror and a black bureau in this room - Several little pictures and prints hung round the walls and a flaming tea tray with a Chinese man on it measuring out bales of Irish linen! - This tea tray answered the purpose of a picture over the chimney piece - (Do you remember Kotzebue ornamenting his house in Liberia with Birmingham tea trays When I saw this at Peters I admired his fancy
Go on to the inner room - a bedchamber of good size - remarkably clean and nice with a bed with nice patchwork quilt and pillows white as snow - two windows plenty of light - In this room was the bride a very pleasing neatly dressed bride with Miss Michael Langan Mistress of the ceremonies & bridesmaid - a sister in law; and Mary Ewen and Bessy Langan and another bridesmaid all very neatly and plainly suitably dressed seated on a range of chairs at one side - and opposite a range for us - a great black chest at the end of the room under the window - this served for table.
‘Enter a flock of black priests - Mr O Donoghoe Mr Slieven - Give me leave to introduce Mr Higgins (our bishop that is to be) in a whisper, and two more names forgotten
There was rather an awkward waiting for the bridegroom {56} and many steppings out to look up the bill to Greens to see if any body was coming - Meantime we talked to the new Bishop who could tell of Paris and Rome and the illumination of St Peters - But I dont like him half as well as out cordial jovial Dr MrGovran [sic] - He is too slim and appreté - ‘Oh Mr O Donoghoe! - Don’t anticipate’ - with his hands crossed below the round of his stomach and a meek vain look - ’No likelihood I am sure - of such a thing as my being bishop! - Oh! - ) and many prudish ridiculous faces - If affection be ridiculous in a woman how nauseous in a man! and sanctified affection! 10 times worse -
At last a whisper brought the joyful tidings that they were coming down the hill -
Peter with consummate innocence and address, such as you know in him, begged us to come out to look at his pump - to clear the way for the bridegroom to meet the bride without us - So we looked at the pump and exit is - from 40 feet deep he brought the water and it flows [?eternally] - and Peter has built a new cow house and new barn - and groupes of people were seen in each unroofed doorless windowless house - some groupes round black pots steaming -
When we returned all was ready - Mr Slieven, was to perform the ceremony - and he began by throwing over his shoulders the great broad ribbon cincture - ‘Now for the groom’, cried Peter, and his man! - In came groom - a very handsome - thin black grave staid looking man in blue coat and after him a white faced man - very sheepish - The groom with great good breeding stood talking to the bridesmaid - (Mr Slieven looking very priestly) ‘Did you ever see any body married you two before?’ - ‘Never please your Reverence - ’
Then he gave a short exhortation - on the duties of the married state - plain and well said - ending with But if ye don be kind to one another and live together according to Holy-motherchurch it is a most miserable state this marriage
Holy mother church made into one rumbling word was repeated several times in several sentences of similar meaning Then while standing asked will you Pat Green take this woman {57} & Just as in our ceremony and the responses precisely the same & then suddenly changing his tone he said in the brutally ordering tone in which the Catholic priests give directions, to their flock as the laborers speak to a cow or a horse when they are drawing them through a gate way and cry Get out o’ that ’Down! on your knees!’ Down popped bride and bridegroom - and the space was so small it was not easy to accomplish - But when they were jammed down Mr Sliever, stood close over them with his little prayer book over their heads between every mumbling of Latin giving directions what they were to do
Now (in the same voice Garret Keegan wd speak to the cow) ’Now - your Lord’s prayer say yr. Lords prayer’
Both in Latin mumbled Domine Dominus - I could hear nothing else
‘Take her hand - No th’o’der’
‘Will you have this man (the same as in our ceremony
But then came the endowing with the worldly goods and this differs - With this gold and silver I thee endow
‘Where is it ... (in a low voice) ‘and have you the ring Bridegroom) I have somewhere - ’ and he felt through his waistcoat pocket - out came two crowns and a sovereign, in the hurry down slipped they on the ground - And all the time the priest was mumbling a Latin prayer overhead the groom below with his long hands was scrambling up this money which he did happily get together all ri ght in time to put into the bride’s hand as a symbol of endowing her with his worldly goods - Poor creature her hands trembled so that she could not hold the worldly goods and down rolled the money a second time
The rest in our next
Aug. 7th 1829
§
I left the bride and bridegroom on their knees, the bride having let the worldly goods with which she was endowed slip clean through her fingers and the bridegroom scrambling it up again - (I much suspect that the silver and gold went to the priest at last - Be this as it may, he took the ring - snatched it from the {58} bridegroom - bid the bride hold up her hand and touched the tip of each finger with the ring as if be were going to put it on each ... in very quick time - then thrust it into the middle of her hand and in the cow-boy’s voice, said
‘Put-it-on! - ’ Then laying his hand familiarly on the bridegroom’s black head as a schoolmaster in good humor might pat a good boy’s head said - ‘Now you’re marr’d - Get up’. Up they got and whisk over the priest head went the fine blue ribbon scarf - We went up to pay our congratulations to the bride and bridegroom. The bridesmaid took up a large Bairn-black cake (which had been made by Mr Cowen) and put it upon the brides head and broke it - After this ceremony you know it had the power of giving second sight in dreams -
‘Now Micky Langan where are you with your wine! called out Peter of the radiant [face] waving his long arm and beckoning over the heads of the crowd - ‘Nows you’re time Mick -
A lane was made on each side of the door for Michael the son of the window and on a very nice japanned waiter with a very good landlord-air he brought us glasses of white wine as good as could be -
Oh take a bit of cake for Mistress Sneyd of all! said Peter and for Francis! Oh! (with his eyes gleaming with affection Oh (correcting himself Mister Francis - I mean I was quite sorry Francis was not with us - But he was with Plato in the porch and I could not persuade him - I believe because he had his ragged coat on
During the time the priest was performing the ceremony the groupers of spectators especially all the women and young girls were so intent that they completely forgot all of our presences or existence as might be seen by their recovering their natural attitudes and natural expression of countenances - open mouths - distended eyes - frowning brows with anxiety
The moment the bride and bridegroom rose (they only knelt) and that we moved and spoke all the old and young spectators took their company manners again - When we went into the outer room - dinner room in one comer behind the door stood a {59} little old woman in a scarlet [?kirtle] light pinned and a very drawback look as if she would have backed into the very wall if she could - This was Mrs Peter Langan - the mother! - We congratulated her and asked no questions then but internally wondered she had not been in the room to see her own daughter married - We concluded that she did not think herself genteel enough - Not so - (though she certainly has been dragged up in life by her husband as she was married in early times when he was by no means so well-to-do and genteel as he is now - ) But the fact is that it is not thought lucky for the mother to be present at the wedding - to be in the same room - We should have been sorry if that had been the case at your wedding
Before we were out of the house Lucy who was the last of the train heard peals of laughter burst from the wedding party - who were now released from the honor of our presence - much to their pleasure - We sensible of this made no delay and complimented the priests and the new bishop out in the middle of the road to keep them safe too -
Mrs Evans - Mrs Smith and Anne and Margaret were all bidden to the wedding - (Margaret would not go - ) but all the rest went - had the prudence not to go till after the dinner - They had dancing till two oclock in the morning - The priests went away after dinner 9 oclock - Dancing commenced at 10 - but you must know that priests sometimes dance - But Sliver, was too sickly and Donoghoe too clumsy - The gentlemen as Anne said remained drinking their punch in the dining room - the door open between that and the bedchamber which was the ball room - How they had room enough for dancing I cannot explain to you - But you know an Irish jig does not take up much room and I suppose spectators sat as I used to do at school on the top of the bureau - & on the chest and bed and one row of chairs might be permitted all round - No matter how they did it but dance they did and most merrily - Evans said she never was better entertained in her life nor ever saw anything nicer or happier - I like her for not being above being entertained and for being so good natured to the people - She is very much liked by them - The Irish are a {60} most affectionate people and most grateful for the hearts gift of sympathy
I forgot to mention Peters youngest daughter Bessy who is very like him and very handsome - We observed she was quite in deshabille in the midst of all nicely dressed wedding party - ‘But why don’t you dress yourself Bessy?’ Oh Ma’am me! It dont matter I can’t - There’s none but me to serve and see-all’s right and the dinner to put right on the table - and see all-right Oh never mind me’ I hope we shall some time go to her wedding.
Francis next day went to see them all - They were dancing and got him to dance with the bride - Many were walking about the the [sic] fields. |