Produced by Jonathan Ingram William Flis and Distributed ProofreadersTALES AND NOVELSBY MARIA EDGEWORTHIN TEN VOLUMES WITH ENGRAVINGS ON STEELVOL VIIPATRONAGEPATRONAGE  Above a patronthough I condescend  Sometimes to call a minister my friendTO THE READERMy daughter again applies to me for my paternal _imprimatur_ and I hopethat I am not swayed by partiality when I give the sanction which sherequiresTo excite the rising generation to depend upon their own exertions forsuccess in life is surely a laudable endeavour but while the young mindis cautioned against dependence on the patronage of the great and ofoffice it is encouraged to rely upon such friends as may be acquired bypersonal merit good manners and good conductRICHARD LOVELL EDGEWORTH_EdgeworthstownOct 6 1813_PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITIONThe public has called for a third _impression_ of this book it wastherefore the duty of the author to take advantage of the correctionswhich have been communicated to her by private friends and public censorsWhatever she has thought liable to just censure has in the present editionbeen amended as far as is consistent with the identity of the story It isremarkable that several incidents which have been objected to as impossibleor improbable were true For instance the medical case in Chapter XIXA bishop was really saved from suffocation by a clergyman in his dioceseno matter where or when in the manner represented in Chapter X Thebishop died long ago and he never was an epicure A considerable estatewas about seventy years ago regained as described in Chapter XLII by thediscovery of a sixpence under the seal of a deed which had been coinedlater than the date of the deed Whether it be advantageous or prudentto introduce such singular facts in a fictitious history is a separateconsideration which might lead to a discussion too long for the presentoccasionOn some other points of more importance to the writer it is necessary hereto add a few words It has been supposed that some parts of PATRONAGE werenot written by Miss Edgeworth This is not fact the whole of these volumeswere written by her the opinions they contain are her own and she isanswerable for all the faults which may be found in them Of ignoranceof law and medicine and of diplomacy she pleads guilty and of makingany vain or absurd pretensions to legal or medical learning she hopesby candid judges to be acquitted If in the letters and history of herlawyer and physician she has sometimes introduced technical phrases itwas done merely to give as far as she could the colour of reality toher fictitious personages To fulfil the main purpose of her story itwas essential only to show how some lawyers and physicians may be pushedforward for a time without much knowledge either of law or medicine orhow on the contrary others may independently of patronage advancethemselves permanently by their own merit If this principal object of thefiction be accomplished the authors ignorance on professional subjects isof little consequence to the moral or interest of the taleAs to the charge of having drawn satirical portraits she has alreadydisclaimed all personality and all intention of satirizing any professionand she is grieved to find it necessary to repel such a charge The authorof a slight work of fiction may however be consoled for any unjustimputation of personal satire by reflecting that even the grave andimpartial historian cannot always escape similar suspicion Tacitus saysthat there must always be men who from congenial manners and sympathyin vice will think the fidelity of history a satire on themselves andeven the praise due to virtue is sure to give umbrage_August 1 1815_PATRONAGECHAPTER IHow the wind is rising said RosamondGod help the poor people at seatonightHer brother Godfrey smiledOne would think said he that she had anargosy of lovers at sea uninsuredYou gentlemen replied Rosamond imagine that ladies are always thinkingof loversNot _always_ said Godfrey only when they show themselves particularlydisposed to humanityMy humanity on the present occasion cannot even be suspected saidRosamond for you know alas that I have no lover at sea or landBut a shipwreck might bless the lucky shore with some rich waif saidGodfreyWaifs and strays belong to the lady of the manor said Rosamond and Ihave no claim to themMy mother would I dare say make over her right to you said GodfreyBut that would do me no good said Rosamond for here is Caroline withsuperior claims of every sort and with that most undisputed of all therights of womanbeautyTrue but Caroline would never accept of stray hearts said Godfrey Seehow her lip curls with pride at the bare imaginationPride never curled Carolines lip cried Rosamond besides pride isvery becoming to a woman No woman can be good for much without it canshe motherBefore you fly off Rosamond to my mother as to an ally whom you aresure I cannot resist said Godfrey settle first whether you mean todefend Caroline upon the ground of her having or not having prideA fresh gust of wind rose at this moment and Rosamond listened to itanxiouslySeriously Godfrey said she do you remember the shipwrecks lastwinterAs she spoke Rosamond went to one of the windows and opened the shutterHer sister Caroline followed and they looked out in silenceI see a light to the left of the beacon said CarolineI never saw alight there beforeWhat can it meanOnly some fishermen said GodfreyBut brother it is quite a storm persisted RosamondOnly equinoctial gales my dearOnly equinoctial gales But to drowning people it would be no comfort thatthey were shipwrecked only by equinoctial gales There there what do youthink of that blast cried Rosamond is not there some danger nowGodfrey will not allow it said Mrs Percy he is a soldier and it ishis trade not to know fearShow him a _certain_ danger cried Mr Percy looking up from a letterhe was writingshow him a _certain_ danger and he will feel fear asmuch as the greatest coward of you all Ha upon my word it is an _ugly_night continued he going to the windowOh my dear father cried Rosamond did