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diff --git a/42078-0.txt b/42078-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e134549 --- /dev/null +++ b/42078-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8580 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42078 *** + +[Transcriber's Note: letters that were superscripted in the original are +surrounded by brackets and preceded by a caret ^.] + + + +_JANE AUSTEN'S WORKS._ + + + SENSE AND SENSIBILITY 2 vols. + PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 2 vols. + MANSFIELD PARK 2 vols. + EMMA 2 vols. + NORTHANGER ABBEY 1 vol. + PERSUASION 1 vol. + LADY SUSAN--THE WATSONS WITH A MEMOIR 1 vol. + LETTERS 1 vol. + +[Illustration: J. Austen + +_From a Painting in the possession of the Rev. Morland Rice, of +Bramber._] + + + + +THE LETTERS + +OF + +JANE AUSTEN + +_Selected from the Compilation of her Great Nephew_ + +_EDWARD, LORD BRADBOURNE_ + +BY SARAH CHAUNCEY WOOLSEY + + + BOSTON + LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY + 1908 + + +[Transcriber's Note: While the title page gives credit to Lord +Bradbourne, the actual title of Edward was Lord Brabourne.] + + + + + _Copyright, 1892_, + BY ROBERTS BROTHERS. + + + Printers + S. J. PARKHILL & CO., BOSTON, U. S. A. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +THE recent cult for Miss Austen, which has resulted in no less than ten +new editions of her novels within a decade and three memoirs by +different hands within as many years, have made the facts of her life +familiar to most readers. It was a short life, and an uneventful one as +viewed from the standpoint of our modern times, when steam and +electricity have linked together the ends of the earth, and the very air +seems teeming with news, agitations, discussions. We have barely time to +recover our breath between post and post; and the morning paper with its +statements of disaster and its hints of still greater evils to be, is +scarcely out-lived, when, lo! in comes the evening issue, contradicting +the news of the morning, to be sure, but full of omens and auguries of +its own to strew our pillows with the seed of wakefulness. + +To us, publications come hot and hot from the press. Telegraphic wires +like the intricate and incalculable zigzags of the lightning ramify +above our heads; and who can tell at what moment their darts may +strike? In Miss Austen's day the tranquil, drowsy, decorous English day +of a century since, all was different. News travelled then from hand to +hand, carried in creaking post-wagons, or in cases of extreme urgency by +men on horseback. When a gentleman journeying in his own "chaise" took +three days in going from Exeter to London, a distance now covered in +three hours of railroad, there was little chance of frequent surprises. +Love, sorrow, and death were in the world then as now, and worked their +will upon the sons of men; but people did not expect happenings every +day or even every year. No doubt they lived the longer for this +exemption from excitement, and kept their nerves in a state of wholesome +repair; but it goes without saying that the events of which they knew so +little did not stir them deeply. + +Miss Austen's life coincided with two of the momentous epochs of +history,--the American struggle for independence, and the French +Revolution; but there is scarcely an allusion to either in her letters. +She was interested in the fleet and its victories because two of her +brothers were in the navy and had promotion and prize-money to look +forward to. In this connection she mentions Trafalgar and the Egyptian +expedition, and generously remarks that she would read Southey's "Life +of Nelson" if there was anything in it about her brother Frank! She +honors Sir John Moore by remarking after his death that his mother +would perhaps have preferred to have him less distinguished and still +alive; further than that, the making of the gooseberry jam and a good +recipe for orange wine interests her more than all the marchings and +countermarchings, the manoeuvres and diplomacies, going on the world +over. In the midst of the universal vortex of fear and hope, triumph and +defeat, while the fate of Britain and British liberty hung trembling in +the balance, she sits writing her letters, trimming her caps, and +discussing small beer with her sister in a lively and unruffled fashion +wonderful to contemplate. "The society of rural England in those days," +as Mr. Goldwin Smith happily puts it, "enjoyed a calm of its own in the +midst of the European tempest like the windless centre of a circular +storm." + +The point of view of a woman with such an environment must naturally be +circumscribed and narrow; and in this Miss Austen's charm consists. +Seeing little, she painted what she saw with absolute fidelity and a +dexterity and perfection unequalled. "On her was bestowed, though in a +humble form, the gift which had been bestowed on Homer, Shakespeare, +Cervantes, Scott, and a few others,--the gift of creative power." +Endowed with the keenest and most delicate insight and a vivid sense of +humor, she depicted with exactitude what she observed and what she +understood, giving to each fact and emotion its precise shade and +value. The things she did not see she did not attempt. Affectation was +impossible to her,--most of all, affectation of knowledge or feeling not +justly her own. "She held the mirror up to her time" with an exquisite +sincerity and fidelity; and the closeness of her study brought her +intimately near to those hidden springs which underlie all human nature. +This is the reason why, for all their skimp skirts, leg-of-mutton +sleeves, and bygone impossible bonnets, her characters do not seem to us +old-fashioned. Minds and hearts are made pretty much after the same +pattern from century to century; and given a modern dress and speech, +Emma or Elizabeth or dear Anne Eliot could enter a drawing-room to-day, +and excite no surprise except by so closely resembling the people whom +they would find there. + +"Miss Austen's novels are dateless things," Mr. Augustine Birrell tells +us. "Nobody in his senses would speak of them as 'old novels.' 'John +Inglesant' is an old novel, so is 'Ginx's Baby.' But Emma is quite new, +and, like a wise woman, affords few clues to her age." + +We allude with a special touch of affection to Anne Eliot. "Persuasion," +which was written during the last two years of Miss Austen's life, when +the refining touch of Eternity was already upon her, has always seemed +to us the most perfect of her novels; and Anne, with her exquisite +breeding and unselfish straightforwardness, just touched with the tender +reserve of memory and regret, one of her best portraitures. But this is +a matter of individual taste. Doubtless Elizabeth Bennet is "better fun" +as the modern girl would say. Miss Austen herself preferred her. She had +a droll and pretty way of talking about her characters which showed how +real they were to her own mind, and made them equally real to other +people. In 1813 she had the good luck to light upon a portrait of Jane +Bennet at an exhibition. + + "I was very well pleased (pray tell Fanny) with a + small portrait of Mrs. Bingley, excessively like her. + I went in hopes of seeing one of her sister, but there + was no Mrs. Darcy. Perhaps I may find her in the great + exhibition, which we shall go to if we have time. Mrs. + Bingley's is exactly like herself,--size, shaped face, + features and sweetness; there never was a greater + likeness. She is dressed in a white gown, with green + ornaments, which convinces me of what I had always + supposed, that green was a favorite color with her. I + dare say Mrs. D. will be in yellow." + +And later:-- + + "We have been both to the exhibition and Sir J. + Reynolds'; and I am disappointed, for there was + nothing like Mrs. D. at either. I can only imagine + that Mr. D. prizes any picture of her too much to like + it should be exposed to the public eye. I can imagine + he would have that sort of feeling,--that mixture of + love, pride, and delicacy." + +The letters included in this series comprise about three quarters of the +collection in two volumes published in 1884 by her great-nephew Lord +Brabourne. The lightness, almost friskiness, of their tone cannot fail +to strike the reader. Modern letters written by women are filled more or +less with hints and queries; questionings as to the why and the +wherefore occur; allusions to the various "fads" of the day, literary or +artistic,--Ibsen, Tolstoi, Browning, Esoteric Buddhism, Wagner's Music, +the Mind Cure, Social Science, Causes and Reforms. But Cowper and Crabbe +were the poetical sensations in Miss Austen's time, Scott and Byron its +phenomenal novelties; it took months to get most books printed, and +years to persuade anybody to read them. Furthermore the letters, in all +probability, are carefully chosen to reveal only the more superficial +side of their writer. There are wide gaps of omission, covering +important events such as Mr. Austen's death, the long illness through +which Jane nursed her brother Henry, and the anxieties and worries which +his failure in business caused to the whole family. What is vouchsafed +us is a glimpse of the girlish and untroubled moments of Miss Austen's +life; and the glimpse is a sweet and friendly one. We are glad to have +it, in spite of our suspicion that another and even more interesting +part of her personality is withheld from us. + +A good daughter, a delightful sister, the most perfect of aunts, what +better record could there be of a single woman? Her literary work never +stood in the way of her home duties, any more than her "quiet, limpid, +unimpassioned style" stood between her thought and her readers. + +Her fame may justly be said to be almost entirely posthumous. She was +read and praised to a moderate degree during her lifetime, but all her +novels together brought her no more than seven hundred pounds; and her +reputation, as it were, was in its close-sheathed bud when, at the early +age of forty-one, she died. It would have excited in her an amused +incredulity, no doubt, had any one predicted that two generations after +her death the real recognition of her powers was to come. Time, which +like desert sands has effaced the footprints of so many promising +authors, has, with her, served as the desert wind, to blow aside those +dusts of the commonplace which for a while concealed her true +proportions. She is loved more than she ever hoped to be, and far more +widely known. Mrs. Ritchie tells somewhere an anecdote of a party of +seven assembled at a dinner-table, where the question arose of the +locality of one of Miss Austen's places,--Maple Grove, the residence of +Mr. Suckling, if we are not mistaken,--and six of the persons present at +once recognized the allusion, and had a formed opinion on the subject. +The seventh was a Frenchman who did not read English! + +Scott, Macaulay, Sir James Mackintosh, Miss Martineau, Mrs. Ritchie, +Miss Mitford, and a host of others have vied in their generous tributes +of admiration. But most striking of all, to our thinking, is that paid +to Miss Austen by Lord Tennyson when, in some visit to Lyme not many +years since, those with him pointed out this and the other feature of +the place only to be interrupted with--"Never mind all that. Show me the +exact spot where Louisa Musgrove fell!" Could non-historical +verisimilitude go farther or mean more? + + S. C. W. + + NEWPORT, June, 1892. + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +LETTERS OF JANE AUSTEN. + + + + +I. + + + STEVENTON, Thursday (January 16, 1796). + +I HAVE just received yours and Mary's letter, and I thank you both, +though their contents might have been more agreeable. I do not at all +expect to see you on Tuesday, since matters have fallen out so +unpleasantly; and if you are not able to return till after that day, it +will hardly be possible for us to send for you before Saturday, though +for my own part I care so little about the ball that it would be no +sacrifice to me to give it up for the sake of seeing you two days +earlier. We are extremely sorry for poor Eliza's illness. I trust, +however, that she has continued to recover since you wrote, and that you +will none of you be the worse for your attendance on her. What a +good-for-nothing fellow Charles is to bespeak the stockings! I hope he +will be too hot all the rest of his life for it! + +I sent you a letter yesterday to Ibthorp, which I suppose you will not +receive at Kintbury. It was not very long or very witty, and therefore +if you never receive it, it does not much signify. I wrote principally +to tell you that the Coopers were arrived and in good health. The little +boy is very like Dr. Cooper, and the little girl is to resemble Jane, +they say. + +Our party to Ashe to-morrow night will consist of Edward Cooper, James +(for a ball is nothing without him), Buller, who is now staying with us, +and I. I look forward with great impatience to it, as I rather expect to +receive an offer from my friend in the course of the evening. I shall +refuse him, however, unless he promises to give away his white coat. + +I am very much flattered by your commendation of my last letter, for I +write only for fame, and without any view to pecuniary emolument. + +Edward is gone to spend the day with his friend, John Lyford, and does +not return till to-morrow. Anna is now here; she came up in her chaise +to spend the day with her young cousins, but she does not much take to +them or to anything about them, except Caroline's spinning-wheel. I am +very glad to find from Mary that Mr. and Mrs. Fowle are pleased with +you. I hope you will continue to give satisfaction. + +How impertinent you are to write to me about Tom, as if I had not +opportunities of hearing from him myself! The last letter that I +received from him was dated on Friday, 8th, and he told me that if the +wind should be favorable on Sunday, which it proved to be, they were to +sail from Falmouth on that day. By this time, therefore, they are at +Barbadoes, I suppose. The Rivers are still at Manydown, and are to be at +Ashe to-morrow. I intended to call on the Miss Biggs yesterday had the +weather been tolerable. Caroline, Anna, and I have just been devouring +some cold souse, and it would be difficult to say which enjoyed it most. + +Tell Mary that I make over Mr. Heartley and all his estate to her for +her sole use and benefit in future, and not only him, but all my other +admirers into the bargain wherever she can find them, even the kiss +which C. Powlett wanted to give me, as I mean to confine myself in +future to Mr. Tom Lefroy, for whom I don't care sixpence. Assure her +also, as a last and indubitable proof of Warren's indifference to me, +that he actually drew that gentleman's picture for me, and delivered it +to me without a sigh. + +_Friday._--At length the day is come on which I am to flirt my last with +Tom Lefroy, and when you receive this it will be over. My tears flow as +I write at the melancholy idea. Wm. Chute called here yesterday. I +wonder what he means by being so civil. There is a report that Tom is +going to be married to a Lichfield lass. John Lyford and his sister +bring Edward home to-day, dine with us, and we shall all go together to +Ashe. I understand that we are to draw for partners. I shall be +extremely impatient to hear from you again, that I may know how Eliza +is, and when you are to return. + +With best love, etc., I am affectionately yours, + + J. AUSTEN. + + Miss AUSTEN, + The Rev. Mr. Fowle's, Kintbury, Newbury + + + + +II. + + + CORK STREET, Tuesday morn (August, 1796). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--Here I am once more in this scene of dissipation and +vice, and I begin already to find my morals corrupted. We reached +Staines yesterday, I do not (know) when, without suffering so much from +the heat as I had hoped to do. We set off again this morning at seven +o'clock, and had a very pleasant drive, as the morning was cloudy and +perfectly cool. I came all the way in the chaise from Hertford Bridge. + +Edward[1] and Frank[2] are both gone out to seek their fortunes; the +latter is to return soon and help us seek ours. The former we shall +never see again. We are to be at Astley's to-night, which I am glad of. +Edward has heard from Henry this morning. He has not been at the races +at all, unless his driving Miss Pearson over to Rowling one day can be +so called. We shall find him there on Thursday. + +I hope you are all alive after our melancholy parting yesterday, and +that you pursued your intended avocation with success. God bless you! I +must leave off, for we are going out. + + Yours very affectionately, + J. AUSTEN. + +Everybody's love. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] Miss Austen's second brother. + +[2] Francis, afterward Sir Francis Austen, Senior Admiral of the Fleet, +and K. C. B. + + + + +III. + + + ROWLING, Monday (September 5). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--I shall be extremely anxious to hear the event of +your ball, and shall hope to receive so long and minute an account of +every particular that I shall be tired of reading it. Let me know how +many, besides their fourteen selves and Mr. and Mrs. Wright, Michael +will contrive to place about their coach, and how many of the gentlemen, +musicians, and waiters he will have persuaded to come in their +shooting-jackets. I hope John Lovett's accident will not prevent his +attending the ball, as you will otherwise be obliged to dance with Mr. +Tincton the whole evening. Let me know how J. Harwood deports himself +without the Miss Biggs, and which of the Marys will carry the day with +my brother James. + +_We_ were at a ball on Saturday, I assure you. We dined at Goodnestone, +and in the evening danced two country-dances and the Boulangeries. I +opened the ball with Edward Bridges; the other couples were Lewis Cage +and Harriet, Frank and Louisa, Fanny and George. Elizabeth played one +country-dance, Lady Bridges the other, which she made Henry dance with +her, and Miss Finch played the Boulangeries. + +In reading over the last three or four lines, I am aware of my having +expressed myself in so doubtful a manner that if I did not tell you to +the contrary, you might imagine it was Lady Bridges who made Henry dance +with her at the same time that she was playing, which, if not +impossible, must appear a very improbable event to you. But it was +Elizabeth who danced. We supped there, and walked home at night under +the shade of two umbrellas. + +To-day the Goodnestone party begins to disperse and spread itself +abroad. Mr. and Mrs. Cage and George repair to Hythe. Lady Waltham, Miss +Bridges, and Miss Mary Finch to Dover, for the health of the two former. +I have never seen Marianne at all. On Thursday Mr. and Mrs. Bridges +return to Danbury; Miss Harriet Hales accompanies them to London on her +way to Dorsetshire. + +Farmer Claringbould died this morning, and I fancy Edward means to get +some of his farm, if he can cheat Sir Brook enough in the agreement. + +We have just got some venison from Godmersham, which the two Mr. Harveys +are to dine on to-morrow, and on Friday or Saturday the Goodnestone +people are to finish their scraps. Henry went away on Friday, as he +purposed, _without fayl_. You will hear from him soon, I imagine, as he +talked of writing to Steventon shortly. Mr. Richard Harvey is going to +be married; but as it is a great secret, and only known to half the +neighborhood, you must not mention it. The lady's name is Musgrave. + +I am in great distress. I cannot determine whether I shall give Richis +half a guinea or only five shillings when I go away. Counsel me, amiable +Miss Austen, and tell me which will be the most. + +We walked Frank last night to Crixhall Ruff, and he appeared much +edified. Little Edward was breeched yesterday for good and all, and was +whipped into the bargain. + +Pray remember me to everybody who does not inquire after me; those who +do, remember me without bidding. Give my love to Mary Harrison, and +tell her I wish, whenever she is attached to a young man, some +respectable Dr. Marchmont may keep them apart for five volumes. . . . + + + + +IV. + + + ROWLING, Thursday (September 15). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--We have been very gay since I wrote last; dining at +Nackington, returning by moonlight, and everything quite in style, not +to mention Mr. Claringbould's funeral which we saw go by on Sunday. I +believe I told you in a former letter that Edward had some idea of +taking the name of Claringbould; but that scheme is over, though it +would be a very eligible as well as a very pleasant plan, would any one +advance him money enough to begin on. We rather expected Mr. Milles to +have done so on Tuesday; but to our great surprise nothing was said on +the subject, and unless it is in your power to assist your brother with +five or six hundred pounds, he must entirely give up the idea. + +At Nackington we met Lady Sondes' picture over the mantelpiece in the +dining-room, and the pictures of her three children in an ante-room, +besides Mr. Scott, Miss Fletcher, Mr. Toke, Mr. J. Toke, and the +archdeacon Lynch. Miss Fletcher and I were very thick, but I am the +thinnest of the two. She wore her purple muslin, which is pretty +enough, though it does not become her complexion. There are two traits +in her character which are pleasing,--namely, she admires Camilla, and +drinks no cream in her tea. If you should ever see Lucy, you may tell +her that I scolded Miss Fletcher for her negligence in writing, as she +desired me to do, but without being able to bring her to any proper +sense of shame,--that Miss Fletcher says, in her defence, that as +everybody whom Lucy knew when she was in Canterbury has now left it, she +has nothing at all to write to her about. By _everybody_, I suppose Miss +Fletcher means that a new set of officers have arrived there. But this +is a note of my own. + +Mrs. Milles, Mr. John Toke, and in short everybody of any sensibility +inquired in tender strains after you, and I took an opportunity of +assuring Mr. J. T. that neither he nor his father need longer keep +themselves single for you. + +We went in our two carriages to Nackington; but how we divided I shall +leave you to surmise, merely observing that as Elizabeth and I were +without either hat or bonnet, it would not have been very convenient for +us to go in the chaise. We went by Bifrons, and I contemplated with a +melancholy pleasure the abode of him on whom I once fondly doated. We +dine to-day at Goodnestone, to meet my aunt Fielding from Margate and a +Mr. Clayton, her professed admirer--at least, so I imagine. Lady Bridges +has received very good accounts of Marianne, who is already certainly +the better for her bathing. + +So His Royal Highness Sir Thomas Williams has at length sailed; the +papers say "on a cruise." But I hope they are gone to Cork, or I shall +have written in vain. Give my love to Jane, as she arrived at Steventon +yesterday, I dare say. + +I sent a message to Mr. Digweed from Edward in a letter to Mary Lloyd +which she ought to receive to-day; but as I know that the Harwoods are +not very exact as to their letters, I may as well repeat it to you. Mr. +Digweed is to be informed that illness has prevented Seward's coming +over to look at the repairs intended at the farm, but that he will come +as soon as he can. Mr. Digweed may also be informed, if you think +proper, that Mr. and Mrs. Milles are to dine here to-morrow, and that +Mrs. Joan Knatchbull is to be asked to meet them. Mr. Richard Harvey's +match is put off till he has got a better Christian name, of which he +has great hopes. + +Mr. Children's two sons are both going to be married, John and George. +They are to have one wife between them, a Miss Holwell, who belongs to +the Black Hole at Calcutta. I depend on hearing from James very soon; he +promised me an account of the ball, and by this time he must have +collected his ideas enough after the fatigue of dancing to give me one. + +Edward and Fly went out yesterday very early in a couple of shooting +jackets, and came home like a couple of bad shots, for they killed +nothing at all. They are out again to-day, and are not yet returned. +Delightful sport! They are just come home, Edward with his two brace, +Frank with his two and a half. What amiable young men! + +_Friday._--Your letter and one from Henry are just come, and the +contents of both accord with my scheme more than I had dared expect. In +one particular I could wish it otherwise, for Henry is very indifferent +indeed. You must not expect us quite so early, however, as Wednesday, +the 20th,--on that day se'nnight, according to our present plan, we may +be with you. Frank had never any idea of going away before Monday, the +26th. I shall write to Miss Mason immediately, and press her returning +with us, which Henry thinks very likely, and particularly eligible. + +Buy Mary Harrison's gown by all means. You shall have mine for ever so +much money, though, if I am tolerably rich when I get home, I shall like +it very much myself. + +As to the mode of our travelling to town, _I_ want to go in a +stage-coach, but Frank will not let me. As you are likely to have the +Williams and Lloyds with you next week, you would hardly find room for +us then. If any one wants anything in town, they must send their +commissions to Frank, as _I_ shall merely pass through it. The +tallow-chandler is Penlington, at the Crown and Beehive, Charles Street, +Covent Garden. + + Miss AUSTEN, Steventon, Overton, Hants. + + + + +V. + + + ROWLING, Sunday (September 18). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--This morning has been spent in doubt and +deliberation, in forming plans and removing difficulties, for it ushered +in the day with an event which I had not intended should take place so +soon by a week. Frank has received his appointment on board the "Captain +John Gore," commanded by the "Triton," and will therefore be obliged to +be in town on Wednesday; and though I have every disposition in the +world to accompany him on that day, I cannot go on the uncertainty of +the Pearsons being at home, as I should not have a place to go to in +case they were from home. + +I wrote to Miss P. on Friday, and hoped to receive an answer from her +this morning, which would have rendered everything smooth and easy, and +would have enabled us to leave this place to-morrow, as Frank, on first +receiving his appointment, intended to do. He remains till Wednesday +merely to accommodate me. I have written to her again to-day, and +desired her to answer it by return of post. On Tuesday, therefore, I +shall positively know whether they can receive me on Wednesday. If they +cannot, Edward has been so good as to promise to take me to Greenwich on +the Monday following, which was the day before fixed on, if that suits +them better. If I have no answer at all on Tuesday, I must suppose Mary +is not at home, and must wait till I do hear, as after having invited +her to go to Steventon with me, it will not quite do to go home and say +no more about it. + +My father will be so good as to fetch home his prodigal daughter from +town, I hope, unless he wishes me to walk the hospitals, enter at the +Temple, or mount guard at St. James'. It will hardly be in Frank's power +to take me home,--nay, it certainly will not. I shall write again as +soon as I get to Greenwich. + +What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps one in a continual state of +inelegance. + +If Miss Pearson should return with me, pray be careful not to expect too +much beauty. I will not pretend to say that on a first view she quite +answered the opinion I had formed of her. My mother, I am sure, will be +disappointed if she does not take great care. From what I remember of +her picture, it is no great resemblance. + +I am very glad that the idea of returning with Frank occurred to me; for +as to Henry's coming into Kent again, the time of its taking place is so +very uncertain that I should be waiting for dead men's shoes. I had once +determined to go with Frank to-morrow and take my chance, etc., but they +dissuaded me from so rash a step as I really think on consideration it +would have been; for if the Pearsons were not at home, I should +inevitably fall a sacrifice to the arts of some fat woman who would make +me drunk with small beer. + +Mary is brought to bed of a boy,--both doing very well. I shall leave +you to guess what Mary I mean. Adieu, with best love to all your +agreeable inmates. Don't let the Lloyds go on any account before I +return, unless Miss P. is of the party. How ill I have written! I begin +to hate myself. + + Yours ever, + J. AUSTEN. + +The "Triton" is a new 32 frigate just launched at Deptford. Frank is +much pleased with the prospect of having Captain Gore under his command. + + Miss AUSTEN, Steventon, Overton, Hants. + + + + +VI. + + + "BULL AND GEORGE," DARTFORD, + Wednesday (October 24, 1798). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--You have already heard from Daniel, I conclude, in +what excellent time we reached and quitted Sittingbourne, and how very +well my mother bore her journey thither. I am now able to send you a +continuation of the same good account of her. She was very little +fatigued on her arrival at this place, has been refreshed by a +comfortable dinner, and now seems quite stout. It wanted five minutes of +twelve when we left Sittingbourne, from whence we had a famous pair of +horses, which took us to Rochester in an hour and a quarter; the postboy +seemed determined to show my mother that Kentish drivers were not always +tedious, and really drove as fast as Cax. + +Our next stage was not quite so expeditiously performed; the road was +heavy, and our horses very indifferent. However, we were in such good +time and my mother bore her journey so well, that expedition was of +little importance to us; and as it was, we were very little more than +two hours and a half coming hither, and it was scarcely past four when +we stopped at the inn. My mother took some of her bitters at Ospringe, +and some more at Rochester, and she ate some bread several times. + +We have got apartments up two pair of stairs, as we could not be +otherwise accommodated with a sitting-room and bed-chambers on the same +floor which we wished to be. We have one double-bedded and one +single-bedded room; in the former my mother and I are to sleep. I shall +leave you to guess who is to occupy the other. We sate down to dinner a +little after five, and had some beef-steaks and a boiled fowl, but no +oyster sauce. + +I should have begun my letter soon after our arrival, but for a little +adventure which prevented me. After we had been here a quarter of an +hour it was discovered that my writing and dressing boxes had been by +accident put into a chaise which was just packing off as we came in, and +were driven away toward Gravesend in their way to the West Indies. No +part of my property could have been such a prize before, for in my +writing-box was all my worldly wealth, 7_l._, and my dear Harry's +deputation. Mr. Nottley immediately despatched a man and horse after the +chaise, and in half an hour's time I had the pleasure of being as rich +as ever; they were got about two or three miles off. + +My day's journey has been pleasanter in every respect than I expected. I +have been very little crowded and by no means unhappy. Your +watchfulness with regard to the weather on our accounts was very kind +and very effectual. We had one heavy shower on leaving Sittingbourne, +but afterwards the clouds cleared away, and we had a very bright +_chrystal_ afternoon. + +My father is now reading the "Midnight Bell," which he has got from the +library, and mother sitting by the fire. Our route to-morrow is not +determined. We have none of us much inclination for London, and if Mr. +Nottley will give us leave, I think we shall go to Staines through +Croydon and Kingston, which will be much pleasanter than any other way; +but he is decidedly for Clapham and Battersea. God bless you all! + + Yours affectionately, J. A. + +I flatter myself that _itty Dordy_ will not forget me at least under a +week. Kiss him for me. + + Miss AUSTEN, + Godmersham Park, Faversham. + + + + +VII. + + + STEVENTON, Saturday (October 27). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--Your letter was a most agreeable surprise to me +to-day, and I have taken a long sheet of paper to show my gratitude. + +We arrived here yesterday between four and five, but I cannot send you +quite so triumphant an account of our last day's journey as of the +first and second. Soon after I had finished my letter from Staines, my +mother began to suffer from the exercise or fatigue of travelling, and +she was a good deal indisposed. She had not a very good night at +Staines, but bore her journey better than I had expected, and at +Basingstoke, where we stopped more than half an hour, received much +comfort from a mess of broth and the sight of Mr. Lyford, who +recommended her to take twelve drops of laudanum when she went to bed as +a composer, which she accordingly did. + +James called on us just as we were going to tea, and my mother was well +enough to talk very cheerfully to him before she went to bed. James +seems to have taken to his old trick of coming to Steventon in spite of +Mary's reproaches, for he was here before breakfast and is now paying us +a second visit. They were to have dined here to-day, but the weather is +too bad. I have had the pleasure of hearing that Martha is with them. +James fetched her from Ibthorp on Thursday, and she will stay with them +till she removes to Kintbury. + +We met with no adventures at all in our journey yesterday, except that +our trunk had once nearly slipped off, and we were obliged to stop at +Hartley to have our wheels greased. + +Whilst my mother and Mr. Lyford were together I went to Mrs. Ryder's and +bought what I intended to buy, but not in much perfection. There were +no narrow braces for children, and scarcely any notting silk; but Miss +Wood, as usual, is going to town very soon, and will lay in a fresh +stock. I gave 2_s._ 3_d._ a yard for my flannel, and I fancy it is not +very good, but it is so disgraceful and contemptible an article in +itself that its being comparatively good or bad is of little importance. +I bought some Japan ink likewise, and next week shall begin my +operations on my hat, on which you know my principal hopes of happiness +depend. + +I am very grand indeed; I had the dignity of dropping out my mother's +laudanum last night. I carry about the keys of the wine and closet, and +twice since I began this letter have had orders to give in the kitchen. +Our dinner was very good yesterday, and the chicken boiled perfectly +tender; therefore I shall not be obliged to dismiss Nanny on that +account. + +Almost everything was unpacked and put away last night. Nanny chose to +do it, and I was not sorry to be busy. I have unpacked the gloves, and +placed yours in your drawer. Their color is light and pretty, and I +believe exactly what we fixed on. + +Your letter was chaperoned here by one from Mrs. Cooke, in which she +says that "Battleridge" is not to come out before January, and she is so +little satisfied with Cawthorn's dilatoriness that she never means to +employ him again. + +Mrs. Hall, of Sherborne, was brought to bed yesterday of a dead child, +some weeks before she expected, owing to a fright. I suppose she +happened unawares to look at her husband. + +There has been a great deal of rain here for this last fortnight, much +more than in Kent, and indeed we found the roads all the way from +Staines most disgracefully dirty. Steventon lane has its full share of +it, and I don't know when I shall be able to get to Deane. + +I hear that Martha is in better looks and spirits than she has enjoyed +for a long time, and I flatter myself she will now be able to jest +openly about Mr. W. + +The spectacles which Molly found are my mother's, the scissors my +father's. We are very glad to hear such a good account of your patients, +little and great. My dear itty Dordy's remembrance of me is very +pleasing to me,--foolishly pleasing, because I know it will be over so +soon. My attachment to him will be more durable. I shall think with +tenderness and delight on his beautiful and smiling countenance and +interesting manner until a few years have turned him into an +ungovernable, ungracious fellow. + +The books from Winton are all unpacked and put away; the binding has +compressed them most conveniently, and there is now very good room in +the bookcase for all that we wish to have there. I believe the servants +were very glad to see us Nanny was, I am sure. She confesses that it +was very dull, and yet she had her child with her till last Sunday. I +understand that there are some grapes left, but I believe not many; they +must be gathered as soon as possible, or this rain will entirely rot +them. + +I am quite angry with myself for not writing closer; why is my alphabet +so much more sprawly than yours? Dame Tilbury's daughter has lain in. +Shall I give her any of your baby clothes? The laceman was here only a +few days ago. How unfortunate for both of us that he came so soon! Dame +Bushell washes for us only one week more, as Sukey has got a place. John +Steevens' wife undertakes our purification. She does not look as if +anything she touched would ever be clean, but who knows? We do not seem +likely to have any other maidservant at present, but Dame Staples will +supply the place of one. Mary has hired a young girl from Ashe who has +never been out to service to be her scrub, but James fears her not being +strong enough for the place. + +Earle Harwood has been to Deane lately, as I think Mary wrote us word, +and his family then told him that they would receive his wife, if she +continued to behave well for another year. He was very grateful, as well +he might; their behavior throughout the whole affair has been +particularly kind. Earle and his wife live in the most private manner +imaginable at Portsmouth, without keeping a servant of any kind. What a +prodigious innate love of virtue she must have, to marry under such +circumstances! + +It is now Saturday evening, but I wrote the chief of this in the +morning. My mother has not been down at all to-day; the laudanum made +her sleep a good deal, and upon the whole I think she is better. My +father and I dined by ourselves. How strange! He and John Bond are now +very happy together, for I have just heard the heavy step of the latter +along the passage. + +James Digweed called to-day, and I gave him his brother's deputation. +Charles Harwood, too, has just called to ask how we are, in his way from +Dummer, whither he has been conveying Miss Garrett, who is going to +return to her former residence in Kent. I will leave off, or I shall not +have room to add a word to-morrow. + +_Sunday._--My mother has had a very good night, and feels much better +to-day. + +I have received my aunt's letter, and thank you for your scrap. I will +write to Charles soon. Pray give Fanny and Edward a kiss from me, and +ask George if he has got a new song for me. 'Tis really very kind of my +aunt to ask us to Bath again; a kindness that deserves a better return +than to profit by it. + + Yours ever, J. A. + + Miss AUSTEN, + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + + + + +VIII. + + + STEVENTON, December 1. + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--I am so good as to write to you again thus speedily, +to let you know that I have just heard from Frank. He was at Cadiz, +alive and well, on October 19, and had then very lately received a +letter from you, written as long ago as when the "London" was at St. +Helen's. But his _raly_ latest intelligence of us was in one from me of +September 1, which I sent soon after we got to Godmersham. He had +written a packet full for his dearest friends in England, early in +October, to go by the "Excellent;" but the "Excellent" was not sailed, +nor likely to sail, when he despatched this to me. It comprehended +letters for both of us, for Lord Spencer, Mr. Daysh, and the East India +Directors. Lord St. Vincent had left the fleet when he wrote, and was +gone to Gibraltar, it was said to superintend the fitting out of a +private expedition from thence against some of the enemies' ports; +Minorca or Malta were conjectured to be the objects. + +Frank writes in good spirits, but says that our correspondence cannot be +so easily carried on in future as it has been, as the communication +between Cadiz and Lisbon is less frequent than formerly. You and my +mother, therefore, must not alarm yourselves at the long intervals that +may divide his letters. I address this advice to you two as being the +most tender-hearted of the family. + +My mother made her _entrée_ into the dressing-room through crowds of +admiring spectators yesterday afternoon, and we all drank tea together +for the first time these five weeks. She has had a tolerable night, and +bids fair for a continuance in the same brilliant course of action +to-day. . . . + +Mr. Lyford was here yesterday; he came while we were at dinner, and +partook of our elegant entertainment. I was not ashamed at asking him to +sit down to table, for we had some pease-soup, a sparerib, and a +pudding. He wants my mother to look yellow and to throw out a rash, but +she will do neither. + +I was at Deane yesterday morning. Mary was very well, but does not gain +bodily strength very fast. When I saw her so stout on the third and +sixth days, I expected to have seen her as well as ever by the end of a +fortnight. + +James went to Ibthorp yesterday to see his mother and child. Letty is +with Mary[3] at present, of course exceedingly happy, and in raptures +with the child. Mary does not manage matters in such a way as to make me +want to lay in myself. She is not tidy enough in her appearance; she has +no dressing-gown to sit up in; her curtains are all too thin, and +things are not in that comfort and style about her which are necessary +to make such a situation an enviable one. Elizabeth was really a pretty +object with her nice clean cap put on so tidily and her dress so +uniformly white and orderly. We live entirely in the dressing-room now, +which I like very much; I always feel so much more elegant in it than in +the parlor. + +No news from Kintbury yet. Eliza sports with our impatience. She was +very well last Thursday. Who is Miss Maria Montresor going to marry, and +what is to become of Miss Mulcaster? + +I find great comfort in my stuff gown, but I hope you do not wear yours +too often. I have made myself two or three caps to wear of evenings +since I came home, and they save me a world of torment as to +hairdressing, which at present gives me no trouble beyond washing and +brushing, for my long hair is always plaited up out of sight, and my +short hair curls well enough to want no papering. I have had it cut +lately by Mr. Butler. + +There is no reason to suppose that Miss Morgan is dead after all. Mr. +Lyford gratified us very much yesterday by his praises of my father's +mutton, which they all think the finest that was ever ate. John Bond +begins to find himself grow old, which John Bonds ought not to do, and +unequal to much hard work; a man is therefore hired to supply his place +as to labor, and John himself is to have the care of the sheep. There +are not more people engaged than before, I believe; only men instead of +boys. I fancy so at least, but you know my stupidity as to such matters. +Lizzie Bond is just apprenticed to Miss Small, so we may hope to see her +able to spoil gowns in a few years. + +My father has applied to Mr. May for an ale-house for Robert, at his +request, and to Mr. Deane, of Winchester, likewise. This was my mother's +idea, who thought he would be proud to oblige a relation of Edward in +return for Edward's accepting his money. He sent a very civil answer +indeed, but has no house vacant at present. May expects to have an empty +one soon at Farnham, so perhaps Nanny may have the honor of drawing ale +for the Bishop. I shall write to Frank to-morrow. + +Charles Powlett gave a dance on Thursday, to the great disturbance of +all his neighbors, of course, who, you know, take a most lively interest +in the state of his finances, and live in hopes of his being soon +ruined. + +We are very much disposed to like our new maid; she knows nothing of a +dairy, to be sure, which, in our family, is rather against her, but she +is to be taught it all. In short, we have felt the inconvenience of +being without a maid so long, that we are determined to like her, and +she will find it a hard matter to displease us. As yet, she seems to +cook very well, is uncommonly stout, and says she can work well at her +needle. + +_Sunday._--My father is glad to hear so good an account of Edward's +pigs, and desires he may be told, as encouragement to his taste for +them, that Lord Bolton is particularly curious in _his_ pigs, has had +pigstyes of a most elegant construction built for them, and visits them +every morning as soon as he rises. + + Affectionately yours, + J. A. + + Miss AUSTEN, + Godmersham Park, Faversham. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[3] Mrs. James Austen. + + + + +IX. + + + STEVENTON, Tuesday (December 18). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--Your letter came quite as soon as I expected, and so +your letters will always do, because I have made it a rule not to expect +them till they come, in which I think I consult the ease of us both. + +It is a great satisfaction to us to hear that your business is in a way +to be settled, and so settled as to give you as little inconvenience as +possible. You are very welcome to my father's name and to his services +if they are ever required in it. I shall keep my ten pounds too, to wrap +myself up in next winter. + +I took the liberty a few days ago of asking your black velvet bonnet to +lend me its cawl, which it very readily did, and by which I have been +enabled to give a considerable improvement of dignity to cap, which was +before too _nidgetty_ to please me. I shall wear it on Thursday, but I +hope you will not be offended with me for following your advice as to +its ornaments only in part. I still venture to retain the narrow silver +round it, put twice round without any bow, and instead of the black +military feather shall put in the coquelicot one as being smarter, and +besides coquelicot is to be all the fashion this winter. After the ball +I shall probably make it entirely black. + +I am sorry that our dear Charles begins to feel the dignity of +ill-usage. My father will write to Admiral Gambier. He must have already +received so much satisfaction from his acquaintance and patronage of +Frank, that he will be delighted, I dare say, to have another of the +family introduced to him. I think it would be very right in Charles to +address Sir Thomas on the occasion, though I cannot approve of your +scheme of writing to him (which you communicated to me a few nights ago) +to request him to come home and convey you to Steventon. To do you +justice, however, you had some doubts of the propriety of such a measure +yourself. + +I am very much obliged to my dear little George for his message,--for +his love at least; his duty, I suppose, was only in consequence of some +hint of my favorable intentions towards him from his father or mother. I +am sincerely rejoiced, however, that I ever was born, since it has been +the means of procuring him a dish of tea. Give my best love to him. . . . + +_Wednesday._--I have changed my mind, and changed the trimmings of my +cap this morning; they are now such as you suggested. I felt as if I +should not prosper if I strayed from your directions, and I think it +makes me look more like Lady Conyngham now than it did before, which is +all that one lives for now. I believe I _shall_ make my new gown like my +robe, but the back of the latter is all in a piece with the tail, and +will seven yards enable me to copy it in that respect? . . . + +I have just heard from Martha and Frank: his letter was written on +November 12. All well and nothing particular. + + J. A. + + Miss AUSTEN, + Godmersham Park, Faversham. + + + + +X. + + + STEVENTON, Monday night (December 24). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--I have got some pleasant news for you which I am +eager to communicate, and therefore begin my letter sooner, though I +shall not send it sooner than usual. + +Admiral Gambier, in reply to my father's application, writes as follows: +"As it is usual to keep young officers in small vessels, it being most +proper on account of their inexperience, and it being also a situation +where they are more in the way of learning their duty, your son has been +continued in the 'Scorpion;' but I have mentioned to the Board of +Admiralty his wish to be in a frigate, and when a proper opportunity +offers and it is judged that he has taken his turn in a small ship, I +hope he will be removed. With regard to your son now in the 'London' I +am glad I can give you the assurance that his promotion is likely to +take place very soon, as Lord Spencer has been so good as to say he +would include him in an arrangement that he proposes making in a short +time relative to some promotions in that quarter." + +There! I may now finish my letter and go and hang myself, for I am sure +I can neither write nor do anything which will not appear insipid to you +after this. _Now_ I really think he will soon be made, and only wish we +could communicate our foreknowledge of the event to him whom it +principally concerns. My father has written to Daysh to desire that he +will inform us, if he can, when the commission is sent. Your chief wish +is now ready to be accomplished; and could Lord Spencer give happiness +to Martha at the same time, what a joyful heart he would make of yours! + +I have sent the same extract of the sweets of Gambier to Charles, who, +poor fellow, though he sinks into nothing but an humble attendant on the +hero of the piece, will, I hope, be contented with the prospect held out +to him. By what the Admiral says, it appears as if he had been +designedly kept in the "Scorpion." But I will not torment myself with +conjectures and suppositions; facts shall satisfy me. + +Frank had not heard from any of us for ten weeks when he wrote to me on +November 12 in consequence of Lord St. Vincent being removed to +Gibraltar. When his commission is sent, however, it will not be so long +on its road as our letters, because all the Government despatches are +forwarded by land to his lordship from Lisbon with great regularity. + +I returned from Manydown this morning, and found my mother certainly in +no respect worse than when I left her. She does not like the cold +weather, but that we cannot help. I spent my time very quietly and very +pleasantly with Catherine. Miss Blackford is agreeable enough. I do not +want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking +them a great deal. I found only Catherine and her when I got to Manydown +on Thursday. We dined together, and went together to Worting to seek the +protection of Mrs. Clarke, with whom were Lady Mildmay, her eldest son, +and Mr. and Mrs. Hoare. + +Our ball was very thin, but by no means unpleasant. There were +thirty-one people, and only eleven ladies out of the number, and but +five single women in the room. Of the gentlemen present you may have +some idea from the list of my partners,--Mr. Wood, G. Lefroy, Rice, a +Mr. Butcher (belonging to the Temples, a sailor and not of the 11th +Light Dragoons), Mr. Temple (not the horrid one of all), Mr. Wm. Orde +(cousin to the Kingsclere man), Mr. John Harwood, and Mr. Calland, who +appeared as usual with his hat in his hand, and stood every now and then +behind Catherine and me to be talked to and abused for not dancing. We +teased him, however, into it at last. I was very glad to see him again +after so long a separation, and he was altogether rather the genius and +flirt of the evening. He inquired after you. + +There were twenty dances, and I danced them all, and without any +fatigue. I was glad to find myself capable of dancing so much, and with +so much satisfaction as I did; from my slender enjoyment of the Ashford +balls (as assemblies for dancing) I had not thought myself equal to it, +but in cold weather and with few couples I fancy I could just as well +dance for a week together as for half an hour. My black cap was openly +admired by Mrs. Lefroy, and secretly I imagine by everybody else in the +room. . . . + +Poor Edward! It is very hard that he, who has everything else in the +world that he can wish for, should not have good health too. But I hope +with the assistance of stomach complaints, faintnesses, and sicknesses, +he will soon be restored to that blessing likewise. If his nervous +complaint proceeded from a suppression of something that ought to be +thrown out, which does not seem unlikely, the first of these disorders +may really be a remedy, and I sincerely wish it may, for I know no one +more deserving of happiness without alloy than Edward is. . . . + +The Lords of the Admiralty will have enough of our applications at +present, for I hear from Charles that he has written to Lord Spencer +himself to be removed. I am afraid his Serene Highness will be in a +passion, and order some of our heads to be cut off. . . . + +You deserve a longer letter than this; but it is my unhappy fate seldom +to treat people so well as they deserve. . . . God bless you! + + Yours affectionately, + JANE AUSTEN. + +_Wednesday._--The snow came to nothing yesterday, so I did go to Deane, +and returned home at nine o'clock at night in the little carriage, and +without being very cold. + + Miss AUSTEN, + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + + + + +XI. + + + STEVENTON, Friday (December 28). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--Frank is made. He was yesterday raised to the rank +of Commander, and appointed to the "Petterel" sloop, now at Gibraltar. A +letter from Daysh has just announced this, and as it is confirmed by a +very friendly one from Mr. Mathew to the same effect, transcribing one +from Admiral Gambier to the General, we have no reason to suspect the +truth of it. + +As soon as you have cried a little for joy, you may go on, and learn +further that the India House have taken _Captain Austen's_ petition into +consideration,--this comes from Daysh,--and likewise that Lieutenant +Charles John Austen is removed to the "Tamar" frigate,--this comes from +the Admiral. We cannot find out where the "Tamar" is, but I hope we +shall now see Charles here at all events. + +This letter is to be dedicated entirely to good news. If you will send +my father an account of your washing and letter expenses, etc., he will +send you a draft for the amount of it, as well as for your next quarter, +and for Edward's rent. If you don't buy a muslin gown now on the +strength of this money and Frank's promotion, I shall never forgive +you. + +Mrs. Lefroy has just sent me word that Lady Dorchester meant to invite +me to her ball on January 8, which, though an humble blessing compared +with what the last page records, I do not consider as any calamity. + +I cannot write any more now, but I have written enough to make you very +happy, and therefore may safely conclude. + + Yours affectionately, JANE. + + Miss AUSTEN, Godmersham Park. + + + + +XII. + + + STEVENTON, Tuesday (January 8, 1799). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--You must read your letters over _five_ times in +future before you send them, and then, perhaps, you may find them as +entertaining as I do. I laughed at several parts of the one which I am +now answering. + +Charles is not come yet, but he must come this morning, or he shall +never know what I will do to him. The ball at Kempshott is this evening, +and I have got him an invitation, though I have not been so considerate +as to get him a partner. But the cases are different between him and +Eliza Bailey, for he is not in a dying way, and may therefore be equal +to getting a partner for himself. I believe I told you that Monday was +to be the ball night, for which, and for all other errors into which I +may ever have led you, I humbly ask your pardon. + +Elizabeth is very cruel about my writing music, and, as a punishment for +her, I should insist upon always writing out all hers for her in future, +if I were not punishing myself at the same time. + +I am tolerably glad to hear that Edward's income is so good a one,--as +glad as I can be at anybody's being rich except you and me,--and I am +thoroughly rejoiced to hear of his present to you. + +I am not to wear my white satin cap to-night, after all; I am to wear a +mamalone cap instead, which Charles Fowle sent to Mary, and which she +lends me. It is all the fashion now; worn at the opera, and by Lady +Mildmays at Hackwood balls. I hate describing such things, and I dare +say you will be able to guess what it is like. I have got over the +dreadful epocha of mantua-making much better than I expected. My gown is +made very much like my blue one, which you always told me sat very well, +with only these variations: the sleeves are short, the wrap fuller, the +apron comes over it, and a band of the same completes the whole. + +I assure you that I dread the idea of going to Brighton as much as you +do, but I am not without hopes that something may happen to prevent it. + +F---- has lost his election at B----, and perhaps they may not be able +to see company for some time. They talk of going to Bath, too, in the +spring, and perhaps they may be overturned in their way down, and all +laid up for the summer. + +_Wednesday._--I have had a cold and weakness in one of my eyes for some +days, which makes writing neither very pleasant nor very profitable, and +which will probably prevent my finishing this letter myself. My mother +has undertaken to do it for me, and I shall leave the Kempshott ball for +her. + +You express so little anxiety about my being murdered under Ash Park +Copse by Mrs. Hulbert's servant, that I have a great mind not to tell +you whether I was or not, and shall only say that I did not return home +that night or the next, as Martha kindly made room for me in her bed, +which was the shut-up one in the new nursery. Nurse and the child slept +upon the floor, and there we all were in some confusion and great +comfort. The bed did exceedingly well for us, both to lie awake in and +talk till two o'clock, and to sleep in the rest of the night. I love +Martha better than ever, and I mean to go and see her, if I can, when +she gets home. We all dined at the Harwoods' on Thursday, and the party +broke up the next morning. + +This complaint in my eye has been a sad bore to me, for I have not been +able to read or work in any comfort since Friday; but one advantage +will be derived from it, for I shall be such a proficient in music by +the time I have got rid of my cold, that I shall be perfectly qualified +in that science at least to take Mr. Roope's office at Eastwell next +summer; and I am sure of Elizabeth's recommendation, be it only on +Harriet's account. Of my talent in drawing I have given specimens in my +letters to you, and I have nothing to do but to invent a few hard names +for the stars. + +Mary grows rather more reasonable about her child's beauty, and says +that she does not think him really handsome; but I suspect her +moderation to be something like that of W---- W----'s mamma. Perhaps +Mary has told you that they are going to enter more into dinner-parties; +the Biggs and Mr. Holder dine there to-morrow, and I am to meet them. I +shall sleep there. Catherine has the honor of giving her name to a set, +which will be composed of two Withers, two Heathcotes, a Blackford, and +no Bigg except herself. She congratulated me last night on Frank's +promotion, as if she really felt the joy she talked of. + +My sweet little George! I am delighted to hear that he has such an +inventive genius as to face-making. I admired his yellow wafer very +much, and hope he will choose the wafer for your next letter. I wore my +green shoes last night, and took my white fan with me; I am very glad he +never threw it into the river. + +Mrs. Knight giving up the Godmersham estate to Edward was no such +prodigious act of generosity after all, it seems, for she has reserved +herself an income out of it still; this ought to be known, that her +conduct may not be overrated. I rather think Edward shows the most +magnanimity of the two, in accepting her resignation with such +incumbrances. + +The more I write, the better my eye gets; so I shall at least keep on +till it is quite well, before I give up my pen to my mother. + +Mrs. Bramston's little movable apartment was tolerably filled last night +by herself, Mrs. H. Blackstone, her two daughters, and me. I do not like +the Miss Blackstones; indeed, I was always determined not to like them, +so there is the less merit in it. Mrs. Bramston was very civil, kind, +and noisy. I spent a very pleasant evening, chiefly among the Manydown +party. There was the same kind of supper as last year, and the same want +of chairs. There were more dancers than the room could conveniently +hold, which is enough to constitute a good ball at any time. + +I do not think I was very much in request. People were rather apt not to +ask me till they could not help it; one's consequence, you know, varies +so much at times without any particular reason. There was one gentleman, +an officer of the Cheshire, a very good-looking young man, who, I was +told, wanted very much to be introduced to me; but as he did not want +it quite enough to take much trouble in effecting it, we never could +bring it about. + +I danced with Mr. John Wood again, twice with a Mr. South, a lad from +Winchester, who, I suppose, is as far from being related to the bishop +of that diocese as it is possible to be, with G. Lefroy, and J. Harwood, +who, I think, takes to me rather more than he used to do. One of my +gayest actions was sitting down two dances in preference to having Lord +Bolton's eldest son for my partner, who danced too ill to be endured. +The Miss Charterises were there, and played the parts of the Miss Edens +with great spirit. Charles never came. Naughty Charles! I suppose he +could not get superseded in time. + +Miss Debary has replaced your two sheets of drawing-paper with two of +superior size and quality; so I do not grudge her having taken them at +all now. Mr. Ludlow and Miss Pugh of Andover are lately married, and so +is Mrs. Skeete of Basingstoke, and Mr. French, chemist, of Reading. + +I do not wonder at your wanting to read "First Impressions" again, so +seldom as you have gone through it, and that so long ago. I am much +obliged to you for meaning to leave my old petticoat behind you. I have +long secretly wished it might be done, but had not courage to make the +request. + +Pray mention the name of Maria Montresor's lover when you write next. My +mother wants to know it, and I have not courage to look back into your +letters to find it out. + +I shall not be able to send this till to-morrow, and you will be +disappointed on Friday; I am very sorry for it, but I cannot help it. + +The partnership between Jeffereys, Toomer, and Legge is dissolved; the +two latter are melted away into nothing, and it is to be hoped that +Jeffereys will soon break, for the sake of a few heroines whose money he +may have. I wish you joy of your birthday twenty times over. + +I shall be able to send this to the post to-day, which exalts me to the +utmost pinnacle of human felicity, and makes me bask in the sunshine of +prosperity or gives me any other sensation of pleasure in studied +language which you may prefer. Do not be angry with me for not filling +my sheet, and believe me yours affectionately, + + J. A. + + Miss AUSTEN, + Godmersham Park, Faversham. + + + + +XIII. + + + STEVENTON, Monday (January 21). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--I will endeavor to make this letter more worthy your +acceptance than my last, which was so shabby a one that I think Mr. +Marshall could never charge you with the postage. My eyes have been +very indifferent since it was written, but are now getting better once +more; keeping them so many hours open on Thursday night, as well as the +dust of the ballroom, injured them a good deal. I use them as little as +I can, but you know, and Elizabeth knows, and everybody who ever had +weak eyes knows, how delightful it is to hurt them by employment, +against the advice and entreaty of all one's friends. + +Charles leaves us to-night. The "Tamar" is in the Downs, and Mr. Daysh +advises him to join her there directly, as there is no chance of her +going to the westward. Charles does not approve of this at all, and will +not be much grieved if he should be too late for her before she sails, +as he may then hope to get into a better station. He attempted to go to +town last night, and got as far on his road thither as Dean Gate; but +both the coaches were full, and we had the pleasure of seeing him back +again. He will call on Daysh to-morrow to know whether the "Tamar" has +sailed or not, and if she is still at the Downs he will proceed in one +of the night coaches to Deal. I want to go with him, that I may explain +the country to him properly between Canterbury and Rowling, but the +unpleasantness of returning by myself deters me. I should like to go as +far as Ospringe with him very much indeed, that I might surprise you at +Godmersham. + +Martha writes me word that Charles was very much admired at Kintbury, +and Mrs. Lefroy never saw any one so much improved in her life, and +thinks him handsomer than Henry. He appears to far more advantage here +than he did at Godmersham, not surrounded by strangers and neither +oppressed by a pain in his face or powder in his hair. + +James christened Elizabeth Caroline on Saturday morning, and then came +home. Mary, Anna, and Edward have left us of course; before the second +went I took down her answer to her cousin Fanny. + +Yesterday came a letter to my mother from Edward Cooper to announce, not +the birth of a child, but of a living; for Mrs. Leigh has begged his +acceptance of the Rectory of Hamstall-Ridware in Staffordshire, vacant +by Mr. Johnson's death. We collect from his letter that he means to +reside there, in which he shows his wisdom. Staffordshire is a good way +off; so we shall see nothing more of them till, some fifteen years +hence, the Miss Coopers are presented to us, fine, jolly, handsome, +ignorant girls. The living is valued at 140_l._ a year, but perhaps it +may be improvable. How will they be able to convey the furniture of the +dressing-room so far in safety? + +Our first cousins seem all dropping off very fast. One is incorporated +into the family, another dies, and a third goes into Staffordshire. We +can learn nothing of the disposal of the other living. I have not the +smallest notion of Fulwar's having it. Lord Craven has probably other +connections and more intimate ones, in that line, than he now has with +the Kintbury family. + +Our ball on Thursday was a very poor one, only eight couple and but +twenty-three people in the room; but it was not the ball's fault, for we +were deprived of two or three families by the sudden illness of Mr. +Wither, who was seized that morning at Winchester with a return of his +former alarming complaint. An express was sent off from thence to the +family; Catherine and Miss Blackford were dining with Mrs. Russell. Poor +Catherine's distress must have been very great. She was prevailed on to +wait till the Heathcotes could come from Wintney, and then with those +two and Harris proceeded directly to Winchester. In such a disorder his +danger, I suppose, must always be great; but from this attack he is now +rapidly recovering, and will be well enough to return to Manydown, I +fancy, in a few days. + +It was a fine thing for conversation at the ball. But it deprived us not +only of the Biggs, but of Mrs. Russell too, and of the Boltons and John +Harwood, who were dining there likewise, and of Mr. Lane, who kept away +as related to the family. Poor man!--I mean Mr. Wither--his life is so +useful, his character so respectable and worthy, that I really believe +there was a good deal of sincerity in the general concern expressed on +his account. + +Our ball was chiefly made up of Jervoises and Terrys, the former of whom +were apt to be vulgar, the latter to be noisy. I had an odd set of +partners: Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Street, Colonel Jervoise, James Digweed, J. +Lyford, and Mr. Briggs, a friend of the latter. I had a very pleasant +evening, however, though you will probably find out that there was no +particular reason for it; but I do not think it worth while to wait for +enjoyment until there is some real opportunity for it. Mary behaved very +well, and was not at all fidgetty. For the history of her adventures at +the ball I refer you to Anna's letter. + +When you come home you will have some shirts to make up for Charles. +Mrs. Davies frightened him into buying a piece of Irish when we were in +Basingstoke. Mr. Daysh supposes that Captain Austen's commission has +reached him by this time. + +_Tuesday._--Your letter has pleased and amused me very much. Your essay +on happy fortnights is highly ingenious, and the talobert skin made me +laugh a good deal. Whenever I fall into misfortune, how many jokes it +ought to furnish to my acquaintance in general, or I shall die +dreadfully in their debt for entertainment. + +It began to occur to me before you mentioned it that I had been +somewhat silent as to my mother's health for some time, but I thought +you could have no difficulty in divining its exact state,--you, who have +guessed so much stranger things. She is tolerably well,--better upon the +whole than she was some weeks ago. She would tell you herself that she +has a very dreadful cold in her head at present; but I have not much +compassion for colds in the head without fever or sore throat. + +Our own particular little brother got a place in the coach last night, +and is now, I suppose, in town. I have no objection at all to your +buying our gowns there, as your imagination has pictured to you exactly +such a one as is necessary to make me happy. You quite abash me by your +progress in notting, for I am still without silk. You must get me some +in town or in Canterbury; it should be finer than yours. + +I thought Edward would not approve of Charles being a crop, and rather +wished you to conceal it from him at present, lest it might fall on his +spirits and retard his recovery. My father furnishes him with a pig from +Cheesedown; it is already killed and cut up, but it is not to weigh more +than nine stone; the season is too far advanced to get him a larger one. +My mother means to pay herself for the salt and the trouble of ordering +it to be cured by the spareribs, the souse, and the lard. We have had +one dead lamb. + +I congratulate you on Mr. E. Hatton's good fortune. I suppose the +marriage will now follow out of hand. Give my compliments to Miss Finch. + +What time in March may we expect your return in? I begin to be very +tired of answering people's questions on that subject, and independent +of that, I shall be very glad to see you at home again, and then if we +can get Martha and shirk . . . who will be so happy as we? + +I think of going to Ibthorp in about a fortnight. My eyes are pretty +well, I thank you, if you please. + +_Wednesday, 23d._--I wish my dear Fanny many returns of this day, and +that she may on every return enjoy as much pleasure as she is now +receiving from her doll's-beds. + +I have just heard from Charles, who is by this time at Deal. He is to be +second lieutenant, which pleases him very well. The "Endymion" is come +into the Downs, which pleases him likewise. He expects to be ordered to +Sheerness shortly, as the "Tamar" has never been refitted. + +My father and mother made the same match for you last night, and are +very much pleased with it. _He_ is a beauty of my mother's. + + Yours affectionately, + JANE. + + Miss AUSTEN, + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + + + + +XIV. + + + 13 QUEEN'S SQUARE, Friday (May 17). + +MY DEAREST CASSANDRA,--Our journey yesterday went off exceedingly well; +nothing occurred to alarm or delay us. We found the roads in excellent +order, had very good horses all the way, and reached Devizes with ease +by four o'clock. I suppose John has told you in what manner we were +divided when we left Andover, and no alteration was afterwards made. At +Devizes we had comfortable rooms and a good dinner, to which we sat down +about five; amongst other things we had asparagus and a lobster, which +made me wish for you, and some cheesecakes, on which the children made +so delightful a supper as to endear the town of Devizes to them for a +long time. + +Well, here we are at Bath; we got here about one o'clock, and have been +arrived just long enough to go over the house, fix on our rooms, and be +very well pleased with the whole of it. Poor Elizabeth has had a dismal +ride of it from Devizes, for it has rained almost all the way, and our +first view of Bath has been just as gloomy as it was last November +twelvemonth. + +I have got so many things to say, so many things equally important, that +I know not on which to decide at present, and shall therefore go and eat +with the children. + +We stopped in Paragon as we came along, but as it was too wet and dirty +for us to get out, we could only see Frank, who told us that his master +was very indifferent, but had had a better night last night than usual. +In Paragon we met Mrs. Foley and Mrs. Dowdeswell with her yellow shawl +airing out, and at the bottom of Kingsdown Hill we met a gentleman in a +buggy, who, on minute examination, turned out to be Dr. Hall--and Dr. +Hall in such very deep mourning that either his mother, his wife, or +himself must be dead. These are all of our acquaintance who have yet met +our eyes. + +I have some hopes of being plagued about my trunk; I had more a few +hours ago, for it was too heavy to go by the coach which brought Thomas +and Rebecca from Devizes; there was reason to suppose that it might be +too heavy likewise for any other coach, and for a long time we could +hear of no wagon to convey it. At last, however, we unluckily discovered +that one was just on the point of setting out for this place, but at any +rate the trunk cannot be here till to-morrow; so far we are safe, and +who knows what may not happen to procure a further delay? + +I put Mary's letter into the post-office at Andover with my own hand. + +We are exceedingly pleased with the house; the rooms are quite as large +as we expected. Mrs. Bromley is a fat woman in mourning, and a little +black kitten runs about the staircase. Elizabeth has the apartment +within the drawing-room; she wanted my mother to have it, but as there +was no bed in the inner one, and the stairs are so much easier of +ascent, or my mother so much stronger than in Paragon as not to regard +the double flight, it is settled for us to be above, where we have two +very nice-sized rooms, with dirty quilts and everything comfortable. I +have the outward and larger apartment, as I ought to have; which is +quite as large as our bedroom at home, and my mother's is not materially +less. The beds are both as large as any at Steventon, and I have a very +nice chest of drawers and a closet full of shelves,--so full indeed that +there is nothing else in it, and it should therefore be called a +cupboard rather than a closet, I suppose. + +Tell Mary that there were some carpenters at work in the inn at Devizes +this morning, but as I could not be sure of their being Mrs. W. Fowle's +relations, I did not make myself known to them. + +I hope it will be a tolerable afternoon. When first we came, all the +umbrellas were up, but now the pavements are getting very white again. + +My mother does not seem at all the worse for her journey, nor are any of +us, I hope, though Edward seemed rather fagged last night, and not very +brisk this morning; but I trust the bustle of sending for tea, coffee, +and sugar, etc., and going out to taste a cheese himself, will do him +good. + +There was a very long list of arrivals here in the newspaper yesterday, +so that we need not immediately dread absolute solitude; and there is a +public breakfast in Sydney Gardens every morning, so that we shall not +be wholly starved. + +Elizabeth has just had a very good account of the three little boys. I +hope you are very busy and very comfortable. I find no difficulty in +closing my eyes. I like our situation very much; it is far more cheerful +than Paragon, and the prospect from the drawing-room window, at which I +now write, is rather picturesque, as it commands a prospective view of +the left side of Brock Street, broken by three Lombardy poplars in the +garden of the last house in Queen's Parade. + +I am rather impatient to know the fate of my best gown, but I suppose it +will be some days before Frances can get through the trunk. In the mean +time I am, with many thanks for your trouble in making it, as well as +marking my silk stockings, + + Yours very affectionately, + JANE. + +A great deal of love from everybody. + + Miss AUSTEN, Steventon, Overton, Hants. + + + + +XV. + + + 13 QUEEN SQUARE, Sunday (June 2). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--I am obliged to you for two letters, one from +yourself and the other from Mary, for of the latter I knew nothing till +on the receipt of yours yesterday, when the pigeon-basket was examined, +and I received my due. As I have written to her since the time which +ought to have brought me hers, I suppose she will consider herself, as I +choose to consider her, still in my debt. + +I will lay out all the little judgment I have in endeavoring to get such +stockings for Anna as she will approve; but I do not know that I shall +execute Martha's commission at all, for I am not fond of ordering shoes; +and, at any rate, they shall all have flat heels. + +What must I tell you of Edward? Truth or falsehood? I will try the +former, and you may choose for yourself another time. He was better +yesterday than he had been for two or three days before,--about as well +as while he was at Steventon. He drinks at the Hetling Pump, is to bathe +to-morrow, and try electricity on Tuesday. He proposed the latter +himself to Dr. Fellowes, who made no objection to it, but I fancy we are +all unanimous in expecting no advantage from it. At present I have no +great notion of our staying here beyond the month. + +I heard from Charles last week; they were to sail on Wednesday. + +My mother seems remarkably well. My uncle overwalked himself at first, +and can now only travel in a chair, but is otherwise very well. + +My cloak is come home. I like it very much, and can now exclaim with +delight, like J. Bond at hay-harvest, "This is what I have been looking +for these three years." I saw some gauzes in a shop in Bath Street +yesterday at only 4_d._ a yard, but they were not so good or so pretty +as mine. Flowers are very much worn, and fruit is still more the thing. +Elizabeth has a bunch of strawberries, and I have seen grapes, cherries, +plums, and apricots. There are likewise almonds and raisins, French +plums, and tamarinds at the grocers', but I have never seen any of them +in hats. A plum or greengage would cost three shillings; cherries and +grapes about five, I believe, but this is at some of the dearest shops. +My aunt has told me of a very cheap one, near Walcot Church, to which I +shall go in quest of something for you. I have never seen an old woman +at the pump-room. + +Elizabeth has given me a hat, and it is not only a pretty hat, but a +pretty style of hat too. It is something like Eliza's, only, instead of +being all straw, half of it is narrow purple ribbon. I flatter myself, +however, that you can understand very little of it from this +description. Heaven forbid that I should ever offer such encouragement +to explanations as to give a clear one on any occasion myself! But I +must write no more of this. . . . + +I spent Friday evening with the Mapletons, and was obliged to submit to +being pleased in spite of my inclination. We took a very charming walk +from six to eight up Beacon Hill, and across some fields, to the village +of Charlecombe, which is sweetly situated in a little green valley, as a +village with such a name ought to be. Marianne is sensible and +intelligent; and even Jane, considering how fair she is, is not +unpleasant. We had a Miss North and a Mr. Gould of our party; the latter +walked home with me after tea. He is a very young man, just entered +Oxford, wears spectacles, and has heard that "Evelina" was written by +Dr. Johnson. + +I am afraid I cannot undertake to carry Martha's shoes home, for, though +we had plenty of room in our trunks when we came, we shall have many +more things to take back, and I must allow besides for my packing. + +There is to be a grand gala on Tuesday evening in Sydney Gardens, a +concert, with illuminations and fireworks. To the latter Elizabeth and I +look forward with pleasure, and even the concert will have more than +its usual charm for me, as the gardens are large enough for me to get +pretty well beyond the reach of its sound. In the morning Lady +Willoughby is to present the colors to some corps, or Yeomanry, or +other, in the Crescent, and that such festivities may have a proper +commencement, we think of going to. . . . + +I am quite pleased with Martha and Mrs. Lefroy for wanting the pattern +of our caps, but I am not so well pleased with your giving it to them. +Some wish, some prevailing wish, is necessary to the animation of +everybody's mind, and in gratifying this you leave them to form some +other which will not probably be half so innocent. I shall not forget to +write to Frank. Duty and love, etc. + + Yours affectionately, JANE. + +My uncle is quite surprised at my hearing from you so often; but as long +as we can keep the frequency of our correspondence from Martha's uncle, +we will not fear our own. + + Miss AUSTEN, Steventon. + + + + +XVI. + + + 13 QUEEN SQUARE, Tuesday (June 11). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--Your letter yesterday made me very happy. I am +heartily glad that you have escaped any share in the impurities of +Deane, and not sorry, as it turns out, that our stay here has been +lengthened. I feel tolerably secure of our getting away next week, +though it is certainly possible that we may remain till Thursday the +27th. I wonder what we shall do with all our intended visits this +summer! I should like to make a compromise with Adlestrop, Harden, and +Bookham, that Martha's spending the summer at Steventon should be +considered as our respective visits to them all. + +Edward has been pretty well for this last week, and as the waters have +never disagreed with him in any respect, we are inclined to hope that he +will derive advantage from them in the end. Everybody encourages us in +this expectation, for they all say that the effect of the waters cannot +be negative, and many are the instances in which their benefit is felt +afterwards more than on the spot. He is more comfortable here than I +thought he would be, and so is Elizabeth, though they will both, I +believe, be very glad to get away--the latter especially, which one +can't wonder at somehow. So much for Mrs. Piozzi. I had some thoughts of +writing the whole of my letter in her style, but I believe I shall not. + +Though you have given me unlimited powers concerning your sprig, I +cannot determine what to do about it, and shall therefore in this and in +every other future letter continue to ask your further directions. We +have been to the cheap shop, and very cheap we found it, but there are +only flowers made there, no fruit; and as I could get four or five very +pretty sprigs of the former for the same money which would procure only +one Orleans plum--in short, could get more for three or four shillings +than I could have means of bringing home--I cannot decide on the fruit +till I hear from you again. Besides, I cannot help thinking that it is +more natural to have flowers grow out of the head than fruit. What do +you think on that subject? + +I would not let Martha read "First Impressions"[4] again upon any +account, and am very glad that I did not leave it in your power. She is +very cunning, but I saw through her design; she means to publish it from +memory, and one more perusal must enable her to do it. As for +"Fitzalbini," when I get home she shall have it, as soon as ever she +will own that Mr. Elliott is handsomer than Mr. Lance, that fair men are +preferable to black; for I mean to take every opportunity of rooting out +her prejudices. + +Benjamin Portal is here. How charming that is! I do not exactly know +why, but the phrase followed so naturally that I could not help putting +it down. My mother saw him the other day, but without making herself +known to him. + +I am very glad you liked my lace, and so are you, and so is Martha, and +we are all glad together. I have got your cloak home, which is quite +delightful,--as delightful at least as half the circumstances which are +called so. + +I do not know what is the matter with me to-day, but I cannot write +quietly; I am always wandering away into some exclamation or other. +Fortunately I have nothing very particular to say. + +We walked to Weston one evening last week, and liked it very much. Liked +what very much? Weston? No, walking to Weston. I have not expressed +myself properly, but I hope you will understand me. + +We have not been to any public place lately, nor performed anything out +of the common daily routine of No. 13 Queen Square, Bath. But to-day we +were to have dashed away at a very extraordinary rate, by dining out, +had it not so happened that we did not go. + +Edward renewed his acquaintance lately with Mr. Evelyn, who lives in the +Queen's Parade, and was invited to a family dinner, which I believe at +first Elizabeth was rather sorry at his accepting; but yesterday Mrs. +Evelyn called on us, and her manners were so pleasing that we liked the +idea of going very much. The Biggs would call her a nice woman. But Mr. +Evelyn, who was indisposed yesterday, is worse to-day, and we are put +off. + +It is rather impertinent to suggest any household care to a housekeeper, +but I just venture to say that the coffee-mill will be wanted every day +while Edward is at Steventon, as he always drinks coffee for breakfast. + +Fanny desires her love to you, her love to grandpapa, her love to Anna, +and her love to Hannah; the latter is particularly to be remembered. +Edward desires his love to you, to grandpapa, to Anna, to little Edward, +to Aunt James and Uncle James, and he hopes all your turkeys and ducks +and chicken and guinea fowls are very well; and he wishes you very much +to send him a printed letter, and so does Fanny--and they both rather +think they shall answer it. . . . + +Dr. Gardiner was married yesterday to Mrs. Percy and her three +daughters. + +Now I will give you the history of Mary's veil, in the purchase of which +I have so considerably involved you that it is my duty to economize for +you in the flowers. I had no difficulty in getting a muslin veil for +half a guinea, and not much more in discovering afterwards that the +muslin was thick, dirty, and ragged, and therefore would by no means do +for a united gift. I changed it consequently as soon as I could, and, +considering what a state my imprudence had reduced me to, I thought +myself lucky in getting a black lace one for sixteen shillings. I hope +the half of that sum will not greatly exceed what you had intended to +offer upon the altar of sister-in-law affection. + + Yours affectionately, JANE. + +They do not seem to trouble you much from Manydown. I have long wanted +to quarrel with them, and I believe I shall take this opportunity. There +is no denying that they are very capricious--for they like to enjoy +their elder sister's company when they can. + + Miss AUSTEN, Steventon, Overton, Hants. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[4] The title first chosen for "Pride and Prejudice." + + + + +XVII. + + + STEVENTON, Thursday (November 20, 1800). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--Your letter took me quite by surprise this morning; +you are very welcome, however, and I am very much obliged to you. I +believe I drank too much wine last night at Hurstbourne; I know not how +else to account for the shaking of my hand to-day. You will kindly make +allowance therefore for any indistinctness of writing, by attributing it +to this venial error. + +Naughty Charles did not come on Tuesday, but good Charles came yesterday +morning. About two o'clock he walked in on a Gosport hack. His feeling +equal to such a fatigue is a good sign, and his feeling no fatigue in it +a still better. He walked down to Deane to dinner; he danced the whole +evening, and to-day is no more tired than a gentleman ought to be. + +Your desiring to hear from me on Sunday will, perhaps, bring you a more +particular account of the ball than you may care for, because one is +prone to think much more of such things the morning after they happen, +than when time has entirely driven them out of one's recollection. + +It was a pleasant evening; Charles found it remarkably so, but I cannot +tell why, unless the absence of Miss Terry, towards whom his conscience +reproaches him with being now perfectly indifferent, was a relief to +him. There were only twelve dances, of which I danced nine, and was +merely prevented from dancing the rest by the want of a partner. We +began at ten, supped at one, and were at Deane before five. There were +but fifty people in the room; very few families indeed from our side of +the county, and not many more from the other. My partners were the two +St. Johns, Hooper, Holder, and a very prodigious Mr. Mathew, with whom I +called the last, and whom I liked the best of my little stock. + +There were very few beauties, and such as there were were not very +handsome. Miss Iremonger did not look well, and Mrs. Blount was the +only one much admired. She appeared exactly as she did in September, +with the same broad face, diamond bandeau, white shoes, pink husband, +and fat neck. The two Miss Coxes were there; I traced in one the remains +of the vulgar, broad-featured girl who danced at Enham eight years ago; +the other is refined into a nice, composed-looking girl, like Catherine +Bigg. I looked at Sir Thomas Champneys, and thought of poor Rosalie; I +looked at his daughter, and thought her a queer animal with a white +neck. Mrs. Warren I was constrained to think a very fine young woman, +which I much regret. She danced away with great activity. Her husband is +ugly enough, uglier even than his cousin John; but he does not look so +_very_ old. The Miss Maitlands are both prettyish, very like Anne, with +brown skins, large dark eyes, and a good deal of nose. The General has +got the gout, and Mrs. Maitland the jaundice. Miss Debary, Susan, and +Sally, all in black, but without any statues, made their appearance, and +I was as civil to them as circumstances would allow me. . . . + +Mary said that I looked very well last night. I wore my aunt's gown and +handkerchief, and my hair was at least tidy, which was all my ambition. +I will now have done with the ball, and I will moreover go and dress for +dinner. . . . + +Farewell; Charles sends you his best love, and Edward his worst. If you +think the distinction improper, you may take the worst yourself. He +will write to you when he gets back to his ship, and in the mean time +desires that you will consider me as + + Your affectionate sister, J. A. + +_Friday._--I have determined to go on Thursday, but of course not before +the post comes in. Charles is in very good looks indeed. I had the +comfort of finding out the other evening who all the fat girls with long +noses were that disturbed me at the First H. ball. They all proved to be +Miss Atkinsons of En--[_illegible_]. + +I rejoice to say that we have just had another letter from our dear +Frank. It is to you, very short, written from Larnica in Cyprus, and so +lately as October 2. He came from Alexandria, and was to return there in +three or four days, knew nothing of his promotion, and does not write +above twenty lines, from a doubt of the letter's ever reaching you, and +an idea of all letters being opened at Vienna. He wrote a few days +before to you from Alexandria by the "Mercury," sent with despatches to +Lord Keith. Another letter must be owing to us besides this, one if not +two; because none of these are to me. Henry comes to-morrow, for one +night only. + +My mother has heard from Mrs. E. Leigh. Lady Saye and Seale and her +daughter are going to remove to Bath. Mrs. Estwick is married again to +a Mr. Sloane, a young man under age, without the knowledge of either +family. He bears a good character, however. + + Miss AUSTEN, + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + + + + +XVIII. + + + STEVENTON, Saturday (January 3, 1801). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--As you have by this time received my last letter, it +is fit that I should begin another; and I begin with the hope, which is +at present uppermost in my mind, that you often wore a white gown in the +morning at the time of all the gay parties being with you. + +Our visit at Ash Park, last Wednesday, went off in a _come-cá_ way. We +met Mr. Lefroy and Tom Chute, played at cards, and came home again. +James and Mary dined here on the following day, and at night Henry set +off in the mail for London. He was as agreeable as ever during his +visit, and has not lost anything in Miss Lloyd's estimation. + +Yesterday we were quite alone--only our four selves; but to-day the +scene is agreeably varied by Mary's driving Martha to Basingstoke, and +Martha's afterwards dining at Deane. + +My mother looks forward with as much certainty as you can do to our +keeping two maids; my father is the only one not in the secret. We plan +having a steady cook and a young giddy housemaid, with a sedate, +middle-aged man, who is to undertake the double office of husband to the +former and sweetheart to the latter. No children of course to be allowed +on either side. + +You feel more for John Bond than John Bond deserves. I am sorry to lower +his character, but he is not ashamed to own himself that he has no doubt +at all of getting a good place, and that he had even an offer many years +ago from a Farmer Paine of taking him into his service whenever he might +quit my father's. + +There are three parts of Bath which we have thought of as likely to have +houses in them,--Westgate Buildings, Charles Street, and some of the +short streets leading from Laura Place or Pulteney Street. + +Westgate Buildings, though quite in the lower part of the town, are not +badly situated themselves. The street is broad, and has rather a good +appearance. Charles Street, however, I think is preferable. The +buildings are new, and its nearness to Kingsmead Fields would be a +pleasant circumstance. Perhaps you may remember, or perhaps you may +forget, that Charles Street leads from the Queen Square Chapel to the +two Green Park Streets. + +The houses in the streets near Laura Place I should expect to be above +our price. Gay Street would be too high, except only the lower house on +the left-hand side as you ascend. Towards that my mother has no +disinclination; it used to be lower rented than any other house in the +row, from some inferiority in the apartments. But above all others her +wishes are at present fixed on the corner house in Chapel Row, which +opens into Prince's Street. Her knowledge of it, however, is confined +only to the outside, and therefore she is equally uncertain of its being +really desirable as of its being to be had. In the mean time she assures +you that she will do everything in her power to avoid Trim Street, +although you have not expressed the fearful presentiment of it which was +rather expected. + +We know that Mrs. Perrot will want to get us into Oxford Buildings, but +we all unite in particular dislike of that part of the town, and +therefore hope to escape. Upon all these different situations you and +Edward may confer together, and your opinion of each will be expected +with eagerness. + +As to our pictures, the battle-piece, Mr. Nibbs, Sir William East, and +all the old heterogeneous, miscellany, manuscript, Scriptural pieces +dispersed over the house, are to be given to James. Your own drawings +will not cease to be your own, and the two paintings on tin will be at +your disposal. My mother says that the French agricultural prints in +the best bedroom were given by Edward to his two sisters. Do you or he +know anything about it? + +She has written to my aunt, and we are all impatient for the answer. I +do not know how to give up the idea of our both going to Paragon in May. +Your going I consider as indispensably necessary, and I shall not like +being left behind; there is no place here or hereabouts that I shall +want to be staying at, and though, to be sure, the keep of two will be +more than of one, I will endeavor to make the difference less by +disordering my stomach with Bath buns; and as to the trouble of +accommodating us, whether there are one or two, it is much the same. + +According to the first plan, my mother and our two selves are to travel +down together, and my father follow us afterwards in about a fortnight +or three weeks. We have promised to spend a couple of days at Ibthorp in +our way. We must all meet at Bath, you know, before we set out for the +sea, and, everything considered, I think the first plan as good as any. + +My father and mother, wisely aware of the difficulty of finding in all +Bath such a bed as their own, have resolved on taking it with them; all +the beds, indeed, that we shall want are to be removed,--namely, besides +theirs, our own two, the best for a spare one, and two for servants; and +these necessary articles will probably be the only material ones that +it would answer to send down. I do not think it will be worth while to +remove any of our chests of drawers; we shall be able to get some of a +much more commodious sort, made of deal, and painted to look very neat; +and I flatter myself that for little comforts of all kinds our apartment +will be one of the most complete things of the sort all over Bath, +Bristol included. + +We have thought at times of removing the sideboard, or a Pembroke table, +or some other piece of furniture, but, upon the whole, it has ended in +thinking that the trouble and risk of the removal would be more than the +advantage of having them at a place where everything may be purchased. +Pray send your opinion. + +Martha has as good as promised to come to us again in March. Her spirits +are better than they were. . . . + +My mother bargains for having no trouble at all in furnishing our house +in Bath, and I have engaged for your willingly undertaking to do it all. +I get more and more reconciled to the idea of our removal. We have lived +long enough in this neighborhood: the Basingstoke balls are certainly on +the decline, there is something interesting in the bustle of going away, +and the prospect of spending future summers by the sea or in Wales is +very delightful. For a time we shall now possess many of the advantages +which I have often thought of with envy in the wives of sailors or +soldiers. It must not be generally known, however, that I am not +sacrificing a great deal in quitting the country, or I can expect to +inspire no tenderness, no interest, in those we leave behind. . . . + + Yours affectionately, J. A. + + Miss AUSTEN, + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + + + + +XIX. + + + STEVENTON, Thursday (January 8). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--The "perhaps" which concluded my last letter being +only a "perhaps," will not occasion your being overpowered with +surprise, I dare say, if you should receive this before Tuesday, which, +unless circumstances are very perverse, will be the case. I received +yours with much general philanthropy, and still more peculiar good-will, +two days ago; and I suppose I need not tell you that it was very long, +being written on a foolscap sheet, and very entertaining, being written +by you. + +Mr. Payne has been dead long enough for Henry to be out of mourning for +him before his last visit, though we knew nothing of it till about that +time. Why he died, or of what complaint, or to what noblemen he +bequeathed his four daughters in marriage, we have not heard. + +I am glad that the Wildmans are going to give a ball, and hope you will +not fail to benefit both yourself and me by laying out a few kisses in +the purchase of a frank. I believe you are right in proposing to delay +the cambric muslin, and I submit with a kind of voluntary reluctance. + +Mr. Peter Debary has declined Deane curacy; he wishes to be settled near +London. A foolish reason! as if Deane were not near London in comparison +of Exeter or York. Take the whole world through, and he will find many +more places at a greater distance from London than Deane than he will at +a less. What does he think of Glencoe or Lake Katherine? + +I feel rather indignant that any possible objection should be raised +against so valuable a piece of preferment, so delightful a +situation!--that Deane should not be universally allowed to be as near +the metropolis as any other country villages. As this is the case, +however, as Mr. Peter Debary has shown himself a Peter in the blackest +sense of the word, we are obliged to look elsewhere for an heir; and my +father has thought it a necessary compliment to James Digweed to offer +the curacy to him, though without considering it as either a desirable +or an eligible situation for him. Unless he is in love with Miss Lyford, +I think he had better not be settled exactly in this neighborhood; and +unless he is very much in love with her indeed, he is not likely to +think a salary of 50_l._ equal in value or efficiency to one of 75_l._ + +Were you indeed to be considered as one of the fixtures of the +house!--but you were never actually erected in it either by Mr. Egerton +Brydges or Mrs. Lloyd. . . . + +You are very kind in planning presents for me to make, and my mother has +shown me exactly the same attention; but as I do not choose to have +generosity dictated to me, I shall not resolve on giving my cabinet to +Anna till the first thought of it has been my own. + +Sidmouth is now talked of as our summer abode. Get all the information, +therefore, about it that you can from Mrs. C. Cage. + +My father's old ministers are already deserting him to pay their court +to his son. The brown mare, which, as well as the black, was to devolve +on James at our removal, has not had patience to wait for that, and has +settled herself even now at Deane. The death of Hugh Capet, which, like +that of Mr. Skipsey, though undesired, was not wholly unexpected, being +purposely effected, has made the immediate possession of the mare very +convenient, and everything else I suppose will be seized by degrees in +the same manner. Martha and I work at the books every day. + + Yours affectionately, J. A. + + Miss AUSTEN, + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + + + + +XX. + + + STEVENTON, Wednesday (January 14). + +POOR Miss Austen! It appears to me that I have rather oppressed you of +late by the frequency of my letters. You had hoped not to hear from me +again before Tuesday, but Sunday showed you with what a merciless sister +you had to deal. I cannot recall the past, but you shall not hear from +me quite so often in future. + +Your letter to Mary was duly received before she left Deane with Martha +yesterday morning, and it gives us great pleasure to know that the +Chilham ball was so agreeable, and that you danced four dances with Mr. +Kemble. Desirable, however, as the latter circumstance was, I cannot +help wondering at its taking place. Why did you dance four dances with +so stupid a man? Why not rather dance two of them with some elegant +brother officer who was struck with your appearance as soon as you +entered the room? + +Martha left you her best love. She will write to you herself in a short +time; but trusting to my memory rather than her own, she has +nevertheless desired me to ask you to purchase for her two bottles of +Steele's lavender water when you are in town, provided you should go to +the shop on your own account, otherwise you may be sure that she would +not have you recollect the request. + +James dined with us yesterday, wrote to Edward in the evening, filled +three sides of paper, every line inclining too much towards the +northeast, and the very first line of all scratched out, and this +morning he joins his lady in the fields of Elysium and Ibthorp. + +Last Friday was a very busy day with us. We were visited by Miss Lyford +and Mr. Bayle. The latter began his operations in the house, but had +only time to finish the four sitting-rooms; the rest is deferred till +the spring is more advanced and the days longer. He took his paper of +appraisement away with him, and therefore we only know the estimate he +has made of one or two articles of furniture which my father +particularly inquired into. I understand, however, that he was of +opinion that the whole would amount to more than two hundred pounds, and +it is not imagined that this will comprehend the brewhouse and many +other, etc., etc. + +Miss Lyford was very pleasant, and gave my mother such an account of the +houses in Westgate Buildings, where Mrs. Lyford lodged four years ago, +as made her think of a situation there with great pleasure, but your +opposition will be without difficulty decisive, and my father, in +particular, who was very well inclined towards the Row before, has now +ceased to think of it entirely. At present the environs of Laura Place +seem to be his choice. His views on the subject are much advanced since +I came home; he grows quite ambitious, and actually requires now a +comfortable and a creditable-looking house. + +On Saturday Miss Lyford went to her long home,--that is to say, it was a +long way off,--and soon afterwards a party of fine ladies issuing from a +well-known commodious green vehicle, their heads full of Bantam cocks +and Galinies, entered the house,--Mrs. Heathcote, Mrs. Harwood, Mrs. +James Austen, Miss Bigg, Miss Jane Blachford. + +Hardly a day passes in which we do not have some visitor or other: +yesterday came Mrs. Bramstone, who is very sorry that she is to lose us, +and afterwards Mr. Holder, who was shut up for an hour with my father +and James in a most awful manner. John Bond _est à lui_. . . . + + + + +XXI. + + + STEVENTON, Wednesday (January 21). + +EXPECT a most agreeable letter, for not being overburdened with subject +(having nothing at all to say), I shall have no check to my genius from +beginning to end. + +Well, and so Prank's letter has made you very happy, but you are afraid +he would not have patience to stay for the "Haarlem," which you wish him +to have done as being safer than the merchantman. Poor fellow! to wait +from the middle of November to the end of December, and perhaps even +longer, it must be sad work; especially in a place where the ink is so +abominably pale. What a surprise to him it must have been on October 20, +to be visited, collared, and thrust out of the "Petterel" by Captain +Inglis. He kindly passes over the poignancy of his feelings in quitting +his ship, his officers, and his men. + +What a pity it is that he should not be in England at the time of this +promotion, because he certainly would have had an appointment, so +everybody says, and therefore it must be right for me to say it too. Had +he been really here, the certainty of the appointment, I dare say, would +not have been half so great, but as it could not be brought to the +proof, his absence will be always a lucky source of regret. + +Eliza talks of having read in a newspaper that all the first lieutenants +of the frigates whose captains were to be sent into line-of-battle ships +were to be promoted to the rank of commanders. If it be true, Mr. +Valentine may afford himself a fine Valentine's knot, and Charles may +perhaps become first of the "Endymion," though I suppose Captain Durham +is too likely to bring a villain with him under that denomination. . . . + +The neighborhood have quite recovered the death of Mrs. Rider,--so much +so, that I think they are rather rejoiced at it now; her things were so +very dear! and Mrs. Rogers is to be all that is desirable. Not even +death itself can fix the friendship of the world. . . . + +The Wylmots being robbed must be an amusing thing to their acquaintance, +and I hope it is as much their pleasure as it seems their avocation to +be subjects of general entertainment. + +I have a great mind not to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, which +I have just had the pleasure of reading, because I am so ashamed to +compare the sprawling lines of this with it. But if I say all that I +have to say, I hope I have no reason to hang myself. . . . + +Why did not J. D. make his proposals to you? I suppose he went to see +the cathedral, that he might know how he should like to be married in +it. . . . + + Miss AUSTEN, + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + + + + +XXII. + + + SOUTHAMPTON, Wednesday (January 7, 1807). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--You were mistaken in supposing I should expect your +letter on Sunday; I had no idea of hearing from you before Tuesday, and +my pleasure yesterday was therefore unhurt by any previous +disappointment. I thank you for writing so much; you must really have +sent me the value of two letters in one. We are extremely glad to hear +that Elizabeth is so much better, and hope you will be sensible of still +further amendment in her when you return from Canterbury. + +Of your visit there I must now speak "incessantly;" it surprises, but +pleases me more, and I consider it as a very just and honorable +distinction of you, and not less to the credit of Mrs. Knight. I have no +doubt of your spending your time with her most pleasantly in quiet and +rational conversation, and am so far from thinking her expectations of +you will be deceived, that my only fear is of your being so agreeable, +so much to her taste, as to make her wish to keep you with her forever. +If that should be the case, we must remove to Canterbury, which I should +not like so well as Southampton. + +When you receive this, our guests will be all gone or going; and I shall +be left to the comfortable disposal of my time, to ease of mind from the +torments of rice puddings and apple dumplings, and probably to regret +that I did not take more pains to please them all. + +Mrs. J. Austen has asked me to return with her to Steventon; I need not +give my answer; and she has invited my mother to spend there the time of +Mrs. F. A.'s confinement, which she seems half inclined to do. + +A few days ago I had a letter from Miss Irvine, and as I was in her +debt, you will guess it to be a remonstrance, not a very severe one, +however; the first page is in her usual retrospective, jealous, +inconsistent style, but the remainder is chatty and harmless. She +supposes my silence may have proceeded from resentment of her not having +written to inquire particularly after my hooping-cough, etc. She is a +funny one. + +I have answered her letter, and have endeavored to give something like +the truth with as little incivility as I could, by placing my silence to +the want of subject in the very quiet way in which we live. Phebe has +repented, and stays. I have also written to Charles, and I answered Miss +Buller's letter by return of post, as I intended to tell you in my last. + +Two or three things I recollected when it was too late, that I might +have told you; one is that the Welbys have lost their eldest son by a +putrid fever at Eton, and another that Tom Chute is going to settle in +Norfolk. + +You have scarcely ever mentioned Lizzy since your being at Godmersham. I +hope it is not because she is altered for the worse. + +I cannot yet satisfy Fanny as to Mrs. Foote's baby's name, and I must +not encourage her to expect a good one, as Captain Foote is a professed +adversary to all but the plainest; he likes only Mary, Elizabeth, Anne, +etc. Our best chance is of "Caroline," which in compliment to a sister +seems the only exception. + +He dined with us on Friday, and I fear will not soon venture again, for +the strength of our dinner was a boiled leg of mutton, underdone even +for James; and Captain Foote has a particular dislike to underdone +mutton; but he was so good-humored and pleasant that I did not much mind +his being starved. He gives us all the most cordial invitation to his +house in the country, saying just what the Williams ought to say to make +us welcome. Of them we have seen nothing since you left us, and we hear +that they are just gone to Bath again, to be out of the way of further +alterations at Brooklands. + +Mrs. F. A. has had a very agreeable letter from Mrs. Dickson, who was +delighted with the purse, and desires her not to provide herself with a +christening dress, which is exactly what her young correspondent wanted; +and she means to defer making any of the caps as long as she can, in +hope of having Mrs. D.'s present in time to be serviceable as a pattern. +She desires me to tell you that the gowns were cut out before your +letter arrived, but that they are long enough for Caroline. The _Beds_, +as I believe they are called, have fallen to Frank's share to continue, +and of course are cut out to admiration. + +"Alphonsine" did not do. We were disgusted in twenty pages, as, +independent of a bad translation, it has indelicacies which disgrace a +pen hitherto so pure; and we changed it for the "Female Quixote," which +now makes our evening amusement; to me a very high one, as I find the +work quite equal to what I remembered it. Mrs. F. A., to whom it is new, +enjoys it as one could wish; the other Mary, I believe, has little +pleasure from that or any other book. + +My mother does not seem at all more disappointed than ourselves at the +termination of the family treaty; she thinks less of that just now than +of the comfortable state of her own finances, which she finds on closing +her year's accounts beyond her expectation, as she begins the new year +with a balance of 30_l._ in her favor; and when she has written her +answer to my aunt, which you know always hangs a little upon her mind, +she will be above the world entirely. You will have a great deal of +unreserved discourse with Mrs. K., I dare say, upon this subject, as +well as upon many other of our family matters. Abuse everybody but me. + +_Thursday._--We expected James yesterday, but he did not come; if he +comes at all now, his visit will be a very short one, as he must return +to-morrow, that Ajax and the chair may be sent to Winchester on +Saturday. Caroline's new pelisse depended upon her mother's being able +or not to come so far in the chair; how the guinea that will be saved by +the same means of return is to be spent I know not. Mrs. J. A. does not +talk much of poverty now, though she has no hope of my brother's being +able to buy another horse next summer. + +Their scheme against Warwickshire continues, but I doubt the family's +being at Stoneleigh so early as James says he must go, which is May. + +My mother is afraid I have not been explicit enough on the subject of +her wealth; she began 1806 with 68_l._ she begins 1807 with 99_l._, and +this after 32_l._ purchase of stock. Frank too has been settling his +accounts and making calculations, and each party feels quite equal to +our present expenses; but much increase of house-rent would not do for +either. Frank limits himself, I believe, to four hundred a year. + +You will be surprised to hear that Jenny is not yet come back; we have +heard nothing of her since her reaching Itchingswell, and can only +suppose that she must be detained by illness in somebody or other, and +that she has been each day expecting to be able to come on the morrow. I +am glad I did not know beforehand that she was to be absent during the +whole or almost the whole of our friends being with us, for though the +inconvenience has not been nothing, I should have feared still more. +Our dinners have certainly suffered not a little by having only Molly's +head and Molly's hands to conduct them; she fries better than she did, +but not like Jenny. + +We did _not_ take our walk on Friday, it was too dirty, nor have we yet +done it; we may perhaps do something like it to-day, as after seeing +Frank skate, which he hopes to do in the meadows by the beech, we are to +treat ourselves with a passage over the ferry. It is one of the +pleasantest frosts I ever knew, so very quiet. I hope it will last some +time longer for Frank's sake, who is quite anxious to get some skating; +he tried yesterday, but it would not do. + +Our acquaintance increase too fast. He was recognized lately by Admiral +Bertie, and a few days since arrived the Admiral and his daughter +Catherine to wait upon us. There was nothing to like or dislike in +either. To the Berties are to be added the Lances, with whose cards we +have been endowed, and whose visit Frank and I returned yesterday. They +live about a mile and three-quarters from S. to the right of the new +road to Portsmouth, and I believe their house is one of those which are +to be seen almost anywhere among the woods on the other side of the +Itchen. It is a handsome building, stands high, and in a very beautiful +situation. + +We found only Mrs. Lance at home, and whether she boasts any offspring +besides a grand pianoforte did not appear. She was civil and chatty +enough, and offered to introduce us to some acquaintance in Southampton, +which we gratefully declined. + +I suppose they must be acting by the orders of Mr. Lance of Netherton in +this civility, as there seems no other reason for their coming near us. +They will not come often, I dare say. They live in a handsome style and +are rich, and she seemed to like to be rich, and we gave her to +understand that we were far from being so; she will soon feel therefore +that we are not worth her acquaintance. + +You must have heard from Martha by this time. We have had no accounts of +Kintbury since her letter to me. + +Mrs. F. A. has had one fainting fit lately; it came on as usual after +eating a hearty dinner, but did not last long. + +I can recollect nothing more to say. When my letter is gone, I suppose I +shall. + + Yours affectionately, J. A. + +I have just asked Caroline if I should send her love to her godmamma, to +which she answered "Yes." + + Miss AUSTEN, + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + + + + +XXIII. + + + SOUTHAMPTON, February 8. + +. . . OUR garden is putting in order by a man who bears a remarkably +good character, has a very fine complexion, and asks something less than +the first. The shrubs which border the gravel walk, he says, are only +sweetbrier and roses, and the latter of an indifferent sort; we mean to +get a few of a better kind, therefore, and at my own particular desire +he procures us some syringas. I could not do without a syringa, for the +sake of Cowper's line. We talk also of a laburnum. The border under the +terrace wall is clearing away to receive currants and gooseberry bushes, +and a spot is found very proper for raspberries. + +The alterations and improvements within doors, too, advance very +properly, and the offices will be made very convenient indeed. Our +dressing-table is constructing on the spot, out of a large kitchen table +belonging to the house, for doing which we have the permission of Mr. +Husket, Lord Lansdown's painter,--domestic painter, I should call him, +for he lives in the castle. Domestic chaplains have given way to this +more necessary office, and I suppose whenever the walls want no touching +up he is employed about my lady's face. + +The morning was so wet that I was afraid we should not be able to see +our little visitor; but Frank, who alone could go to church, called for +her after service, and she is now talking away at my side and examining +the treasures of my writing-desk drawers,--very happy, I believe. Not at +all shy, of course. Her name is Catherine, and her sister's Caroline. +She is something like her brother, and as short for her age, but not so +well-looking. + +What is become of all the shyness in the world? Moral as well as natural +diseases disappear in the progress of time, and new ones take their +place. Shyness and the sweating sickness have given way to confidence +and paralytic complaints. . . . + +_Evening._--Our little visitor has just left us, and left us highly +pleased with her; she is a nice, natural, open-hearted, affectionate +girl, with all the ready civility which one sees in the best children in +the present day; so unlike anything that I was myself at her age, that I +am often all astonishment and shame. Half her time was spent at +spillikins, which I consider as a very valuable part of our household +furniture, and as not the least important benefaction from the family of +Knight to that of Austen. + +But I must tell you a story. Mary has for some time had notice from Mrs. +Dickson of the intended arrival of a certain Miss Fowler in this place. +Miss F. is an intimate friend of Mrs. D., and a good deal known as such +to Mary. On Thursday last she called here while we were out. Mary +found, on our return, her card with only her name on it, and she had +left word that she would call again. The particularity of this made us +talk, and, among other conjectures, Frank said in joke, "I dare say she +is staying with the Pearsons." The connection of the names struck Mary, +and she immediately recollected Miss Fowler's having been very intimate +with persons so called, and, upon putting everything together, we have +scarcely a doubt of her being actually staying with the only family in +the place whom we cannot visit. + +What a _contretemps_! in the language of France. What an unluckiness! in +that of Madame Duval. The black gentleman has certainly employed one of +his menial imps to bring about this complete, though trifling mischief. +Miss F. has never called again, but we are in daily expectation of it. +Miss P. has, of course, given her a proper understanding of the +business. It is evident that Miss F. did not expect or wish to have the +visit returned, and Frank is quite as much on his guard for his wife as +we could desire for her sake or our own. + +We shall rejoice in being so near Winchester when Edward belongs to it, +and can never have our spare bed filled more to our satisfaction than by +him. Does he leave Eltham at Easter? + +We are reading "Clarentine," and are surprised to find how foolish it +is. I remember liking it much less on a second reading than at the +first, and it does not bear a third at all. It is full of unnatural +conduct and forced difficulties, without striking merit of any kind. + +Miss Harrison is going into Devonshire, to attend Mrs. Dusantoy, as +usual. Miss J. is married to young Mr. G., and is to be very unhappy. He +swears, drinks, is cross, jealous, selfish, and brutal. The match makes +her family miserable, and has occasioned his being disinherited. + +The Browns are added to our list of acquaintance. He commands the Sea +Fencibles here, under Sir Thomas, and was introduced at his own desire +by the latter when we saw him last week. As yet the gentlemen only have +visited, as Mrs. B. is ill; but she is a nice-looking woman, and wears +one of the prettiest straw bonnets in the place. + +_Monday._--The garret beds are made, and ours will be finished to-day. I +had hoped it would be finished on Saturday, but neither Mrs. Hall nor +Jenny was able to give help enough for that, and I have as yet done very +little, and Mary nothing at all. This week we shall do more, and I +should like to have all the five beds completed by the end of it. There +will then be the window-curtains, sofa-cover, and a carpet to be +altered. + +I should not be surprised if we were to be visited by James again this +week; he gave us reason to expect him soon, and if they go to Eversley +he cannot come next week. + +There, I flatter myself I have constructed you a smartish letter, +considering my want of materials; but, like my dear Dr. Johnson, I +believe I have dealt more in notions than facts. + +I hope your cough is gone, and that you are otherwise well, and remain, +with love, + + Yours affectionately, J. A. + + Miss AUSTEN, + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + + + + +XXIV. + + + GODMERSHAM, Wednesday (June 15, 1808). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--Where shall I begin? Which of all my important +nothings shall I tell you first? At half after seven yesterday morning +Henry saw us into our own carriage, and we drove away from the Bath +Hotel; which, by the by, had been found most uncomfortable +quarters,--very dirty, very noisy, and very ill-provided. James began +his journey by the coach at five. Our first eight miles were hot; +Deptford Hill brought to my mind our hot journey into Kent fourteen +years ago; but after Blackheath we suffered nothing, and as the day +advanced it grew quite cool. At Dartford, which we reached within the +two hours and three-quarters, we went to the Bull, the same inn at +which we breakfasted in that said journey, and on the present occasion +had about the same bad butter. + +At half-past ten we were again off, and, travelling on without any +adventure reached Sittingbourne by three. Daniel was watching for us at +the door of the George, and I was acknowledged very kindly by Mr. and +Mrs. Marshall, to the latter of whom I devoted my conversation, while +Mary went out to buy some gloves. A few minutes, of course, did for +Sittingbourne; and so off we drove, drove, drove, and by six o'clock +were at Godmersham. + +Our two brothers were walking before the house as we approached, as +natural as life. Fanny and Lizzy met us in the Hall with a great deal of +pleasant joy; we went for a few minutes into the breakfast-parlor, and +then proceeded to our rooms. Mary has the Hall chamber. I am in the +Yellow room--very literally--for I am writing in it at this moment. It +seems odd to me to have such a great place all to myself, and to be at +Godmersham without you is also odd. + +You are wished for, I assure you: Fanny, who came to me as soon as she +had seen her Aunt James to her room, and stayed while I dressed, was as +energetic as usual in her longings for you. She is grown both in height +and size since last year, but not immoderately, looks very well, and +seems as to conduct and manner just what she was and what one could wish +her to continue. + +Elizabeth,[5] who was dressing when we arrived, came to me for a minute +attended by Marianne, Charles, and Louisa, and, you will not doubt, gave +me a very affectionate welcome. That I had received such from Edward +also I need not mention; but I do, you see, because it is a pleasure. I +never saw him look in better health, and Fanny says he is perfectly +well. I cannot praise Elizabeth's looks, but they are probably affected +by a cold. Her little namesake has gained in beauty in the last three +years, though not all that Marianne has lost. Charles is not quite so +lovely as he was. Louisa is much as I expected, and Cassandra I find +handsomer than I expected, though at present disguised by such a violent +breaking-out that she does not come down after dinner. She has charming +eyes and a nice open countenance, and seems likely to be very lovable. +Her size is magnificent. + +I was agreeably surprised to find Louisa Bridges still here. She looks +remarkably well (legacies are very wholesome diet), and is just what she +always was. John is at Sandling. You may fancy our dinner-party +therefore; Fanny, of course, belonging to it, and little Edward, for +that day. He was almost too happy, his happiness at least made him too +talkative. + +It has struck ten; I must go to breakfast. + +Since breakfast I have had a _tête-à-tête_ with Edward in his room; he +wanted to know James's plans and mine, and from what his own now are I +think it already nearly certain that I shall return when they do, though +not with them. Edward will be going about the same time to Alton, where +he has business with Mr. Trimmer, and where he means his son should join +him; and I shall probably be his companion to that place, and get on +afterwards somehow or other. + +I should have preferred a rather longer stay here certainly, but there +is no prospect of any later conveyance for me, as he does not mean to +accompany Edward on his return to Winchester, from a very natural +unwillingness to leave Elizabeth at that time. I shall at any rate be +glad not to be obliged to be an incumbrance on those who have brought me +here, for, as James has no horse, I must feel in their carriage that I +am taking his place. We were rather crowded yesterday, though it does +not become me to say so, as I and my boa were of the party, and it is +not to be supposed but that a child of three years of age was fidgety. + +I need scarcely beg you to keep all this to yourself, lest it should get +round by Anna's means. She is very kindly inquired after by her friends +here, who all regret her not coming with her father and mother. + +I left Henry, I hope, free from his tiresome complaint, in other +respects well, and thinking with great pleasure of Cheltenham and +Stoneleigh. + +The brewery scheme is quite at an end: at a meeting of the subscribers +last week it was by general, and I believe very hearty, consent +dissolved. + +The country is very beautiful. I saw as much as ever to admire in my +yesterday's journey. . . . + +FOOTNOTE: + +[5] Mrs. Edward Austen. + + + + +XXV. + + + CASTLE SQUARE, October 13. + +MY DEAREST CASSANDRA,--I have received your letter, and with most +melancholy anxiety was it expected, for the sad news[6] reached us last +night, but without any particulars. It came in a short letter to Martha +from her sister, begun at Steventon and finished in Winchester. + +We have felt, we do feel, for you all, as you will not need to be +told,--for you, for Fanny, for Henry, for Lady Bridges, and for dearest +Edward, whose loss and whose sufferings seem to make those of every +other person nothing. God be praised that you can say what you do of +him: that he has a religious mind to bear him up, and a disposition that +will gradually lead him to comfort. + +My dear, dear Fanny, I am so thankful that she has you with her! You +will be everything to her; you will give her all the consolation that +human aid can give. May the Almighty sustain you all, and keep you, my +dearest Cassandra, well; but for the present I dare say you are equal to +everything. + +You will know that the poor boys are at Steventon. Perhaps it is best +for them, as they will have more means of exercise and amusement there +than they could have with us, but I own myself disappointed by the +arrangement. I should have loved to have them with me at such a time. I +shall write to Edward by this post. + +We shall, of course, hear from you again very soon, and as often as you +can write. We will write as you desire, and I shall add Bookham. +Hamstall, I suppose, you write to yourselves, as you do not mention it. + +What a comfort that Mrs. Deedes is saved from present misery and alarm! +But it will fall heavy upon poor Harriot; and as for Lady B., but that +her fortitude does seem truly great, I should fear the effect of such a +blow, and so unlooked for. I long to hear more of you all. Of Henry's +anguish I think with grief and solicitude; but he will exert himself to +be of use and comfort. + +With what true sympathy our feelings are shared by Martha you need not +be told; she is the friend and sister under every circumstance. + +We need not enter into a panegyric on the departed, but it is sweet to +think of her great worth, of her solid principles, of her true devotion, +her excellence in every relation of life. It is also consolatory to +reflect on the shortness of the sufferings which led her from this world +to a better. + +Farewell for the present, my dearest sister. Tell Edward that we feel +for him and pray for him. + + Yours affectionately, + J. AUSTEN. + +I will write to Catherine. + +Perhaps you can give me some directions about mourning. + + Miss AUSTEN, EDWARD AUSTEN'S, Esq., + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[6] The death of Mrs. Edward Austen. + + + + +XXVI. + + + CASTLE SQUARE, Saturday night (October 15). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--Your accounts make us as comfortable as we can +expect to be at such a time. Edward's loss is terrible, and must be felt +as such, and these are too early days indeed to think of moderation in +grief, either in him or his afflicted daughter, but soon we may hope +that our dear Fanny's sense of duty to that beloved father will rouse +her to exertion. For his sake, and as the most acceptable proof of love +to the spirit of her departed mother, she will try to be tranquil and +resigned. Does she feel you to be a comfort to her, or is she too much +overpowered for anything but solitude? + +Your account of Lizzy is very interesting. Poor child! One must hope the +impression will be strong, and yet one's heart aches for a dejected mind +of eight years old. + +I suppose you see the corpse? How does it appear? We are anxious to be +assured that Edward will not attend the funeral, but when it comes to +the point I think he must feel it impossible. + +Your parcel shall set off on Monday, and I hope the shoes will fit; +Martha and I both tried them on. I shall send you such of your mourning +as I think most likely to be useful, reserving for myself your stockings +and half the velvet, in which selfish arrangement I know I am doing what +you wish. + +I am to be in bombazeen and crape, according to what we are told is +universal here, and which agrees with Martha's previous observation. My +mourning, however, will not impoverish me, for by having my velvet +pelisse fresh lined and made up, I am sure I shall have no occasion this +winter for anything new of that sort. I take my cloak for the lining, +and shall send yours on the chance of its doing something of the same +for you, though I believe your pelisse is in better repair than mine. +One Miss Baker makes my gown and the other my bonnet, which is to be +silk covered with crape. + +I have written to Edward Cooper, and hope he will not send one of his +letters of cruel comfort to my poor brother: and yesterday I wrote to +Alethea Bigg, in reply to a letter from her. She tells us in confidence +that Catherine is to be married on Tuesday se'nnight. Mr. Hill is +expected at Manydown in the course of the ensuing week. + +We are desired by Mrs. Harrison and Miss Austen to say everything proper +for them to yourself and Edward on this sad occasion, especially that +nothing but a wish of not giving additional trouble where so much is +inevitable prevents their writing themselves to express their concern. +They seem truly to feel concern. + +I am glad you can say what you do of Mrs. Knight and of Goodnestone in +general. It is a great relief to me to know that the shock did not make +any of them ill. But what a task was yours to announce it! Now I hope +you are not overpowered with letter-writing, as Henry and John can ease +you of many of your correspondents. + +Was Mr. Scudamore in the house at the time, was any application +attempted, and is the seizure at all accounted for? + +_Sunday._--As Edward's letter to his son is not come here, we know that +you must have been informed as early as Friday of the boys being at +Steventon, which I am glad of. + +Upon your letter to Dr. Goddard's being forwarded to them, Mary wrote to +ask whether my mother wished to have her grandsons sent to her. We +decided on their remaining where they were, which I hope my brother will +approve of. I am sure he will do us the justice of believing that in +such a decision we sacrificed inclination to what we thought best. + +I shall write by the coach to-morrow to Mrs. J. A., and to Edward, about +their mourning, though this day's post will probably bring directions to +them on that subject from yourselves. I shall certainly make use of the +opportunity of addressing our nephew on the most serious of all +concerns, as I naturally did in my letter to him before. The poor boys +are, perhaps, more comfortable at Steventon than they could be here, but +you will understand my feelings with respect to it. + +To-morrow will be a dreadful day for you all. Mr. Whitfield's will be a +severe duty.[7] Glad shall I be to hear that it is over. + +That you are forever in our thoughts you will not doubt. I see your +mournful party in my mind's eye under every varying circumstance of the +day; and in the evening especially figure to myself its sad gloom: the +efforts to talk, the frequent summons to melancholy orders and cares, +and poor Edward, restless in misery, going from one room to another, and +perhaps not seldom upstairs, to see all that remains of his Elizabeth. +Dearest Fanny must now look upon herself as his prime source of comfort, +his dearest friend; as the being who is gradually to supply to him, to +the extent that is possible, what he has lost. This consideration will +elevate and cheer her. + +Adieu. You cannot write too often, as I said before. We are heartily +rejoiced that the poor baby gives you no particular anxiety. Kiss dear +Lizzy for us. Tell Fanny that I shall write in a day or two to Miss +Sharpe. + +My mother is not ill. + + Yours most truly, J. AUSTEN. + +Tell Henry that a hamper of apples is gone to him from Kintbury, and +that Mr. Fowle intended writing on Friday (supposing him in London) to +beg that the charts, etc., may be consigned to the care of the Palmers. +Mrs. Fowle has also written to Miss Palmer to beg she will send for +them. + + Miss AUSTEN, EDWARD AUSTEN'S, Esq., + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[7] Mr. Whitfield was the Rector of Godmersham at this time, having come +there in 1778. + + + + +XXVII. + + CASTLE SQUARE, Monday (October 24). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--Edward and George came to us soon after seven on +Saturday, very well, but very cold, having by choice travelled on the +outside, and with no greatcoat but what Mr. Wise, the coachman, +good-naturedly spared them of his, as they sat by his side. They were so +much chilled when they arrived, that I was afraid they must have taken +cold; but it does not seem at all the case: I never saw them looking +better. + +They behave extremely well in every respect, showing quite as much +feeling as one wishes to see, and on every occasion speaking of their +father with the liveliest affection. His letter was read over by each of +them yesterday, and with many tears; George sobbed aloud, Edward's tears +do not flow so easily; but as far as I can judge they are both very +properly impressed by what has happened. Miss Lloyd, who is a more +impartial judge than I can be, is exceedingly pleased with them. + +George is almost a new acquaintance to me, and I find him in a different +way as engaging as Edward. + +We do not want amusement: bilbocatch, at which George is indefatigable, +spillikins, paper ships, riddles, conundrums, and cards, with watching +the flow and ebb of the river, and now and then a stroll out, keep us +well employed; and we mean to avail ourselves of our kind papa's +consideration, by not returning to Winchester till quite the evening of +Wednesday. + +Mrs. J. A. had not time to get them more than one suit of clothes; their +others are making here, and though I do not believe Southampton is +famous for tailoring, I hope it will prove itself better than +Basingstoke. Edward has an old black coat, which will save his having a +second new one; but I find that black pantaloons are considered by them +as necessary, and of course one would not have them made uncomfortable +by the want of what is usual on such occasions. + +Fanny's letter was received with great pleasure yesterday, and her +brother sends his thanks and will answer it soon. We all saw what she +wrote, and were very much pleased with it. + +To-morrow I hope to hear from you, and to-morrow we must think of poor +Catherine. To-day Lady Bridges is the heroine of our thoughts, and glad +shall we be when we can fancy the meeting over. There will then be +nothing so very bad for Edward to undergo. + +The "St. Albans," I find, sailed on the very day of my letters reaching +Yarmouth, so that we must not expect an answer at present; we scarcely +feel, however, to be in suspense, or only enough to keep our plans to +ourselves. We have been obliged to explain them to our young visitors, +in consequence of Fanny's letter, but we have not yet mentioned them to +Steventon. We are all quite familiarized to the idea ourselves; my +mother only wants Mrs. Seward to go out at midsummer. + +What sort of a kitchen garden is there? Mrs. J. A. expresses her fear of +our settling in Kent, and, till this proposal was made, we began to look +forward to it here; my mother was actually talking of a house at Wye. It +will be best, however, as it is. + +Anne has just given her mistress warning; she is going to be married; I +wish she would stay her year. + +On the subject of matrimony, I must notice a wedding in the Salisbury +paper, which has amused me very much, Dr. Phillot to Lady Frances St. +Lawrence. She wanted to have a husband, I suppose, once in her life, and +he a Lady Frances. + +I hope your sorrowing party were at church yesterday, and have no longer +that to dread. Martha was kept at home by a cold, but I went with my two +nephews, and I saw Edward was much affected by the sermon, which, +indeed, I could have supposed purposely addressed to the afflicted, if +the text had not naturally come in the course of Dr. Mant's observations +on the Litany: 'All that are in danger, necessity, or tribulation,' was +the subject of it. The weather did not allow us afterwards to get +farther than the quay, where George was very happy as long as we could +stay, flying about from one side to the other, and skipping on board a +collier immediately. + +In the evening we had the Psalms and Lessons, and a sermon at home, to +which they were very attentive; but you will not expect to hear that +they did not return to conundrums the moment it was over. Their aunt has +written pleasantly of them, which was more than I hoped. + +While I write now, George is most industriously making and naming paper +ships, at which he afterwards shoots with horse-chestnuts, brought from +Steventon on purpose; and Edward equally intent over the "Lake of +Killarney," twisting himself about in one of our great chairs. + +_Tuesday._--Your close-written letter makes me quite ashamed of my wide +lines; you have sent me a great deal of matter, most of it very welcome. +As to your lengthened stay, it is no more than I expected, and what must +be, but you cannot suppose I like it. + +All that you say of Edward is truly comfortable; I began to fear that +when the bustle of the first week was over, his spirits might for a time +be more depressed; and perhaps one must still expect something of the +kind. If you escape a bilious attack, I shall wonder almost as much as +rejoice. I am glad you mentioned where Catherine goes to-day; it is a +good plan, but sensible people may generally be trusted to form such. + +The day began cheerfully, but it is not likely to continue what it +should, for them or for us. We had a little water-party yesterday; I and +my two nephews went from the Itchen Ferry up to Northam, where we +landed, looked into the 74, and walked home, and it was so much enjoyed +that I had intended to take them to Netley to-day; the tide is just +right for our going immediately after moonshine, but I am afraid there +will be rain; if we cannot get so far, however, we may perhaps go round +from the ferry to the quay. + +I had not proposed doing more than cross the Itchen yesterday, but it +proved so pleasant, and so much to the satisfaction of all, that when we +reached the middle of the stream we agreed to be rowed up the river; +both the boys rowed great part of the way, and their questions and +remarks, as well as their enjoyment, were very amusing; George's +inquiries were endless, and his eagerness in everything reminds me often +of his uncle Henry. + +Our evening was equally agreeable in its way: I introduced speculation, +and it was so much approved that we hardly knew how to leave off. + +Your idea of an early dinner to-morrow is exactly what we propose, for, +after writing the first part of this letter, it came into my head that +at this time of year we have not summer evenings. We shall watch the +light to-day, that we may not give them a dark drive to-morrow. + +They send their best love to papa and everybody, with George's thanks +for the letter brought by this post. Martha begs my brother may be +assured of her interest in everything relating to him and his family, +and of her sincerely partaking our pleasure in the receipt of every good +account from Godmersham. + +Of Chawton I think I can have nothing more to say, but that everything +you say about it in the letter now before me will, I am sure, as soon as +I am able to read it to her, make my mother consider the plan with more +and more pleasure. We had formed the same views on H. Digweed's farm. + +A very kind and feeling letter is arrived to-day from Kintbury. Mrs. +Fowle's sympathy and solicitude on such an occasion you will be able to +do justice to, and to express it as she wishes to my brother. Concerning +you, she says: "Cassandra will, I know, excuse my writing to her; it is +not to save myself but her that I omit so doing. Give my best, my +kindest love to her, and tell her I feel for her as I know she would for +me on the same occasion, and that I most sincerely hope her health will +not suffer." + +We have just had two hampers of apples from Kintbury, and the floor of +our little garret is almost covered. Love to all. + + Yours very affectionately, J. A. + + Miss AUSTEN, EDWARD AUSTEN'S, Esq., + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + + + + +XXVIII. + + + CASTLE SQUARE, Sunday (November 21). + +YOUR letter, my dear Cassandra, obliges me to write immediately, that +you may have the earliest notice of Frank's intending, if possible, to +go to Godmersham exactly at the time now fixed for your visit to +Goodnestone. + +He resolved, almost directly on the receipt of your former letter, to +try for an extension of his leave of absence, that he might be able to +go down to you for two days, but charged me not to give you any notice +of it, on account of the uncertainty of success. Now, however, I must +give it, and now perhaps he may be giving it himself; for I am just in +the hateful predicament of being obliged to write what I know will +somehow or other be of no use. + +He meant to ask for five days more, and if they were granted, to go down +by Thursday night's mail, and spend Friday and Saturday with you; and he +considered his chance of succeeding by no means bad. I hope it will take +place as he planned, and that your arrangements with Goodnestone may +admit of suitable alteration. + +Your news of Edward Bridges was quite news, for I have had no letter +from Wrotham. I wish him happy with all my heart, and hope his choice +may turn out according to his own expectations, and beyond those of his +family; and I dare say it will. Marriage is a great improver, and in a +similar situation Harriet may be as amiable as Eleanor. As to money, +that will come, you may be sure, because they cannot do without it. When +you see him again, pray give him our congratulations and best wishes. +This match will certainly set John and Lucy going. + +There are six bedchambers at Chawton; Henry wrote to my mother the other +day, and luckily mentioned the number, which is just what we wanted to +be assured of. He speaks also of garrets for store-places, one of which +she immediately planned fitting up for Edward's man-servant; and now +perhaps it must be for our own; for she is already quite reconciled to +our keeping one. The difficulty of doing without one had been thought of +before. His name shall be Robert, if you please. + +Before I can tell you of it, you will have heard that Miss Sawbridge is +married. It took place, I believe, on Thursday. Mrs. Fowle has for some +time been in the secret, but the neighborhood in general were quite +unsuspicious. Mr. Maxwell was tutor to the young Gregorys,--consequently, +they must be one of the happiest couples in the world, and either of +them worthy of envy, for she must be excessively in love, and he mounts +from nothing to a comfortable home. Martha has heard him very highly +spoken of. They continue for the present at Speen Hill. + +I have a Southampton match to return for your Kentish one, Captain G. +Heathcote and Miss A. Lyell. I have it from Alethea, and like it, +because I had made it before. + +Yes, the Stoneleigh business is concluded, but it was not till yesterday +that my mother was regularly informed of it, though the news had reached +us on Monday evening by way of Steventon. My aunt says as little as may +be on the subject by way of information, and nothing at all by way of +satisfaction. She reflects on Mr. T. Leigh's dilatoriness, and looks +about with great diligence and success for inconvenience and evil, among +which she ingeniously places the danger of her new housemaids catching +cold on the outside of the coach, when she goes down to Bath, for a +carriage makes her sick. + +John Binns has been offered their place, but declines it; as she +supposes, because he will not wear a livery. Whatever be the cause, I +like the effect. + +In spite of all my mother's long and intimate knowledge of the writer, +she was not up to the expectation of such a letter as this; the +discontentedness of it shocked and surprised her--but I see nothing in +it out of nature, though a sad nature. + +She does not forget to wish for Chambers, you may be sure. No +particulars are given, not a word of arrears mentioned, though in her +letter to James they were in a general way spoken of. The amount of them +is a matter of conjecture, and to my mother a most interesting one; she +cannot fix any time for their beginning with any satisfaction to herself +but Mrs. Leigh's death, and Henry's two thousand pounds neither agrees +with that period nor any other. I did not like to own our previous +information of what was intended last July, and have therefore only said +that if we could see Henry we might hear many particulars, as I had +understood that some confidential conversation had passed between him +and Mr. T. L. at Stoneleigh. + +We have been as quiet as usual since Frank and Mary left us; Mr. +Criswick called on Martha that very morning on his way home again from +Portsmouth, and we have had no visitor since. + +We called on the Miss Lyells one day, and heard a good account of Mr. +Heathcote's canvass, the success of which, of course, exceeds his +expectations. Alethea in her letter hopes for my interest, which I +conclude means Edward's, and I take this opportunity, therefore, of +requesting that he will bring in Mr. Heathcote. Mr. Lane told us +yesterday that Mr. H. had behaved very handsomely, and waited on Mr. +Thistlethwaite, to say that if he (Mr. T.) would stand, he (Mr. H.) +would not oppose him; but Mr. T. declined it, acknowledging himself +still smarting under the payment of late electioneering costs. + +The Mrs. Hulberts, we learn from Kintbury, come to Steventon this week, +and bring Mary Jane Fowle with them on her way to Mrs. Nune's; she +returns at Christmas with her brother. + +Our brother we may perhaps see in the course of a few days, and we mean +to take the opportunity of his help to go one night to the play. Martha +ought to see the inside of the theatre once while she lives in +Southampton, and I think she will hardly wish to take a second view. + +The furniture of Bellevue is to be sold to-morrow, and we shall take it +in our usual walk, if the weather be favorable. + +How could you have a wet day on Thursday? With us it was a prince of +days, the most delightful we have had for weeks; soft, bright, with a +brisk wind from the southwest; everybody was out and talking of spring, +and Martha and I did not know how to turn back. On Friday evening we had +some very blowing weather,--from six to nine; I think we never heard it +worse, even here. And one night we had so much rain that it forced its +way again into the store-closet; and though the evil was comparatively +slight and the mischief nothing, I had some employment the next day in +drying parcels, etc. I have now moved still more out of the way. + +Martha sends her best love, and thanks you for admitting her to the +knowledge of the pros and cons about Harriet Foote; she has an interest +in all such matters. I am also to say that she wants to see you. Mary +Jane missed her papa and mamma a good deal at first, but now does very +well without them. I am glad to hear of little John's being better, and +hope your accounts of Mrs. Knight will also improve. Adieu! remember me +affectionately to everybody, and believe me, + + Ever yours, J. A. + + Miss AUSTEN, EDWARD AUSTEN'S, Esq., + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + + + + +XXIX. + + + CASTLE SQUARE, Friday (December 9). + +MANY thanks, my dear Cassandra, to you and Mr. Deedes for your joint and +agreeable composition, which took me by surprise this morning. He has +certainly great merit as a writer; he does ample justice to his subject, +and without being diffuse is clear and correct; and though I do not +mean to compare his epistolary powers with yours, or to give him the +same portion of my gratitude, he certainly has a very pleasing way of +winding up a whole, and speeding truth into the world. + +"But all this," as my dear Mrs. Piozzi says, "is flight and fancy and +nonsense, for my master has his great casks to mind and I have my little +children." It is you, however, in this instance, that have the little +children, and I that have the great cask, for we are brewing spruce beer +again; but my meaning really is, that I am extremely foolish in writing +all this unnecessary stuff when I have so many matters to write about +that my paper will hardly hold it all. Little matters they are, to be +sure, but highly important. + +In the first place, Miss Curling is actually at Portsmouth, which I was +always in hopes would not happen. I wish her no worse, however, than a +long and happy abode there. Here she would probably be dull, and I am +sure she would be troublesome. + +The bracelets are in my possession, and everything I could wish them to +be. They came with Martha's pelisse, which likewise gives great +satisfaction. + +Soon after I had closed my last letter to you we were visited by Mrs. +Dickens and her sister-in-law, Mrs. Bertie, the wife of a lately made +Admiral. Mrs. F. A.,[8] I believe, was their first object, but they put +up with us very kindly, and Mrs. D., finding in Miss Lloyd a friend of +Mrs. Dundas, had another motive for the acquaintance. She seems a really +agreeable woman,--that is, her manners are gentle, and she knows a great +many of our connections in West Kent. Mrs. Bertie lives in the Polygon, +and was out when we returned her visit, which are her two virtues. + +A larger circle of acquaintance, and an increase of amusement, is quite +in character with our approaching removal. Yes, I mean to go to as many +balls as possible, that I may have a good bargain. Everybody is very +much concerned at our going away, and everybody is acquainted with +Chawton, and speaks of it as a remarkably pretty village, and everybody +knows the house we describe, but nobody fixes on the right. + +I am very much obliged to Mrs. Knight for such a proof of the interest +she takes in me, and she may depend upon it that I will marry Mr. +Papillon, whatever may be his reluctance or my own. I owe her much more +than such a trifling sacrifice. + +Our ball was rather more amusing than I expected. Martha liked it very +much, and I did not gape till the last quarter of an hour. It was past +nine before we were sent for, and not twelve when we returned. The room +was tolerably full, and there were, perhaps, thirty couple of dancers. +The melancholy part was to see so many dozen young women standing by +without partners, and each of them with two ugly naked shoulders. + +It was the same room in which we danced fifteen years ago. I thought it +all over, and in spite of the shame of being so much older, felt with +thankfulness that I was quite as happy now as then. We paid an +additional shilling for our tea, which we took as we chose in an +adjoining and very comfortable room. + +There were only four dances, and it went to my heart that the Miss +Lances (one of them, too, named Emma) should have partners only for two. +You will not expect to hear that I was asked to dance, but I was--by the +gentleman whom we met that Sunday with Captain D'Auvergne. We have +always kept up a bowing acquaintance since, and, being pleased with his +black eyes, I spoke to him at the ball, which brought on me this +civility; but I do not know his name, and he seems so little at home in +the English language that I believe his black eyes may be the best of +him. Captain D'Auvergne has got a ship. + +Martha and I made use of the very favorable state of yesterday for +walking, to pay our duty at Chiswell. We found Mrs. Lance at home and +alone, and sat out three other ladies who soon came in. We went by the +ferry, and returned by the bridge, and were scarcely at all fatigued. + +Edward must have enjoyed the last two days. You, I presume, had a cool +drive to Canterbury. Kitty Foote came on Wednesday; and her evening +visit began early enough for the last part, the apple-pie, of our +dinner, for we never dine now till five. + +Yesterday I--or rather, you--had a letter from Nanny Hilliard, the +object of which is that she would be very much obliged to us if we would +get Hannah a place. I am sorry that I cannot assist her; if you can, let +me know, as I shall not answer the letter immediately. Mr. Sloper is +married again, not much to Nanny's, or anybody's satisfaction. The lady +was governess to Sir Robert's natural children, and seems to have +nothing to recommend her. I do not find, however, that Nanny is likely +to lose her place in consequence. She says not a word of what service +she wishes for Hannah, or what Hannah can do; but a nursery, I suppose, +or something of that kind, must be the thing. + +Having now cleared away my smaller articles of news, I come to a +communication of some weight; no less than that my uncle and aunt[9] are +going to allow James 100_l._ a year. We hear of it through Steventon. +Mary sent us the other day an extract from my aunt's letter on the +subject, in which the donation is made with the greatest kindness, and +intended as a compensation for his loss in the conscientious refusal of +Hampstead living; 100_l._ a year being all that he had at the time +called its worth, as I find it was always intended at Steventon to +divide the real income with Kintbury. + +Nothing can be more affectionate than my aunt's language in making the +present, and likewise in expressing her hope of their being much more +together in future than, to her great regret, they have of late years +been. My expectations for my mother do not rise with this event. We will +allow a little more time, however, before we fly out. + +If not prevented by parish business, James comes to us on Monday. The +Mrs. Hulberts and Miss Murden are their guests at present, and likely to +continue such till Christmas. Anna comes home on the 19th. The hundred a +year begins next Lady-day. + +I am glad you are to have Henry with you again; with him and the boys +you cannot but have a cheerful, and at times even a merry, Christmas. +Martha is so [_MSS. torn_]. . . . We want to be settled at Chawton in time +for Henry to come to us for some shooting in October, at least, or a +little earlier, and Edward may visit us after taking his boys back to +Winchester. Suppose we name the 4th of September. Will not that do? + +I have but one thing more to tell you. Mrs. Hill called on my mother +yesterday while we were gone to Chiswell, and in the course of the +visit asked her whether she knew anything of a clergyman's family of the +name of Alford, who had resided in our part of Hampshire. Mrs. Hill had +been applied to as likely to give some information of them on account of +their probable vicinity to Dr. Hill's living by a lady, or for a lady, +who had known Mrs. and the two Miss Alfords in Bath, whither they had +removed it seems from Hampshire, and who now wishes to convey to the +Miss Alfords some work or trimming which she has been doing for them; +but the mother and daughters have left Bath, and the lady cannot learn +where they are gone to. While my mother gave us the account, the +probability of its being ourselves occurred to us, and it had previously +struck herself . . . what makes it more likely, and even indispensably +to be us, is that she mentioned Mr. Hammond as now having the living or +curacy which the father had had. I cannot think who our kind lady can +be, but I dare say we shall not like the work. + +Distribute the affectionate love of a heart not so tired as the right +hand belonging to it. + + Yours ever sincerely, J. A. + + Miss AUSTEN, EDWARD AUSTEN'S, Esq., + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[8] Frank Austen. + +[9] Mr. and Mrs. Leigh Perrot. + + + + +XXX. + + + CASTLE SQUARE, Tuesday (December 27). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--I can now write at leisure and make the most of my +subjects, which is lucky, as they are not numerous this week. + +Our house was cleared by half-past eleven on Saturday, and we had the +satisfaction of hearing yesterday that the party reached home in safety +soon after five. + +I was very glad of your letter this morning; for, my mother taking +medicine, Eliza keeping her bed with a cold, and Choles not coming, made +us rather dull and dependent on the post. You tell me much that gives me +pleasure, but I think not much to answer. I wish I could help you in +your needlework. I have two hands and a new thimble that lead a very +easy life. + +Lady Sondes' match surprises, but does not offend me; had her first +marriage been of affection, or had there been a grown-up single +daughter, I should not have forgiven her; but I consider everybody as +having a right to marry once in their lives for love, if they can, and +provided she will now leave off having bad headaches and being pathetic, +I can allow her, I can wish her, to be happy. + +Do not imagine that your picture of your _tête-à-tête_ with Sir B. makes +any change in our expectations here; he could not be really reading, +though he held the newspaper in his hand; he was making up his mind to +the deed, and the manner of it. I think you will have a letter from him +soon. + +I heard from Portsmouth yesterday, and as I am to send them more +clothes, they cannot be expecting a very early return to us. Mary's face +is pretty well, but she must have suffered a great deal with it; an +abscess was formed and opened. + +Our evening party on Thursday produced nothing more remarkable than Miss +Murden's coming too, though she had declined it absolutely in the +morning, and sitting very ungracious and very silent with us from seven +o'clock till half after eleven, for so late was it, owing to the +chairmen, before we got rid of them. + +The last hour, spent in yawning and shivering in a wide circle round the +fire, was dull enough, but the tray had admirable success. The widgeon +and the preserved ginger were as delicious as one could wish. But as to +our black butter, do not decoy anybody to Southampton by such a lure, +for it is all gone. The first pot was opened when Frank and Mary were +here, and proved not at all what it ought to be; it was neither solid +nor entirely sweet, and on seeing it, Eliza remembered that Miss Austen +had said she did not think it had been boiled enough. It was made, you +know, when we were absent. Such being the event of the first pot, I +would not save the second, and we therefore ate it in unpretending +privacy; and though not what it ought to be, part of it was very good. + +James means to keep three horses on this increase of income; at present +he has but one. Mary wishes the other two to be fit to carry women, and +in the purchase of one Edward will probably be called upon to fulfil his +promise to his godson. We have now pretty well ascertained James's +income to be eleven hundred pounds, curate paid, which makes us very +happy,--the ascertainment as well as the income. + +Mary does not talk of the garden; it may well be a disagreeable subject +to her, but her husband is persuaded that nothing is wanting to make the +first new one good but trenching, which is to be done by his own +servants and John Bond, by degrees, not at the expense which trenching +the other amounted to. + +I was happy to hear, chiefly for Anna's sake, that a ball at Manydown +was once more in agitation; it is called a child's ball, and given by +Mrs. Heathcote to Wm. Such was its beginning at least, but it will +probably swell into something more. Edward was invited during his stay +at Manydown, and it is to take place between this and Twelfth-day. Mrs. +Hulbert has taken Anna a pair of white shoes on the occasion. + +I forgot in my last to tell you that we hear, by way of Kintbury and the +Palmers, that they were all well at Bermuda in the beginning of Nov. + +_Wednesday._--Yesterday must have been a day of sad remembrance at +Gm.[10] I am glad it is over. We spent Friday evening with our friends at +the boarding-house, and our curiosity was gratified by the sight of +their fellow-inmates, Mrs. Drew and Miss Hook, Mr. Wynne and Mr. +Fitzhugh; the latter is brother to Mrs. Lance, and very much the +gentleman. He has lived in that house more than twenty years, and, poor +man! is so totally deaf that they say he could not hear a cannon, were +it fired close to him; having no cannon at hand to make the experiment, +I took it for granted, and talked to him a little with my fingers, which +was funny enough. I recommended him to read "Corinna." + +Miss Hook is a well-behaved, genteelish woman; Mrs. Drew well behaved, +without being at all genteel. Mr. Wynne seems a chatty and rather +familiar young man. Miss Murden was quite a different creature this last +evening from what she had been before, owing to her having with Martha's +help found a situation in the morning, which bids very fair for comfort. +When she leaves Steventon, she comes to board and lodge with Mrs. +Hookey, the chemist--for there is no Mr. Hookey. I cannot say that I am +in any hurry for the conclusion of her present visit, but I was truly +glad to see her comfortable in mind and spirits; at her age, perhaps, +one may be as friendless oneself, and in similar circumstances quite as +captious. + +My mother has been lately adding to her possessions in plate,--a whole +tablespoon and a whole dessert-spoon, and six whole teaspoons,--which +makes our sideboard border on the magnificent. They were mostly the +produce of old or useless silver. I have turned the 11_s._ in the list +into 12_s._, and the card looks all the better; a silver tea-ladle is +also added, which will at least answer the purpose of making us +sometimes think of John Warren. + +I have laid Lady Sondes' case before Martha, who does not make the least +objection to it, and is particularly pleased with the name of Montresor. +I do not agree with her there, but I like his rank very much, and always +affix the ideas of strong sense and highly elegant manners to a general. + +I must write to Charles next week. You may guess in what extravagant +terms of praise Earle Harwood speaks of him. He is looked up to by +everybody in all America. + +I shall not tell you anything more of Wm. Digweed's china, as your +silence on the subject makes you unworthy of it. Mrs. H. Digweed looks +forward with great satisfaction to our being her neighbors. I would +have her enjoy the idea to the utmost, as I suspect there will not be +much in the reality. With equal pleasure we anticipate an intimacy with +her husband's bailiff and his wife, who live close by us, and are said +to be remarkably good sort of people. + +Yes, yes, we will have a pianoforte, as good a one as can be got for +thirty guineas, and I will practise country dances, that we may have +some amusement for our nephews and nieces, when we have the pleasure of +their company. + +Martha sends her love to Henry, and tells him that he will soon have a +bill of Miss Chaplin's, about 14_l._, to pay on her account; but the +bill shall not be sent in till his return to town. I hope he comes to +you in good health, and in spirits as good as a first return to +Godmersham can allow. With his nephews he will force himself to be +cheerful, till he really is so. Send me some intelligence of Eliza; it +is a long while since I have heard of her. + +We have had snow on the ground here almost a week; it is now going, but +Southampton must boast no longer. We all send our love to Edward junior +and his brothers, and I hope Speculation is generally liked. + +Fare you well. + + Yours affectionately, + J. AUSTEN. + +My mother has not been out of doors this week, but she keeps pretty +well. We have received through Bookham an indifferent account of your +godmother. + + Miss AUSTEN, EDWARD AUSTEN'S, Esq., + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[10] Godmersham, Edward Austen's place. + + + + +XXXI. + + + CASTLE SQUARE, Tuesday (January 10, 1809). + +I AM not surprised, my dear Cassandra, that you did not find my last +letter very full of matter, and I wish this may not have the same +deficiency; but we are doing nothing ourselves to write about, and I am +therefore quite dependent upon the communications of our friends, or my +own wits. + +This post brought me two interesting letters, yours and one from +Bookham, in answer to an inquiry of mine about your good godmother, of +whom we had lately received a very alarming account from Paragon. Miss +Arnold was the informant then, and she spoke of Mrs. E. L. having been +very dangerously ill, and attended by a physician from Oxford. + +Your letter to Adlestrop may perhaps bring you information from the +spot, but in case it should not, I must tell you that she is better; +though Dr. Bourne cannot yet call her out of danger; such was the case +last Wednesday, and Mrs. Cooke's having had no later account is a +favorable sign. I am to hear again from the latter next week, but not +this, if everything goes on well. + +Her disorder is an inflammation on the lungs, arising from a severe +chill taken in church last Sunday three weeks; her mind all pious +composure, as may be supposed. George Cooke was there when her illness +began; his brother has now taken his place. Her age and feebleness +considered, one's fears cannot but preponderate, though her amendment +has already surpassed the expectation of the physician at the beginning. +I am sorry to add that Becky is laid up with a complaint of the same +kind. + +I am very glad to have the time of your return at all fixed; we all +rejoice in it, and it will not be later than I had expected. I dare not +hope that Mary and Miss Curling may be detained at Portsmouth so long or +half so long; but it would be worth twopence to have it so. + +The "St. Albans" perhaps may soon be off to help bring home what may +remain by this time of our poor army, whose state seems dreadfully +critical. The "Regency" seems to have been heard of only here; my most +political correspondents make no mention of it. Unlucky that I should +have wasted so much reflection on the subject. + +I can now answer your question to my mother more at large, and likewise +more at small--with equal perspicuity and minuteness; for the very day +of our leaving Southampton is fixed; and if the knowledge is of no use +to Edward, I am sure it will give him pleasure. Easter Monday, April 3, +is the day; we are to sleep that night at Alton, and be with our friends +at Bookham the next, if they are then at home; there we remain till the +following Monday, and on Tuesday, April 11, hope to be at Godmersham. If +the Cookes are absent, we shall finish our journey on the 5th. These +plans depend of course upon the weather, but I hope there will be no +settled cold to delay us materially. + +To make you amends for being at Bookham, it is in contemplation to spend +a few days at Baiton Lodge in our way out of Kent. The hint of such a +visit is most affectionately welcomed by Mrs. Birch, in one of her odd +pleasant letters lately, in which she speaks of us with the usual +distinguished kindness, declaring that she shall not be at all satisfied +unless a very handsome present is made us immediately from one quarter. + +Fanny's not coming with you is no more than we expected; and as we have +not the hope of a bed for her, and shall see her so soon afterwards at +Godmersham, we cannot wish it otherwise. + +William will be quite recovered, I trust, by the time you receive this. +What a comfort his cross-stitch must have been! Pray tell him that I +should like to see his work very much. I hope our answers this morning +have given satisfaction; we had great pleasure in Uncle Deedes' packet; +and pray let Marianne know, in private, that I think she is quite right +to work a rug for Uncle John's coffee urn, and that I am sure it must +give great pleasure to herself now, and to him when he receives it. + +The preference of Brag over Speculation does not greatly surprise me, I +believe, because I feel the same myself; but it mortifies me deeply, +because Speculation was under my patronage; and, after all, what is +there so delightful in a pair royal of Braggers? It is but three nines +or three knaves, or a mixture of them. When one comes to reason upon it, +it cannot stand its ground against Speculation,--of which I hope Edward +is now convinced. Give my love to him if he is. + +The letter from Paragon before mentioned was much like those which had +preceded it, as to the felicity of its writer. They found their house so +dirty and so damp that they were obliged to be a week at an inn. John +Binns had behaved most unhandsomely, and engaged himself elsewhere. They +have a man, however, on the same footing, which my aunt does not like, +and she finds both him and the new maid-servant very, very inferior to +Robert and Martha. Whether they mean to have any other domestics does +not appear, nor whether they are to have a carriage while they are in +Bath. + +The Holders are as usual, though I believe it is not very usual for them +to be happy, which they now are at a great rate, in Hooper's marriage. +The Irvines are not mentioned. The American lady improved as we went on; +but still the same faults in part recurred. + +We are now in Margiana, and like it very well indeed. We are just going +to set off for Northumberland to be shut up in Widdrington Tower, where +there must be two or three sets of victims already immured under a very +fine villain. + +_Wednesday._--Your report of Eliza's health gives me great pleasure, and +the progress of the bank is a constant source of satisfaction. With such +increasing profits, tell Henry that I hope he will not work poor +High-Diddle so hard as he used to do. + +Has your newspaper given a sad story of a Mrs. Middleton, wife of a +farmer in Yorkshire, her sister, and servant, being almost frozen to +death in the late weather, her little child quite so? I hope the sister +is not our friend Miss Woodd, and I rather think her brother-in-law had +moved into Lincolnshire, but their name and station accord too well. +Mrs. M. and the maid are said to be tolerably recovered, but the sister +is likely to lose the use of her limbs. + +Charles's rug will be finished to-day, and sent to-morrow to Frank, to +be consigned by him to Mr. Turner's care; and I am going to send Marmion +out with it,--very generous in me, I think. + +As we have no letter from Adlestrop, we may suppose the good woman was +alive on Monday, but I cannot help expecting bad news from thence or +Bookham in a few days. Do you continue quite well? + +Have you nothing to say of your little namesake? We join in love and +many happy returns. + + Yours affectionately, J. AUSTEN. + +The Manydown ball was a smaller thing than I expected, but it seems to +have made Anna very happy. At her age it would not have done for me. + + Miss AUSTEN, EDWARD AUSTEN'S, Esq., + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + + + + +XXXII. + + + CASTLE SQUARE, Tuesday (January 17). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--I am happy to say that we had no second letter from +Bookham last week. Yours has brought its usual measure of satisfaction +and amusement, and I beg your acceptance of all the thanks due on the +occasion. Your offer of cravats is very kind, and happens to be +particularly adapted to my wants, but it was an odd thing to occur to +you. + +Yes, we have got another fall of snow, and are very dreadful; everything +seems to turn to snow this winter. + +I hope you have had no more illness among you, and that William will be +soon as well as ever. His working a footstool for Chawton is a most +agreeable surprise to me, and I am sure his grandmamma will value it +very much as a proof of his affection and industry, but we shall never +have the heart to put our feet upon it. I believe I must work a muslin +cover in satin stitch to keep it from the dirt. I long to know what his +colors are. I guess greens and purples. + +Edward and Henry have started a difficulty respecting our journey, +which, I must own with some confusion, had never been thought of by us; +but if the former expected by it to prevent our travelling into Kent +entirely, he will be disappointed, for we have already determined to go +the Croydon road on leaving Bookham and sleep at Dartford. Will not that +do? There certainly does seem no convenient resting-place on the other +road. + +Anna went to Clanville last Friday, and I have hopes of her new aunt's +being really worth her knowing. Perhaps you may never have heard that +James and Mary paid a morning visit there in form some weeks ago, and +Mary, though by no means disposed to like her, was very much pleased +with her indeed. Her praise, to be sure, proves nothing more than Mrs. +M.'s being civil and attentive to them, but her being so is in favor of +her having good sense. Mary writes of Anna as improved in person, but +gives her no other commendation. I am afraid her absence now may deprive +her of one pleasure, for that silly Mr. Hammond is actually to give his +ball on Friday. + +We had some reason to expect a visit from Earle Harwood and James this +week, but they do not come. Miss Murden arrived last night at Mrs. +Hookey's, as a message and a basket announced to us. You will therefore +return to an enlarged and, of course, improved society here, especially +as the Miss Williamses are come back. + +We were agreeably surprised the other day by a visit from your beauty +and mine, each in a new cloth mantle and bonnet; and I dare say you will +value yourself much on the modest propriety of Miss W.'s taste, hers +being purple and Miss Grace's scarlet. + +I can easily suppose that your six weeks here will be fully occupied, +were it only in lengthening the waists of your gowns. I have pretty well +arranged my spring and summer plans of that kind, and mean to wear out +my spotted muslin before I go. You will exclaim at this, but mine really +has signs of feebleness, which with a little care may come to +something. + +Martha and Dr. Mant are as bad as ever; he runs after her in the street +to apologize for having spoken to a gentleman while she was near him the +day before. Poor Mrs. Mant can stand it no longer; she is retired to one +of her married daughters'. + +When William returns to Winchester Mary Jane is to go to Mrs. Nune's for +a month, and then to Steventon for a fortnight, and it seems likely that +she and her aunt Martha may travel into Berkshire together. + +We shall not have a month of Martha after your return, and that month +will be a very interrupted and broken one, but we shall enjoy ourselves +the more when we can get a quiet half-hour together. + +To set against your new novel, of which nobody ever heard before, and +perhaps never may again, we have got "Ida of Athens," by Miss Owenson, +which must be very clever, because it was written, as the authoress +says, in three months. We have only read the preface yet, but her Irish +girl does not make me expect much. If the warmth of her language could +affect the body, it might be worth reading in this weather. + +Adieu! I must leave off to stir the fire and call on Miss Murden. + +_Evening._--I have done them both, the first very often. We found our +friend as comfortable as she can ever allow herself to be in cold +weather. There is a very neat parlor behind the shop for her to sit in, +not very light indeed, being _à la_ Southampton, the middle of three +deep, but very lively from the frequent sound of the pestle and mortar. + +We afterwards called on the Miss Williamses, who lodge at Durantoy's. +Miss Mary only was at home, and she is in very indifferent health. Dr. +Hacket came in while we were there, and said that he never remembered +such a severe winter as this in Southampton before. It is bad, but we do +not suffer as we did last year, because the wind has been more N.E. than +N.W. + +For a day or two last week my mother was very poorly with a return of +one of her old complaints, but it did not last long, and seems to have +left nothing bad behind it. She began to talk of a serious illness, her +two last having been preceded by the same symptoms, but, thank heaven! +she is now quite as well as one can expect her to be in weather which +deprives her of exercise. + +Miss M. conveys to us a third volume of sermons, from Hamstall, just +published, and which we are to like better than the two others; they are +professedly practical, and for the use of country congregations. I have +just received some verses in an unknown hand, and am desired to forward +them to my nephew Edward at Godmersham. + + Alas! poor Brag, thou boastful game! + What now avails thine empty name? + Where now thy more distinguished fame? + My day is o'er, and thine the same, + For thou, like me, art thrown aside + At Godmersham, this Christmastide; + And now across the table wide + Each game save brag or spec. is tried. + Such is the mild ejaculation + Of tender-hearted speculation. + +_Wednesday._--I expected to have a letter from somebody to-day, but I +have not. Twice every day I think of a letter from Portsmouth. + +Miss Murden has been sitting with us this morning. As yet she seems very +well pleased with her situation. The worst part of her being in +Southampton will be the necessity of one walking with her now and then, +for she talks so loud that one is quite ashamed; but our dining hours +are luckily very different, which we shall take all reasonable advantage +of. + +The Queen's birthday moves the assembly to this night instead of last, +and as it is always fully attended, Martha and I expect an amusing show. +We were in hopes of being independent of other companions by having the +attendance of Mr. Austen and Captain Harwood; but as they fail us, we +are obliged to look out for other help, and have fixed on the Wallops as +least likely to be troublesome. I have called on them this morning and +found them very willing, and I am sorry that you must wait a whole week +for the particulars of the evening. I propose being asked to dance by +our acquaintance Mr. Smith, now _Captain_ Smith, who has lately +reappeared in Southampton, but I shall decline it. He saw Charles last +August. + +What an alarming bride Mrs. ---- must have been; such a parade is one of +the most immodest pieces of modesty that one can imagine. To attract +notice could have been her only wish. It augurs ill for her family; it +announces not great sense, and therefore insures boundless influence. + +I hope Fanny's visit is now taking place. You have said scarcely +anything of her lately, but I trust you are as good friends as ever. + +Martha sends her love, and hopes to have the pleasure of seeing you when +you return to Southampton. You are to understand this message as being +merely for the sake of a message to oblige me. + + Yours affectionately, + J. AUSTEN. + +Henry never sent his love to me in your last, but I send him mine. + + Miss AUSTEN, EDWARD AUSTEN'S, Esq., + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + + + + +XXXIII. + + + CASTLE SQUARE, Tuesday (January 24). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--I will give you the indulgence of a letter on +Thursday this week, instead of Friday, but I do not require you to write +again before Sunday, provided I may believe you and your finger going on +quite well. Take care of your precious self; do not work too hard. +Remember that Aunt Cassandras are quite as scarce as Miss Beverleys.[11] + +I had the happiness yesterday of a letter from Charles, but I shall say +as little about it as possible, because I know that excruciating Henry +will have had a letter likewise, to make all my intelligence valueless. +It was written at Bermuda on the 7th and 10th of December. All well, and +Fanny still only in expectation of being otherwise. He had taken a small +prize in his late cruise,--a French schooner, laden with sugar; but bad +weather parted them, and she had not yet been heard of. His cruise ended +December 1st. My September letter was the latest he had received. + +This day three weeks you are to be in London, and I wish you better +weather; not but that you may have worse, for we have now nothing but +ceaseless snow or rain and insufferable dirt to complain of; no +tempestuous winds nor severity of cold. Since I wrote last we have had +something of each, but it is not genteel to rip up old grievances. + +You used me scandalously by not mentioning Edward Cooper's sermons. I +tell you everything, and it is unknown the mysteries you conceal from +me; and, to add to the rest, you persevere in giving a final "e" to +"invalid," thereby putting it out of one's power to suppose Mrs. E. +Leigh, even for a moment, a veteran soldier. She, good woman, is, I +hope, destined for some further placid enjoyment of her own excellence +in this world, for her recovery advances exceedingly well. + +I had this pleasant news in a letter from Bookham last Thursday; but as +the letter was from Mary instead of her mother, you will guess her +account was not equally good from home. Mrs. Cooke had been confined to +her bed some days by illness, but was then better, and Mary wrote in +confidence of her continuing to mend. I have desired to hear again soon. + +You rejoice me by what you say of Fanny.[12] I hope she will not turn +good-for-nothing this ever so long. We thought of and talked of her +yesterday with sincere affection, and wished her a long enjoyment of all +the happiness to which she seems born. While she gives happiness to +those about her she is pretty sure of her own share. + +I am gratified by her having pleasure in what I write, but I wish the +knowledge of my being exposed to her discerning criticism may not hurt +my style, by inducing too great a solicitude. I begin already to weigh +my words and sentences more than I did, and am looking about for a +sentiment, an illustration, or a metaphor in every corner of the room. +Could my ideas flow as fast as the rain in the store-closet, it would be +charming. + +We have been in two or three dreadful states within the last week, from +the melting of the snow, etc., and the contest between us and the closet +has now ended in our defeat. I have been obliged to move almost +everything out of it, and leave it to splash itself as it likes. + +You have by no means raised my curiosity after Caleb. My disinclination +for it before was affected, but now it is real. I do not like the +evangelicals. Of course I shall be delighted when I read it, like other +people; but till I do I dislike it. + +I am sorry my verses did not bring any return from Edward. I was in +hopes they might, but I suppose he does not rate them high enough. It +might be partiality, but they seemed to me purely classical,--just like +Homer and Virgil, Ovid and Propria que Maribus. + +I had a nice brotherly letter from Frank the other day, which, after an +interval of nearly three weeks, was very welcome. No orders were come on +Friday, and none were come yesterday, or we should have heard to-day. I +had supposed Miss C. would share her cousin's room here, but a message +in this letter proves the contrary. I will make the garret as +comfortable as I can, but the possibilities of that apartment are not +great. + +My mother has been talking to Eliza about our future home, and she, +making no difficulty at all of the sweetheart, is perfectly disposed to +continue with us, but till she has written home for mother's approbation +cannot quite decide. Mother does not like to have her so far off. At +Chawton she will be nine or ten miles nearer, which I hope will have its +due influence. + +As for Sally, she means to play John Binns with us, in her anxiety to +belong to our household again. Hitherto she appears a very good servant. + +You depend upon finding all your plants dead, I hope. They look very +ill, I understand. + +Your silence on the subject of our ball makes me suppose your curiosity +too great for words. We were very well entertained, and could have +stayed longer but for the arrival of my list shoes to convey me home, +and I did not like to keep them waiting in the cold. The room was +tolerably full, and the ball opened by Miss Glyn. The Miss Lances had +partners, Captain Dauvergne's friend appeared in regimentals, Caroline +Maitland had an officer to flirt with, and Mr. John Harrison was deputed +by Captain Smith, being himself absent, to ask me to dance. Everything +went well, you see, especially after we had tucked Mrs. Lance's +neckerchief in behind and fastened it with a pin. + +We had a very full and agreeable account of Mr. Hammond's ball from Anna +last night; the same fluent pen has sent similar information, I know, +into Kent. She seems to have been as happy as one could wish her, and +the complacency of her mamma in doing the honors of the evening must +have made her pleasure almost as great. The grandeur of the meeting was +beyond my hopes. I should like to have seen Anna's looks and +performance, but that sad cropped head must have injured the former. + +Martha pleases herself with believing that if I had kept her counsel you +would never have heard of Dr. M.'s late behavior, as if the very slight +manner in which I mentioned it could have been all on which you found +your judgment. I do not endeavor to undeceive her, because I wish her +happy, at all events, and know how highly she prizes happiness of any +kind. She is, moreover, so full of kindness for us both, and sends you +in particular so many good wishes about your finger, that I am willing +to overlook a venial fault, and as Dr. M. is a clergyman, their +attachment, however immoral, has a decorous air. Adieu, sweet You. This +is grievous news from Spain. It is well that Dr. Moore was spared the +knowledge of such a son's death. + + Yours affectionately, J. AUSTEN. + +Anna's hand gets better and better; it begins to be too good for any +consequence. + +We send best love to dear little Lizzy and Marianne in particular. + +The Portsmouth paper gave a melancholy history of a poor mad woman, +escaped from confinement, who said her husband and daughter, of the name +of Payne, lived at Ashford, in Kent. Do you own them? + + Miss AUSTEN, EDWARD AUSTEN'S, Esq., + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[11] "Cecilia" Beverley, the heroine of Miss Burney's novel. + +[12] Fanny Austen, afterward Lady Edward Knatchbull. + + + + +XXXIV. + + + CASTLE SQUARE, Monday (January 30). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--I was not much surprised yesterday by the agreeable +surprise of your letter, and extremely glad to receive the assurance of +your finger being well again. + +Here is such a wet day as never was seen. I wish the poor little girls +had better weather for their journey; they must amuse themselves with +watching the raindrops down the windows. Sackree, I suppose, feels quite +broken-hearted. I cannot have done with the weather without observing +how delightfully mild it is; I am sure Fanny must enjoy it with us. +Yesterday was a very blowing day; we got to church, however, which we +had not been able to do for two Sundays before. + +I am not at all ashamed about the name of the novel, having been guilty +of no insult toward your handwriting; the diphthong I always saw, but +knowing how fond you were of adding a vowel wherever you could, I +attributed it to that alone, and the knowledge of the truth does the +book no service; the only merit it could have was in the name of Caleb, +which has an honest, unpretending sound, but in Coelebs there is +pedantry and affectation. Is it written only to classical scholars? + +I shall now try to say only what is necessary, I am weary of meandering; +so expect a vast deal of small matter, concisely told, in the next two +pages. + +Mrs. Cooke has been very dangerously ill, but is now, I hope, safe. I +had a letter last week from George, Mary being too busy to write, and at +that time the disorder was called of the typhus kind, and their alarm +considerable, but yesterday brought me a much better account from Mary, +the origin of the complaint being now ascertained to be bilious, and the +strong medicines requisite promising to be effectual. Mrs. E. L. is so +much recovered as to get into the dressing-room every day. + +A letter from Hamstall gives us the history of Sir Tho. Williams's +return. The Admiral, whoever he might he, took a fancy to the "Neptune," +and having only a worn-out 74 to offer in lieu of it, Sir Tho. declined +such a command, and is come home passenger. Lucky man! to have so fair +an opportunity of escape. I hope his wife allows herself to be happy on +the occasion, and does not give all her thoughts to being nervous. + +A great event happens this week at Hamstall in young Edward's removal to +school. He is going to Rugby, and is very happy in the idea of it; I +wish his happiness may last, but it will be a great change to become a +raw school-boy from being a pompous sermon-writer and a domineering +brother. It will do him good, I dare say. + +Caroline has had a great escape from being burnt to death lately. As her +husband gives the account, we must believe it true. Miss Murden is +gone,--called away by the critical state of Mrs. Pottinger who has had +another severe stroke, and is without sense or speech. Miss Murden +wishes to return to Southampton if circumstances suit, but it must be +very doubtful. + +We have been obliged to turn away Cholles, he grew so very drunken and +negligent, and we have a man in his place called Thomas. + +Martha desires me to communicate something concerning herself which she +knows will give you pleasure, as affording her very particular +satisfaction,--it is that she is to be in town this spring with Mrs. +Dundas. I need not dilate on the subject. You understand enough of the +whys and wherefores to enter into her feelings, and to be conscious that +of all possible arrangements it is the one most acceptable to her. She +goes to Barton on leaving us, and the family remove to town in April. + +What you tell me of Miss Sharpe is quite new, and surprises me a little; +I feel, however, as you do. She is born, poor thing! to struggle with +evil, and her continuing with Miss B. is, I hope, a proof that matters +are not always so very bad between them as her letters sometimes +represent. + +Jenny's marriage I had heard of, and supposed you would do so too from +Steventon, as I knew you were corresponding with Mary at the time. I +hope she will not sully the respectable name she now bears. + +Your plan for Miss Curling is uncommonly considerate and friendly, and +such as she must surely jump at. Edward's going round by Steventon, as I +understand he promises to do, can be no reasonable objection; Mrs. J. +Austen's hospitality is just of the kind to enjoy such a visitor. + +We were very glad to know Aunt Fanny was in the country when we read of +the fire. Pray give my best compliments to the Mrs. Finches, if they are +at Gm. I am sorry to find that Sir J. Moore has a mother living, but +though a very heroic son he might not be a very necessary one to her +happiness. Deacon Morrell may be more to Mrs. Morrell. + +I wish Sir John had united something of the Christian with the hero in +his death. Thank heaven! we have had no one to care for particularly +among the troops,--no one, in fact, nearer to us than Sir John himself. +Col. Maitland is safe and well; his mother and sisters were of course +anxious about him, but there is no entering much into the solicitudes of +that family. + +My mother is well, and gets out when she can with the same enjoyment, +and apparently the same strength, as hitherto. She hopes you will not +omit begging Mrs. Seward to get the garden cropped for us, supposing she +leaves the house too early to make the garden any object to herself. We +are very desirous of receiving your account of the house, for your +observations will have a motive which can leave nothing to conjecture +and suffer nothing from want of memory. For one's own dear self, one +ascertains and remembers everything. + +Lady Sondes is an impudent woman to come back into her old neighborhood +again; I suppose she pretends never to have married before, and wonders +how her father and mother came to have her christened Lady Sondes. + +The store-closet, I hope, will never do so again, for much of the evil +is proved to have proceeded from the gutter being choked up, and we have +had it cleared. We had reason to rejoice in the child's absence at the +time of the thaw, for the nursery was not habitable. We hear of similar +disasters from almost everybody. + +No news from Portsmouth. We are very patient. Mrs. Charles Fowle desires +to be kindly remembered to you. She is warmly interested in my brother +and his family. + + Yours very affectionately, + J. AUSTEN. + + Miss AUSTEN, EDWARD AUSTEN'S, Esq., + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + + + + +XXXV. + + + SLOANE ST., Thursday (April 18, 1811). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--I have so many little matters to tell you of, that I +cannot wait any longer before I begin to put them down. I spent Tuesday +in Bentinck Street. The Cookes called here and took me back, and it was +quite a Cooke day, for the Miss Rolles paid a visit while I was there, +and Sam Arnold dropped in to tea. + +The badness of the weather disconcerted an excellent plan of mine,--that +of calling on Miss Beckford again; but from the middle of the day it +rained incessantly. Mary and I, after disposing of her father and +mother, went to the Liverpool Museum and the British Gallery, and I had +some amusement at each, though my preference for men and women always +inclines me to attend more to the company than the sight. + +Mrs. Cooke regrets very much that she did not see you when you called; +it was owing to a blunder among the servants, for she did not know of +our visit till we were gone. She seems tolerably well, but the nervous +part of her complaint, I fear, increases, and makes her more and more +unwilling to part with Mary. + +I have proposed to the latter that she should go to Chawton with me, on +the supposition of my travelling the Guildford road, and she, I do +believe, would be glad to do it, but perhaps it may be impossible; +unless a brother can be at home at that time, it certainly must. George +comes to them to-day. + +I did not see Theo. till late on Tuesday; he was gone to Ilford, but he +came back in time to show his usual nothing-meaning, harmless, heartless +civility. Henry, who had been confined the whole day to the bank, took +me in his way home, and, after putting life and wit into the party for a +quarter of an hour, put himself and his sister into a hackney coach. + +I bless my stars that I have done with Tuesday. But, alas! Wednesday was +likewise a day of great doings, for Manon and I took our walk to Grafton +House, and I have a good deal to say on that subject. + +I am sorry to tell you that I am getting very extravagant, and spending +all my money, and, what is worse for you, I have been spending yours +too; for in a linendraper's shop to which I went for checked muslin, and +for which I was obliged to give seven shillings a yard, I was tempted by +a pretty-colored muslin, and bought ten yards of it on the chance of +your liking it; but at the same time, if it should not suit you, you +must not think yourself at all obliged to take it; it is only 3_s._ +6_d._ per yard, and I should not in the least mind keeping the whole. In +texture it is just what we prefer, but its resemblance to green crewels, +I must own, is not great, for the pattern is a small red spot. And now I +believe I have done all my commissions except Wedgwood. + +I liked my walk very much; it was shorter than I had expected, and the +weather was delightful. We set off immediately after breakfast, and must +have reached Grafton House by half-past eleven; but when we entered the +shop the whole counter was thronged, and we waited full half an hour +before we could be attended to. When we were served, however, I was +very well satisfied with my purchases,--my bugle trimming at 2_s._ 4_d._ +and three pair silk stockings for a little less than 12_s._ a pair. + +In my way back who should I meet but Mr. Moore, just come from +Beckenham. I believe he would have passed me if I had not made him stop, +but we were delighted to meet. I soon found, however, that he had +nothing new to tell me, and then I let him go. + +Miss Burton has made me a very pretty little bonnet, and now nothing can +satisfy me but I must have a straw hat, of the riding-hat shape, like +Mrs. Tilson's; and a young woman in this neighborhood is actually making +me one. I am really very shocking, but it will not be dear at a guinea. +Our pelisses are 17_s._ each; she charges only 8_s._ for the making, but +the buttons seem expensive,--are expensive, I might have said, for the +fact is plain enough. + +We drank tea again yesterday with the Tilsons, and met the Smiths. I +find all these little parties very pleasant. I like Mrs. S.; Miss Beaty +is good-humor itself, and does not seem much besides. We spend to-morrow +evening with them, and are to meet the Coln. and Mrs. Cantelo Smith you +have been used to hear of, and, if she is in good humor, are likely to +have excellent singing. + +To-night I might have been at the play; Henry had kindly planned our +going together to the Lyceum, but I have a cold which I should not like +to make worse before Saturday, so I stay within all this day. + +Eliza is walking out by herself. She has plenty of business on her hands +just now, for the day of the party is settled, and drawing near. Above +eighty people are invited for next Tuesday evening, and there is to be +some very good music,--five professionals, three of them glee singers, +besides amateurs. Fanny will listen to this. One of the hirelings is a +Capital on the harp, from which I expect great pleasure. The foundation +of the party was a dinner to Henry Egerton and Henry Walter, but the +latter leaves town the day before. I am sorry, as I wished her prejudice +to be done away, but should have been more sorry if there had been no +invitation. + +I am a wretch, to be so occupied with all these things as to seem to +have no thoughts to give to people and circumstances which really supply +a far more lasting interest,--the society in which you are; but I do +think of you all, I assure you, and want to know all about everybody, +and especially about your visit to the W. Friars; _mais le moyen_ not to +be occupied by one's own concerns? + +_Saturday._--Frank is superseded in the "Caledonia." Henry brought us +this news yesterday from Mr. Daysh, and he heard at the same time that +Charles may be in England in the course of a month. Sir Edward Pollen +succeeds Lord Gambier in his command, and some captain of his succeeds +Frank; and I believe the order is already gone out. Henry means to +inquire further to-day. He wrote to Mary on the occasion. This is +something to think of. Henry is convinced that he will have the offer of +something else, but does not think it will be at all incumbent on him to +accept it; and then follows, what will he do? and where will he live? + +I hope to hear from you to-day. How are you as to health, strength, +looks, etc.? I had a very comfortable account from Chawton yesterday. + +If the weather permits, Eliza and I walk into London this morning. She +is in want of chimney lights for Tuesday, and I of an ounce of +darning-cotton. She has resolved not to venture to the play to-night. +The D'Entraigues and Comte Julien cannot come to the party, which was at +first a grief, but she has since supplied herself so well with +performers that it is of no consequence; their not coming has produced +our going to them to-morrow evening, which I like the idea of. It will +be amusing to see the ways of a French circle. + +I wrote to Mrs. Hill a few days ago, and have received a most kind and +satisfactory answer. Any time the first week in May exactly suits her, +and therefore I consider my going as tolerably fixed. I shall leave +Sloane Street on the 1st or 2d, and be ready for James on the 9th, and, +if his plan alters, I can take care of myself. I have explained my views +here, and everything is smooth and pleasant; and Eliza talks kindly of +conveying me to Streatham. + +We met the Tilsons yesterday evening, but the singing Smiths sent an +excuse, which put our Mrs. Smith out of humor. + +We are come back, after a good dose of walking and coaching, and I have +the pleasure of your letter. I wish I had James's verses, but they were +left at Chawton. When I return thither, if Mrs. K. will give me leave, I +will send them to her. + +Our first object to-day was Henrietta St., to consult with Henry in +consequence of a very unlucky change of the play for this very +night,--"Hamlet" instead of "King John,"--and we are to go on Monday to +"Macbeth" instead; but it is a disappointment to us both. + +Love to all. + + Yours affectionately, + JANE. + + Miss AUSTEN, EDWARD AUSTEN'S, Esq., + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + + + + +XXXVI. + + + SLOANE ST., Thursday (April 25). + +MY DEAREST CASSANDRA,--I can return the compliment by thanking you for +the unexpected pleasure of your letter yesterday, and as I like +unexpected pleasure, it made me very happy; and, indeed, you need not +apologize for your letter in any respect, for it is all very fine, but +not too fine, I hope, to be written again, or something like it. + +I think Edward will not suffer much longer from heat; by the look of +things this morning I suspect the weather is rising into the balsamic +north-east. It has been hot here, as you may suppose, since it was so +hot with you, but I have not suffered from it at all, nor felt it in +such a degree as to make me imagine it would be anything in the country. +Everybody has talked of the heat, but I set it all down to London. + +I give you joy of our new nephew, and hope if he ever comes to be hanged +it will not be till we are too old to care about it. It is a great +comfort to have it so safely and speedily over. The Miss Curlings must +be hard worked in writing so many letters, but the novelty of it may +recommend it to them; mine was from Miss Eliza, and she says that my +brother may arrive to-day. + +No, indeed, I am never too busy to think of S. and S.[13] I can no more +forget it than a mother can forget her sucking child; and I am much +obliged to you for your inquiries. I have had two sheets to correct, but +the last only brings us to Willoughby's first appearance. Mrs. K. +regrets in the most flattering manner that she must wait till May, but I +have scarcely a hope of its being out in June. Henry does not neglect +it; he has hurried the printer, and says he will see him again to-day. +It will not stand still during his absence, it will be sent to Eliza. + +The Incomes remain as they were, but I will get them altered if I can. I +am very much gratified by Mrs. K.'s interest in it; and whatever may be +the event of it as to my credit with her, sincerely wish her curiosity +could be satisfied sooner than is now probable. I think she will like my +Elinor, but cannot build on anything else. + +Our party went off extremely well. There were many solicitudes, alarms, +and vexations beforehand, of course, but at last everything was quite +right. The rooms were dressed up with flowers, etc., and looked very +pretty. A glass for the mantelpiece was lent by the man who is making +their own. Mr. Egerton and Mr. Walter came at half-past five, and the +festivities began with a pair of very fine soles. + +Yes, Mr. Walter--for he postponed his leaving London on purpose--which +did not give much pleasure at the time, any more than the circumstance +from which it rose,--his calling on Sunday and being asked by Henry to +take the family dinner on that day, which he did; but it is all smoothed +over now, and she likes him very well. + +At half-past seven arrived the musicians in two hackney coaches, and by +eight the lordly company began to appear. Among the earliest were George +and Mary Cooke, and I spent the greatest part of the evening very +pleasantly with them. The drawing-room being soon hotter than we liked, +we placed ourselves in the connecting passage, which was comparatively +cool, and gave us all the advantage of the music at a pleasant distance, +as well as that of the first view of every new-comer. + +I was quite surrounded by acquaintance, especially gentlemen; and what +with Mr. Hampson, Mr. Seymour, Mr. W. Knatchbull, Mr. Guillemarde, Mr. +Cure, a Captain Simpson, brother to _the_ Captain Simpson, besides Mr. +Walter and Mr. Egerton, in addition to the Cookes, and Miss Beckford, +and Miss Middleton, I had quite as much upon my hands as I could do. + +Poor Miss B. has been suffering again from her old complaint, and looks +thinner than ever. She certainly goes to Cheltenham the beginning of +June. We were all delight and cordiality, of course. Miss M. seems very +happy, but has not beauty enough to figure in London. + +Including everybody we were sixty-six,--which was considerably more than +Eliza had expected, and quite enough to fill the back drawing-room and +leave a few to be scattered about in the other and in the passage. + +The music was extremely good. It opened (tell Fanny) with "Poike de Parp +pirs praise pof Prapela;" and of the other glees I remember, "In peace +love tunes," "Rosabelle," "The Red Cross Knight," and "Poor Insect." +Between the songs were lessons on the harp, or harp and pianoforte +together; and the harp-player was Wiepart, whose name seems famous, +though new to me. There was one female singer, a short Miss Davis, all +in blue, bringing up for the public line, whose voice was said to be +very fine indeed; and all the performers gave great satisfaction by +doing what they were paid for, and giving themselves no airs. No amateur +could be persuaded to do anything. + +The house was not clear till after twelve. If you wish to hear more of +it, you must put your questions, but I seem rather to have exhausted +than spared the subject. + +This said Captain Simpson told us, on the authority of some other +Captain just arrived from Halifax, that Charles was bringing the +"Cleopatra" home, and that she was probably by this time in the +Channel; but as Captain S. was certainly in liquor, we must not quite +depend on it. It must give one a sort of expectation, however, and will +prevent my writing to him any more. I would rather he should not reach +England till I am at home, and the Steventon party gone. + +My mother and Martha both write with great satisfaction of Anna's +behavior. She is quite an Anna with variations, but she cannot have +reached her last, for that is always the most flourishing and showy; she +is at about her third or fourth, which are generally simple and pretty. + +Your lilacs are in leaf, ours are in bloom. The horse-chestnuts are +quite out, and the elms almost. I had a pleasant walk in Kensington +Gardens on Sunday with Henry, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Tilson; everything was +fresh and beautiful. + +We did go to the play, after all, on Saturday. We went to the Lyceum, +and saw the "Hypocrite," an old play taken from Molière's "Tartuffe," +and were well entertained. Dowton and Mathews were the good actors; Mrs. +Edwin was the heroine, and her performance is just what it used to be. I +have no chance of seeing Mrs. Siddons; she did act on Monday, but as +Henry was told by the box-keeper that he did not think she would, the +plans, and all thought of it, were given up. I should particularly have +liked seeing her in "Constance," and could swear at her with little +effort for disappointing me. + +Henry has been to the Water-Color Exhibition, which opened on Monday, +and is to meet us there again some morning. If Eliza cannot go (and she +has a cold at present), Miss Beaty will be invited to be my companion. +Henry leaves town on Sunday afternoon, but he means to write soon +himself to Edward, and will tell his own plans. + +The tea is this moment setting out. + +Do not have your colored muslin unless you really want it, because I am +afraid I could not send it to the coach without giving trouble here. + +Eliza caught her cold on Sunday in our way to the D'Entraigues. The +horses actually gibbed on this side of Hyde Park Gate: a load of fresh +gravel made it a formidable hill to them, and they refused the collar; I +believe there was a sore shoulder to irritate. Eliza was frightened, and +we got out, and were detained in the evening air several minutes. The +cold is in her chest, but she takes care of herself, and I hope it may +not last long. + +This engagement prevented Mr. Walter's staying late,--he had his coffee +and went away. Eliza enjoyed her evening very much, and means to +cultivate the acquaintance; and I see nothing to dislike in them but +their taking quantities of snuff. Monsieur, the old Count, is a very +fine-looking man, with quiet manners, good enough for an Englishman, +and, I believe, is a man of great information and taste. He has some +fine paintings, which delighted Henry as much as the son's music +gratified Eliza; and among them a miniature of Philip V. of Spain, Louis +XIV.'s grandson, which exactly suited my capacity. Count Julien's +performance is very wonderful. + +We met only Mrs. Latouche and Miss East, and we are just now engaged to +spend next Sunday evening at Mrs. L.'s, and to meet the D'Entraigues, +but M. le Comte must do without Henry. If he would but speak English, I +would take to him. + +Have you ever mentioned the leaving off tea to Mrs. K.? Eliza has just +spoken of it again. The benefit she has found from it in sleeping has +been very great. + +I shall write soon to Catherine to fix my day, which will be Thursday. +We have no engagement but for Sunday. Eliza's cold makes quiet +advisable. Her party is mentioned in this morning's paper. I am sorry to +hear of poor Fanny's state. From that quarter, I suppose, is to be the +alloy of her happiness. I will have no more to say. + + Yours affectionately, + J. A. + +Give my love particularly to my goddaughter. + + Miss AUSTEN, EDWARD AUSTEN'S, Esq., + Godmersham Park, Faversham. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[13] "Sense and Sensibility." + + + + +XXXVII. + + + SLOANE ST., Tuesday. + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--I had sent off my letter yesterday before yours +came, which I was sorry for; but as Eliza has been so good as to get me +a frank, your questions shall be answered without much further expense +to you. + +The best direction to Henry at Oxford will be "The Blue Boar, +Cornmarket." + +I do not mean to provide another trimming for my pelisse, for I am +determined to spend no more money; so I shall wear it as it is, longer +than I ought, and then--I do not know. + +My head-dress was a bugle-band like the border to my gown, and a flower +of Mrs. Tilson's. I depended upon hearing something of the evening from +Mr. W. K., and am very well satisfied with his notice of me--"A +pleasing-looking young woman"--that must do; one cannot pretend to +anything better now; thankful to have it continued a few years longer! + +It gives me sincere pleasure to hear of Mrs. Knight's having had a +tolerable night at last, but upon this occasion I wish she had another +name, for the two _nights_ jingle very much. + +We have tried to get "Self-control," but in vain. I should like to know +what her estimate is, but am always half afraid of finding a clever +novel too clever, and of finding my own story and my own people all +forestalled. + +Eliza has just received a few lines from Henry to assure her of the good +conduct of his mare. He slept at Uxbridge on Sunday, and wrote from +Wheatfield. + +We were not claimed by Hans Place yesterday, but are to dine there +to-day. Mr. Tilson called in the evening, but otherwise we were quite +alone all day; and after having been out a good deal, the change was +very pleasant. + +I like your opinion of Miss Atten much better than I expected, and have +now hopes of her staying a whole twelvemonth. By this time I suppose she +is hard at it, governing away. Poor creature! I pity her, though they +are my nieces. + +Oh! yes, I remember Miss Emma Plumbtree's local consequence perfectly. + + I am in a dilemma, for want of an Emma, + Escaped from the lips of Henry Gipps. + +But, really, I was never much more put to it than in continuing an +answer to Fanny's former message. What is there to be said on the +subject? Pery pell, or pare pey? or po; or at the most, Pi, pope, pey, +pike, pit. + +I congratulate Edward on the Weald of Kent Canal Bill being put off till +another Session, as I have just had the pleasure of reading. There is +always something to be hoped from delay. + + Between Session and Session + The first Prepossession + May rouse up the Nation, + And the villanous Bill + May be forced to lie still + Against wicked men's will. + +There is poetry for Edward and his daughter. I am afraid I shall not +have any for you. + +I forgot to tell you in my last that our cousin Miss Payne called in on +Saturday, and was persuaded to stay dinner. She told us a great deal +about her friend Lady Cath. Brecknell, who is most happily married, and +Mr. Brecknell is very religious, and has got black whiskers. + +I am glad to think that Edward has a tolerable day for his drive to +Goodnestone, and very glad to hear of his kind promise of bringing you +to town. I hope everything will arrange itself favorably. The 16th is +now to be Mrs. Dundas's day. + +I mean, if I can, to wait for your return before I have my new gown made +up, from a notion of their making up to more advantage together; and as +I find the muslin is not so wide as it used to be, some contrivance may +be necessary. I expect the skirt to require one-half breadth cut in +gores, besides two whole breadths. + +Eliza has not yet quite resolved on inviting Anna, but I think she will. + + Yours very affectionately, + JANE. + + + + +XXXVIII. + + + CHAWTON, Wednesday (May 29). + +IT was a mistake of mine, my dear Cassandra, to talk of a tenth child at +Hamstall. I had forgot there were but eight already. + +Your inquiry after my uncle and aunt were most happily timed, for the +very same post brought an account of them. They are again at Gloucester +House enjoying fresh air, which they seem to have felt the want of in +Bath, and are tolerably well, but not more than tolerable. My aunt does +not enter into particulars, but she does not write in spirits, and we +imagine that she has never entirely got the better of her disorder in +the winter. Mrs. Welby takes her out airing in her barouche, which gives +her a headache,--a comfortable proof, I suppose, of the uselessness of +the new carriage when they have got it. + +You certainly must have heard before I can tell you that Col. Orde has +married our cousin Margt. Beckford, the Marchess. of Douglas's sister. +The papers say that her father disinherits her, but I think too well of +an Orde to suppose that she has not a handsome independence of her own. + +[Illustration: _Chawton Cottage, from the Garden_ + +LETTERS, 172] + +The chickens are all alive and fit for the table, but we save them for +something grand. Some of the flower seeds are coming up very well, but +your mignonette makes a wretched appearance. Miss Benn has been +equally unlucky as to hers. She had seed from four different people, and +none of it comes up. Our young piony at the foot of the fir-tree has +just blown and looks very handsome, and the whole of the shrubbery +border will soon be very gay with pinks and sweet-williams, in addition +to the columbines already in bloom. The syringas, too, are coming out. +We are likely to have a great crop of Orleans plums, but not many +greengages--on the standard scarcely any, three or four dozen, perhaps, +against the wall. I believe I told you differently when I first came +home, but I can now judge better than I could then. + +I have had a medley and satisfactory letter this morning from the +husband and wife at Cowes; and in consequence of what is related of +their plans, we have been talking over the possibility of inviting them +here in their way from Steventon, which is what one should wish to do, +and is, I dare say, what they expect, but, supposing Martha to be at +home, it does not seem a very easy thing to accommodate so large a +party. My mother offers to give up her room to Frank and Mary, but there +will then be only the best for two maids and three children. + +They go to Steventon about the 22d, and I guess--for it is quite a +guess--will stay there from a fortnight to three weeks. + +I must not venture to press Miss Sharpe's coming at present; we may +hardly be at liberty before August. + +Poor John Bridges! we are very sorry for his situation and for the +distress of the family. Lady B., is in one way severely tried. And our +own dear brother suffers a great deal, I dare say, on the occasion. + +I have not much to say of ourselves. Anna is nursing a cold caught in +the arbor at Faringdon, that she may be able to keep her engagement to +Maria M. this evening, when I suppose she will make it worse. + +She did not return from Faringdon till Sunday, when H. B. walked home +with her, and drank tea here. She was with the Prowtings almost all +Monday. She went to learn to make feather trimmings of Miss Anna, and +they kept her to dinner, which was rather lucky, as we were called upon +to meet Mrs. and Miss Terry the same evening at the Digweeds; and though +Anna was of course invited too, I think it always safest to keep her +away from the family, lest she should be doing too little or too much. + +Mrs. Terry, Mary, and Robert, with my aunt Harding and her daughter, +came from Dummer for a day and a night,--all very agreeable and very +much delighted with the new house and with Chawton in general. + +We sat upstairs, and had thunder and lightning as usual. I never knew +such a spring for thunderstorms as it has been. Thank God! we have had +no bad ones here. I thought myself in luck to have my uncomfortable +feelings shared by the mistress of the house, as that procured blinds +and candles. It had been excessively hot the whole day. Mrs. Harding is +a good-looking woman, but not much like Mrs. Toke, inasmuch as she is +very brown and has scarcely any teeth; she seems to have some of Mrs. +Toke's civility. Miss H. is an elegant, pleasing, pretty-looking girl, +about nineteen, I suppose, or nineteen and a half, or nineteen and a +quarter, with flowers in her head and music at her finger-ends. She +plays very well indeed. I have seldom heard anybody with more pleasure. +They were at Godington four or five years ago. My cousin Flora Long was +there last year. + +My name is Diana. How does Fanny like it? What a change in the weather! +We have a fire again now. + +Harriet Benn sleeps at the Great House to-night, and spends to-morrow +with us; and the plan is that we should all walk with her to drink tea +at Faringdon, for her mother is now recovered; but the state of the +weather is not very promising at present. + +Miss Benn has been returned to her cottage since the beginning of last +week, and has now just got another girl; she comes from Alton. For many +days Miss B. had nobody with her but her niece Elizabeth, who was +delighted to be her visitor and her maid. They both dined here on +Saturday while Anna was at Faringdon; and last night an accidental +meeting and a sudden impulse produced Miss Benn and Maria Middleton at +our tea-table. + +If you have not heard it is very fit you should, that Mr. Harrison has +had the living of Fareham given him by the Bishop, and is going to +reside there; and now it is said that Mr. Peach (beautiful wiseacre) +wants to have the curacy of Overton, and if he does leave Wootton, James +Digweed wishes to go there. Fare you well. + + Yours affectionately, JANE AUSTEN. + +The chimneys at the Great House are done. Mr. Prowting has opened a +gravel-pit, very conveniently for my mother, just at the mouth of the +approach to his house; but it looks a little as if he meant to catch all +his company. Tolerable gravel. + + Miss AUSTEN, + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + + + + +XXXIX. + + + CHAWTON, Thursday (June 6). + +BY this time, my dearest Cassandra, you know Martha's plans. I was +rather disappointed, I confess, to find that she could not leave town +till after ye 24th, as I had hoped to see you here the week before. The +delay, however, is not great, and everything seems generally arranging +itself for your return very comfortably. + +I found Henry perfectly predisposed to bring you to London if agreeable +to yourself; he has not fixed his day for going into Kent, but he must +be back again before ye 20th. You may therefore think with something +like certainty of the close of your Godmersham visit, and will have, I +suppose, about a week for Sloane Street. He travels in his gig, and +should the weather be tolerable I think you must have a delightful +journey. + +I have given up all idea of Miss Sharpe's travelling with you and +Martha, for though you are both all compliance with my scheme, yet as +you knock off a week from the end of her visit, and Martha rather more +from the beginning, the thing is out of the question. + +I have written to her to say that after the middle of July we shall be +happy to receive her, and I have added a welcome if she could make her +way hither directly, but I do not expect that she will. I have also sent +our invitation to Cowes. + +We are very sorry for the disappointment you have all had in Lady B.'s +illness; but a division of the proposed party is with you by this time, +and I hope may have brought you a better account of the rest. + +Give my love and thanks to Harriot, who has written me charming things +of your looks, and diverted me very much by poor Mrs. C. Milles's +continued perplexity. + +I had a few lines from Henry on Tuesday to prepare us for himself and +his friend, and by the time that I had made the sumptuous provision of a +neck of mutton on the occasion, they drove into the court; but lest you +should not immediately recollect in how many hours a neck of mutton may +be certainly procured, I add that they came a little after twelve,--both +tall and well, and in their different degrees agreeable. + +It was a visit of only twenty-four hours, but very pleasant while it +lasted. Mr. Tilson took a sketch of the Great House before dinner, and +after dinner we all three walked to Chawton Park,[14] meaning to go into +it, but it was too dirty, and we were obliged to keep on the outside. +Mr. Tilson admired the trees very much, but grieved that they should not +be turned into money. + +My mother's cold is better, and I believe she only wants dry weather to +be very well. It was a great distress to her that Anna should be absent +during her uncle's visit, a distress which I could not share. She does +not return from Faringdon till this evening, and I doubt not has had +plenty of the miscellaneous, unsettled sort of happiness which seems to +suit her best. We hear from Miss Benn, who was on the Common with the +Prowtings, that she was very much admired by the gentlemen in general. + +I like your new bonnets exceedingly; yours is a shape which always looks +well, and I think Fanny's particularly becoming to her. + +On Monday I had the pleasure of receiving, unpacking, and approving our +Wedgwood ware. It all came very safely, and upon the whole is a good +match, though I think they might have allowed us rather larger leaves, +especially in such a year of fine foliage as this. One is apt to suppose +that the woods about Birmingham must be blighted. There was no bill with +the goods, but that shall not screen them from being paid. I mean to ask +Martha to settle the account. It will be quite in her way, for she is +just now sending my mother a breakfast-set from the same place. + +I hope it will come by the wagon to-morrow; it is certainly what we +want, and I long to know what it is like, and as I am sure Martha has +great pleasure in making the present, I will not have any regret. We +have considerable dealings with the wagons at present: a hamper of port +and brandy from Southampton is now in the kitchen. + +Your answer about the Miss Plumbtrees proves you as fine a Daniel as +ever Portia was; for I maintained Emma to be the eldest. + +We began pease on Sunday, but our gatherings are very small, not at all +like the gathering in the "Lady of the Lake." Yesterday I had the +agreeable surprise of finding several scarlet strawberries quite ripe; +had you been at home, this would have been a pleasure lost. There are +more gooseberries and fewer currants than I thought at first. We must +buy currants for our wine. + +The Digweeds are gone down to see the Stephen Terrys at Southampton, and +catch the King's birthday at Portsmouth. Miss Papillon called on us +yesterday, looking handsomer than ever. Maria Middleton and Miss Benn +dine here to-morrow. + +We are not to enclose any more letters to Abingdon Street, as perhaps +Martha has told you. + +I had just left off writing and put on my things for walking to Alton, +when Anna and her friend Harriot called in their way thither; so we went +together. Their business was to provide mourning against the King's +death, and my mother has had a bombazine bought for her. I am not sorry +to be back again, for the young ladies had a great deal to do, and +without much method in doing it. + +Anna does not come home till to-morrow morning. She has written I find +to Fanny, but there does not seem to be a great deal to relate of +Tuesday. I had hoped there might be dancing. + +Mrs. Budd died on Sunday evening. I saw her two days before her death, +and thought it must happen soon. She suffered much from weakness and +restlessness almost to the last. Poor little Harriot seems truly +grieved. You have never mentioned Harry; how is he? + +With love to you all, + + Yours affectionately, J. A. + + Miss AUSTEN, EDWARD AUSTEN'S, Esq., + Godmersham Park, Faversham. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[14] A large beech wood extending for a long distance upon a hill about +a mile from Chawton: the trees are magnificent. + + + + +XL. + + + CHAWTON, Friday (January 29, 1813). + +I HOPE you received my little parcel by J. Bond on Wednesday evening, my +dear Cassandra, and that you will be ready to hear from me again on +Sunday, for I feel that I must write to you to-day. I want to tell you +that I have got my own darling child[15] from London. On Wednesday I +received one copy sent down by Falkener, with three lines from Henry to +say that he had given another to Charles and sent a third by the coach +to Godmersham. . . . The advertisement is in our paper to-day for the first +time: 18_s._ He shall ask 1_l._ 1_s._ for my two next, and 1_l._ 8_s._ +for my stupidest of all. Miss B. dined with us on the very day of the +book's coming, and in the evening we fairly set at it, and read half the +first vol. to her, prefacing that, having intelligence from Henry that +such a work would soon appear, we had desired him to send it whenever it +came out, and I believe it passed with her unsuspected. She was amused, +poor soul! _That_ she could not help, you know, with two such people to +lead the way; but she really does seem to admire Elizabeth. I must +confess that I think her as delightful a creature as ever appeared in +print, and how I shall be able to tolerate those who do not like _her_ +at least, I do not know. There are a few typical errors; and a "said +he," or a "said she," would sometimes make the dialogue more immediately +clear; but "I do not write for such dull elves" as have not a great deal +of ingenuity themselves. The second volume is shorter than I could wish, +but the difference is not so much in reality as in look, there being a +larger proportion of narrative in that part. I have lop't and crop't so +successfully, however, that I imagine it must be rather shorter than +"Sense and Sensibility" altogether. Now I will try and write of +something else. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[15] "Pride and Prejudice." + + + + +XLI. + + + CHAWTON, Thursday (February 4). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--Your letter was truly welcome, and I am much obliged +to you for all your praise; it came at a right time, for I had had some +fits of disgust. Our second evening's reading to Miss B. had not +pleased me so well, but I believe something must be attributed to my +mother's too rapid way of getting on: though she perfectly understands +the characters herself, she cannot speak as they ought. Upon the whole, +however, I am quite vain enough and well satisfied enough. The work is +rather too light and bright and sparkling: it wants shade; it wants to +be stretched out here and there with a long chapter of sense, if it +could be had; if not, of solemn specious nonsense, about something +unconnected with the story,--an essay on writing, a critique on Walter +Scott, or the history of Buonaparte, or something that would form a +contrast, and bring the reader with increased delight to the playfulness +and epigrammatism of the general style. . . . The greatest blunder in +the printing that I have met with is in page 220, v. 3, where two +speeches are made into one. There might as well be no suppers at +Longbourn; but I suppose it was the remains of Mrs. Bennet's old Meryton +habits. + + + + +XLII. + + + FEBRUARY. + +THIS will be a quick return for yours, my dear Cassandra. I doubt its +having much else to recommend it; but there is no saying: it may turn +out to be a very long and delightful letter. I am exceedingly pleased +that you can say what you do, after having gone through the whole work, +and Fanny's praise is very gratifying. My hopes were tolerably strong of +her, but nothing like a certainty. Her liking Darcy and Elizabeth is +enough. She might hate all the others, if she would. I have her opinion +under her own hand this morning; but your transcript of it, which I read +first, was not, and is not, the less acceptable. To me it is of course +all praise, but the more exact truth which she sends you is good +enough. . . . Our party on Wednesday was not unagreeable, though we +wanted a master of the house less anxious and fidgety, and more +conversable. Upon Mrs. ----'s mentioning that she had sent the rejected +addresses to Mrs. H., I began talking to her a little about them, and +expressed my hope of their having amused her. Her answer was, "Oh dear, +yes, very much, very droll indeed, the opening of the house, and the +striking up of the fiddles!" What she meant, poor woman, who shall say? +I sought no farther. As soon as a whist-party was formed, and a round +table threatened, I made my mother an excuse and came away, leaving just +as many for their round table as there were at Mrs. Grant's.[16] I wish +they might be as agreeable a set. My mother is very well, and finds +great amusement in glove-knitting, and at present wants no other work. +We quite run over with books. She has got Sir John Carr's "Travels in +Spain," and I am reading a Society octavo, an "Essay on the Military +Police and Institutions of the British Empire," by Capt. Pasley of the +Engineers,--a book which I protested against at first, but which upon +trial I find delightfully written and highly entertaining. I am as much +in love with the author as I ever was with Clarkson or Buchanan, or even +the two Mr. Smiths of the city. The first soldier I ever sighed for; but +he does write with extraordinary force and spirit. Yesterday, moreover, +brought us "Mrs. Grant's Letters," with Mr. White's compliments; but I +have disposed of them, compliments and all, to Miss P., and amongst so +many readers or retainers of books as we have in Chawton, I dare say +there will be no difficulty in getting rid of them for another +fortnight, if necessary. I have disposed of Mrs. Grant for the second +fortnight to Mrs. ----. It can make no difference to her which of the +twenty-six fortnights in the year the three vols. lie on her table. I +have been applied to for information as to the oath taken in former +times of Bell, Book, and Candle, but have none to give. Perhaps you may +be able to learn something of its origin where you now are. Ladies who +read those enormous great stupid thick quarto volumes which one always +sees in the breakfast-parlor there must be acquainted with everything +in the world. I detest a quarto. Captain Pasley's book is too good for +their society. They will not understand a man who condenses his thoughts +into an octavo. I have learned from Sir J. Carr that there is no +Government House at Gibraltar. I must alter it to the Commissioner's. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[16] At this time, February, 1813, "Mansfield Park" was nearly finished. + + + + +XLIII. + + + SLOANE STREET, Thursday, May 20. + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--Before I say anything else, I claim a paper full of +halfpence on the drawing-room mantelpiece; I put them there myself, and +forgot to bring them with me. I cannot say that I have yet been in any +distress for money, but I choose to have my due, as well as the Devil. +How lucky we were in our weather yesterday! This wet morning makes one +more sensible of it. We had no rain of any consequence. The head of the +curricle was put half up three or four times, but our share of the +showers was very trifling, though they seemed to be heavy all round us, +when we were on the Hog's-back, and I fancied it might then be raining +so hard at Chawton as to make you feel for us much more than we +deserved. Three hours and a quarter took us to Guildford, where we +stayed barely two hours, and had only just time enough for all we had +to do there; that is, eating a long and comfortable breakfast, watching +the carriages, paying Mr. Harrington, and taking a little stroll +afterwards. From some views which that stroll gave us, I think most +highly of the situation of Guildford. We wanted all our brothers and +sisters to be standing with us in the bowling-green, and looking towards +Horsham. I was very lucky in my gloves,--got them at the first shop I +went to, though I went into it rather because it was near than because +it looked at all like a glove-shop, and gave only four shillings for +them; after which everybody at Chawton will be hoping and predicting +that they cannot be good for anything, and their worth certainly remains +to be proved; but I think they look very well. We left Guildford at +twenty minutes before twelve (I hope somebody cares for these minutiæ), +and were at Esher in about two hours more. I was very much pleased with +the country in general. Between Guildford and Ripley I thought it +particularly pretty, also about Painshill; and from a Mr. Spicer's +grounds at Esher, which we walked into before dinner, the views were +beautiful. I cannot say what we did _not_ see, but I should think there +could not be a wood, or a meadow, or palace, or remarkable spot in +England that was not spread out before us on one side or other. +Claremont is going to be sold: a Mr. Ellis has it now. It is a house +that seems never to have prospered. After dinner we walked forward to be +overtaken at the coachman's time, and before he did overtake us we were +very near Kingston. I fancy it was about half-past six when we reached +this house,--a twelve hours' business, and the horses did not appear +more than reasonably tired. I was very tired too, and glad to get to bed +early, but am quite well to-day. I am very snug in the front +drawing-room all to myself, and would not say "thank you" for any +company but you. The quietness of it does me good. I have contrived to +pay my two visits, though the weather made me a great while about it, +and left me only a few minutes to sit with Charlotte Craven.[17] She +looks very well, and her hair is done up with an elegance to do credit +to any education. Her manners are as unaffected and pleasing as ever. +She had heard from her mother to-day. Mrs. Craven spends another +fortnight at Chilton. I saw nobody but Charlotte, which pleased me best. +I was shown upstairs into a drawing-room, where she came to me; and the +appearance of the room, so totally unschoollike, amused me very much: it +was full of modern elegances. + + Yours very affec^{tly}, + J. A. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[17] The present Lady Pollen, of Redenham, near Andover, then at a +school in London. + + + + +XLIV. + + + SLOANE STREET, Monday (May 24). + +MY DEAREST CASSANDRA,--I am very much obliged to you for writing to me. +You must have hated it after a worrying morning. Your letter came just +in time to save my going to Remnant's, and fit me for Christian's, where +I bought Fanny's dimity. + +I went the day before (Friday) to Layton's as I proposed, and got my +mother's gown,--seven yards at 6_s._ 6_d._ I then walked into No. 10, +which is all dirt and confusion, but in a very promising way; and after +being present at the opening of a new account, to my great amusement, +Henry and I went to the exhibition in Spring Gardens. It is not thought +a good collection, but I was very well pleased, particularly (pray tell +Fanny) with a small portrait of Mrs. Bingley,[1] excessively like her. + +I went in hopes of seeing one of her sister, but there was no Mrs. +Darcy.[18] Perhaps, however, I may find her in the great exhibition, +which we shall go to if we have time. I have no chance of her in the +collection of Sir Joshua Reynolds's paintings, which is now showing in +Pall Mall, and which we are also to visit. + +Mrs. Bingley's is exactly herself,--size, shaped face, features, and +sweetness; there never was a greater likeness. She is dressed in a white +gown, with green ornaments, which convinces me of what I had always +supposed, that green was a favorite color with her. I dare say Mrs. D. +will be in yellow. + +Friday was our worst day as to weather. We were out in a very long and +very heavy storm of hail, and there had been others before, but I heard +no thunder. Saturday was a good deal better; dry and cold. + +I gave 2_s._ 6_d._ for the dimity. I do not boast of any bargains, but +think both the sarsenet and dimity good of their sort. + +I have bought your locket, but was obliged to give 18_s._ for it, which +must be rather more than you intended. It is neat and plain, set in +gold. + +We were to have gone to the Somerset House Exhibition on Saturday, but +when I reached Henrietta Street Mr. Hampson was wanted there, and Mr. +Tilson and I were obliged to drive about town after him, and by the time +we had done it was too late for anything but home. We never found him +after all. + +I have been interrupted by Mrs. Tilson. Poor woman! She is in danger of +not being able to attend Lady Drummond Smith's party to-night. Miss +Burdett was to have taken her, and now Miss Burdett has a cough and +will not go. My cousin Caroline is her sole dependence. + +The events of yesterday were, our going to Belgrave Chapel in the +morning, our being prevented by the rain from going to evening service +at St. James, Mr. Hampson's calling, Messrs. Barlow and Phillips dining +here, and Mr. and Mrs. Tilson's coming in the evening _à l'ordinaire_. +She drank tea with us both Thursday and Saturday; he dined out each day, +and on Friday we were with them, and they wish us to go to them +to-morrow evening, to meet Miss Burdett, but I do not know how it will +end. Henry talks of a drive to Hampstead, which may interfere with it. + +I should like to see Miss Burdett very well, but that I am rather +frightened by hearing that she wishes to be introduced to me. If I am a +wild beast, I cannot help it. It is not my own fault. + +There is no change in our plan of leaving London, but we shall not be +with you before Tuesday. Henry thinks Monday would appear too early a +day. There is no danger of our being induced to stay longer. + +I have not quite determined how I shall manage about my clothes; perhaps +there may be only my trunk to send by the coach, or there may be a +band-box with it. I have taken your gentle hint, and written to Mrs. +Hill. + +The Hoblyns want us to dine with them, but we have refused. When Henry +returns he will be dining out a great deal, I dare say; as he will then +be alone, it will be more desirable; he will be more welcome at every +table, and every invitation more welcome to him. He will not want either +of us again till he is settled in Henrietta Street. This is my present +persuasion. And he will not be settled there--really settled--till late +in the autumn; "he will not be come to bide" till after September. + +There is a gentleman in treaty for this house. Gentleman himself is in +the country, but gentleman's friend came to see it the other day, and +seemed pleased on the whole. Gentleman would rather prefer an increased +rent to parting with five hundred guineas at once, and if that is the +only difficulty it will not be minded. Henry is indifferent as to the +which. + +Get us the best weather you can for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. We +are to go to Windsor in our way to Henley, which will be a great +delight. We shall be leaving Sloane Street about twelve, two or three +hours after Charles's party have begun their journey. You will miss +them, but the comfort of getting back into your own room will be great. +And then the tea and sugar! + +I fear Miss Clewes is not better, or you would have mentioned it. I +shall not write again unless I have any unexpected communication or +opportunity to tempt me. I enclose Mr. Herington's bill and receipt. + +I am very much obliged to Fanny for her letter; it made me laugh +heartily, but I cannot pretend to answer it. Even had I more time, I +should not feel at all sure of the sort of letter that Miss D.[19] would +write. I hope Miss Benn is got well again, and will have a comfortable +dinner with you to-day. + +_Monday Evening._--We have been both to the exhibition and Sir J. +Reynolds's, and I am disappointed, for there was nothing like Mrs. D. at +either. I can only imagine that Mr. D. prizes any picture of her too +much to like it should be exposed to the public eye. I can imagine he +would have that sort of feeling,--that mixture of love, pride, and +delicacy. + +Setting aside this disappointment, I had great amusement among the +pictures; and the driving about, the carriage being open, was very +pleasant. I liked my solitary elegance very much, and was ready to laugh +all the time at my being where I was. I could not but feel that I had +naturally small right to be parading about London in a barouche. + +Henry desires Edward may know that he has just bought three dozen of +claret for him (cheap), and ordered it to be sent down to Chawton. + +I should not wonder if we got no farther than Reading on Thursday +evening, and so reach Steventon only to a reasonable dinner-hour the +next day; but whatever I may write or you may imagine, we know it will +be something different. I shall be quiet to-morrow morning; all my +business is done, and I shall only call again upon Mrs. Hoblyn, etc. + +Love to your much . . . party. + + Yours affectionately, + J. AUSTEN. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[18] _Vide_ "Pride and Prejudice." + +[19] Miss Darcy. + + + + +XLV. + + + HENRIETTA ST., Wednesday (Sept. 15, ½ past 8). + +HERE I am, my dearest Cassandra, seated in the breakfast, dining, +sitting room, beginning with all my might. Fanny will join me as soon as +she is dressed, and begin her letter. + +We had a very good journey, weather and roads excellent; the three first +stages for 1_s._ 6_d._, and our only misadventure the being delayed +about a quarter of an hour at Kingston for horses, and being obliged to +put up with a pair belonging to a hackney coach and their coachman, +which left no room on the barouche box for Lizzy, who was to have gone +her last stage there as she did the first; consequently we were all +four within, which was a little crowded. + +We arrived at a quarter-past four, and were kindly welcomed by the +coachman, and then by his master, and then by William, and then by Mrs. +Pengird, who all met us before we reached the foot of the stairs. Mde. +Bigion was below dressing us a most comfortable dinner of soup, fish, +bouillée, partridges, and an apple tart, which we sat down to soon after +five, after cleaning and dressing ourselves, and feeling that we were +most commodiously disposed of. The little adjoining dressing-room to our +apartment makes Fanny and myself very well off indeed, and as we have +poor Eliza's[20] bed our space is ample every way. + +Sace arrived safely about half-past six. At seven we set off in a coach +for the Lyceum; were at home again in about four hours and a half; had +soup and wine and water, and then went to our holes. + +Edward finds his quarters very snug and quiet. I must get a softer pen. +This is harder. I am in agonies. I have not yet seen Mr. Crabbe. +Martha's letter is gone to the post. + +I am going to write nothing but short sentences. There shall be two full +stops in every line. Layton and Shear's is Bedford House. We mean to +get there before breakfast if it's possible; for we feel more and more +how much we have to do and how little time. This house looks very nice. +It seems like Sloane Street moved here. I believe Henry is just rid of +Sloane Street. Fanny does not come, but I have Edward seated by me +beginning a letter, which looks natural. + +Henry has been suffering from the pain in the face which he has been +subject to before. He caught cold at Matlock, and since his return has +been paying a little for past pleasure. It is nearly removed now, but he +looks thin in the face, either from the pain or the fatigues of his +tour, which must have been great. + +Lady Robert is delighted with P. and P.,[21] and really was so, as I +understand, before she knew who wrote it, for of course she knows now. +He told her with as much satisfaction as if it were my wish. He did not +tell me this, but he told Fanny. And Mr. Hastings! I am quite delighted +with what such a man writes about it. Henry sent him the books after his +return from Daylesford, but you will hear the letter too. + +Let me be rational, and return to my two full stops. + +I talked to Henry at the play last night. We were in a private box,--Mr. +Spencer's,--which made it much more pleasant. The box is directly on +the stage. One is infinitely less fatigued than in the common way. But +Henry's plans are not what one could wish. He does not mean to be at +Chawton till the 29th. He must be in town again by Oct. 5. His plan is +to get a couple of days of pheasant shooting and then return directly. +His wish was to bring you back with him. I have told him your scruples. +He wishes you to suit yourself as to time, and if you cannot come till +later, will send for you at any time as far as Bagshot. He presumed you +would not find difficulty in getting so far. I could not say you would. +He proposed your going with him into Oxfordshire. It was his own thought +at first. I could not but catch at it for you. + +We have talked of it again this morning (for now we have breakfasted), +and I am convinced that if you can make it suit in other respects you +need not scruple on his account. If you cannot come back with him on the +3rd or 4th, therefore, I do hope you will contrive to go to Adlestrop. +By not beginning your absence till about the middle of this month I +think you may manage it very well. But you will think all this over. One +could wish he had intended to come to you earlier, but it cannot be +helped. + +I said nothing to him of Mrs. H. and Miss B., that he might not suppose +difficulties. Shall not you put them into our own room? This seems to +me the best plan, and the maid will be most conveniently near. + +Oh, dear me! when I shall ever have done. We did go to Layton and +Shear's before breakfast. Very pretty English poplins at 4_s._ 3_d._; +Irish, ditto at 6_s._; more pretty, certainly,--beautiful. + +Fanny and the two little girls are gone to take places for to-night at +Covent Garden; "Clandestine Marriage" and "Midas." The latter will be a +fine show for L. and M.[22] They revelled last night in "Don Juan," whom +we left in hell at half-past eleven. We had scaramouch and a ghost, and +were delighted. I speak of them; my delight was very tranquil, and the +rest of us were sober-minded. "Don Juan" was the last of three musical +things. "Five Hours at Brighton," in three acts,--of which one was over +before we arrived, none the worse,--and the "Beehive," rather less flat +and trumpery. + +I have this moment received 5_l._ from kind, beautiful Edward. Fanny has +a similar gift. I shall save what I can of it for your better leisure in +this place. My letter was from Miss Sharpe,--nothing particular. A +letter from Fanny Cage this morning. + +_Four o'clock._--We are just come back from doing Mrs. Tickars, Miss +Hare, and Mr. Spence. Mr. Hall is here, and while Fanny is under his +hands, I will try to write a little more. + +Miss Hare had some pretty caps, and is to make me one like one of them, +only white satin instead of blue. It will be white satin and lace, and a +little white flower perking out of the left ear, like Harriot Byron's +feather. I have allowed her to go as far as 1_l._ 16_s._ My gown is to +be trimmed everywhere with white ribbon plaited on somehow or other. She +says it will look well. I am not sanguine. They trim with white very +much. + +I learnt from Mrs. Tickars's young lady, to my high amusement, that the +stays now are not made to force the bosom up at all; that was a very +unbecoming, unnatural fashion. I was really glad to hear that they are +not to be so much off the shoulders as they were. + +Going to Mr. Spence's was a sad business, and cost us many tears; +unluckily we were obliged to go a second time before he could do more +than just look. We went first at half-past twelve and afterwards at +three; papa with us each time; and, alas! we are to go again to-morrow. +Lizzy is not finished yet. There have been no teeth taken out, however, +nor will be, I believe; but he finds hers in a very bad state, and seems +to think particularly ill of their durableness. They have been all +cleaned, hers filed, and are to be filed again. There is a very sad hole +between two of her front teeth. + +_Thursday Morning, half-past Seven._--Up and dressed and downstairs in +order to finish my letter in time for the parcel. At eight I have an +appointment with Madame B., who wants to show me something downstairs. +At nine we are to set off for Grafton House, and get that over before +breakfast. Edward is so kind as to walk there with us. We are to be at +Mr. Spence's again at 11.5: from that time shall be driving about I +suppose till four o'clock at least. We are, if possible, to call on Mrs. +Tilson. + +Mr. Hall was very punctual yesterday, and curled me out at a great rate. +I thought it looked hideous, and longed for a snug cap instead, but my +companions silenced me by their admiration. I had only a bit of velvet +round my head. I did not catch cold, however. The weather is all in my +favor. I have had no pain in my face since I left you. + +We had very good places in the box next the stage-box, front and second +row; the three old ones behind, of course. I was particularly +disappointed at seeing nothing of Mr. Crabbe. I felt sure of him when I +saw that the boxes were fitted up with crimson velvet. The new Mr. Terry +was Lord Ogleby, and Henry thinks he may do; but there was no acting +more than moderate, and I was as much amused by the remembrances +connected with "Midas" as with any part of it. The girls were very much +delighted, but still prefer "Don Juan;" and I must say that I have seen +nobody on the stage who has been a more interesting character than that +compound of cruelty and lust. + +It was not possible for me to get the worsteds yesterday. I heard Edward +last night pressing Henry to come to you, and I think Henry engaged to +go there after his November collection. Nothing has been done as to S. +and S.[23] The books came to hand too late for him to have time for it +before he went. Mr. Hastings never hinted at Eliza in the smallest +degree. Henry knew nothing of Mr. Trimmer's death. I tell you these +things that you may not have to ask them over again. + +There is a new clerk sent down to Alton, a Mr. Edmund Williams, a young +man whom Henry thinks most highly of, and he turns out to be a son of +the luckless Williamses of Grosvenor Place. + +I long to have you hear Mr. H.'s opinion of P. and P. His admiring my +Elizabeth so much is particularly welcome to me. + +Instead of saving my superfluous wealth for you to spend, I am going to +treat myself with spending it myself. I hope, at least, that I shall +find some poplin at Layton and Shear's that will tempt me to buy it. If +I do, it shall be sent to Chawton, as half will be for you; for I depend +upon your being so kind as to accept it, being the main point. It will +be a great pleasure to me. Don't say a word. I only wish you could +choose too. I shall send twenty yards. + +Now for Bath. Poor F. Cage has suffered a good deal from her accident. +The noise of the White Hart was terrible to her. They will keep her +quiet, I dare say. She is not so much delighted with the place as the +rest of the party; probably, as she says herself, from having been less +well, but she thinks she should like it better in the season. The +streets are very empty now, and the shops not so gay as she expected. +They are at No. 1 Henrietta Street, the corner of Laura Place, and have +no acquaintance at present but the Bramstons. + +Lady Bridges drinks at the Cross Bath, her son at the Hot, and Louisa is +going to bathe. Dr. Parry seems to be half starving Mr. Bridges, for he +is restricted to much such a diet as James's, bread, water and meat, and +is never to eat so much of that as he wishes, and he is to walk a great +deal,--walk till he drops, I believe,--gout or no gout. It really is to +that purpose. I have not exaggerated. + +Charming weather for you and us, and the travellers, and everybody. You +will take your walk this afternoon, and . . . + + Henrietta Street, the autumn of 1813. + Miss AUSTEN, Chawton. + By favor of Mr. Gray. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[20] Eliza, Henry Austen's first wife, who had died in the earlier part +of this year. + +[21] "Pride and Prejudice." + +[22] Lizzy and Marianne. + +[23] "Sense and Sensibility." + + + + +XLVI. + + + HENRIETTA STREET, + Thursday (Sept. 16, after dinner), + +THANK you, my dearest Cassandra, for the nice long letter I sent off +this morning. I hope you have had it by this time, and that it has found +you all well, and my mother no more in need of leeches. Whether this +will be delivered to you by Henry on Saturday evening, or by the postman +on Sunday morning, I know not, as he has lately recollected something of +an engagement for Saturday, which perhaps may delay his visit. He seems +determined to come to you soon, however. + +I hope you will receive the gown to-morrow, and may be able with +tolerable honesty to say that you like the color. It was bought at +Grafton House, where, by going very early, we got immediate attendance +and went on very comfortably. I only forgot the one particular thing +which I had always resolved to buy there,--a white silk +handkerchief,--and was therefore obliged to give six shillings for one +at Crook and Besford's; which reminds me to say that the worsteds ought +also to be at Chawton to-morrow, and that I shall be very happy to hear +they are approved. I had not much time for deliberation. + +We are now all four of us young ladies sitting round the circular table +in the inner room writing our letters, while the two brothers are +having a comfortable coze in the room adjoining. It is to be a quiet +evening, much to the satisfaction of four of the six. My eyes are quite +tired of dust and lamps. + +The letter you forwarded from Edward, junr., has been duly received. He +has been shooting most prosperously at home, and dining at Chilham +Castle and with Mr. Scudamore. + +My cap is come home, and I like it very much. Fanny has one also; hers +is white sarsenet and lace, of a different shape from mine, more fit for +morning carriage wear, which is what it is intended for, and is in shape +exceedingly like our own satin and lace of last winter; shaped round the +face exactly like it, with pipes and more fulness, and a round crown +inserted behind. My cap has a peak in front. Large full bows of very +narrow ribbon (old twopenny) are the thing. One over the right temple, +perhaps, and another at the left ear. + +Henry is not quite well. His stomach is rather deranged. You must keep +him in rhubarb, and give him plenty of port and water. He caught his +cold farther back than I told you,--before he got to Matlock, somewhere +in his journey from the North; but the ill effects of that I hope are +nearly gone. + +We returned from Grafton House only just in time for breakfast, and had +scarcely finished breakfast when the carriage came to the door. From +eleven to half-past three we were hard at it; we did contrive to get to +Hans Place for ten minutes. Mrs. T. was as affectionate and pleasing as +ever. + +After our return Mr. Tilson walked up from the Compting House and called +upon us, and these have been all our visitings. + +I have rejoiced more than once that I bought my writing-paper in the +country; we have not had a quarter of an hour to spare. + +I enclose the eighteen-pence due to my mother. The rose color was 6_s._ +and the other 4_s._ per yard. There was but two yards and a quarter of +the dark slate in the shop, but the man promised to match it and send it +off correctly. + +Fanny bought her Irish at Newton's in Leicester Square, and I took the +opportunity of thinking about your Irish, and seeing one piece of the +yard wide at 4_s._, and it seemed to me very good; good enough for your +purpose. It might at least be worth your while to go there, if you have +no other engagements. Fanny is very much pleased with the stockings she +has bought of Remmington, silk at 12_s._, cotton at 4_s._ 3_d._ She +thinks them great bargains, but I have not seen them yet, as my hair was +dressing when the man and the stockings came. + +The poor girls and their teeth! I have not mentioned them yet, but we +were a whole hour at Spence's, and Lizzy's were filed and lamented over +again, and poor Marianne had two taken out after all, the two just +beyond the eye teeth, to make room for those in front. When her doom was +fixed, Fanny, Lizzy, and I walked into the next room, where we heard +each of the two sharp and hasty screams. + +The little girls' teeth I can suppose in a critical state, but I think +he must be a lover of teeth and money and mischief, to parade about +Fanny's. I would not have had him look at mine for a shilling a tooth +and double it. It was a disagreeable hour. + +We then went to Wedgwood's, where my brother and Fanny chose a +dinner-set. I believe the pattern is a small lozenge in purple, between +lines of narrow gold, and it is to have the crest. + +We must have been three-quarters of an hour at Grafton House, Edward +sitting by all the time with wonderful patience. There Fanny bought the +net for Anna's gown, and a beautiful square veil for herself. The edging +there is very cheap. I was tempted by some, and I bought some very nice +plaiting lace at 3_s._ 4_d._ + +Fanny desires me to tell Martha, with her kind love, that Birchall +assured her there was no second set of Hook's Lessons for Beginners, and +that, by my advice, she has therefore chosen her a set by another +composer. I thought she would rather have something than not. It costs +six shillings. + +With love to you all, including Triggs, I remain, + + Yours very affectionately, J. AUSTEN. + + Henrietta St., autumn of 1813. + Miss AUSTEN, Chawton. + By favor of + + + + +XLVII. + + + GODMERSHAM PARK, Thursday (Sept. 23). + +MY DEAREST CASSANDRA,--Thank you five hundred and forty times for the +exquisite piece of workmanship which was brought into the room this +morning, while we were at breakfast, with some very inferior works of +art in the same way, and which I read with high glee, much delighted +with everything it told, whether good or bad. It is so rich in striking +intelligence that I hardly know what to reply to first. I believe finery +must have it. + +I am extremely glad that you like the poplin. I thought it would have my +mother's approbation, but was not so confident of yours. Remember that +it is a present. Do not refuse me. I am very rich. + +Mrs. Clement is very welcome to her little boy, and to my +congratulations into the bargain, if ever you think of giving them. I +hope she will do well. Her sister in Lucina, Mrs. H. Gipps, does too +well, we think. Mary P. wrote on Sunday that she had been three days on +the sofa. Sackree does not approve it. + +Well, there is some comfort in the Mrs. Hulbart's not coming to you, and +I am happy to hear of the honey. I was thinking of it the other day. Let +me know when you begin the new tea and the new white wine. My present +elegances have not yet made me indifferent to such matters. I am still a +cat if I see a mouse. + +I am glad you like our caps, but Fanny is out of conceit with hers +already; she finds that she has been buying a new cap without having a +new pattern, which is true enough. She is rather out of luck to like +neither her gown nor her cap, but I do not much mind it, because besides +that I like them both myself, I consider it as a thing of course at her +time of life,--one of the sweet taxes of youth to choose in a hurry and +make bad bargains. + +I wrote to Charles yesterday, and Fanny has had a letter from him +to-day, principally to make inquiries about the time of their visit +here, to which mine was an answer beforehand; so he will probably write +again soon to fix his week. I am best pleased that Cassy does not go to +you. + +Now, what have we been doing since I wrote last? The Mr. K.'s[24] came a +little before dinner on Monday, and Edward went to the church with the +two seniors, but there is no inscription yet drawn up. They are very +good-natured, you know, and civil, and all that, but are not +particularly superfine; however, they ate their dinner and drank their +tea, and went away, leaving their lovely Wadham in our arms, and I wish +you had seen Fanny and me running backwards and forwards with his +breeches from the little chintz to the white room before we went to bed, +in the greatest of frights lest he should come upon us before we had +done it all. There had been a mistake in the housemaid's preparation, +and they were gone to bed. + +He seems a very harmless sort of young man, nothing to like or dislike +in him,--goes out shooting or hunting with the two others all the +morning, and plays at whist and makes queer faces in the evening. . . . + +FOOTNOTE: + +[24] Knatchbulls. + + + + +XLVIII. + + + GODMERSHAM PARK, Monday (Oct. 11). + +[MY DEAREST AUNT CASS.,--I have just asked Aunt Jane to let me write a +little in her letter, but she does not like it, so I won't. Good-by!] + +You will have Edward's letter to-morrow. He tells me that he did not +send you any news to interfere with mine, but I do not think there is +much for anybody to send at present. + +We had our dinner-party on Wednesday, with the addition of Mrs. and Miss +Milles, who were under a promise of dining here in their return from +Eastwell, whenever they paid their visit of duty there, and it happened +to be paid on that day. Both mother and daughter are much as I have +always found them. I like the mother--first, because she reminds me of +Mrs. Birch; and, secondly, because she is cheerful and grateful for what +she is at the age of ninety and upwards. The day was pleasant enough. I +sat by Mr. Chisholme, and we talked away at a great rate about nothing +worth hearing. + +It was a mistake as to the day of the Sherers going being fixed; they +are ready, but are waiting for Mr. Paget's answer. + +I inquired of Mrs. Milles after Jemima Brydges, and was quite grieved to +hear that she was obliged to leave Canterbury some months ago on account +of her debts, and is nobody knows where. What an unprosperous family! + +On Saturday, soon after breakfast, Mr. J. P. left us for Norton Court. I +like him very much. He gives me the idea of a very amiable young man, +only too diffident to be so agreeable as he might be. He was out the +chief of each morning with the other two, shooting and getting wet +through. To-morrow we are to know whether he and a hundred young ladies +will come here for the ball. I do not much expect any. + +The Deedes cannot meet us; they have engagements at home. I will finish +the Deedes by saying that they are not likely to come here till quite +late in my stay,--the very last week perhaps; and I do not expect to see +the Moores at all. They are not solicited till after Edward's return +from Hampshire. + +Monday, November 15, is the day now fixed for our setting out. + +Poor Basingstoke races! There seem to have been two particularly +wretched days on purpose for them; and Weyhill week does not begin much +happier. + +We were quite surprised by a letter from Anna at Tollard Royal, last +Saturday; but perfectly approve her going, and only regret they should +all go so far to stay so few days. + +We had thunder and lightning here on Thursday morning, between five and +seven; no very bad thunder, but a great deal of lightning. It has given +the commencement of a season of wind and rain, and perhaps for the next +six weeks we shall not have two dry days together. + +Lizzy is very much obliged to you for your letter and will answer it +soon, but has so many things to do that it may be four or five days +before she can. This is quite her own message, spoken in rather a +desponding tone. Your letter gave pleasure to all of us; we had all the +reading of it of course,--I three times, as I undertook, to the great +relief of Lizzy, to read it to Sackree, and afterwards to Louisa. + +Sackree does not at all approve of Mary Doe and her nuts,--on the score +of propriety rather than health. She saw some signs of going after her +in George and Henry, and thinks if you could give the girl a check, by +rather reproving her for taking anything seriously about nuts which they +said to her, it might be of use. This, of course, is between our three +discreet selves, a scene of triennial bliss. + +Mrs. Breton called here on Saturday. I never saw her before. She is a +large, ungenteel woman, with self-satisfied and would-be elegant +manners. + +We are certain of some visitors to-morrow. Edward Bridges comes for two +nights in his way from Lenham to Ramsgate, and brings a friend--name +unknown--but supposed to be a Mr. Harpur, a neighboring clergyman; and +Mr. R. Mascall is to shoot with the young men, which it is to be +supposed will end in his staying dinner. + +On Thursday, Mr. Lushington, M.P. for Canterbury, and manager of the +Lodge Hounds, dines here, and stays the night. He is chiefly young +Edward's acquaintance. If I can I will get a frank from him, and write +to you all the sooner. I suppose the Ashford ball will furnish +something. + +As I wrote of my nephews with a little bitterness in my last, I think +it particularly incumbent on me to do them justice now, and I have great +pleasure in saying that they were both at the Sacrament yesterday. After +having much praised or much blamed anybody, one is generally sensible of +something just the reverse soon afterwards. Now these two boys who are +out with the foxhounds will come home and disgust me again by some habit +of luxury or some proof of sporting mania, unless I keep it off by this +prediction. They amuse themselves very comfortably in the evening by +netting; they are each about a rabbit net, and sit as deedily to it, +side by side, as any two Uncle Franks could do. + +I am looking over "Self-Control" again, and my opinion is confirmed of +its being an excellently meant, elegantly written work, without anything +of nature or probability in it. I declare I do not know whether Laura's +passage down the American river is not the most natural, possible, +every-day thing she ever does. + +_Tuesday._--Dear me! what is to become of me? Such a long letter! +Two-and-forty lines in the second page. Like Harriot Byron, I ask, what +am I to do with my gratitude? I can do nothing but thank you and go on. +A few of your inquiries, I think, are replied to _en avance_. + +The name of F. Cage's drawing-master is O'Neil. We are exceedingly +amused with your Shalden news, and your self-reproach on the subject of +Mrs. Stockwell made me laugh heartily. I rather wondered that +Johncock,[25] the only person in the room, could help laughing too. I had +not heard before of her having the measles. Mrs. H. and Alethea's +staying till Friday was quite new to me; a good plan, however. I could +not have settled it better myself, and am glad they found so much in the +house to approve, and I hope they will ask Martha to visit them. I +admire the sagacity and taste of Charlotte Williams. Those large dark +eyes always judge well. I will compliment her by naming a heroine after +her. + +Edward has had all the particulars of the building, etc., read to him +twice over, and seems very well satisfied. A narrow door to the pantry +is the only subject of solicitude; it is certainly just the door which +should not be narrow, on account of the trays; but if a case of +necessity, it must be borne. + +I knew there was sugar in the tin, but had no idea of there being enough +to last through your company. All the better. You ought not to think +this new loaf better than the other, because that was the first of five +which all came together. Something of fancy, perhaps, and something of +imagination. + +Dear Mrs. Digweed! I cannot bear that she should not be foolishly happy +after a ball. I hope Miss Yates and her companions were all well the day +after their arrival. I am thoroughly rejoiced that Miss Benn has placed +herself in lodgings, though I hope they may not be long necessary. + +No letter from Charles yet. + +Southey's "Life of Nelson." I am tired of "Lives of Nelson," being that +I never read any. I will read this, however, if Frank is mentioned in +it. + +Here am I in Kent, with one brother in the same county and another +brother's wife, and see nothing of them, which seems unnatural. It will +not last so forever, I trust. I should like to have Mrs. F. A. and her +children here for a week, but not a syllable of that nature is ever +breathed. I wish her last visit had not been so long a one. + +I wonder whether Mrs. Tilson has ever lain-in. Mention it if it ever +comes to your knowledge, and we shall hear of it by the same post from +Henry. + +Mr. Rob. Mascall breakfasted here; he eats a great deal of butter. I +dined upon goose yesterday, which, I hope, will secure a good sale of my +second edition. Have you any tomatas? Fanny and I regale on them every +day. + +Disastrous letters from the Plumptres and Oxendens. Refusals +everywhere--a blank _partout_--and it is not quite certain whether we go +or not; something may depend upon the disposition of Uncle Edward when +he comes, and upon what we hear at Chilham Castle this morning, for we +are going to pay visits. We are going to each house at Chilham and to +Mystole. I shall like seeing the Faggs. I shall like it all, except that +we are to set out so early that I have not time to write as I would +wish. + +Edwd. Bridges's friend is a Mr. Hawker, I find, not Harpur. I would not +have you sleep in such an error for the world. + +My brother desires his best love and thanks for all your information. He +hopes the roots of the old beech have been dug away enough to allow a +proper covering of mould and turf. He is sorry for the necessity of +building the new coin, but hopes they will contrive that the doorway +should be of the usual width,--if it must be contracted on one side, by +widening it on the other. The appearance need not signify. And he +desires me to say that your being at Chawton when he is will be quite +necessary. You cannot think it more indispensable than he does. He is +very much obliged to you for your attention to everything. Have you any +idea of returning with him to Henrietta Street and finishing your visit +then? Tell me your sweet little innocent ideas. + +Everything of love and kindness, proper and improper, must now suffice. + + Yours very affectionately, J. AUSTEN. + + Miss AUSTEN, Chawton, Alton, Hants. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[25] The butler at Godmersham. + + + + +XLIX. + + + GODMERSHAM PARK, Thursday (Oct. 14). + +MY DEAREST CASSANDRA,--Now I will prepare for Mr. Lushington, and as it +will be wisest also to prepare for his not coming, or my not getting a +frank, I shall write very close from the first, and even leave room for +the seal in the proper place. When I have followed up my last with this +I shall feel somewhat less unworthy of you than the state of our +correspondence now requires. + +I left off in a great hurry to prepare for our morning visits. Of course +was ready a good deal the first, and need not have hurried so much. +Fanny wore her new gown and cap. I was surprised to find Mystole so +pretty. + +The ladies were at home. I was in luck, and saw Lady Fagg and all her +five daughters, with an old Mrs. Hamilton, from Canterbury, and Mrs. and +Miss Chapman, from Margate, into the bargain. I never saw so plain a +family,--five sisters so very plain! They are as plain as the Foresters, +or the Franfraddops, or the Seagraves, or the Rivers, excluding Sophy. +Miss Sally Fagg has a pretty figure, and that comprises all the good +looks of the family. + +It was stupidish; Fanny did her part very well, but there was a lack of +talk altogether, and the three friends in the house only sat by and +looked at us. However, Miss Chapman's name is Laura, and she had a +double flounce to her gown. You really must get some flounces. Are not +some of your large stock of white morning gowns just in a happy state +for a flounce--too short? Nobody at home at either house in Chilham. + +Edward Bridges and his friend did not forget to arrive. The friend is a +Mr. Wigram, one of the three-and-twenty children of a great rich +mercantile, Sir Robert Wigram, an old acquaintance of the Footes, but +very recently known to Edward B. The history of his coming here is, +that, intending to go from Ramsgate to Brighton, Edw. B. persuaded him +to take Lenham on his way, which gave him the convenience of Mr. W.'s +gig, and the comfort of not being alone there; but, probably thinking a +few days of Gm. would be the cheapest and pleasantest way of +entertaining his friend and himself, offered a visit here, and here they +stay till to-morrow. + +Mr. W. is about five or six-and-twenty, not ill-looking, and not +agreeable. He is certainly no addition. A sort of cool, gentlemanlike +manner, but very silent. They say his name is Henry, a proof how +unequally the gifts of fortune are bestowed. I have seen many a John and +Thomas much more agreeable. + +We have got rid of Mr. R. Mascall, however. I did not like him, either. +He talks too much, and is conceited, besides having a vulgarly shaped +mouth. He slept here on Tuesday, so that yesterday Fanny and I sat down +to breakfast with six gentlemen to admire us. + +We did not go to the ball. It was left to her to decide, and at last she +determined against it. She knew that it would be a sacrifice on the part +of her father and brothers if they went, and I hope it will prove that +she has not sacrificed much. It is not likely that there should have +been anybody there whom she would care for. I was very glad to be spared +the trouble of dressing and going, and being weary before it was half +over; so my gown and my cap are still unworn. It will appear at last, +perhaps, that I might have done without either. I produced my brown +bombazine yesterday, and it was very much admired indeed, and I like it +better than ever. + +You have given many particulars of the state of Chawton House, but still +we want more. Edward wants to be expressly told that all the round +tower, etc., is entirely down, and the door from the best room stopped +up; he does not know enough of the appearance of things in that quarter. + +He heard from Bath yesterday. Lady B. continues very well, and Dr. +Parry's opinion is, that while the water agrees with her she ought to +remain there, which throws their coming away at a greater uncertainty +than we had supposed. It will end, perhaps, in a fit of the gout, which +may prevent her coming away. Louisa thinks her mother's being so well +may be quite as much owing to her being so much out of doors as to the +water. Lady B. is going to try the hot pump, the Cross bath being about +to be painted. Louisa is particularly well herself, and thinks the water +has been of use to her. She mentioned our inquiries, etc., to Mr. and +Mrs. Alex. Evelyn, and had their best compliments and thanks to give in +return. Dr. Parry does not expect Mr. E. to last much longer. + +Only think of Mrs. Holder's being dead! Poor woman, she has done the +only thing in the world she could possibly do to make one cease to abuse +her. Now, if you please, Hooper must have it in his power to do more by +his uncle. Lucky for the little girl. An Anne Ekins can hardly be so +unfit for the care of a child as a Mrs. Holder. + +A letter from Wrotham yesterday offering an early visit here, and Mr. +and Mrs. Moore and one child are to come on Monday for ten days. I hope +Charles and Fanny may not fix the same time, but if they come at all in +October they must. What is the use of hoping? The two parties of +children is the chief evil. + +To be sure, here we are; the very thing has happened, or rather +worse,--a letter from Charles this very morning, which gives us reason +to suppose they may come here to-day. It depends upon the weather, and +the weather now is very fine. No difficulties are made, however, and, +indeed, there will be no want of room; but I wish there were no Wigrams +and Lushingtons in the way to fill up the table and make us such a +motley set. I cannot spare Mr. Lushington either, because of his frank, +but Mr. Wigram does no good to anybody. I cannot imagine how a man can +have the impudence to come into a family party for three days, where he +is quite a stranger, unless he knows himself to be agreeable on +undoubted authority. He and Edw. B. are going to ride to Eastwell, and +as the boys are hunting, and my brother is gone to Canty., Fanny and I +have a quiet morning before us. + +Edward has driven off poor Mrs. Salkeld. It was thought a good +opportunity of doing something towards clearing the house. By her own +desire Mrs. Fanny[26] is to be put in the room next the nursery, her baby +in a little bed by her; and as Cassy is to have the closet within, and +Betsey William's little hole, they will be all very snug together. I +shall be most happy to see dear Charles, and he will be as happy as he +can with a cross child, or some such care, pressing on him at the time. +I should be very happy in the idea of seeing little Cassy again, too, +did not I fear she would disappoint me by some immediate +disagreeableness. . . . + +The comfort of the billiard-table here is very great; it draws all the +gentlemen to it whenever they are within, especially after dinner, so +that my brother, Fanny, and I have the library to ourselves in +delightful quiet. There is no truth in the report of G. Hatton being to +marry Miss Wemyss. He desires it may be contradicted. + +Have you done anything about our present to Miss Benn? I suppose she +must have a bed at my mother's whenever she dines there. How will they +manage as to inviting her when you are gone? and if they invite, how +will they continue to entertain her? + +Let me know as many of your parting arrangements as you can, as to wine, +etc. I wonder whether the ink-bottle has been filled. Does butcher's +meat keep up at the same price, and is not bread lower than 2_s._ 6_d._? +Mary's blue gown! My mother must be in agonies. I have a great mind to +have my blue gown dyed some time or other. I proposed it once to you, +and you made some objection, I forget what. It is the fashion of +flounces that gives it particular expediency. + +Mrs. and Miss Wildman have just been here. Miss is very plain. I wish +Lady B. may be returned before we leave Gm., that Fanny may spend the +time of her father's absence at Goodnestone, which is what she would +prefer. + +_Friday._--They came last night at about seven. We had given them up, +but I still expected them to come. Dessert was nearly over; a better +time for arriving than an hour and a half earlier. They were late +because they did not set out earlier, and did not allow time enough. +Charles did not aim at more than reaching Sittingbourne by three, which +could not have brought them here by dinner-time. They had a very rough +passage; he would not have ventured if he had known how bad it would be. + +However, here they are, safe and well, just like their own nice selves, +Fanny looking as neat and white this morning as possible, and dear +Charles all affectionate, placid, quiet, cheerful good-humor. They are +both looking very well, but poor little Cassy is grown extremely thin, +and looks poorly. I hope a week's country air and exercise may do her +good. I am sorry to say it can be but a week. The baby does not appear +so large in proportion as she was, nor quite so pretty, but I have seen +very little of her. Cassy was too tired and bewildered just at first to +seem to know anybody. We met them in the hall--the women and girl part +of us--but before we reached the library she kissed me very +affectionately, and has since seemed to recollect me in the same way. + +It was quite an evening of confusion, as you may suppose. At first we +were all walking about from one part of the house to the other; then +came a fresh dinner in the breakfast-room for Charles and his wife, +which Fanny and I attended; then we moved into the library, were joined +by the dining-room people, were introduced, and so forth; and then we +had tea and coffee, which was not over till past ten. Billiards again +drew all the odd ones away; and Edward, Charles, the two Fannies, and I +sat snugly talking. I shall be glad to have our numbers a little +reduced, and by the time you receive this we shall be only a family, +though a large family, party. Mr. Lushington goes to-morrow. + +Now I must speak of him, and I like him very much. I am sure he is +clever, and a man of taste. He got a volume of Milton last night, and +spoke of it with warmth. He is quite an M. P., very smiling, with an +exceeding good address and readiness of language. I am rather in love +with him. I dare say he is ambitious and insincere. He puts me in mind +of Mr. Dundas. He has a wide smiling mouth, and very good teeth, and +something the same complexion and nose. He is a much shorter man, with +Martha's leave. Does Martha never hear from Mrs. Craven? Is Mrs. Craven +never at home? + +We breakfasted in the dining-room to-day, and are now all pretty well +dispersed and quiet. Charles and George are gone out shooting together, +to Winnigates and Seaton Wood. I asked on purpose to tell Henry. Mr. +Lushington and Edwd. are gone some other way. I wish Charles may kill +something; but this high wind is against their sport. + +Lady Williams is living at the Rose at Sittingbourne; they called upon +her yesterday; she cannot live at Sheerness, and as soon as she gets to +Sittingbourne is quite well. In return for all your matches, I announce +that her brother William is going to marry a Miss Austen, of a Wiltshire +family, who say they are related to us. + +I talk to Cassy about Chawton; she remembers much, but does not +volunteer on the subject. Poor little love! I wish she were not so very +Palmery, but it seems stronger than ever. I never knew a wife's family +features have such undue influence. + +Papa and mamma have not yet made up their mind as to parting with her or +not; the chief, indeed the only, difficulty with mamma is a very +reasonable one, the child's being very unwilling to leave them. When it +was mentioned to her she did not like the idea of it at all. At the same +time she has been suffering so much lately from sea-sickness that her +mamma cannot bear to have her much on board this winter. Charles is +less inclined to part with her. I do not know how it will end, or what +is to determine it. He desires his best love to you, and has not written +because he has not been able to decide. They are both very sensible of +your kindness on the occasion. + +I have made Charles furnish me with something to say about young +Kendall. He is going on very well. When he first joined the "Namur," my +brother did not find him forward enough to be what they call put in the +office, and therefore placed him under the schoolmaster; but he is very +much improved, and goes into the office now every afternoon, still +attending school in the morning. + +This cold weather comes very fortunately for Edward's nerves, with such +a house full; it suits him exactly; he is all alive and cheerful. Poor +James, on the contrary, must be running his toes into the fire. I find +that Mary Jane Fowle was very near returning with her brother and paying +them a visit on board. I forget exactly what hindered her; I believe the +Cheltenham scheme. I am glad something did. They are to go to Cheltenham +on Monday se'nnight. I don't vouch for their going, you know; it only +comes from one of the family. + +Now I think I have written you a good-sized letter, and may deserve +whatever I can get in reply. Infinities of love. I must distinguish +that of Fanny, senior, who particularly desires to be remembered to you +all. + + Yours very affectionately, + J. AUSTEN. + + FAVERSHAM, Oct. 15, 1813. + Miss AUSTEN, Chawton, Alton, Hants. + Per S. R. LUSHINGTON. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[26] Mrs. Charles Austen, _née_ Fanny Palmer. + + + + +L. + + + GODMERSHAM PARK, Oct. 18. + +MY DEAR AUNT CASSANDRA,--I am very much obliged to you for your long +letter and for the nice account of Chawton. We are all very glad to hear +that the Adams are gone, and hope Dame Libscombe will be more happy now +with her deaffy child, as she calls it, but I am afraid there is not +much chance of her remaining long sole mistress of her house. + +I am sorry you had not any better news to send us of our hare, poor +little thing! I thought it would not live long in that _Pondy House_; I +don't wonder that Mary Doe is very sorry it is dead, because we promised +her that if it was alive when we came back to Chawton, we would reward +her for her trouble. + +Papa is much obliged to you for ordering the scrubby firs to be cut +down; I think he was rather frightened at first about the great oak. +Fanny quite believed it, for she exclaimed, "Dear me, what a pity, how +could they be so stupid!" I hope by this time they have put up some +hurdles for the sheep, or turned out the cart-horses from the lawn. + +Pray tell grandmamma that we have begun getting seeds for her; I hope we +shall be able to get her a nice collection, but I am afraid this wet +weather is very much against them. How glad I am to hear she has had +such good success with her chickens, but I wish there had been more +bantams amongst them. I am very sorry to hear of poor Lizzie's fate. + +I must now tell you something about our poor people. I believe you know +old Mary Croucher; she gets _maderer_ and _maderer_ every day. Aunt Jane +has been to see her, but it was on one of her rational days. Poor Will +Amos hopes your skewers are doing well; he has left his house in the +poor Row, and lives in a barn at Builting. We asked him why he went +away, and he said the fleas were so starved when he came back from +Chawton that they all flew upon him and _eenermost_ eat him up. + +How unlucky it is that the weather is so wet! Poor Uncle Charles has +come home half drowned every day. + +I don't think little Fanny is quite so pretty as she was; one reason is +because she wears short petticoats, I believe. I hope Cook is better; +she was very unwell the day we went away. Papa has given me +half-a-dozen new pencils, which are very good ones indeed; I draw every +other day. I hope you go and whip Lucy Chalcraft every night. + +Miss Clewes begs me to give her very best respects to you; she is very +much obliged to you for your kind inquiries after her. Pray give my duty +to grandmamma and love to Miss Floyd. I remain, my dear Aunt Cassandra, +your very affectionate niece, + + ELIZTH. KNIGHT. + +_Thursday._--I think Lizzy's letter will entertain you. Thank you for +yours just received. To-morrow shall be fine if possible. You will be at +Guildford before our party set off. They only go to Key Street, as Mr. +Street the Purser lives there, and they have promised to dine and sleep +with him. + +Cassy's looks are much mended. She agrees pretty well with her cousins, +but is not quite happy among them; they are too many and too boisterous +for her. I have given her your message, but she said nothing, and did +not look as if the idea of going to Chawton again was a pleasant one. +They have Edward's carriage to Ospringe. + +I think I have just done a good deed,--extracted Charles from his wife +and children upstairs, and made him get ready to go out shooting, and +not keep Mr. Moore waiting any longer. + +Mr. and Mrs. Sherer and Joseph dined here yesterday very prettily. Edw. +and Geo. were absent,--gone for a night to Eastling. The two Fannies +went to Canty. in the morning, and took Lou. and Cass. to try on new +stays. Harriet and I had a comfortable walk together. She desires her +best love to you and kind remembrance to Henry. Fanny's best love also. +I fancy there is to be another party to Canty. to-morrow,--Mr. and Mrs. +Moore and me. + +Edward thanks Henry for his letter. We are most happy to hear he is so +much better. I depend upon you for letting me know what he wishes as to +my staying with him or not; you will be able to find out, I dare say. I +had intended to beg you would bring one of my nightcaps with you, in +case of my staying, but forgot it when I wrote on Tuesday. Edward is +much concerned about his pond; he cannot now doubt the fact of its +running out, which he was resolved to do as long as possible. + +I suppose my mother will like to have me write to her. I shall try at +least. + +No; I have never seen the death of Mrs. Crabbe. I have only just been +making out from one of his prefaces that he probably was married. It is +almost ridiculous. Poor woman! I will comfort him as well as I can, but +I do not undertake to be good to her children. She had better not leave +any. + +Edw. and Geo. set off this day week for Oxford. Our party will then be +very small, as the Moores will be going about the same time. To enliven +us, Fanny proposes spending a few days soon afterwards at Fredville. It +will really be a good opportunity, as her father will have a companion. +We shall all three go to Wrotham, but Edwd. and I stay only a night +perhaps. Love to Mr. Tilson. + + Yours very affectionately, J. A. + + Miss AUSTEN, + 10 Henrietta St., Covent Garden, London. + + + + +LI. + + + GODMERSHAM PARK, Wednesday (Nov. 3). + +MY DEAREST CASSANDRA,--I will keep this celebrated birthday by writing +to you; and as my pen seems inclined to write large, I will put my lines +very close together. I had but just time to enjoy your letter yesterday +before Edward and I set off in the chair for Canty., and I allowed him +to hear the chief of it as we went along. + +We rejoice sincerely in Henry's gaining ground as he does, and hope +there will be weather for him to get out every day this week, as the +likeliest way of making him equal to what he plans for the next. If he +is tolerably well, the going into Oxfordshire will make him better, by +making him happier. + +Can it be that I have not given you the minutiæ of Edward's plans? See, +here they are: To go to Wrotham on Saturday the 13th, spend Sunday +there, and be in town on Monday to dinner, and if agreeable to Henry, +spend one whole day with him, which day is likely to be Tuesday, and so +go down to Chawton on Wednesday. + +But now I cannot be quite easy without staying a little while with +Henry, unless he wishes it otherwise; his illness and the dull time of +year together make me feel that it would be horrible of me not to offer +to remain with him, and therefore unless you know of any objection, I +wish you would tell him with my best love that I shall be most happy to +spend ten days or a fortnight in Henrietta St., if he will accept me. I +do not offer more than a fortnight, because I shall then have been some +time from home; but it will be a great pleasure to be with him, as it +always is. I have the less regret and scruple on your account, because I +shall see you for a day and a half, and because you will have Edward for +at least a week. My scheme is to take Bookham in my way home for a few +days, and my hope that Henry will be so good as to send me some part of +the way thither. I have a most kind repetition of Mrs. Cooke's two or +three dozen invitations, with the offer of meeting me anywhere in one of +her airings. + +Fanny's cold is much better. By dosing and keeping her room on Sunday, +she got rid of the worst of it, but I am rather afraid of what this day +may do for her; she is gone to Canty. with Miss Clewes, Liz., and +Ma^{rnne}, and it is but roughish weather for any one in a tender state. +Miss Clewes has been going to Canty. ever since her return, and it is +now just accomplishing. + +Edward and I had a delightful morning for our drive there, I enjoyed it +thoroughly; but the day turned off before we were ready, and we came +home in some rain and the apprehension of a great deal. It has not done +us any harm, however. He went to inspect the gaol, as a visiting +magistrate, and took me with him. I was gratified, and went through all +the feelings which people must go through, I think, in visiting such a +building. We paid no other visits, only walked about snugly together, +and shopped. I bought a concert ticket and a sprig of flowers for my old +age. + +To vary the subject from gay to grave with inimitable address, I shall +now tell you something of the Bath party--and still a Bath party they +are, for a fit of the gout came on last week. The accounts of Lady B. +are as good as can be under such a circumstance; Dr. P. says it appears +a good sort of gout, and her spirits are better than usual, but as to +her coming away, it is of course all uncertainty. I have very little +doubt of Edward's going down to Bath, if they have not left it when he +is in Hampshire; if he does, he will go on from Steventon, and then +return direct to London, without coming back to Chawton. This detention +does not suit his feelings. It may be rather a good thing, however, that +Dr. P. should see Lady B. with the gout on her. Harriot was quite +wishing for it. + +The day seems to improve. I wish my pen would too. + +Sweet Mr. Ogle! I dare say he sees all the panoramas for nothing, has +free admittance everywhere; he is so delightful! Now, you need not see +anybody else. + +I am glad to hear of our being likely to have a peep at Charles and +Fanny at Christmas, but do not force poor Cass. to stay if she hates it. +You have done very right as to Mrs. F. A. Your tidings of S. and S. give +me pleasure. I have never seen it advertised. + +Harriot, in a letter to Fanny to-day, inquires whether they sell cloths +for pelisses at Bedford House, and, if they do, will be very much +obliged to you to desire them to send her down patterns, with the width +and prices; they may go from Charing Cross almost any day in the week, +but if it is a ready-money house it will not do, for the _bru_ of _feu_ +the Archbishop says she cannot pay for it immediately. Fanny and I +suspect they do not deal in the article. + +The Sherers, I believe, are now really going to go; Joseph has had a bed +here the last two nights, and I do not know whether this is not the day +of moving. Mrs. Sherer called yesterday to take leave. The weather looks +worse again. + +We dine at Chilham Castle to-morrow, and I expect to find some +amusement, but more from the concert the next day, as I am sure of +seeing several that I want to see. We are to meet a party from +Goodnestone, Lady B., Miss Hawley, and Lucy Foote, and I am to meet Mrs. +Harrison, and we are to talk about Ben and Anna. "My dear Mrs. +Harrison," I shall say, "I am afraid the young man has some of your +family madness; and though there often appears to be something of +madness in Anna too, I think she inherits more of it from her mother's +family than from ours." That is what I shall say, and I think she will +find it difficult to answer me. + +I took up your letter again to refresh me, being somewhat tired, and was +struck with the prettiness of the hand: it is really a very pretty hand +now and then,--so small and so neat! I wish I could get as much into a +sheet of paper.[27] Another time I will take two days to make a letter +in: it is fatiguing to write a whole long one at once. I hope to hear +from you again on Sunday and again on Friday, the day before we move. +On Monday, I suppose, you will be going to Streatham, to see quiet Mr. +Hill and eat very bad baker's bread. + +A fall in bread by the by. I hope my mother's bill next week will show +it. I have had a very comfortable letter from her, one of her foolscap +sheets quite full of little home news. Anna was there the first of the +two days. An Anna sent away and an Anna fetched are different things. +This will be an excellent time for Ben to pay his visit, now that we, +the formidables, are absent. + +I did not mean to eat, but Mr. Johncock has brought in the tray, so I +must. I am all alone. Edward is gone into his woods. At this present +time I have five tables, eight-and-twenty chairs, and two fires all to +myself. + +Miss Clewes is to be invited to go to the concert with us; there will be +my brother's place and ticket for her, as he cannot go. He and the other +connections of the Cages are to meet at Milgate that very day, to +consult about a proposed alteration of the Maidstone road, in which the +Cages are very much interested. Sir Brook comes here in the morning, and +they are to be joined by Mr. Deedes at Ashford. The loss of the concert +will be no great evil to the Squire. We shall be a party of three ladies +therefore, and to meet three ladies. + +What a convenient carriage Henry's is, to his friends in general! Who +has it next? I am glad William's going is voluntary, and on no worse +grounds. An inclination for the country is a venial fault. He has more +of Cowper than of Johnson in him,--fonder of tame hares and blank verse +than of the full tide of human existence at Charing Cross. + +Oh! I have more of such sweet flattery from Miss Sharp. She is an +excellent kind friend. I am read and admired in Ireland too. There is a +Mrs. Fletcher, the wife of a judge, an old lady, and very good and very +clever, who is all curiosity to know about me,--what I am like, and so +forth. I am not known to her by name, however. This comes through Mrs. +Carrick, not through Mrs. Gore. You are quite out there. + +I do not despair of having my picture in the Exhibition at last,--all +white and red, with my head on one side; or perhaps I may marry young +Mr. D'Arblay. I suppose in the mean time I shall owe dear Henry a great +deal of money for printing, etc. + +I hope Mrs. Fletcher will indulge herself with S. and S. If I am to stay +in H. S., and if you should be writing home soon, I wish you would be so +good as to give a hint of it, for I am not likely to write there again +these ten days, having written yesterday. + +Fanny has set her heart upon its being a Mr. Brett who is going to marry +a Miss Dora Best, of this country. I dare say Henry has no objection. +Pray, where did the boys sleep? + +The Deedes come here on Monday to stay till Friday, so that we shall end +with a flourish the last canto. They bring Isabella and one of the +grown-ups, and will come in for a Canty. ball on Thursday. I shall be +glad to see them. Mrs. Deedes and I must talk rationally together, I +suppose. + +Edward does not write to Henry, because of my writing so often. God +bless you. I shall be so glad to see you again, and I wish you many +happy returns of this day. Poor Lord Howard! How he does cry about it! + + Yours very truly, J. A. + + Miss AUSTEN, + 10 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[27] I cannot pass this paragraph over without remarking that it is +hardly possible to imagine anything neater or prettier than Jane's own +hand. Most of her letters are beautifully written, and the MS. of her +"Lady Susan" remarkably so.--_Note by Lord_ BRABOURNE. + + + + +LII. + + + GODMERSHAM PARK, Saturday (Nov. 6). + +MY DEAREST CASSANDRA,--Having half an hour before breakfast (very snug, +in my own room, lovely morning, excellent fire--fancy me!) I will give +you some account of the last two days. And yet, what is there to be +told? I shall get foolishly minute unless I cut the matter short. + +We met only the Bretons at Chilham Castle, besides a Mr. and Mrs. +Osborne and a Miss Lee staying in the house, and were only fourteen +altogether. My brother and Fanny thought it the pleasantest party they +had ever known there, and I was very well entertained by bits and +scraps. I had long wanted to see Dr. Breton, and his wife amuses me very +much with her affected refinement and elegance. Miss Lee I found very +conversable; she admires Crabbe as she ought. She is at an age of +reason, ten years older than myself at least. She was at the famous ball +at Chilham Castle, so of course you remember her. + +By the by, as I must leave off being young, I find many _douceurs_ in +being a sort of _chaperon_, for I am put on the sofa near the fire, and +can drink as much wine as I like. We had music in the evening: Fanny and +Miss Wildman played, and Mr. James Wildman sat close by and listened, or +pretended to listen. + +Yesterday was a day of dissipation all through: first came Sir Brook to +dissipate us before breakfast; then there was a call from Mr. Sherer, +then a regular morning visit from Lady Honeywood in her way home from +Eastwell; then Sir Brook and Edward set off; then we dined (five in +number) at half-past four; then we had coffee; and at six Miss Clewes, +Fanny, and I drove away. We had a beautiful night for our frisks. We +were earlier than we need have been, but after a time Lady B. and her +two companions appeared,--we had kept places for them; and there we sat, +all six in a row, under a side wall, I between Lucy Foote and Miss +Clewes. + +Lady B. was much what I expected; I could not determine whether she was +rather handsome or very plain. I liked her for being in a hurry to have +the concert over and get away, and for getting away at last with a great +deal of decision and promptness, not waiting to compliment and dawdle +and fuss about seeing dear Fanny, who was half the evening in another +part of the room with her friends the Plumptres. I am growing too +minute, so I will go to breakfast. + +When the concert was over, Mrs. Harrison and I found each other out, and +had a very comfortable little complimentary friendly chat. She is a +sweet woman,--still quite a sweet woman in herself, and so like her +sister! I could almost have thought I was speaking to Mrs. Lefroy. She +introduced me to her daughter, whom I think pretty, but most dutifully +inferior to _la Mère Beauté_. The Faggs and the Hammonds were +there,--Wm. Hammond the only young man of renown. Miss looked very +handsome, but I prefer her little smiling flirting sister Julia. + +I was just introduced at last to Mary Plumptre, but I should hardly know +her again. She was delighted with me, however, good enthusiastic soul! +And Lady B. found me handsomer than she expected, so you see I am not so +very bad as you might think for. + +It was twelve before we reached home. We were all dog-tired, but pretty +well to-day: Miss Clewes says she has not caught cold, and Fanny's does +not seem worse. I was so tired that I began to wonder how I should get +through the ball next Thursday; but there will be so much more variety +then in walking about, and probably so much less heat, that perhaps I +may not feel it more. My china crape is still kept for the ball. Enough +of the concert. + +I had a letter from Mary yesterday. They travelled down to Cheltenham +last Monday very safely, and are certainly to be there a month. Bath is +still Bath. The H. Bridges must quit them early next week, and Louisa +seems not quite to despair of their all moving together, but to those +who see at a distance there appears no chance of it. Dr. Parry does not +want to keep Lady B. at Bath when she can once move. That is lucky. You +will see poor Mr. Evelyn's death. + +Since I wrote last, my 2nd edit. has stared me in the face. Mary tells +me that Eliza means to buy it. I wish she may. It can hardly depend upon +any more Fyfield Estates. I cannot help hoping that many will feel +themselves obliged to buy it. I shall not mind imagining it a +disagreeable duty to them, so as they do it. Mary heard before she left +home that it was very much admired at Cheltenham, and that it was given +to Miss Hamilton. It is pleasant to have such a respectable writer +named. I cannot tire you, I am sure, on this subject, or I would +apologize. + +What weather, and what news! We have enough to do to admire them both. I +hope you derive your full share of enjoyment from each. + +I have extended my lights and increased my acquaintance a good deal +within these two days. Lady Honeywood you know; I did not sit near +enough to be a perfect judge, but I thought her extremely pretty, and +her manners have all the recommendations of ease and good-humor and +unaffectedness; and going about with four horses and nicely dressed +herself, she is altogether a perfect sort of woman. + +Oh, and I saw Mr. Gipps last night,--the useful Mr. Gipps, whose +attentions came in as acceptably to us in handing us to the carriage, +for want of a better man, as they did to Emma Plumptre. I thought him +rather a good-looking little man. + +I long for your letter to-morrow, particularly that I may know my fate +as to London. My first wish is that Henry should really choose what he +likes best; I shall certainly not be sorry if he does not want me. +Morning church to-morrow; I shall come back with impatient feelings. + +The Sherers are gone, but the Pagets are not come: we shall therefore +have Mr. S. again. Mr. Paget acts like an unsteady man. Dr. Hant, +however, gives him a very good character; what is wrong is to be imputed +to the lady. I dare say the house likes female government. + +I have a nice long black and red letter from Charles, but not +communicating much that I did not know. + +There is some chance of a good ball next week, as far as females go. +Lady Bridges may perhaps be there with some Knatchbulls. Mrs. Harrison +perhaps, with Miss Oxenden and the Miss Papillons; and if Mrs. Harrison, +then Lady Fagg will come. + +The shades of evening are descending, and I resume my interesting +narrative. Sir Brook and my brother came back about four, and Sir Brook +almost immediately set forward again to Goodnestone. We are to have +Edwd. B. to-morrow, to pay us another Sunday's visit,--the last, for +more reasons than one; they all come home on the same day that we go. +The Deedes do not come till Tuesday; Sophia is to be the comer. She is a +disputable beauty that I want much to see. Lady Eliz. Hatton and +Annamaria called here this morning. Yes, they called; but I do not think +I can say anything more about them. They came, and they sat, and they +went. + +_Sunday._--Dearest Henry! What a turn he has for being ill, and what a +thing bile is! This attack has probably been brought on in part by his +previous confinement and anxiety; but, however it came, I hope it is +going fast, and that you will be able to send a very good account of him +on Tuesday. As I hear on Wednesday, of course I shall not expect to hear +again on Friday. Perhaps a letter to Wrotham would not have an ill +effect. + +We are to be off on Saturday before the post comes in, as Edward takes +his own horses all the way. He talks of nine o'clock. We shall bait at +Lenham. + +Excellent sweetness of you to send me such a nice long letter; it made +its appearance, with one from my mother, soon after I and my impatient +feelings walked in. How glad I am that I did what I did! I was only +afraid that you might think the offer superfluous, but you have set my +heart at ease. Tell Henry that I will stay with him, let it be ever so +disagreeable to him. + +Oh, dear me! I have not time on paper for half that I want to say. There +have been two letters from Oxford,--one from George yesterday. They got +there very safely,--Edwd. two hours behind the coach, having lost his +way in leaving London. George writes cheerfully and quietly; hopes to +have Utterson's rooms soon; went to lecture on Wednesday, states some of +his expenses, and concludes with saying, "I am afraid I shall be poor." +I am glad he thinks about it so soon. I believe there is no private +tutor yet chosen, but my brother is to hear from Edwd. on the subject +shortly. + +You, and Mrs. H., and Catherine, and Alethea going about together in +Henry's carriage seeing sights--I am not used to the idea of it yet. All +that you are to see of Streatham, seen already! Your Streatham and my +Bookham may go hang. The prospect of being taken down to Chawton by +Henry perfects the plan to me. I was in hopes of your seeing some +illuminations, and you have seen them. "I thought you would come, and +you did come." I am sorry he is not to come from the Baltic sooner. Poor +Mary! + +My brother has a letter from Louisa to-day of an unwelcome nature; they +are to spend the winter at Bath. It was just decided on. Dr. Parry +wished it, not from thinking the water necessary to Lady B., but that he +might be better able to judge how far his treatment of her, which is +totally different from anything she had been used to, is right; and I +suppose he will not mind having a few more of her Ladyship's guineas. +His system is a lowering one. He took twelve ounces of blood from her +when the gout appeared, and forbids wine, etc. Hitherto the plan agrees +with her. She is very well satisfied to stay, but it is a sore +disappointment to Louisa and Fanny. + +The H. Bridges leave them on Tuesday, and they mean to move into a +smaller house; you may guess how Edward feels. There can be no doubt of +his going to Bath now; I should not wonder if he brought Fanny Cage back +with him. + +You shall hear from me once more, some day or other. + + Yours very affectionately, J. A. + +We do not like Mr. Hampson's scheme. + + Miss AUSTEN, + 10 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London. + + + + +LIII. + + + HENRIETTA ST., Wednesday (March 2, 1814). + +We had altogether a very good journey, and everything at Cobham was +comfortable. I could not pay Mr. Harrington! That was the only alas! of +the business. I shall therefore return his bill, and my mother's 2_l._, +that you may try your luck. We did not begin reading till Bentley Green. +Henry's approbation is hitherto even equal to my wishes. He says it is +different from the other two, but does not appear to think it at all +inferior. He has only married Mrs. R.[28] I am afraid he has gone through +the most entertaining part. He took to Lady B. and Mrs. N.[29] most +kindly, and gives great praise to the drawing of the characters. He +understands them all, likes Fanny, and, I think, foresees how it will +all be. I finished the "Heroine" last night, and was very much amused by +it. I wonder James did not like it better. It diverted me exceedingly. +We went to bed at ten. I was very tired, but slept to a miracle, and am +lovely to-day, and at present Henry seems to have no complaint. We left +Cobham at half-past eight, stopped to bait and breakfast at Kingston, +and were in this house considerably before two. Nice smiling Mr. Barlowe +met us at the door, and, in reply to inquiries after news, said that +peace was generally expected. I have taken possession of my bedroom, +unpacked my bandbox, sent Miss P.'s two letters to the twopenny post, +been visited by M^{d.} B., and am now writing by myself at the new table +in the front room. It is snowing. We had some snowstorms yesterday, and +a smart frost at night, which gave us a hard road from Cobham to +Kingston; but as it was then getting dirty and heavy, Henry had a pair +of leaders put on to the bottom of Sloane St. His own horses, therefore, +cannot have had hard work. I watched for veils as we drove through the +streets, and had the pleasure of seeing several upon vulgar heads. And +now, how do you all do?--you in particular, after the worry of yesterday +and the day before. I hope Martha had a pleasant visit again, and that +you and my mother could eat your beef-pudding. Depend upon my thinking +of the chimney-sweeper as soon as I wake to-morrow. Places are secured +at Drury Lane for Saturday, but so great is the rage for seeing Kean +that only a third and fourth row could be got; as it is in a front box, +however, I hope we shall do pretty well--Shylock, a good play for +Fanny--she cannot be much affected, I think. Mrs. Perigord has just been +here. She tells me that we owe her master for the silk-dyeing. My poor +old muslin has never been dyed yet. It has been promised to be done +several times. What wicked people dyers are! They begin with dipping +their own souls in scarlet sin. It is evening. We have drank tea, and I +have torn through the third vol. of the "Heroine." I do not think it +falls off. It is a delightful burlesque, particularly on the Radcliffe +style. Henry is going on with "Mansfield Park." He admires H. Crawford: +I mean properly, as a clever, pleasant man. I tell you all the good I +can, as I know how much you will enjoy it. We hear that Mr. Kean is more +admired than ever. There are no good places to be got in Drury Lane for +the next fortnight, but Henry means to secure some for Saturday +fortnight, when you are reckoned upon. Give my love to little Cass. I +hope she found my bed comfortable last night. I have seen nobody in +London yet with such a long chin as Dr. Syntax, nor anybody quite so +large as Gogmagolicus. + + Yours aff^{ly}, J. AUSTEN. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[28] Mrs. Rushworth in "Mansfield Park." + +[29] Lady Bertram and Mrs. Norris. + + + + +LIV. + + + HENRIETTA ST., Wednesday (March 9). + +WELL, we went to the play again last night, and as we were out a great +part of the morning too, shopping, and seeing the Indian jugglers, I am +very glad to be quiet now till dressing-time. We are to dine at the +Tilsons', and to-morrow at Mr. Spencer's. + +We had not done breakfast yesterday when Mr. J. Plumptre appeared to say +that he had secured a box. Henry asked him to dine here, which I fancy +he was very happy to do, and so at five o'clock we four sat down to +table together, while the master of the house was preparing for going +out himself. The "Farmer's Wife" is a musical thing in three acts, and +as Edward was steady in not staying for anything more, we were at home +before ten. + +Fanny and Mr. J. P. are delighted with Miss S., and her merit in singing +is, I dare say, very great; that she gave me no pleasure is no +reflection upon her, nor, I hope, upon myself, being what Nature made me +on that article. All that I am sensible of in Miss S. is a pleasing +person and no skill in acting. We had Mathews, Liston, and Emery; of +course, some amusement. + +Our friends were off before half-past eight this morning, and had the +prospect of a heavy cold journey before them. I think they both liked +their visit very much. I am sure Fanny did. Henry sees decided +attachment between her and his new acquaintance. + +I have a cold, too, as well as my mother and Martha. Let it be a +generous emulation between us which can get rid of it first. + +I wear my gauze gown to-day, long sleeves and all. I shall see how they +succeed, but as yet I have no reason to suppose long sleeves are +allowable. I have lowered the bosom, especially at the corners, and +plaited black satin ribbon round the top. Such will be my costume of +vine-leaves and paste. + +Prepare for a play the very first evening, I rather think Covent Garden, +to see Young in "Richard." I have answered for your little companion's +being conveyed to Keppel St. immediately. I have never yet been able to +get there myself, but hope I shall soon. + +What cruel weather this is! and here is Lord Portsmouth married, too, to +Miss Hanson.[30] + +Henry has finished "Mansfield Park," and his approbation has not +lessened. He found the last half of the last volume extremely +interesting. + +I suppose my mother recollects that she gave me no money for paying +Brecknell and Twining, and my funds will not supply enough. + +We are home in such good time that I can finish my letter to-night, +which will be better than getting up to do it to-morrow, especially as, +on account of my cold, which has been very heavy in my head this +evening, I rather think of lying in bed later than usual. I would not +but be well enough to go to Hertford St. on any account. + +We met only Genl. Chowne to-day, who has not much to say for himself. I +was ready to laugh at the remembrance of Frederick, and such a different +Frederick as we chose to fancy him to the real Christopher! + +Mrs. Tilson had long sleeves, too, and she assured me that they are worn +in the evening by many. I was glad to hear this. She dines here, I +believe, next Tuesday. + +On Friday we are to be snug with only Mr. Barlowe and an evening of +business. I am so pleased that the mead is brewed. Love to all. I have +written to Mrs. Hill, and care for nobody. + + Yours affectionately, J. AUSTEN. + + Miss AUSTEN, Chawton. + By favor of Mr. GRAY. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[30] His second wife. He died in 1853, and was succeeded by his brother, +the father of the present earl. + + + + +LV. + + + CHAWTON, Tuesday (June 13). + +MY DEAREST CASSANDRA,--Fanny takes my mother to Alton this morning, +which gives me an opportunity of sending you a few lines without any +other trouble than that of writing them. + +This is a delightful day in the country, and I hope not much too hot for +town. Well, you had a good journey, I trust, and all that, and not rain +enough to spoil your bonnet. It appeared so likely to be a wet evening +that I went up to the Gt. House between three and four, and dawdled away +an hour very comfortably, though Edwd. was not very brisk. The air was +clearer in the evening, and he was better. We all five walked together +into the kitchen garden and along the Gosport road, and they drank tea +with us. + +You will be glad to hear that G. Turner has another situation, something +in the cow line, near Rumsey, and he wishes to move immediately, which +is not likely to be inconvenient to anybody. + +The new nurseryman at Alton comes this morning to value the crops in the +garden. + +The only letter to-day is from Mrs. Cooke to me. They do not leave home +till July, and want me to come to them, according to my promise. And, +after considering everything, I have resolved on going. My companions +promote it. I will not go, however, till after Edward is gone, that he +may feel he has a somebody to give memorandums to, to the last. I must +give up all help from his carriage, of course. And, at any rate, it must +be such an excess of expense that I have quite made up my mind to it, +and do not mean to care. + +I have been thinking of Triggs and the chair, you may be sure, but I +know it will end in posting. They will meet me at Guildford. + +In addition to their standing claims on me they admire "Mansfield Park" +exceedingly. Mr. Cooke says "it is the most sensible novel he ever +read," and the manner in which I treat the clergy delights them very +much. Altogether, I must go, and I want you to join me there when your +visit in Henrietta St. is over. Put this into your capacious head. + +Take care of yourself, and do not be trampled to death in running after +the Emperor. The report in Alton yesterday was that they would certainly +travel this road either to or from Portsmouth. I long to know what this +bow of the Prince's will produce. + +I saw Mrs. Andrews yesterday. Mrs. Browning had seen her before. She is +very glad to send an Elizabeth. + +Miss Benn continues the same. Mr. Curtis, however, saw her yesterday, +and said her hand was going on as well as possible. Accept our best +love. + + Yours very affectionately, + J. AUSTEN. + + Miss AUSTEN, 10 Henrietta Street, + By favor of Mr. GRAY. + + + + +LVI. + + + THURSDAY (June 23). + +DEAREST CASSANDRA,--I received your pretty letter while the children +were drinking tea with us, as Mr. Louch was so obliging as to walk over +with it. Your good account of everybody made us very happy. + +I heard yesterday from Frank. When he began his letter he hoped to be +here on Monday, but before it was ended he had been told that the naval +review would not take place till Friday, which would probably occasion +him some delay, as he cannot get some necessary business of his own +attended to while Portsmouth is in such a bustle. I hope Fanny has seen +the Emperor, and then I may fairly wish them all away. I go to-morrow, +and hope for some delays and adventures. + +My mother's wood is brought in, but, by some mistake, no bavins. She +must therefore buy some. + +Henry at White's! Oh, what a Henry! I do not know what to wish as to +Miss B., so I will hold my tongue and my wishes. + +Sackree and the children set off yesterday, and have not been returned +back upon us. They were all very well the evening before. We had +handsome presents from the Gt. House yesterday,--a ham and the four +leeches. Sackree has left some shirts of her master's at the school, +which, finished or unfinished, she begs to have sent by Henry and Wm. +Mr. Hinton is expected home soon, which is a good thing for the shirts. + +We have called upon Miss Dusantoy and Miss Papillon, and been very +pretty. Miss D. has a great idea of being Fanny Price,--she and her +youngest sister together, who is named Fanny. + +Miss Benn has drank tea with the Prowtings, and, I believe, comes to us +this evening. She has still a swelling about the forefinger and a little +discharge, and does not seem to be on the point of a perfect cure, but +her spirits are good, and she will be most happy, I believe, to accept +any invitation. The Clements are gone to Petersfield to look. + +Only think of the Marquis of Granby being dead. I hope, if it please +Heaven there should be another son, they will have better sponsors and +less parade. + +I certainly do not wish that Henry should think again of getting me to +town. I would rather return straight from Bookham; but if he really does +propose it, I cannot say No to what will be so kindly intended. It could +be but for a few days, however, as my mother would be quite disappointed +by my exceeding the fortnight which I now talk of as the outside--at +least, we could not both remain longer away comfortably. + +The middle of July is Martha's time, as far as she has any time. She has +left it to Mrs. Craven to fix the day. I wish she could get her money +paid, for I fear her going at all depends upon that. + +Instead of Bath the Deans Dundases have taken a house at +Clifton--Richmond Terrace--and she is as glad of the change as even you +and I should be, or almost. She will now be able to go on from Berks and +visit them without any fears from heat. + +This post has brought me a letter from Miss Sharpe. Poor thing! she has +been suffering indeed, but is now in a comparative state of comfort. She +is at Sir W. P.'s, in Yorkshire, with the children, and there is no +appearance of her quitting them. Of course we lose the pleasure of +seeing her here. She writes highly of Sir Wm. I do so want him to marry +her. There is a Dow. Lady P. presiding there to make it all right. The +Man is the same; but she does not mention what he is by profession or +trade. She does not think Lady P. was privy to his scheme on her, but, +on being in his power, yielded. Oh, Sir Wm.! Sir Wm.! how I will love +you if you will love Miss Sharpe! + +Mrs. Driver, etc., are off by Collier, but so near being too late that +she had not time to call and leave the keys herself. I have them, +however. I suppose one is the key of the linen-press, but I do not know +what to guess the other. + +The coach was stopped at the blacksmith's, and they came running down +with Triggs and Browning, and trunks, and birdcages. Quite amusing. + +My mother desires her love, and hopes to hear from you. + + Yours very affectionately, + J. AUSTEN. + +Frank and Mary are to have Mary Goodchild to help as _Under_ till they +can get a cook. She is delighted to go. + +Best love at Streatham. + + Miss AUSTEN, Henrietta St. + By favor of Mr. GRAY. + + + + +LVII. + + + 23 HANS PLACE, Tuesday morning (August, 1814). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--I had a very good journey, not crowded, two of the +three taken up at Bentley being children, the others of a reasonable +size; and they were all very quiet and civil. We were late in London, +from being a great load, and from changing coaches at Farnham; it was +nearly four, I believe, when we reached Sloane Street. Henry himself met +me, and as soon as my trunk and basket could be routed out from all the +other trunks and baskets in the world, we were on our way to Hans Place +in the luxury of a nice, large, cool, dirty hackney coach. + +There were four in the kitchen part of Yalden, and I was told fifteen at +top, among them Percy Benn. We met in the same room at Egham, but poor +Percy was not in his usual spirits. He would be more chatty, I dare say, +in his way from Woolwich. We took up a young Gibson at Holybourn, and, +in short, everybody either did come up by Yalden yesterday, or wanted to +come up. It put me in mind of my own coach between Edinburgh and +Stirling. + +Henry is very well, and has given me an account of the Canterbury races, +which seem to have been as pleasant as one could wish. Everything went +well. Fanny had good partners, Mr. ---- was her second on Thursday, but +he did not dance with her any more. + +This will content you for the present. I must just add, however, that +there were no Lady Charlottes, they were gone off to Kirby, and that +Mary Oxenden, instead of dying, is going to marry Wm. Hammond. + +No James and Edward yet. Our evening yesterday was perfectly quiet; we +only talked a little to Mr. Tilson across the intermediate gardens; she +was gone out airing with Miss Burdett. It is a delightful place,--more +than answers my expectation. Having got rid of my unreasonable ideas, I +find more space and comfort in the rooms than I had supposed, and the +garden is quite a love. I am in the front attic, which is the bedchamber +to be preferred. + +Henry wants you to see it all, and asked whether you would return with +him from Hampshire; I encouraged him to think you would. He breakfasts +here early, and then rides to Henrietta St. If it continues fine, John +is to drive me there by and by, and we shall take an airing together; +and I do not mean to take any other exercise, for I feel a little tired +after my long jumble. I live in his room downstairs; it is particularly +pleasant from opening upon the garden. I go and refresh myself every now +and then, and then come back to solitary coolness. There is one +maidservant only, a very creditable, clean-looking young woman. Richard +remains for the present. + +_Wednesday morning._--My brother and Edwd. arrived last night. They +could not get places the day before. Their business is about teeth and +wigs, and they are going after breakfast to Scarman's and Tavistock St., +and they are to return to go with me afterwards in the barouche. I hope +to do some of my errands to-day. + +I got the willow yesterday, as Henry was not quite ready when I reached +Hena. St. I saw Mr. Hampson there for a moment. He dines here to-morrow, +and proposed bringing his son; so I must submit to seeing George +Hampson, though I had hoped to go through life without it. It was one of +my vanities, like your not reading "Patronage." + +After leaving H. St. we drove to Mrs. Latouche's; they are always at +home, and they are to dine here on Friday. We could do no more, as it +began to rain. + +We dine at half-past four to-day, that our visitors may go to the play, +and Henry and I are to spend the evening with the Tilsons, to meet Miss +Burnett, who leaves town to-morrow. Mrs. T. called on me yesterday. + +Is not this all that can have happened or been arranged? Not quite. +Henry wants me to see more of his Hanwell favorite, and has written to +invite her to spend a day or two here with me. His scheme is to fetch +her on Saturday. I am more and more convinced that he will marry again +soon, and like the idea of her better than of anybody else at hand. + +Now I have breakfasted and have the room to myself again. It is likely +to be a fine day. How do you all do? + +Henry talks of being at Chawton about the 1st of Sept. He has once +mentioned a scheme which I should rather like,--calling on the Birches +and the Crutchleys in our way. It may never come to anything, but I must +provide for the possibility by troubling you to send up my silk pelisse +by Collier on Saturday. I feel it would be necessary on such an +occasion; and be so good as to put up a clean dressing-gown which will +come from the wash on Friday. You need not direct it to be left +anywhere. It may take its chance. + +We are to call for Henry between three and four, and I must finish this +and carry it with me, as he is not always there in the morning before +the parcel is made up. And before I set off, I must return Mrs. Tilson's +visit. I hear nothing of the Hoblyns, and abstain from all inquiry. + +I hope Mary Jane and Frank's gardens go on well. Give my love to them +all--Nunna Hat's love to George. A great many people wanted to run up in +the Poach as well as me. The wheat looked very well all the way, and +James says the same of _his_ road. + +The same good account of Mrs. C.'s health continues, and her +circumstances mend. She gets farther and farther from poverty. What a +comfort! Good-by to you. + + Yours very truly and affectionately, + JANE. + +All well at Steventon. I hear nothing particular of Ben, except that +Edward is to get him some pencils. + + Miss AUSTEN, Chawton. + By favor of Mr. GRAY. + + + + +LVIII. + + +MY DEAR ANNA,[31]--I am very much obliged to you for sending your MS. It +has entertained me extremely; indeed all of us. I read it aloud to your +grandmamma and Aunt Cass, and we were all very much pleased. The spirit +does not droop at all. Sir Thos., Lady Helen, and St. Julian are very +well done, and Cecilia continues to be interesting in spite of her being +so amiable. It was very fit you should advance her age. I like the +beginning of Devereux Forester very much, a great deal better than if he +had been very good or very bad. A few verbal corrections are all that I +felt tempted to make; the principal of them is a speech of St. Julian to +Lady Helen, which you see I have presumed to alter. As Lady H. is +Cecilia's superior, it would not be correct to talk of her being +introduced. It is Cecilia who must be introduced. And I do not like a +lover speaking in the 3rd person; it is too much like the part of Lord +Overtley, and I think it not natural. If you think differently, however, +you need not mind me. I am impatient for more, and only wait for a safe +conveyance to return this. + + Yours affectionately, + J. A. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[31] Miss Anna Austen, at this time engaged to Mr. Lefroy, was writing a +novel which she sent to her aunt for criticism. + + + + +LIX. + + + AUGUST 10, 1814. + +MY DEAR ANNA,--I am quite ashamed to find that I have never answered +some question of yours in a former note. I kept it on purpose to refer +to it at a proper time, and then forgot it. I like the name "Which is +the Heroine" very well, and I dare say shall grow to like it very much +in time; but "Enthusiasm" was something so very superior that my common +title must appear to disadvantage. I am not sensible of any blunders +about Dawlish; the library was pitiful and wretched twelve years ago, +and not likely to have anybody's publications. There is no such title as +Desborough, either among dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts, or barons. +These were your inquiries. I will now thank you for your envelope +received this morning. Your Aunt Cass is as well pleased with St. Julian +as ever, and I am delighted with the idea of seeing Progillian again. + +_Wednesday_, 17.--We have now just finished the first of the three books +I had the pleasure of receiving yesterday. I read it aloud, and we are +all very much amused, and like the work quite as well as ever. I depend +on getting through another book before dinner, but there is really a +good deal of respectable reading in your forty-eight pages. I have no +doubt six would make a very good-sized volume. You must have been quite +pleased to have accomplished so much. I like Lord Portman and his +brother very much. I am only afraid that Lord P.'s good nature will make +most people like him better than he deserves. The whole family are very +good; and Lady Anne, who was your great dread, you have succeeded +particularly well with. Bell Griffin is just what she should be. My +corrections have not been more important than before; here and there we +have thought the sense could be expressed in fewer words, and I have +scratched out Sir Thos. from walking with the others to the stables, +etc. the very day after breaking his arm; for though I find your papa +did walk out immediately after his arm was set, I think it can be so +little usual as to appear unnatural in a book. Lynn will not do. Lynn is +towards forty miles from Dawlish and would not be talked of there. I +have put Starcross instead. If you prefer Easton, that must be always +safe. + +I have also scratched out the introduction between Lord Portman and his +brother and Mr. Griffin. A country surgeon (don't tell Mr. C. Lyford) +would not be introduced to men of their rank; and when Mr. P. is first +brought in, he would not be introduced as the Honorable. That +distinction is never mentioned at such times; at least, I believe not. +Now we have finished the second book, or rather the fifth. I do think +you had better omit Lady Helena's postscript. To those that are +acquainted with "Pride and Prejudice" it will seem an imitation. And +your Aunt C. and I both recommend your making a little alteration in the +last scene between Devereux F. and Lady Clanmurray and her daughter. We +think they press him too much, more than sensible or well-bred women +would do; Lady C., at least, should have discretion enough to be sooner +satisfied with his determination of not going with them. I am very much +pleased with Egerton as yet. I did not expect to like him, but I do, and +Susan is a very nice little animated creature; but St. Julian is the +delight of our lives. He is quite interesting. The whole of his +break-off with Lady Helena is very well done. Yes; Russell Square is a +very proper distance from Berkeley Square. We are reading the last book. +They must be two days going from Dawlish to Bath. They are nearly one +hundred miles apart. + +_Thursday._--We finished it last night after our return from drinking +tea at the Great House. The last chapter does not please us quite so +well; we do not thoroughly like the play, perhaps from having had too +much of plays in that way lately (_vide_ "Mansfield Park"), and we think +you had better not leave England. Let the Portmans go to Ireland; but as +you know nothing of the manners there, you had better not go with them. +You will be in danger of giving false representations. Stick to Bath and +the Foresters. There you will be quite at home. + +Your Aunt C. does not like desultory novels, and is rather afraid yours +will be too much so, that there will be too frequently a change from one +set of people to another, and that circumstances will be introduced of +apparent consequence which will lead to nothing. It will not be so great +an objection to me if it does. I allow much more latitude than she does, +and think Nature and spirit cover many sins of a wandering story, and +people in general do not care so much about it for your comfort. + +I should like to have had more of Devereux. I do not feel enough +acquainted with him. You were afraid of meddling with him, I dare say. I +like your sketch of Lord Clanmurray, and your picture of the two young +girls' enjoyment is very good. I have not noticed St. Julian's serious +conversation with Cecilia, but I like it exceedingly. What he says about +the madness of otherwise sensible women on the subject of their +daughters coming out is worth its weight in gold. + +I do not perceive that the language sinks. Pray go on. + + + + +LX. + + + CHAWTON, Sept. 9. + +MY DEAR ANNA,--We have been very much amused by your three books, but I +have a good many criticisms to make, more than you will like. We are not +satisfied with Mrs. Forester settling herself as tenant and near +neighbor to such a man as Sir Thomas, without having some other +inducement to go there. She ought to have some friend living thereabouts +to tempt her. A woman going with two girls just growing up into a +neighborhood where she knows nobody but one man of not very good +character, is an awkwardness which so prudent a woman as Mrs. F. would +not be likely to fall into. Remember she is very prudent. You must not +let her act inconsistently. Give her a friend, and let that friend be +invited by Sir Thomas H. to meet her, and we shall have no objection to +her dining at the Priory as she does; but otherwise a woman in her +situation would hardly go there before she had been visited by other +families. I like the scene itself, the Miss Leslie, Lady Anne, and the +music very much. Leslie is a noble name. Sir Thomas H. you always do +very well. I have only taken the liberty of expunging one phrase of his +which would not be allowable,--"Bless my heart!" It is too familiar and +inelegant. Your grandmother is more disturbed at Mrs. Forester's not +returning the Egertons' visit sooner than by anything else. They ought +to have called at the Parsonage before Sunday. You describe a sweet +place, but your descriptions are often more minute than will be liked. +You give too many particulars of right hand and left. Mrs. Forester is +not careful enough of Susan's health. Susan ought not to be walking out +so soon after heavy rains, taking long walks in the dirt. An anxious +mother would not suffer it. I like your Susan very much; she is a sweet +creature, her playfulness of fancy is very delightful. I like her as she +is now exceedingly, but I am not quite so well satisfied with her +behavior to George R. At first she seems all over attachment and +feeling, and afterwards to have none at all; she is so extremely +confused at the ball, and so well satisfied apparently with Mr. Morgan. +She seems to have changed her character. + +You are now collecting your people delightfully, getting them exactly +into such a spot as is the delight of my life. Three or four families in +a country village is the very thing to work on, and I hope you will do a +great deal more, and make full use of them while they are so very +favorably arranged. + +You are but now coming to the heart and beauty of your story. Until the +heroine grows up the fun must be imperfect, but I expect a great deal of +entertainment from the next three or four books, and I hope you will not +resent these remarks by sending me no more. We like the Egertons very +well. We see no blue pantaloons or cocks or hens. There is nothing to +enchant one certainly in Mr. L. L., but we make no objection to him, and +his inclination to like Susan is pleasing. The sister is a good +contrast, but the name of Rachel is as much as I can bear. They are not +so much like the Papillons as I expected. Your last chapter is very +entertaining, the conversation on genius, etc.; Mr. St. Julian and Susan +both talk in character, and very well. In some former parts Cecilia is +perhaps a little too solemn and good, but upon the whole her disposition +is very well opposed to Susan's, her want of imagination is very +natural. I wish you could make Mrs. Forester talk more; but she must be +difficult to manage and make entertaining, because there is so much good +sense and propriety about her that nothing can be made very broad. Her +economy and her ambition must not be staring. The papers left by Mrs. +Fisher are very good. Of course one guesses something. I hope when you +have written a great deal more, you will be equal to scratching out some +of the past. The scene with Mrs. Mellish I should condemn; it is prosy +and nothing to the purpose, and indeed the more you can find in your +heart to curtail between Dawlish and Newton Priors, the better I think +it will be,--one does not care for girls until they are grown up. Your +Aunt C. quite understands the exquisiteness of that name,--Newton Priors +is really a nonpareil. Milton would have given his eyes to have thought +of it. Is not the cottage taken from Tollard Royal? + +[Thus far the letter was written on the 9th, but before it was finished +news arrived at Chawton of the death of Mrs. Charles Austen. She died in +her confinement, and the baby died also. She left three little +girls,--Cassie, Harriet, and Fanny. It was not until the 18th that Jane +resumed her letter as follows:[32]] + +_Sunday._--I am very glad, dear Anna, that I wrote as I did before this +sad event occurred. I have only to add that your grandmamma does not +seem the worse now for the shock. + +I shall be very happy to receive more of your work if more is ready; and +you write so fast that I have great hopes Mr. Digweed will come back +freighted with such a cargo as not all his hops or his sheep could equal +the value of. + +Your grandmamma desires me to say that she will have finished your shoes +to-morrow, and thinks they will look very well. And that she depends +upon seeing you, as you promise, before you quit the country, and hopes +you will give her more than a day. + + Yours affectionately. J. AUSTEN. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[32] Note by Lord Brabourne. + + + + +LXI. + + + CHAWTON, Wednesday (Sept. 28). + +MY DEAR ANNA,--I hope you do not depend on having your book again +immediately. I kept it that your grandmamma may hear it, for it has not +been possible yet to have any public reading. I have read it to your +Aunt Cassandra, however, in our own room at night, while we undressed, +and with a great deal of pleasure. We like the first chapter extremely, +with only a little doubt whether Lady Helena is not almost too foolish. +The matrimonial dialogue is very good certainly. I like Susan as well as +ever, and begin now not to care at all about Cecilia; she may stay at +Easton Court as long as she likes. Henry Mellish will be, I am afraid, +too much in the common novel style,--a handsome, amiable, +unexceptionable young man (such as do not much abound in real life), +desperately in love and all in vain. But I have no business to judge him +so early Jane Egerton is a very natural, comprehensible girl, and the +whole of her acquaintance with Susan and Susan's letter to Cecilia are +very pleasing and quite in character. But Miss Egerton does not entirely +satisfy us. She is too formal and solemn, we think, in her advice to her +brother not to fall in love; and it is hardly like a sensible woman,--it +is putting it into his head. We should like a few hints from her better. +We feel really obliged to you for introducing a Lady Kenrick; it will +remove the greatest fault in the work, and I give you credit for +considerable forbearance as an author in adopting so much of our +opinion. I expect high fun about Mrs. Fisher and Sir Thomas. You have +been perfectly right in telling Ben. Lefroy of your work, and I am very +glad to hear how much he likes it. His encouragement and approbation +must be "quite beyond everything."[33] I do not at all wonder at his not +expecting to like anybody so well as Cecilia at first, but I shall be +surprised if he does not become a Susanite in time. Devereux Forester's +being ruined by his vanity is extremely good, but I wish you would not +let him plunge into a "vortex of dissipation." I do not object to the +thing, but I cannot bear the expression; it is such thorough novel +slang, and so old that I dare say Adam met with it in the first novel +he opened. Indeed, I did very much like to know Ben's opinion. I hope he +will continue to be pleased with it, and I think he must, but I cannot +flatter him with there being much incident. We have no great right to +wonder at his not valuing the name of Progillian. That is a source of +delight which even he can hardly be quite competent to. + +Walter Scott has no business to write novels, especially good ones. It +is not fair. He has fame and profit enough as a poet, and should not be +taking the bread out of the mouths of other people. + +I do not like him, and do not mean to like "Waverley" if I can help it, +but fear I must. + +I am quite determined, however, not to be pleased with Mrs. West's +"Alicia De Lacy," should I ever meet with it, which I hope I shall not. +I think I can be stout against anything written by Mrs. West. I have +made up my mind to like no novels really but Miss Edgeworth's, yours, +and my own. + +What can you do with Egerton to increase the interest for him? I wish +you could contrive something, some family occurrence to bring out his +good qualities more. Some distress among brothers and sisters to relieve +by the sale of his curacy! Something to carry him mysteriously away, and +then be heard of at York or Edinburgh in an old greatcoat. I would not +seriously recommend anything improbable, but if you could invent +something spirited for him, it would have a good effect. He might lend +all his money to Captain Morris, but then he would be a great fool if he +did. Cannot the Morrises quarrel and he reconcile them? Excuse the +liberty I take in these suggestions. + +Your Aunt Frank's nursemaid has just given her warning, but whether she +is worth your having, or would take your place, I know not. She was Mrs. +Webb's maid before she went to the Great House. She leaves your aunt +because she cannot agree with the other servants. She is in love with +the man, and her head seems rather turned. He returns her affection, but +she fancies every one else is wanting him and envying her. Her previous +service must have fitted her for such a place as yours, and she is very +active and cleanly. The Webbs are really gone! When I saw the wagons at +the door, and thought of all the trouble they must have in moving, I +began to reproach myself for not having liked them better; but since the +wagons have disappeared my conscience has been closed again, and I am +excessively glad they are gone. + +I am very fond of Sherlock's sermons, and prefer them to almost any. + + Your affectionate aunt, J. AUSTEN. + +If you wish me to speak to the maid, let me know. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[33] A phrase always in the mouth of one of the Chawton neighbors, Mrs. +H. Digweed. + + + + +LXII. + + _To Miss Frances Austen._ + + + CHAWTON, Friday (Nov. 18, 1814). + +I FEEL quite as doubtful as you could be, my dearest Fanny, as to when +my letter may be finished, for I can command very little quiet time at +present; but yet I must begin, for I know you will be glad to hear as +soon as possible, and I really am impatient myself to be writing +something on so very interesting a subject, though I have no hope of +writing anything to the purpose. I shall do very little more, I dare +say, than say over again what you have said before. + +I was certainly a good deal surprised at first, as I had no suspicion of +any change in your feelings, and I have no scruple in saying that you +cannot be in love. My dear Fanny, I am ready to laugh at the idea, and +yet it is no laughing matter to have had you so mistaken as to your own +feelings. And with all my heart I wish I had cautioned you on that point +when first you spoke to me; but though I did not think you then much in +love, I did consider you as being attached in a degree quite +sufficiently for happiness, as I had no doubt it would increase with +opportunity, and from the time of our being in London together I thought +you really very much in love. But you certainly are not at all--there is +no concealing it. + +What strange creatures we are! It seems as if your being secure of him +had made you indifferent. There was a little disgust, I suspect, at the +races, and I do not wonder at it. His expressions then would not do for +one who had rather more acuteness, penetration, and taste, than love, +which was your case. And yet, after all, I am surprised that the change +in your feelings should be so great. He is just what he ever was, only +more evidently and uniformly devoted to you. This is all the difference. +How shall we account for it? + +My dearest Fanny, I am writing what will not be of the smallest use to +you. I am feeling differently every moment, and shall not be able to +suggest a single thing that can assist your mind. I could lament in one +sentence and laugh in the next, but as to opinion or counsel I am sure +that none will be extracted worth having from this letter. + +I read yours through the very evening I received it, getting away by +myself. I could not bear to leave off when I had once begun. I was full +of curiosity and concern. Luckily your At. C. dined at the other house; +therefore I had not to manoeuvre away from her, and as to anybody else, +I do not care. + +Poor dear Mr. A.! Oh, dear Fanny! your mistake has been one that +thousands of women fall into. He was the first young man who attached +himself to you. That was the charm, and most powerful it is. Among the +multitudes, however, that make the same mistake with yourself, there can +be few indeed who have so little reason to regret it; his character and +his attachment leave you nothing to be ashamed of. + +Upon the whole, what is to be done? You have no inclination for any +other person. His situation in life, family, friends, and, above all, +his character, his uncommonly amiable mind, strict principles, just +notions, good habits, all that you know so well how to value, all that +is really of the first importance,--everything of this nature pleads his +cause most strongly. You have no doubt of his having superior abilities, +he has proved it at the University; he is, I dare say, such a scholar as +your agreeable, idle brothers would ill bear a comparison with. + +Oh, my dear Fanny! the more I write about him the warmer my feelings +become,--the more strongly I feel the sterling worth of such a young +man, and the desirableness of your growing in love with him again. I +recommend this most thoroughly. There are such beings in the world, +perhaps one in a thousand, as the creature you and I should think +perfection, where grace and spirit are united to worth, where the +manners are equal to the heart and understanding; but such a person may +not come in your way, or, if he does, he may not be the eldest son of a +man of fortune, the near relation of your particular friend, and +belonging to your own county. + +Think of all this, Fanny. Mr. A. has advantages which we do not often +meet in one person. His only fault, indeed, seems modesty. If he were +less modest, he would be more agreeable, speak louder, and look +impudenter; and is not it a fine character of which modesty is the only +defect? I have no doubt he will get more lively and more like yourselves +as he is more with you; he will catch your ways if he belongs to you. +And as to there being any objection from his goodness, from the danger +of his becoming even evangelical, I cannot admit that. I am by no means +convinced that we ought not all to be evangelicals, and am at least +persuaded that they who are so from reason and feeling must be happiest +and safest. Do not be frightened from the connection by your brothers +having most wit,--wisdom is better than wit, and in the long run will +certainly have the laugh on her side; and don't be frightened by the +idea of his acting more strictly up to the precepts of the New Testament +than others. + +And now, my dear Fanny, having written so much on one side of the +question, I shall turn round and entreat you not to commit yourself +farther, and not to think of accepting him unless you really do like +him. Anything is to be preferred or endured rather than marrying +without affection; and if his deficiencies of manner, etc., etc., +strike you more than all his good qualities, if you continue to think +strongly of them, give him up at once. Things are now in such a state +that you must resolve upon one or the other,--either to allow him to go +on as he has done, or whenever you are together behave with a coldness +which may convince him that he has been deceiving himself. I have no +doubt of his suffering a good deal for a time,--a great deal when he +feels that he must give you up; but it is no creed of mine, as you must +be well aware, that such sort of disappointments kill anybody. + +Your sending the music was an admirable device, it made everything easy, +and I do not know how I could have accounted for the parcel otherwise; +for though your dear papa most conscientiously hunted about till he +found me alone in the dining-parlor, your Aunt C. had seen that he had a +parcel to deliver. As it was, however, I do not think anything was +suspected. + +We have heard nothing fresh from Anna. I trust she is very comfortable +in her new home. Her letters have been very sensible and satisfactory, +with no parade of happiness, which I liked them the better for. I have +often known young married women write in a way I did not like in that +respect. + +You will be glad to hear that the first edition of M. P.[34] is all +sold. Your Uncle Henry is rather wanting me to come to town to settle +about a second edition; but as I could not very conveniently leave home +now, I have written him my will and pleasure and unless he still urges +it, shall not go. I am very greedy and want to make the most of it; but +as you are much above caring about money, I shall not plague you with +any particulars. The pleasures of vanity are more within your +comprehension, and you will enter into mine at receiving the praise +which every now and then comes to me through some channel or other. + +_Saturday._--Mr. Palmer spent yesterday with us, and is gone off with +Cassy this morning. We have been expecting Miss Lloyd the last two days, +and feel sure of her to-day. Mr. Knight and Mr. Edwd. Knight are to dine +with us, and on Monday they are to dine with us again, accompanied by +their respectable host and hostess. + +_Sunday._--Your papa had given me messages to you; but they are +unnecessary, as he writes by this post to Aunt Louisa. We had a pleasant +party yesterday; at least we found it so. It is delightful to see him so +cheerful and confident. Aunt Cass. and I dine at the Great House to-day. +We shall be a snug half-dozen. Miss Lloyd came, as we expected, +yesterday, and desires her love. She is very happy to hear of your +learning the harp. I do not mean to send you what I owe Miss Hare, +because I think you would rather not be paid beforehand. + + Yours very affectionately, + JANE AUSTEN. + + Miss KNIGHT, + Goodnestone Farm, Wingham, Kent. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[34] "Mansfield Park." + + + + +LXIII. + + + CHAWTON, Nov. 21, 1814. + +MY DEAR ANNA,--I met Harriet Benn yesterday. She gave me her +congratulations, and desired they might be forwarded to you, and there +they are. The chief news from this country is the death of old Mrs. +Dormer. Mrs. Clement walks about in a new black velvet pelisse lined +with yellow, and a white bobbin net veil, and looks remarkably well in +them. + +I think I understand the country about Hendon from your description. It +must be very pretty in summer. Should you know from the atmosphere that +you were within a dozen miles of London? Make everybody at Hendon admire +"Mansfield Park." + + Your affectionate aunt, J. A. + + + + +LXIV. + + + HANS PLACE, Nov. 28, 1814. + +MY DEAR ANNA,--I assure you we all came away very much pleased with our +visit. We talked of you for about a mile and a half with great +satisfaction; and I have been just sending a very good report of you to +Miss Benn, with a full account of your dress for Susan and Maria. + +We were all at the play last night to see Miss O'Neil in "Isabella." I +do not think she was quite equal to my expectations. I fancy I want +something more than can be. I took two pocket-handkerchiefs, but had +very little occasion for either. She is an elegant creature, however, +and hugs Mr. Young delightfully. I am going this morning to see the +little girls in Keppel Street. Cassy was excessively interested about +your marriage when she heard of it, which was not until she was to drink +your health on the wedding-day. + +She asked a thousand questions in her usual manner, what he said to you +and what you said to him. If your uncle were at home he would send his +best love, but I will not impose any base fictitious remembrances on +you; mine I can honestly give, and remain + + Your affectionate aunt, + J. AUSTEN. + + + + +LXV. + + + HANS PLACE, Wednesday. + +MY DEAR ANNA,--I have been very far from finding your book an evil, I +assure you. I read it immediately and with great pleasure. I think you +are going on very well. The description of Dr. Griffin and Lady Helena's +unhappiness is very good, and just what was likely to be. I am curious +to know what the end of them will be. The name of Newton Priors is +really invaluable; I never met with anything superior to it. It is +delightful, and one could live on the name of Newton Priors for a +twelvemonth. Indeed, I think you get on very fast. I only wish other +people of my acquaintance could compose as rapidly. I am pleased with +the dog scene and with the whole of George and Susan's love, but am more +particularly struck with your serious conversations. They are very good +throughout. St. Julian's history was quite a surprise to me. You had not +very long known it yourself, I suspect; but I have no objection to make +to the circumstance, and it is very well told. His having been in love +with the aunt gives Cecilia an additional interest with him. I like the +idea,--a very proper compliment to an aunt! I rather imagine indeed that +nieces are seldom chosen but out of compliment to some aunt or another. +I dare say Ben was in love with me once, and would never have thought of +you if he had not supposed me dead of scarlet fever. Yes, I was in a +mistake as to the number of books. I thought I had read three before the +three at Chawton, but fewer than six will not do. I want to see dear +Bell Griffin again; and had you not better give some hint of St. +Julian's early history in the beginning of the story? + +We shall see nothing of Streatham while we are in town, as Mrs. Hill is +to lie in of a daughter. Mrs. Blackstone is to be with her. Mrs. +Heathcote and Miss Bigg[35] are just leaving. The latter writes me word +that Miss Blackford is married, but I have never seen it in the papers, +and one may as well be single if the wedding is not to be in print. + + Your affectionate aunt, J. A. + + + + +LXVI. + + + 23 HANS PLACE, Wednesday (Nov. 30, 1814). + +I AM very much obliged to you, my dear Fanny, for your letter, and I +hope you will write again soon, that I may know you to be all safe and +happy at home. + +Our visit to Hendon will interest you, I am sure; but I need not enter +into the particulars of it, as your papa will be able to answer almost +every question. I certainly could describe her bedroom and her drawers +and her closet better than he can, but I do not feel that I can stop to +do it. I was rather sorry to hear that she is to have an instrument; it +seems throwing money away. They will wish the twenty-four guineas in the +shape of sheets and towels six months hence; and as to her playing, it +never can be anything. + +Her purple pelisse rather surprised me. I thought we had known all +paraphernalia of that sort. I do not mean to blame her; it looked very +well, and I dare say she wanted it. I suspect nothing worse than its +being got in secret, and not owned to anybody. I received a very kind +note from her yesterday, to ask me to come again and stay a night with +them. I cannot do it, but I was pleased to find that she had the power +of doing so right a thing. My going was to give them both pleasure very +properly. + +I just saw Mr. Hayter at the play, and think his face would please me on +acquaintance. I was sorry he did not dine here. It seemed rather odd to +me to be in the theatre with nobody to watch for. I was quite composed +myself, at leisure for all the agitated Isabella could raise. + +Now, my dearest Fanny, I will begin a subject which comes in very +naturally. You frighten me out of my wits by your reference. Your +affection gives me the highest pleasure, but indeed you must not let +anything depend on my opinion; your own feelings, and none but your own, +should determine such an important point. So far, however, as answering +your question, I have no scruple. I am perfectly convinced that your +present feelings, supposing that you were to marry now, would be +sufficient for his happiness; but when I think how very, very far it is +from a "now," and take everything that may be into consideration, I dare +not say, "Determine to accept him;" the risk is too great for you, +unless your own sentiments prompt it. + +You will think me perverse, perhaps; in my last letter I was urging +everything in his favor, and now I am inclining the other way, but I +cannot help it; I am at present more impressed with the possible evil +that may arise to you from engaging yourself to him--in word or +mind--than with anything else. When I consider how few young men you +have yet seen much of, how capable you are (yes, I do still think you +very capable) of being really in love, and how full of temptation the +next six or seven years of your life will probably be (it is the very +period of life for the strongest attachments to be formed),--I cannot +wish you, with your present very cool feelings, to devote yourself in +honor to him. It is very true that you never may attach another man his +equal altogether; but if that other man has the power of attaching you +more, he will be in your eyes the most perfect. + +I shall be glad if you can revive past feelings, and from your unbiassed +self resolve to go on as you have done, but this I do not expect; and +without it I cannot wish you to be fettered. I should not be afraid of +your marrying him; with all his worth you would soon love him enough for +the happiness of both; but I should dread the continuance of this sort +of tacit engagement, with such an uncertainty as there is of when it may +be completed. Years may pass before he is independent; you like him well +enough to marry, but not well enough to wait; the unpleasantness of +appearing fickle is certainly great; but if you think you want +punishment for past illusions, there it is, and nothing can be compared +to the misery of being bound without love,--bound to one, and preferring +another; that is a punishment which you do not deserve. + +I know you did not meet, or rather will not meet, to-day, as he called +here yesterday; and I am glad of it. It does not seem very likely, at +least, that he should be in time for a dinner visit sixty miles off. We +did not see him, only found his card when we came home at four. Your +Uncle H. merely observed that he was a day after "the fair." We asked +your brother on Monday (when Mr. Hayter was talked of) why he did not +invite him too; saying, "I know he is in town, for I met him the other +day in Bond St." Edward answered that he did not know where he was to be +found. "Don't you know his chambers?" "No." + +I shall be most glad to hear from you again, my dearest Fanny, but it +must not be later than Saturday, as we shall be off on Monday long +before the letters are delivered; and write something that may do to be +read or told. I am to take the Miss Moores back on Saturday, and when I +return I shall hope to find your pleasant little flowing scrawl on the +table. It will be a relief to me after playing at ma'ams, for though I +like Miss H. M. as much as one can at my time of life after a day's +acquaintance, it is uphill work to be talking to those whom one knows so +little. + +Only one comes back with me to-morrow, probably Miss Eliza, and I rather +dread it. We shall not have two ideas in common. She is young, pretty, +chattering, and thinking chiefly, I presume, of dress, company, and +admiration. Mr. Sanford is to join us at dinner, which will be a +comfort, and in the evening, while your uncle and Miss Eliza play chess, +he shall tell me comical things and I will laugh at them, which will be +a pleasure to both. + +I called in Keppel Street and saw them all, including dear Uncle +Charles, who is to come and dine with us quietly to-day. Little Harriot +sat in my lap, and seemed as gentle and affectionate as ever, and as +pretty, except not being quite well. Fanny is a fine stout girl, talking +incessantly, with an interesting degree of lisp and indistinctness, and +very likely may be the handsomest in time. Cassy did not show more +pleasure in seeing me than her sisters, but I expected no better. She +does not shine in the tender feelings. She will never be a Miss O'Neil, +more in the Mrs. Siddons line. + +Thank you, but it is not settled yet whether I do hazard a second +edition. We are to see Egerton to-day, when it will probably be +determined. People are more ready to borrow and praise than to buy, +which I cannot wonder at; but though I like praise as well as anybody, I +like what Edward calls "Pewter" too. I hope he continues careful of his +eyes, and finds the good effect of it. I cannot suppose we differ in our +ideas of the Christian religion. You have given an excellent description +of it. We only affix a different meaning to the word _evangelical_. + + Yours most affectionately, + J. AUSTEN. + + Miss KNIGHT, + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[35] Sisters to Mrs. Hall. + + + + +LXVII. + + + CHAWTON, Friday (Sept. 29). + +MY DEAR ANNA,--We told Mr. B. Lefroy that if the weather did not prevent +us we should certainly come and see you to-morrow and bring Cassy, +trusting to your being good enough to give her a dinner about one +o'clock, that we might be able to be with you the earlier and stay the +longer. But on giving Cassy her choice between the Fair at Alton or +Wyards, it must be confessed that she has preferred the former, which we +trust will not greatly affront you; if it does, you may hope that some +little Anne hereafter may revenge the insult by a similar preference of +an Alton Fair to her Cousin Cassy. In the mean while we have determined +to put off our visit to you until Monday, which we hope will be not less +convenient. I wish the weather may not resolve on another put off. I +must come to you before Wednesday if it be possible, for on that day I +am going to London for a week or two with your Uncle Henry, who is +expected here on Sunday. If Monday should appear too dirty for walking, +and Mr. Lefroy would be so kind as to come and fetch me, I should be +much obliged to him. Cassy might be of the party, and your Aunt +Cassandra will take another opportunity. + + Yours very affectionately, my dear Anna, + J. AUSTEN. + + +_Note by Lord Brabourne._ + +But before the week or two to which she had limited her visit in Hans +Place was at an end, her brother fell ill, and on October 22 he was in +such danger that she wrote to Steventon to summon her father to town. +The letter was two days on the road, and reached him on Sunday the 24th. +Even then he did not start immediately. In the evening he and his wife +rode to Chawton, and it was not until the next day that he and Cassandra +arrived in Hans Place. The malady from which Henry Austen was suffering +was low fever, and he was for some days at death's door: but he rallied +soon after his brother and sisters arrived, and recovered so quickly +that the former was able to leave him at the end of the week. The great +anxiety and fatigue which Jane underwent at this time was supposed by +some of her family to have broken down her health. She was in a very +feeble and exhausted condition when the bank in which her brother Henry +was a partner broke, and he not only lost all that he possessed, but +most of his relations suffered severely also. Jane was well enough to +pay several visits with her sister in the summer of 1816, including one +to Steventon,--the last she ever paid to that home of her childhood. The +last note which Mrs. Lefroy had preserved is dated,-- + + + + +LXVIII. + + + JUNE 23, 1816. + +MY DEAR ANNA,--Cassy desires her best thanks for the book. She was quite +delighted to see it. I do not know when I have seen her so much struck +by anybody's kindness as on this occasion. Her sensibility seems to be +opening to the perception of great actions. These gloves having appeared +on the pianoforte ever since you were here on Friday, we imagine they +must be yours. Mrs. Digweed returned yesterday through all the +afternoon's rain, and was of course wet through; but in speaking of it +she never once said "it was beyond everything," which I am sure it must +have been. Your mamma means to ride to Speen Hill to-morrow to see the +Mrs. Hulberts, who are both very indifferent. By all accounts they +really are breaking now,--not so stout as the old jackass. + + Yours affectionately, J. A. + + CHAWTON, Sunday, June 23. + +Uncle Charles's birthday. + + + + +LXIX. + + + HANS PLACE, Friday (Nov. 24, 1815). + +MY DEAREST CASSANDRA,--I have the pleasure of sending you a much better +account of my affairs, which I know will be a great delight to you. + +I wrote to Mr. Murray yesterday myself, and Henry wrote at the same time +to Roworth. Before the notes were out of the house, I received three +sheets and an apology from R. We sent the notes, however, and I had a +most civil one in reply from Mr. M. He is so very polite, indeed, that +it is quite overcoming. The printers have been waiting for paper,--the +blame is thrown upon the stationer; but he gives his word that I shall +have no further cause for dissatisfaction. He has lent us Miss Williams +and Scott, and says that any book of his will always be at my service. +In short, I am soothed and complimented into tolerable comfort. + +We had a visit yesterday from Edwd. Knight, and Mr. Mascall joined him +here; and this morning has brought Mr. Mascall's compliments and two +pheasants. We have some hope of Edward's coming to dinner to-day; he +will, if he can, I believe. He is looking extremely well. + +To-morrow Mr. Haden is to dine with us. There is happiness! We really +grow so fond of Mr. Haden that I do not know what to expect. He and Mr. +Tilson and Mr. Philips made up our circle of wits last night. Fanny +played, and he sat and listened and suggested improvements, till Richard +came in to tell him that "the doctor was waiting for him at Captn. +Blake's;" and then he was off with a speed that you can imagine. He +never does appear in the least above his profession or out of humor +with it, or I should think poor Captn. Blake, whoever he is, in a very +bad way. + +I must have misunderstood Henry when I told you that you were to hear +from him to-day. He read me what he wrote to Edward: part of it must +have amused him, I am sure one part, alas! cannot be very amusing to +anybody. I wonder that with such business to worry him he can be getting +better; but he certainly does gain strength, and if you and Edwd. were +to see him now, I feel sure that you would think him improved since +Monday. + +He was out yesterday; it was a fine sunshiny day here (in the country +perhaps you might have clouds and fogs. Dare I say so? I shall not +deceive you, if I do, as to my estimation of the climate of London), and +he ventured first on the balcony and then as far as the greenhouse. He +caught no cold, and therefore has done more to-day, with great delight +and self-persuasion of improvement. + +He has been to see Mrs. Tilson and the Malings. By the by, you may talk +to Mr. T. of his wife's being better; I saw her yesterday, and was +sensible of her having gained ground in the last two days. + +_Evening._--We have had no Edward. Our circle is formed,--only Mr. +Tilson and Mr. Haden. We are not so happy as we were. A message came +this afternoon from Mrs. Latouche and Miss East, offering themselves to +drink tea with us to-morrow, and, as it was accepted, here is an end of +our extreme felicity in our dinner guest. I am heartily sorry they are +coming; it will be an evening spoilt to Fanny and me. + +Another little disappointment: Mr. H. advises Henry's not venturing with +us in the carriage to-morrow; if it were spring, he says, it would be a +different thing. One would rather this had not been. He seems to think +his going out to-day rather imprudent, though acknowledging at the same +time that he is better than he was in the morning. + +Fanny has had a letter full of commissions from Goodnestone; we shall be +busy about them and her own matters, I dare say, from twelve to four. +Nothing, I trust, will keep us from Keppel Street. + +This day has brought a most friendly letter from Mr. Fowle, with a brace +of pheasants. I did not know before that Henry had written to him a few +days ago to ask for them. We shall live upon pheasants,--no bad life! + +I send you five one-pound notes, for fear you should be distressed for +little money. Lizzy's work is charmingly done; shall you put it to your +chintz? A sheet came in this moment; 1st and 3rd vols. are now at 144; +2nd at 48. I am sure you will like particulars. We are not to have the +trouble of returning the sheets to Mr. Murray any longer; the printer's +boys bring and carry. + +I hope Mary continues to get well fast, and I send my love to little +Herbert. You will tell me more of Martha's plans, of course, when you +write again. Remember me most kindly to everybody, and Miss Benn +besides. + + Yours very affectionately, + J. AUSTEN. + +I have been listening to dreadful insanity. It is Mr. Haden's firm +belief that a person not musical is fit for every sort of wickedness. I +ventured to assert a little on the other side, but wished the cause in +abler hands. + + Miss AUSTEN, Chawton. + + + + +LXX. + + + HANS PLACE, Sunday (Nov. 26). + +MY DEAREST,--The parcel arrived safely, and I am much obliged to you for +your trouble. It cost 2_s._ 10_d._, but as there is a certain saving of +2_s._ 4½_d._ on the other side, I am sure it is well worth doing. I send +four pair of silk stockings, but I do not want them washed at present. +In the three neckhandkerchiefs I include the one sent down before. These +things, perhaps, Edwd. may be able to bring, but even if he is not, I am +extremely pleased with his returning to you from Steventon. It is much +better, far preferable. + +I did mention the P. R. in my note to Mr. Murray; it brought me a fine +compliment in return. Whether it has done any other good I do not know, +but Henry thought it worth trying. + +The printers continue to supply me very well. I am advanced in Vol. III. +to my _arra_-root, upon which peculiar style of spelling there is a +modest query in the margin. I will not forget Anna's arrowroot. I hope +you have told Martha of my first resolution of letting nobody know that +I might dedicate, etc., for fear of being obliged to do it, and that she +is thoroughly convinced of my being influenced now by nothing but the +most mercenary motives. I have paid nine shillings on her account to +Miss Palmer; there was no more owing. + +Well, we were very busy all yesterday; from half-past eleven till four +in the streets, working almost entirely for other people, driving from +place to place after a parcel for Sandling, which we could never find, +and encountering the miseries of Grafton House to get a purple frock for +Eleanor Bridges. We got to Keppel St., however, which was all I cared +for; and though we could stay only a quarter of an hour, Fanny's calling +gave great pleasure, and her sensibility still greater, for she was very +much affected at the sight of the children. Poor little F. looked +heavy. We saw the whole party. + +Aunt Harriet hopes Cassy will not forget to make a pincushion for Mrs. +Kelly, as she has spoken of its being promised her several times. I hope +we shall see Aunt H. and the dear little girls here on Thursday. + +So much for the morning. Then came the dinner and Mr. Haden, who brought +good manners and clever conversation. From seven to eight the harp; at +eight Mrs. L. and Miss E. arrived, and for the rest of the evening the +drawing-room was thus arranged: on the sofa side the two ladies, Henry, +and myself making the best of it; on the opposite side Fanny and Mr. +Haden, in two chairs (I believe, at least, they had two chairs), talking +together uninterruptedly. Fancy the scene! And what is to be fancied +next? Why, that Mr. H. dines here again to-morrow. To-day we are to have +Mr. Barlow. Mr. H. is reading "Mansfield Park" for the first time, and +prefers it to P. and P. + +A hare and four rabbits from Gm. yesterday, so that we are stocked for +nearly a week. Poor Farmer Andrews! I am very sorry for him, and +sincerely wish his recovery. + +A better account of the sugar than I could have expected. I should like +to help you break some more. I am glad you cannot wake early; I am sure +you must have been under great arrears of rest. + +Fanny and I have been to B. Chapel, and walked back with Maria Cuthbert. +We have been very little plagued with visitors this last week. I +remember only Miss Herries, the aunt, but I am in terror for to-day, a +fine bright Sunday; plenty of mortar, and nothing to do. + +Henry gets out in his garden every day, but at present his inclination +for doing more seems over, nor has he now any plan for leaving London +before Dec. 18, when he thinks of going to Oxford for a few days; +to-day, indeed, his feelings are for continuing where he is through the +next two months. + +One knows the uncertainty of all this; but should it be so, we must +think the best, and hope the best, and do the best; and my idea in that +case is, that when he goes to Oxford I should go home, and have nearly a +week of you before you take my place. This is only a silent project, you +know, to be gladly given up if better things occur. Henry calls himself +stronger every day, and Mr. H. keeps on approving his pulse, which seems +generally better than ever, but still they will not let him be well. +Perhaps when Fanny is gone he will be allowed to recover faster. + +I am not disappointed: I never thought the little girl at Wyards very +pretty, but she will have a fine complexion and curly hair, and pass for +a beauty. We are glad the mamma's cold has not been worse, and send her +our love and good wishes by every convenient opportunity. Sweet, amiable +Frank! why does he have a cold too? Like Captain Mirvan to Mr. Duval,[36] +"I wish it well over with him." + +Fanny has heard all that I have said to you about herself and Mr. H. +Thank you very much for the sight of dearest Charles's letter to +yourself. How pleasantly and how naturally he writes! and how perfect a +picture of his disposition and feelings his style conveys! Poor dear +fellow! Not a present! + +I have a great mind to send him all the twelve copies which were to have +been dispersed among my near connections, beginning with the P. R.[2] +and ending with Countess Morley. Adieu. + + Yours affectionately, + J. AUSTEN. + +Give my love to Cassy and Mary Jane. Caroline will be gone when this +reaches you. + + Miss AUSTEN. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[36] Characters in Miss Burney's "Evelina." + +[37] Prince Regent. + + + + +LXXI. + + + HANS PLACE, Saturday (Dec. 2). + +MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--Henry came back yesterday, and might have returned +the day before if he had known as much in time. I had the pleasure of +hearing from Mr. T. on Wednesday night that Mr. Seymour thought there +was not the least occasion for his absenting himself any longer. + +I had also the comfort of a few lines on Wednesday morning from Henry +himself, just after your letter was gone, giving so good an account of +his feelings as made me perfectly easy. He met with the utmost care and +attention at Hanwell, spent his two days there very quietly and +pleasantly, and being certainly in no respect the worse for going, we +may believe that he must be better, as he is quite sure of being +himself. To make his return a complete gala, Mr. Haden was secured for +dinner. I need not say that our evening was agreeable. + +But you seem to be under a mistake as to Mr. H. You call him an +apothecary. He is no apothecary; he has never been an apothecary; there +is not an apothecary in this neighborhood,--the only inconvenience of +the situation, perhaps,--but so it is; we have not a medical man within +reach. He is a Haden, nothing but a Haden, a sort of wonderful +nondescript creature on two legs, something between a man and an angel, +but without the least spice of an apothecary. He is, perhaps, the only +person not an apothecary hereabouts. He has never sung to us. He will +not sing without a pianoforte accompaniment. + +Mr. Meyers gives his three lessons a week, altering his days and his +hours, however, just as he chooses, never very punctual, and never +giving good measure. I have not Fanny's fondness for masters, and Mr. +Meyers does not give me any longing after them. The truth is, I think, +that they are all, at least music-masters, made of too much consequence, +and allowed to take too many liberties with their scholars' time. + +We shall be delighted to see Edward on Monday, only sorry that you must +be losing him. A turkey will be equally welcome with himself. He must +prepare for his own proper bedchamber here, as Henry moved down to the +one below last week; he found the other cold. + +I am sorry my mother has been suffering, and am afraid this exquisite +weather is too good to agree with her. I enjoy it all over me, from top +to toe, from right to left, longitudinally, perpendicularly, diagonally; +and I cannot but selfishly hope we are to have it last till +Christmas,--nice, unwholesome, unseasonable, relaxing, close, muggy +weather. + +Oh, thank you very much for your long letter; it did me a great deal of +good. Henry accepts your offer of making his nine gallon of mead +thankfully. The mistake of the dogs rather vexed him for a moment, but +he has not thought of it since. To-day he makes a third attempt at his +strengthening plaister, and as I am sure he will now be getting out a +great deal, it is to be wished that he may be able to keep it on. He +sets off this morning by the Chelsea coach to sign bonds and visit +Henrietta St., and I have no doubt will be going every day to Henrietta +St. + +Fanny and I were very snug by ourselves as soon as we were satisfied +about our invalid's being safe at Hanwell. By manoeuvring and good luck +we foiled all the Malings' attempts upon us. Happily I caught a little +cold on Wednesday, the morning we were in town, which we made very +useful, and we saw nobody but our precious[38] and Mr. Tilson. + +This evening the Malings are allowed to drink tea with us. We are in +hopes--that is, we wish--Miss Palmer and the little girls may come this +morning. You know, of course, that she could not come on Thursday, and +she will not attempt to name any other day. + +God bless you. Excuse the shortness of this, but I must finish it now, +that I may save you 2_d._ Best love. + + Yours affectionately, J. A. + +It strikes me that I have no business to give the P. R. a binding, but +we will take counsel upon the question. + +I am glad you have put the flounce on your chintz; I am sure it must +look particularly well, and it is what I had thought of. + + Miss AUSTEN, + Chawton, Alton, Hants. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[38] Probably a playful allusion to Mr. Haden. + + + + +LXXII. + + + CHAWTON (Feb. 20, 1816). + +MY DEAREST FANNY,--You are inimitable, irresistible. You are the delight +of my life. Such letters, such entertaining letters, as you have lately +sent! such a description of your queer little heart! such a lovely +display of what imagination does! You are worth your weight in gold, or +even in the new silver coinage. I cannot express to you what I have felt +in reading your history of yourself,--how full of pity and concern, and +admiration and amusement I have been! You are the paragon of all that is +silly and sensible, commonplace and eccentric, sad and lively, provoking +and interesting. Who can keep pace with the fluctuations of your fancy, +the capprizios of your taste, the contradictions of your feelings? You +are so odd, and all the time so perfectly natural!--so peculiar in +yourself, and yet so like everybody else! + +It is very, very gratifying to me to know you so intimately. You can +hardly think what a pleasure it is to me to have such thorough pictures +of your heart. Oh, what a loss it will be when you are married! You are +too agreeable in your single state,--too agreeable as a niece. I shall +hate you when your delicious play of mind is all settled down into +conjugal and maternal affections. + +Mr. B---- frightens me. He will have you. I see you at the altar. I have +some faith in Mrs. C. Cage's observation, and still more in Lizzy's; and +besides, I know it must be so. He must be wishing to attach you. It +would be too stupid and too shameful in him to be otherwise; and all the +family are seeking your acquaintance. + +Do not imagine that I have any real objection; I have rather taken a +fancy to him than not, and I like the house for you. I only do not like +you should marry anybody. And yet I do wish you to marry very much, +because I know you will never be happy till you are; but the loss of a +Fanny Knight will be never made up to me. My "affec. niece F. C. B----" +will be but a poor substitute. I do not like your being nervous, and so +apt to cry,--it is a sign you are not quite well; but I hope Mr. +Scud--as you always write his name (your Mr. Scuds amuse me very +much)--will do you good. + +What a comfort that Cassandra should be so recovered! It was more than +we had expected. I can easily believe she was very patient and very +good. I always loved Cassandra for her fine dark eyes and sweet temper. +I am almost entirely cured of my rheumatism,--just a little pain in my +knee now and then, to make me remember what it was, and keep on flannel. +Aunt Cassandra nursed me so beautifully. + +I enjoy your visit to Goodnestone, it must be a great pleasure to you; +you have not seen Fanny Cage in comfort so long. I hope she represents +and remonstrates and reasons with you properly. Why should you be living +in dread of his marrying somebody else? (Yet how natural!) You did not +choose to have him yourself, why not allow him to take comfort where he +can? In your conscience you know that he could not bear a companion with +a more animated character. You cannot forget how you felt under the idea +of its having been possible that he might have dined in Hans Place. + +My dearest Fanny, I cannot bear you should be unhappy about him. Think +of his principles; think of his father's objection, of want of money, +etc., etc. But I am doing no good; no, all that I urge against him will +rather make you take his part more,--sweet, perverse Fanny. + +And now I will tell you that we like your Henry to the utmost, to the +very top of the glass, quite brimful. He is a very pleasing young man. I +do not see how he could be mended. He does really bid fair to be +everything his father and sister could wish; and William I love very +much indeed, and so we do all; he is quite our own William. In short, we +are very comfortable together; that is, we can answer for ourselves. + +Mrs. Deedes is as welcome as May to all our benevolence to her son; we +only lamented that we could not do more, and that the 50_l._ note we +slipped into his hand at parting was necessarily the limit of our +offering. Good Mrs. Deedes! Scandal and gossip; yes, I dare say you are +well stocked, but I am very fond of Mrs. ---- for reasons good. Thank +you for mentioning her praise of "Emma," etc. + +I have contributed the marking to Uncle H.'s shirts, and now they are a +complete memorial of the tender regard of many. + +_Friday._--I had no idea when I began this yesterday of sending it +before your brother went back, but I have written away my foolish +thoughts at such a rate that I will not keep them many hours longer to +stare me in the face. + +Much obliged for the quadrilles, which I am grown to think pretty +enough, though of course they are very inferior to the cotillons of my +own day. + +Ben and Anna walked here last Sunday to hear Uncle Henry, and she looked +so pretty, it was quite a pleasure to see her, so young and so blooming +and so innocent, as if she had never had a wicked thought in her life, +which yet one has some reason to suppose she must have had, if we +believe the doctrine of original sin. I hope Lizzy will have her play +very kindly arranged for her. Henry is generally thought very +good-looking, but not so handsome as Edward. I think I prefer his face. +Wm. is in excellent looks, has a fine appetite, and seems perfectly +well. You will have a great break up at Godmersham in the spring. You +must feel their all going. It is very right, however! Poor Miss C.! I +shall pity her when she begins to understand herself. + +Your objection to the quadrilles delighted me exceedingly. Pretty well, +for a lady irrecoverably attached to one person! Sweet Fanny, believe no +such thing of yourself, spread no such malicious slander upon your +understanding within the precincts of your imagination. Do not speak ill +of your sense merely for the gratification of your fancy; yours is sense +which deserves more honorable treatment. You are not in love with him; +you never have been really in love with him. + + Yours very affectionately, + J. AUSTEN. + + Miss KNIGHT, + Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent. + + + + +LXXIII. + + + CHAWTON, Thursday (March 13). + +AS to making any adequate return for such a letter as yours, my dearest +Fanny, it is absolutely impossible. If I were to labor at it all the +rest of my life, and live to the age of Methuselah, I could never +accomplish anything so long and so perfect; but I cannot let William go +without a few lines of acknowledgment and reply. + +I have pretty well done with Mr. ----. By your description, he cannot be +in love with you, however he may try at it; and I could not wish the +match unless there were a great deal of love on his side. I do not know +what to do about Jemima Branfill. What does her dancing away with so +much spirit mean? That she does not care for him, or only wishes to +appear not to care for him? Who can understand a young lady? + +Poor Mrs. C. Milles, that she should die on the wrong day at last, after +being about it so long! It was unlucky that the Goodnestone party could +not meet you; and I hope her friendly, obliging, social spirit, which +delighted in drawing people together, was not conscious of the division +and disappointment she was occasioning. I am sorry and surprised that +you speak of her as having little to leave, and must feel for Miss +Milles, though she is Molly, if a material loss of income is to attend +her other loss. Single women have a dreadful propensity for being poor, +which is one very strong argument in favor of matrimony; but I need not +dwell on such arguments with you, pretty dear. + +To you I shall say, as I have often said before, Do not be in a hurry, +the right man will come at last; you will in the course of the next two +or three years meet with somebody more generally unexceptionable than +any one you have yet known, who will love you as warmly as possible, and +who will so completely attract you that you will feel you never really +loved before. + +Do none of the A.'s ever come to balls now? You have never mentioned +them as being at any. And what do you hear of the Gripps, or of Fanny +and her husband? + +Aunt Cassandra walked to Wyards yesterday with Mrs. Digweed. Anna has +had a bad cold, and looks pale. She has just weaned Julia. + +I have also heard lately from your Aunt Harriot, and cannot understand +their plans in parting with Miss S., whom she seems very much to value +now that Harriot and Eleanor are both of an age for a governess to be so +useful to, especially as, when Caroline was sent to school some years, +Miss Bell was still retained, though the others even then were nursery +children. They have some good reason, I dare say, though I cannot +penetrate it; and till I know what it is I shall invent a bad one, and +amuse myself with accounting for the difference of measures by supposing +Miss S. to be a superior sort of woman, who has never stooped to +recommend herself to the master of the family by flattery, as Miss Bell +did. + +I will answer your kind questions more than you expect. "Miss Catherine" +is put upon the shelf for the present, and I do not know that she will +ever come out; but I have a something ready for publication, which may, +perhaps, appear about a twelvemonth hence. It is short,--about the +length of "Catherine." This is for yourself alone. Neither Mr. Salusbury +nor Mr. Wildman is to know of it. + +I am got tolerably well again, quite equal to walking about and enjoying +the air, and by sitting down and resting a good while between my walks I +get exercise enough. I have a scheme, however, for accomplishing more, +as the weather grows spring-like. I mean to take to riding the donkey; +it will be more independent and less troublesome than the use of the +carriage, and I shall be able to go about with Aunt Cassandra in her +walks to Alton and Wyards. + +I hope you will think Wm. looking well; he was bilious the other day, +and At. Cass. supplied him with a dose at his own request. I am sure you +would have approved it. Wm. and I are the best of friends. I love him +very much. Everything is so natural about him,--his affections, his +manners, and his drollery. He entertains and interests us extremely. + +Mat. Hammond and A. M. Shaw are people whom I cannot care for in +themselves, but I enter into their situation, and am glad they are so +happy. If I were the Duchess of Richmond, I should be very miserable +about my son's choice. + +Our fears increase for poor little Harriot; the latest account is that +Sir Ev. Home is confirmed in his opinion of there being water on the +brain. I hope Heaven, in its mercy, will take her soon. Her poor father +will be quite worn out by his feelings for her; he cannot spare Cassy at +present, she is an occupation and a comfort to him. + + + + +LXXIV. + + + CHAWTON, Sunday (March 23). + +I AM very much obliged to you, my dearest Fanny, for sending me Mr. W.'s +conversation; I had great amusement in reading it, and I hope I am not +affronted, and do not think the worse of him for having a brain so very +different from mine; but my strongest sensation of all is astonishment +at your being able to press him on the subject so perseveringly; and I +agree with your papa that it was not fair. When he knows the truth, he +will be uncomfortable. + +You are the oddest creature! Nervous enough in some respects, but in +others perfectly without nerves! Quite unrepulsable, hardened, and +impudent. Do not oblige him to read any more. Have mercy on him, tell +him the truth, and make him an apology. He and I should not in the least +agree, of course, in our ideas of novels and heroines. Pictures of +perfection, as you know, make me sick and wicked; but there is some very +good sense in what he says, and I particularly respect him for wishing +to think well of all young ladies; it shows an amiable and a delicate +mind. And he deserves better treatment than to be obliged to read any +more of my works. + +Do not be surprised at finding Uncle Henry acquainted with my having +another ready for publication. I could not say No when he asked me, but +he knows nothing more of it. You will not like it, so you need not be +impatient. You may perhaps like the heroine, as she is almost too good +for me. + +Many thanks for your kind care for my health; I certainly have not been +well for many weeks, and about a week ago I was very poorly. I have had +a good deal of fever at times, and indifferent nights; but I am +considerably better now, and am recovering my looks a little, which have +been bad enough,--black and white, and every wrong color. I must not +depend upon being ever very blooming again. Sickness is a dangerous +indulgence at my time of life. Thank you for everything you tell me. I +do not feel worthy of it by anything that I can say in return, but I +assure you my pleasure in your letters is quite as great as ever, and I +am interested and amused just as you could wish me. If there is a Miss +_Marsden_, I perceive whom she will marry. + +_Evening._--I was languid and dull and very bad company when I wrote the +above; I am better now, to my own feelings at least, and wish I may be +more agreeable. We are going to have rain, and after that very pleasant +genial weather, which will exactly do for me, as my saddle will then be +completed, and air and exercise is what I want. Indeed, I shall be very +glad when the event at Scarlets is over, the expectation of it keeps us +in a worry, your grandmamma especially; she sits brooding over evils +which cannot be remedied, and conduct impossible to be understood. + +Now the reports from Keppel St. are rather better; little Harriot's +headaches are abated, and Sir Evd. is satisfied with the effect of the +mercury, and does not despair of a cure. The complaint I find is not +considered incurable nowadays, provided the patient be young enough not +to have the head hardened. The water in that case may be drawn off by +mercury. But though this is a new idea to us, perhaps it may have been +long familiar to you through your friend Mr. Scud. I hope his high +renown is sustained by driving away William's cough. + +Tell Wm. that Triggs is as beautiful and condescending as ever, and was +so good as to dine with us to-day, and tell him that I often play at +nines and think of him. + +The Papillons came back on Friday night, but I have not seen them yet, +as I do not venture to church. I cannot hear, however, but that they are +the same Mr. P. and his sister they used to be. She has engaged a new +maidservant in Mrs. Calker's room, whom she means to make also +housekeeper under herself. + +Old Philmore was buried yesterday, and I, by way of saying something to +Triggs, observed that it had been a very handsome funeral; but his +manner of reply made me suppose that it was not generally esteemed so. I +can only be sure of one part being very handsome,--Triggs himself, +walking behind in his green coat. Mrs. Philmore attended as chief +mourner, in bombazine, made very short, and flounced with crape. + +_Tuesday._--I have had various plans as to this letter, but at last I +have determined that Uncle Henry shall forward it from London. I want to +see how Canterbury looks in the direction. When once Uncle H. has left +us, I shall wish him with you. London has become a hateful place to him, +and he is always depressed by the idea of it. I hope he will be in time +for your sick. I am sure he must do that part of his duty as excellently +as all the rest. He returned yesterday from Steventon, and was with us +by breakfast, bringing Edward with him, only that Edwd. stayed to +breakfast at Wyards. We had a pleasant family day, for the Altons dined +with us, the last visit of the kind probably which she will be able to +pay us for many a month. + +I hope your own Henry is in France, and that you have heard from him; +the passage once over, he will feel all happiness. I took my first ride +yesterday, and liked it very much. I went up Mounter's Lane and round by +where the new cottages are to be, and found the exercise and everything +very pleasant; and I had the advantage of agreeable companions, as At. +Cass. and Edward walked by my side. At. Cass. is such an excellent +nurse, so assiduous and unwearied! But you know all that already. + + Very affectionately yours, + J. AUSTEN. + + Miss KNIGHT, + Godmersham Park, Canterbury. + + + + +LXXV. + + + CHAWTON, Sunday (Sept. 8, 1816). + +MY DEAREST CASSANDRA,--I have borne the arrival of your letter to-day +extremely well; anybody might have thought it was giving me pleasure. I +am very glad you find so much to be satisfied with at Cheltenham. While +the waters agree, everything else is trifling. + +A letter arrived for you from Charles last Thursday. They are all safe +and pretty well in Keppel St., the children decidedly better for +Broadstairs; and he writes principally to ask when it will be convenient +to us to receive Miss P., the little girls, and himself. They would be +ready to set off in ten days from the time of his writing, to pay their +visits in Hampshire and Berkshire, and he would prefer coming to Chawton +first. + +I have answered him, and said that we hoped it might suit them to wait +till the last week in Septr., as we could not ask them sooner, either on +your account or the want of room. I mentioned the 23rd as the probable +day of your return. When you have once left Cheltenham, I shall grudge +every half-day wasted on the road. If there were but a coach from +Hungerford to Chawton! I have desired him to let me hear again soon. + +He does not include a maid in the list to be accommodated; but if they +bring one, as I suppose they will, we shall have no bed in the house +even then for Charles himself,--let alone Henry. But what can we do? + +We shall have the Gt. House quite at our command; it is to be cleared of +the Papillons' servants in a day or two. They themselves have been +hurried off into Essex to take possession,--not of a large estate left +them by an uncle, but to scrape together all they can, I suppose, of the +effects of a Mrs. Rawstorn, a rich old friend and cousin suddenly +deceased, to whom they are joint executors. So there is a happy end of +the Kentish Papillons coming here. + +No morning service to-day, wherefore I am writing between twelve and one +o'clock. Mr. Benn in the afternoon, and likewise more rain again, by the +look and the sound of things. You left us in doubt of Mrs. Benn's +situation, but she has bespoke her nurse. . . . The F. A.'s dined with +us yesterday, and had fine weather both for coming and going home, which +has hardly ever happened to them before. She is still unprovided with a +housemaid. + +Our day at Alton was very pleasant, venison quite right, children well +behaved, and Mr. and Mrs. Digweed taking kindly to our charades and +other games. I must also observe, for his mother's satisfaction, that +Edward at my suggestion devoted himself very properly to the +entertainment of Miss S. Gibson. Nothing was wanting except Mr. Sweeney; +but he, alas! had been ordered away to London the day before. We had a +beautiful walk home by moonlight. + +Thank you, my back has given me scarcely any pain for many days. I have +an idea that agitation does it as much harm as fatigue, and that I was +ill at the time of your going from the very circumstance of your going. +I am nursing myself up now into as beautiful a state as I can, because I +hear that Dr. White means to call on me before he leaves the country. + +_Evening._--Frank and Mary and the children visited us this morning. Mr. +and Mrs. Gibson are to come on the 23rd, and there is too much reason to +fear they will stay above a week. Little George could tell me where you +were gone to, as well as what you were to bring him, when I asked him +the other day. + +Sir Tho. Miller is dead. I treat you with a dead baronet in almost every +letter. + +So you have C. Craven among you, as well as the Duke of Orleans and Mr. +Pocock. But it mortifies me that you have not added one to the stock of +common acquaintance. Do pray meet with somebody belonging to yourself. I +am quite weary of your knowing nobody. + +Mrs. Digweed parts with both Hannah and old cook: the former will not +give up her lover, who is a man of bad character; the latter is guilty +only of being unequal to anything. + +Miss Terry was to have spent this week with her sister, but as usual it +is put off. My amiable friend knows the value of her company. I have not +seen Anna since the day you left us; her father and brother visited her +most days. Edward and Ben called here on Thursday. Edward was in his way +to Selborne. We found him very agreeable. He is come back from France, +thinking of the French as one could wish,--disappointed in everything. +He did not go beyond Paris. + +I have a letter from Mrs. Perigord; she and her mother are in London +again. She speaks of France as a scene of general poverty and misery: no +money, no trade, nothing to be got but by the innkeepers, and as to her +own present prospects she is not much less melancholy than before. + +I have also a letter from Miss Sharp, quite one of her letters; she has +been again obliged to exert herself more than ever, in a more +distressing, more harassed state, and has met with another excellent old +physician and his wife, with every virtue under heaven, who takes to her +and cures her from pure love and benevolence. Dr. and Mrs. Storer are +their Mrs. and Miss Palmer--for they are at Bridlington. I am happy to +say, however, that the sum of the account is better than usual. Sir +William is returned; from Bridlington they go to Chevet, and she is to +have a young governess under her. + +I enjoyed Edward's company very much, as I said before, and yet I was +not sorry when Friday came. It had been a busy week, and I wanted a few +days' quiet and exemption from the thought and contrivancy which any +sort of company gives. I often wonder how you can find time for what you +do, in addition to the care of the house; and how good Mrs. West could +have written such books and collected so many hard words, with all her +family cares, is still more a matter of astonishment. Composition seems +to me impossible with a head full of joints of mutton and doses of +rhubarb. + +_Monday._--Here is a sad morning. I fear you may not have been able to +get to the Pump. The two last days were very pleasant. I enjoyed them +the more for your sake. But to-day it is really bad enough to make you +all cross. I hope Mary will change her lodgings at the fortnight's end; +I am sure, if you looked about well, you would find others in some odd +corner to suit you better. Mrs. Potter charges for the name of the High +St. + +Success to the pianoforte! I trust it will drive you away. We hear now +that there is to be no honey this year. Bad news for us. We must +husband our present stock of mead, and I am sorry to perceive that our +twenty gallons is very nearly out. I cannot comprehend how the fourteen +gallons could last so long. + +We do not much like Mr. Cooper's new sermons. They are fuller of +regeneration and conversion than ever, with the addition of his zeal in +the cause of the Bible Society. + +Martha's love to Mary and Caroline, and she is extremely glad to find +they like the pelisse. The Debarys are indeed odious! We are to see my +brother to-morrow, but for only one night. I had no idea that he would +care for the races without Edward. Remember me to all. + + Yours very affectionately, + J. AUSTEN. + + Miss AUSTEN, Post-Office, Cheltenham. + + + + +_Note by Lord Brabourne._ + +I insert here a letter of Jane Austen's written backwards, addressed to +her niece "Cassy," daughter of Captain Charles Austen (afterwards +Admiral) when a little girl. + + + + +LXXVI. + + +YM RAED YSSAC,--I hsiw uoy a yppah wen raey. Ruoy xis snisuoc emac ereh +yadretsey, dna dah hcae a eceip fo ekac. Siht si elttil Yssac's +yadhtrib, dna ehs si eerht sraey dlo. Knarf sah nugeb gninrael Nital ew +deef eht Nibor yreve gninrom. Yllas netfo seriuqne retfa uoy. Yllas +Mahneb sah tog a wen neerg nwog. Teirrah Thgink semoc yreve yad ot daer +ot Tnua Ardnassac. Doog eyb ym raed Yssac. + +Tnua Ardnassac sdnes reh tseb evol, dna os ew od lla. + + Ruoy etanoitceffa tnua, + ENAJ NETSUA. + + NOTWAHC, Naj. 8. + + + + +_Note by Lord Brabourne._ + + +In January, 1817, she wrote of herself as better and able to walk into +Alton, and hoped in the summer she should be able to walk back. In April +her father in a note to Mrs. Lefroy says: "I was happy to have a good +account of herself written by her own hand, in a letter from your Aunt +Jane; but all who love, and that is all who know her, must be anxious on +her account." We all know how well grounded that anxiety was, and how +soon her relations had to lament over the loss of the dearest and +brightest member of their family. + +And now I come to the saddest letters of all, those which tell us of the +end of that bright life, cut short just at the time when the world might +have hoped that unabated intellectual vigor, supplemented by the +experience brought by maturer years, would have produced works if +possible even more fascinating than those with which she had already +embellished the literature of her country. But it was not to be. The +fiat had gone forth,--the ties which bound that sweet spirit to earth +were to be severed, and a blank left, never to be filled in the family +which her loved and loving presence had blessed, and where she had been +so well and fondly appreciated. In the early spring of 1817 the +unfavorable symptoms increased, and the failure of her health was too +visible to be neglected. Still no apprehensions of immediate danger were +entertained, and it is probable that when she left Chawton for +Winchester in May, she did not recognize the fact that she was bidding a +last farewell to "Home." Happy for her if it was so, for there are few +things more melancholy than to look upon any beloved place or person +with the knowledge that it is for "the last time." In all probability +this grief was spared to Jane, for even after her arrival at Winchester +she spoke and wrote as if recovery was hopeful; and I fancy that her +relations were by no means aware that the end was so near. + + +_Note by Lord Brabourne._ + +Cassandra's letters tell the tale of the event in words that require no +addition from me. They are simple and affecting,--the words of one who +had been stricken by a great grief, but whose religion stood her in +good stead, and enabled her to bear it with fortitude. The firm and +loving bond of union which had ever united the Austen family, naturally +intensified their sorrow at the loss of one of their number, and that +the one of whom they had been so proud as well as so fond. They laid her +within the walls of the old cathedral which she had loved so much, and +went sorrowfully back to their homes, with the feeling that nothing +could replace to them the treasure they had lost. And most heavily of +all must the blow have fallen upon the only sister, the correspondent, +the companion, the other self of Jane, who had to return alone to the +desolate home, and to the mother to whose comforts the two had hitherto +ministered together, but who would henceforward have her alone on whom +to rely. . . . + + + + + _Letters from Miss Cassandra Austen to her niece Miss + Knight, after the death of her sister Jane, July 18, + 1817._ + + + + +LXXVII. + + + WINCHESTER, Sunday. + +MY DEAREST FANNY,--Doubly dear to me now for her dear sake whom we have +lost. She did love you most sincerely, and never shall I forget the +proofs of love you gave her during her illness in writing those kind, +amusing letters at a time when I know your feelings would have dictated +so different a style. Take the only reward I can give you in the +assurance that your benevolent purpose was answered; you did contribute +to her enjoyment. + +Even your last letter afforded pleasure. I merely cut the seal and gave +it to her; she opened it and read it herself, afterwards she gave it to +me to read, and then talked to me a little and not uncheerfully of its +contents, but there was then a languor about her which prevented her +taking the same interest in anything she had been used to do. + +Since Tuesday evening, when her complaint returned, there was a visible +change, she slept more and much more comfortably; indeed, during the +last eight-and-forty hours she was more asleep than awake. Her looks +altered and she fell away, but I perceived no material diminution of +strength, and though I was then hopeless of a recovery, I had no +suspicion how rapidly my loss was approaching. + +I have lost a treasure, such a sister, such a friend as never can have +been surpassed. She was the sun of my life, the gilder of every +pleasure, the soother of every sorrow; I had not a thought concealed +from her, and it is as if I had lost a part of myself. I loved her only +too well,--not better than she deserved, but I am conscious that my +affection for her made me sometimes unjust to and negligent of others; +and I can acknowledge, more than as a general principle, the justice of +the Hand which has struck this blow. + +You know me too well to be at all afraid that I should suffer materially +from my feelings; I am perfectly conscious of the extent of my +irreparable loss, but I am not at all overpowered and very little +indisposed,--nothing but what a short time, with rest and change of air, +will remove. I thank God that I was enabled to attend her to the last, +and amongst my many causes of self-reproach I have not to add any wilful +neglect of her comfort. + +She felt herself to be dying about half an hour before she became +tranquil and apparently unconscious. During that half-hour was her +struggle, poor soul! She said she could not tell us what she suffered, +though she complained of little fixed pain. When I asked her if there +was anything she wanted, her answer was she wanted nothing but death, +and some of her words were: "God grant me patience, pray for me, oh, +pray for me!" Her voice was affected, but as long as she spoke she was +intelligible. + +I hope I do not break your heart, my dearest Fanny, by these +particulars; I mean to afford you gratification whilst I am relieving my +own feelings. I could not write so to anybody else; indeed you are the +only person I have written to at all, excepting your grandmamma,--it +was to her, not your Uncle Charles, I wrote on Friday. + +Immediately after dinner on Thursday I went into the town to do an +errand which your dear aunt was anxious about. I returned about a +quarter before six, and found her recovering from faintness and +oppression; she got so well as to be able to give me a minute account of +her seizure, and when the clock struck six she was talking quietly to +me. + +I cannot say how soon afterwards she was seized again with the same +faintness, which was followed by the sufferings she could not describe; +but Mr. Lyford had been sent for, had applied something to give her +ease, and she was in a state of quiet insensibility by seven o'clock at +the latest. From that time till half-past four, when she ceased to +breathe, she scarcely moved a limb, so that we have every reason to +think, with gratitude to the Almighty, that her sufferings were over. A +slight motion of the head with every breath remained till almost the +last. I sat close to her with a pillow in my lap to assist in supporting +her head, which was almost off the bed, for six hours; fatigue made me +then resign my place to Mrs. J. A. for two hours and a half, when I took +it again, and in about an hour more she breathed her last. + +I was able to close her eyes myself, and it was a great gratification to +me to render her those last services. There was nothing convulsed which +gave the idea of pain in her look; on the contrary, but for the +continual motion of the head she gave one the idea of a beautiful +statue, and even now, in her coffin, there is such a sweet, serene air +over her countenance as is quite pleasant to contemplate. + +This day, my dearest Fanny, you have had the melancholy intelligence, +and I know you suffer severely, but I likewise know that you will apply +to the fountain-head for consolation, and that our merciful God is never +deaf to such prayers as you will offer. + +The last sad ceremony is to take place on Thursday morning; her dear +remains are to be deposited in the cathedral. It is a satisfaction to me +to think that they are to lie in a building she admired so much; her +precious soul, I presume to hope, reposes in a far superior mansion. May +mine one day be reunited to it! + +Your dear papa, your Uncle Henry, and Frank and Edwd. Austen, instead of +his father, will attend. I hope they will none of them suffer lastingly +from their pious exertions. The ceremony must be over before ten +o'clock, as the cathedral service begins at that hour, so that we shall +be at home early in the day, for there will be nothing to keep us here +afterwards. + +Your Uncle James came to us yesterday, and is gone home to-day. Uncle +H. goes to Chawton to-morrow morning; he has given every necessary +direction here, and I think his company there will do good. He returns +to us again on Tuesday evening. + +I did not think to have written a long letter when I began, but I have +found the employment draw me on, and I hope I shall have been giving you +more pleasure than pain. Remember me kindly to Mrs. J. Bridges (I am so +glad she is with you now), and give my best love to Lizzie and all the +others. + + I am, my dearest Fanny, + Most affectionately yours, + CASS. ELIZ. AUSTEN. + +I have said nothing about those at Chawton, because I am sure you hear +from your papa. + + + + +LXXVIII. + + + CHAWTON, Tuesday (July 29, 1817). + +MY DEAREST FANNY,--I have just read your letter for the third time, and +thank you most sincerely for every kind expression to myself, and still +more warmly for your praises of her who I believe was better known to +you than to any human being besides myself. Nothing of the sort could +have been more gratifying to me than the manner in which you write of +her; and if the dear angel is conscious of what passes here, and is not +above all earthly feelings, she may perhaps receive pleasure in being so +mourned. Had she been the survivor, I can fancy her speaking of you in +almost the same terms. There are certainly many points of strong +resemblance in your characters; in your intimate acquaintance with each +other, and your mutual strong affection, you were counterparts. + +Thursday was not so dreadful a day to me as you imagined. There was so +much necessary to be done that there was no time for additional misery. +Everything was conducted with the greatest tranquillity, and but that I +was determined I would see the last, and therefore was upon the listen, +I should not have known when they left the house. I watched the little +mournful procession the length of the street; and when it turned from my +sight, and I had lost her forever, even then I was not overpowered, nor +so much agitated as I am now in writing of it. Never was human being +more sincerely mourned by those who attended her remains than was this +dear creature. May the sorrow with which she is parted with on earth be +a prognostic of the joy with which she is hailed in heaven! + +I continue very tolerably well,--much better than any one could have +supposed possible, because I certainly have had considerable fatigue of +body as well as anguish of mind for months back; but I really am well, +and I hope I am properly grateful to the Almighty for having been so +supported. Your grandmamma, too, is much better than when I came home. + +I did not think your dear papa appeared unwell, and I understand that he +seemed much more comfortable after his return from Winchester than he +had done before. I need not tell you that he was a great comfort to me; +indeed, I can never say enough of the kindness I have received from him +and from every other friend. + +I get out of doors a good deal, and am able to employ myself. Of course +those employments suit me best which leave me most at leisure to think +of her I have lost, and I do think of her in every variety of +circumstance,--in our happy hours of confidential intercourse, in the +cheerful family party which she so ornamented, in her sick-room, on her +death-bed, and as (I hope) an inhabitant of heaven. Oh, if I may one day +be reunited to her there! I know the time must come when my mind will be +less engrossed by her idea, but I do not like to think of it. If I think +of her less as on earth, God grant that I may never cease to reflect on +her as inhabiting heaven, and never cease my humble endeavors (when it +shall please God) to join her there. + +In looking at a few of the precious papers which are now my property I +have found some memorandums, amongst which she desires that one of her +gold chains may be given to her god-daughter Louisa, and a lock of her +hair be set for you. You can need no assurance, my dearest Fanny, that +every request of your beloved aunt will be sacred with me. Be so good as +to say whether you prefer a brooch or ring. God bless you, my dearest +Fanny. + + Believe me, most affectionately yours, + CASS. ELIZTH. AUSTEN. + + Miss KNIGHT, + Godmersham Park, Canterbury. + + +THE END. + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's Notes: + +Page 38, "I" did not print in the text and has been added. The space was +there but the ink was not. (I dare say, to have another) + +Page 47, period added to end of sentence. As above, the space was in the +text but the character was not. (confusion and great comfort.) + +Page 107, another letter missing, "r" added to text for "respect" +(feelings with respect to it) + +Page 127, footnote 9, period added to abbreviation (Mrs. Leigh Perrot) + +Page 137, "leat" changed to "late" (in the late weather) + +Page 145, period added to end of footnote 11 (heroine of Miss Burney's +novel.) + +Page 150, "Miss" at bottom of letter's address was originally in small +capitals. As the rest of the text does not use small capitals this was +changed to follow the rest of the text's format. (Miss Austen, Edward +Austen's, Esq.) + +Page 166, repeated word "not" removed from text. Original read: (he did +not not think she would) + +Page 331, "i" did not print in "acquaintance" (acquaintaqnce with each +other) + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Letters of Jane Austen, by Jane Austen + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42078 *** |