- Letters of Jane Austen, Brabourne edition
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- Letters of Jane Austen to her sister Cassandra Austen
- 1796,
1798-1799,
- 1799. [THIS FILE]
- 1800-1801,
1801,
1805,
1807,
1808,
1808-1809,
1811,
1813,
1814,
1815-1816.
- Letters to Fanny Knight 1814-1816
- Letters to Anna Austen Lefroy, 1814-1816
- Letters from Cassandra Austen to Fanny Knight, 1817
- Poetry, Backwards letter
- APPENDICES
1799
THE third division consists of four letters written from Bath in May
and June, 1799, when Mr. and Mrs. Austen of Godmersham had taken
a house for a month, in order that the former might "try the waters"
for the benefit of his health, which was supposed to be delicate;
the experiment seems to have been successful, for he lived fifty-three
years longer, dying at Godmersham in December, 1852, at the good old age
of eighty-two. Cassandra had stayed at home with her father at Steventon,
and Mrs. Austen and Jane had accompanied the Godmersham party.
These letters contain little more than ordinary chit-chat, and
for the most part explain themselves. There is another allusion
to "Pride and Prejudice" under the name of "First Impressions,"
which Martha Lloyd seems to have been allowed to read; another proof
that this work at least was read and talked over in the family long
before it was published.
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 acquaintances 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 waggon 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 farther delay?
I put Mary's letter into the postoffice 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, &c., 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 meantime 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.
13, Queen's 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, still in my debt.
I will lay out all the little judgment I have in endeavouring 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 4d.
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 guest 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 have 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 colours 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, &c
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.
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
farther 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" 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.
"On more accounts than one you wished our stay here to be
lengthened beyond last Thursday." There is some mystery in this.
What have you going on in Hampshire besides the itch from which you
want to keep us?
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 economise 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.
13, Queen Square, Wednesday (June 19).
MY DEAR CASSANDRA,
The children were delighted with your letters, as I fancy
they will tell you themselves before this is concluded.
Fanny expressed some surprise at the wetness of the wafers,
but it did not lead to any suspicion of the truth.
Martha and you were just in time with your commissions,
for two o'clock on Monday was the last hour of my receiving them.
The office is now closed.
John Lyford's history is a melancholy one. I feel for his family,
and when I know that his wife was really fond of him, I will
feel for her too, but at present I cannot help thinking their
loss the greatest.
Edward has not been well these last two days; his appetite has
failed him, and he has complained of sick and uncomfortable
feelings, which, with other symptoms, make us think of the gout;
perhaps a fit of it might cure him, but I cannot wish it
to begin at Bath. He made an important purchase yesterday:
no less so than a pair of coach-horses. His friend Mr. Evelyn found
them out and recommended them, and if the judgment of a Yahoo can
ever be depended on, I suppose it may now, for I believe Mr. Evelyn
has all his life thought more of horses than of anything else.
Their colour is black and their size not large; their price
sixty guineas, of which the chair mare was taken as fifteen --
but this is of course to be a secret.
Mrs. Williams need not pride herself upon her knowledge of Dr. Mapleton's
success here; she knows no more than everybody else knows in Bath.
There is not a physician in the place who writes so many prescriptions
as he does. I cannot help wishing that Edward had not been tied
down to Dr. Fellowes, for, had he come disengaged, we should all have
recommended Dr. Mapleton; my uncle and aunt as earnestly as ourselves.
I do not see the Miss Mapletons very often, but just as often as I like;
we are always very glad to meet, and I do not wish to wear
out our satisfaction.
Last Sunday we all drank tea in Paragon; my uncle is still in
his flannels, but is getting better again.
On Monday Mr. Evelyn was well enough for us to fulfil our engagement
with him; the visit was very quiet and uneventful -- pleasant enough.
We met only another Mr. Evelyn, his cousin, whose wife came to tea.
Last night we were in Sydney Gardens again, as there was
a repetition of the gala which went off so ill on the 4th.
We did not go till nine, and then were in very good time
for the fireworks, which were really beautiful, and surpassing
my expectation; the illuminations, too, were very, pretty.
The weather was as favourable as it was otherwise a fortnight ago.
The play on Saturday is, I hope, to conclude our gaieties here,
for nothing but a lengthened stay will make it otherwise.
We go with Mrs. Fellowes.
Edward will not remain at Steventon longer than from Thursday
to the following Monday, I believe, as the rent-day is to be fixed
for the consecutive Friday.
I can recollect nothing more to say at present; perhaps breakfast
may assist my ideas. I was deceived -- my breakfast supplied
only two ideas -- that the rolls were good and the butter bad.
But the post has been more friendly to me -- it has brought me a letter
from Miss Pearson.
You may remember that I wrote to her above two months ago about
the parcel under my care; and as I had heard nothing from her since,
I thought myself obliged to write again, two or three days ago,
for after all that has passed I was determined that the correspondence
should never cease through my means. This second letter has produced an
apology for her silence, founded on the illness of several of the family.
The exchange of packets is to take place through the medium of Mr. Nutt,
probably one of the sons belonging to Woolwich Academy, who comes
to Overton in the beginning of July. I am tempted to suspect from
some parts of her letter that she has a matrimonial project in view.
I shall question her about it when I answer her letter, but all this
you know is en mystère between ourselves.
Edward has seen the apothecary to whom Dr. Millman recommended him,
a sensible, intelligent man, since I began this, and he attributes
his present little feverish indisposition to his having ate something
unsuited to his stomach. I do not understand that Mr. Anderton
suspects the gout at all; the occasional particular glow in the hands
and feet, which we considered as a symptom of that disorder,
he only calls the effect of the water in promoting a better circulation
of the blood.
I cannot help thinking from your account of Mrs. E. H. that Earle's
vanity has tempted him to invent the account of her former way of life,
that his triumph in securing her might be greater; I dare say she
was nothing but an innocent country girl in fact. Adieu! I shall
not write again before Sunday, unless anything particular happens.
Yours ever,
JANE.
We shall be with you on Thursday to a very late dinner -- later, I suppose,
than my father will like for himself -- but I give him leave to eat
one before. You must give us something very nice, for we are used
to live well.
Miss Austen, Steventon, Overton, Hants.
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