DO you remember the small thread about Caroline Bingley's lettr to Jane( linked below)?We were wondering if she would really use an envelope as depicted in the adaptation.,or if she would have used a folded piece of writing paper,as was teh usual practice?

Well..I think she might just have used an envelope as we know it.

Why? Because, when searching through my books on the postal sytem to try and see what was the story on express messages , I came across this intersting snippet;

"The Post Office itself was not very popular with the public, which resented the many irritating restrictions and new lasws so often detrimental to the public's well being......Typical of the irritations was the ruling given in the Act of 1711 that every single letter or piece of paper which continaed an enclosure( this could be a sample of seed or cloth) must be rated for double postage.Because of this envelopes were very rearly used, for a sheet of paper inside an envelope automatically incurred double postage.."
Frank Staff"The Penny Poast" 1680-1918.

I can just imagine Caroline being the sort to sue an envelope,showing off her riches, and in this circumstance, I think I am correct in assuming a sevant brought the letter from Netherfield;

"Soon after their return a letter was delivered to Miss Bennet; it came from Netherfield, and was opened immediately. The envelope contained a sheet of elegant, little, hot-pressed paper, well covered with a lady's fair, flowing hand.."
Cchapter 21.