This file includes some further fragments of splendid nonsense from the
Juvenilia
(see also
Love and Freindship,
Frederic & Elfrida,
Henry & Eliza,
Lesley Castle,
Sir William Mountague,
Jack & Alice, and another site with e-texts of some of the Juvenilia ). I have
also included the accompanying mock-grandiose dedications here (two of them are
to her infant nieces).
- Volume the First
- Volume The Second
- Volume the Third
- Notes
Volume the First
A NOVEL IN TWELVE CHAPTERS
Dedicated by permission to Miss Austen.
Dedication:
MADAM
You are a Phoenix. Your taste is refined, your Sentiments are noble, &
your Virtues innumerable. Your Person is lovely, your Figure, elegant, &
your Form, magestic. Your Manners are polished, your Conversation is rational
& your appearance singular. If, therefore, the following Tale will afford
one moment's amusement to you, every wish will be gratified of
Your most obedient
humble servant
THE AUTHOR
CHAPTER THE FIRST
CASSANDRA was the Daughter & the only Daughter of a celebrated Millener
in Bond Street. Her father was of noble Birth, being the near relation of the
Dutchess of ----'s Butler.
CHAPTER THE 2d
WHEN Cassandra had attained her 16th year, she was lovely & amiable,
& chancing to fall in love with an elegant Bonnet her Mother had just
compleated, bespoke by the Countess of ----, she placed it on her
gentle Head
& walked from her Mother's shop to make her Fortune.
CHAPTER THE 3d
THE first person she met, was the Viscount of ----, a young Man, no less
celebrated for his Accomplishments & Virtues, than for his Elegance &
Beauty. She curtseyed & walked on.
CHAPTER THE 4th
SHE then proceeded to a Pastry-cook's, where she devoured six ices,
refused to pay for them, knocked down the Pastry Cook & walked away.
CHAPTER THE 5th
SHE next ascended a Hackney Coach &
ordered it to Hampstead, where she was no sooner arrived than she ordered the
Coachman to turn round & drive her back again.
CHAPTER THE 6th
BEING returned to the same spot of the same Street she
had set out from, the Coachman demanded his Pay.
CHAPTER THE 7th
SHE searched her pockets over again & again; but every
search was unsuccessfull. No money could she find. The
man grew peremptory. She placed her bonnet on his head
& ran away.
CHAPTER THE 8th
THRO' many a street she then proceeded & met in none the least
Adventure, till on turning a Corner of Bloomsbury Square, she met Maria.
CHAPTER THE 9th
CASSANDRA started & Maria seemed surprised; they trembled, blushed, turned
pale & passed each other in a mutual silence.
CHAPTER THE 10th
CASSANDRA was next accosted by her freind the Widow, who squeezing out her
little Head thro' her less window, asked her how she did? Cassandra curtseyed
& went on.
CHAPTER THE 11th
A QUARTER of a mile brought her to her paternal roof in Bond Street, from
which she had now been absent nearly 7 hours.
CHAPTER THE 12th
SHE entered it & was pressed to her Mother's bosom by that worthy
Woman. Cassandra smiled & whispered to herself "This is a day well
spent."
FINIS
an interesting & well written Tale
is dedicated by Permission
to
Mrs Austen
by
Her humble Servant
THE AUTHOR
Letter the first
TO MISS WEBSTER
MY DEAR AMELIA
You will rejoice to hear of the return of my amiable
Brother from abroad. He arrived on thursday, & never
did I see a finer form, save that of your sincere freind
MATILDA HERVEY
Letter the 2d.
TO H. BEVERLEY ESQre.
DEAR BEVERLEY
I arrived here last thursday & met with a hearty reception from my Father, Mother, & Sisters. The latter are both
fine Girls -- particularly Maud, who I think would suit you
as a Wife well enough. What say you to this? She will
have two thousand Pounds & as much more as you can get.
If you don't marry her you will mortally offend
GEORGE HERVEY
Letter the 3d.
TO MISS HERVEY
DEAR MAUD
Beleive me, I'm happy to hear of your Brother's arrival.
I have a thousand things to tell you, but my paper will
only permit me to add that I am yr. affect. Freind
AMELIA WEBSTER
Letter the 4th.
TO MISS S. HERVEY
DEAR SALLY
I have found a very convenient old hollow oak to put our Letters in; for
you know we have long maintained a private Correspondence. It is about a
mile from my House & seven from yours. You may perhaps imagine that I
might have made choice of a tree which would have divided the Distance more
equally -- I was sensible of this at the time, but as I considered that the
walk would be of benefit to you in your weak & uncertain state of Health,
I preferred it to one nearer your House, & am yr. faithfull
BENJAMIN BAR
Letter the 5th.
TO MISS HERVEY
DEAR MAUD
I write now to inform you that I did not stop at your
house in my way to Bath last Monday. -- I have many
things to inform you of besides; but my Paper reminds me
of concluding; & beleive me yrs. ever &c.
AMELIA WEBSTER
Letter the 6th.
TO MISS WEBSTER
Saturday
MADAM
An humble Admirer now addresses you -- I saw you,
lovely Fair one, as you passed on Monday last, before our
House in your way to Bath. I saw you thro' a telescope,
& was so struck by your Charms that from that time to
this I have not tasted human food.
GEORGE HERVEY
Letter the 7th.
TO JACK
As I was this morning at Breakfast the Newspaper was
brought me, & in the list of Marriages I read the following.
"George Hervey Esqre. to Miss Amelia Webster"
"Henry Beverley Esqre. to Miss Hervey"
&
"Benjamin Bar Esqre. to Miss Sarah Hervey".
yours, TOM
FINIS
A COMEDY IN 2 ACTS
Dedication
To the Revd. James Austen
SIR,
The following Drama, which I humbly recommend to your
Protection & Patronage, tho' inferior to those celebrated
Comedies called "The School for Jealousy" & "The Travelled
Man", will I hope afford some amusement to so respectable
a Curate as yourself; which was the end in veiw when it
was first composed by your Humble Servant the Author.
Dramatis Personae
Sir Arthur Hampton Lady Hampton
Lord Fitzgerald Miss Fitzgerald
Stanly Sophy Hampton
Willoughby, Sir Arthur's nephew Cloe Willoughby
The scenes are laid in Lord Fitzgerald's House.
ACT THE FIRST
Scene the first, a Parlour --
enter LORD FITZGERALD & STANLY
- STANLY.
- Cousin, your servant.
- FITZGERALD.
- Stanly, good morning to you. I hope you
slept well last night.
- STANLY.
- Remarkably well, I thank you.
- FITZGERALD.
- I am afraid you found your Bed too short. It was
bought in my Grandmother's time, who was herself a very short woman &
made a point of suiting all her Beds to her own length, as she never
wished to have any company in the House, on account of an unfortunate
impediment in her speech, which she was sensible of being very
disagreable to her inmates.
- STANLY.
- Make no more excuses, dear Fitzgerald.
- FITZGERALD.
- I will not distress you by too much civility -- I
only beg you will consider yourself as much at home as in your
Father's house. Remember, "The more free, the more Wellcome."
[exit FITZGERALD
- STANLY.
- Amiable Youth!
"Your virtues, could he imitate
How happy would be Stanly's fate!"
[exit STANLY
Scene the 2d.
STANLY & MISS FITZGERALD, discovered.
- STANLY.
- What Company is it you expect to dine with you
to Day, Cousin?
- MISS F.
- Sir Arthur & Lady Hampton; their Daughter,
Nephew & Neice.
- STANLY.
- Miss Hampton & her Cousin are both Handsome,
are they not?
- MISS F.
- Miss Willoughby is extreamly so. Miss Hampton
is a fine Girl, but not equal to her.
- STANLY.
- Is not your Brother attached to the Latter?
- MISS F.
- He admires her, I know, but I beleive nothing more.
Indeed I have heard him say that she was the most beautifull,
pleasing, & amiable Girl in the world, & that of all others he should
prefer her for his Wife. But it never went any farther, I'm certain.
- STANLY.
- And yet my Cousin never says a thing he does not
mean.
- MISS F.
- Never. From his Cradle he has always been a strict
adherent to Truth [1]
[Exeunt Severally
End of the First Act.
ACT THE SECOND
Scene the first. The Drawing Room.
Chairs set round in a row. LORD FITZGERALD, MISS FITZGERALD & STANLY seated.
Enter a Servant.
- SERVANT.
- Sir Arthur & Lady Hampton. Miss Hampton,
Mr. & Miss Willoughby.
[Exit SERVANT
Enter the Company.
- MISS F.
- I hope I have the pleasure of seeing your Ladyship
well. Sir Arthur, your servant. Yrs., Mr. Willoughby.
Dear Sophy, Dear Cloe, --
[They pay their Compliments alternately.
- Miss F.
- Pray be seated.
[They sit
Bless me! there ought to be 8 Chairs & there are but
6. However, if your Ladyship will but take Sir Arthur in your Lap, &
Sophy my Brother in hers, I beleive we shall do pretty well.
- LADY H.
- Oh! with pleasure....
- SOPHY.
- I beg his Lordship would be seated.
- MISS F.
- I am really shocked at crouding you in such a manner,
but my Grandmother (who bought all the furniture of this room) as she
had never a very large Party, did not think it necessary to buy more
Chairs than were sufficient for her own family and two of her
particular freinds.
- SOPHY.
- I beg you will make no apologies. Your Brother is
very light.
- STANLY, aside)
- What a cherub is Cloe!
- CLOE, aside)
- What a seraph is Stanly!
Enter a Servant.
- SERVANT.
- Dinner is on table.
[They all rise.
- MISS F.
- Lady Hampton, Miss Hampton, Miss Willoughby.
STANLY hands CLOE; LORD FITZGERALD, SOPHY; WILLOUGHBY, MISS FITZGERALD; and SIR ARTHUR, LADY HAMPTON
[Exeunt.
Scene the 2d.
The Dining Parlour.
MISS FITZGERALD at top. LORD FITZGERALD at bottom.
Company ranged on each side. Servants waiting.
- CLOE.
- I shall trouble Mr. Stanly for a Little of the fried
Cow heel & Onion.
- STANLY.
- Oh Madam, there is a secret pleasure in helping
so amiable a Lady. --
- LADY H.
- I assure you, my Lord, Sir Arthur never touches
wine; but Sophy will toss off a bumper I am sure, to oblige
your Lordship.
- LORD F.
- Elder wine or Mead, Miss Hampton?
- SOPHY.
- If it is equal to you, Sir, I should prefer some warm
ale with a toast and nutmeg.
- LORD F.
- Two glasses of warmed ale with a toast and nutmeg.
- MISS F.
- I am afraid, Mr. Willoughby, you take no care of
yourself. I fear you don't meet with any thing to your
liking.
- WILLOUGHBY.
- Oh! Madam, I can want for nothing while there are
red herrings on table.
- LORD F.
- Sir Arthur, taste that Tripe. I think you will not
find it amiss.
- LADY H.
- Sir Arthur never eats Tripe; tis too savoury for
him, you know, my Lord.
- MISS F.
- Take away the Liver & Crow, & bring in the suet
pudding.
(a short Pause.)
- MISS F.
- Sir Arthur, shan't I send you a bit of pudding?
- LADY H.
- Sir Arthur never eats suet pudding, Ma'am. It is
too high a Dish for him.
- MISS F.
- Will no one allow me the honour of helping them?
Then John, take away the Pudding, & bring the Wine.
[SERVANTS take away the things and bring in
the Bottles & Glasses.
- LORD F.
- I wish we had any Desert to offer you. But my
Grandmother in her Lifetime, destroyed the
Hothouse in order to build a receptacle for the Turkies with its
materials; & we have never been able to raise another tolerable one.
- LADY H.
- I beg you will make no apologies, my Lord.
- WILLOUGHBY.
- Come Girls, let us circulate the Bottle.
- SOPHY.
- A very good notion, Cousin; & I will second it with
all my Heart. Stanly, you don't drink.
- STANLY.
- Madam, I am drinking draughts of Love from
Cloe's eyes.
- SOPHY.
- That's poor nourishment truly. Come, drink to
her better acquaintance.
[MISS FITZGERALD goes to a Closet & brings out a bottle
- MISS F.
- This, Ladies & Gentlemen, is some of my dear
Grandmother's own manufacture. She excelled in Gooseberry Wine. Pray
taste it, Lady Hampton
- LADY H.
- How refreshing it is!
- MISS F.
- I should think, with your Ladyship's permission, that
Sir Arthur might taste a little of it.
- LADY H.
- Not for Worlds. Sir Arthur never drinks any thing so
high.
- LORD F.
- And now my amiable Sophia, condescend to marry
me.
[He takes her hand & leads her to the front
- STANLY.
- Oh! Cloe, could I but hope you would make me
blessed --
- CLOE.
- I will.
[They advance.
- MISS F.
- Since you, Willoughby, are the only one left, I cannot refuse your earnest solicitations -- There is my Hand.
- LADY H.
- And may you all be Happy!
FINIS
A short, but interesting Tale, is with all imaginable Respect inscribed to
Mr. Francis William Austen, Midshipman
on board his Majesty's Ship the Perseverance by his Obedient
Servant
THE AUTHOR.
MR. HARLEY was one of many Children. Destined by his father for the
Church & by his Mother for the Sea, desirous of pleasing both, he
prevailed on Sir John to obtain for him a Chaplaincy on board a Man of War.
He accordingly cut his Hair and sailed.
In half a year he returned & set-off in the Stage Coach for Hogsworth
Green, the seat of Emma. His fellow travellers were, A man without a Hat,
Another with two, An old maid, & a young Wife.
This last appeared about 17, with fine dark Eyes & an elegant Shape; in
short, Mr. Harley soon found out that she was his Emma & recollected
he had married her a few weeks before he left England.
FINIS
To Miss Jane Anna Elizabeth Austen
MY DEAR NEICE:
Though you are at this period not many degrees removed from Infancy, Yet
trusting that you will in time be older, and that through the care of your
excellent Parents, You will one day or another be able to read written hand,
I dedicate to You the following Miscellanious Morsels, convinced that if you
seriously attend to them, You will derive from them very important
Instructions, with regard to your Conduct in Life. -- If such my hopes should
hereafter be realized, never shall I regret the Days and Nights that have been
spent in composing these Treatises for your Benefit. I am, my dear Neice
Your very Affectionate
Aunt.
THE AUTHOR
June 2d. 1793
A BEAUTIFUL DESCRIPTION OF THE DIFFERENT EFFECTS OF
SENSIBILITY ON
DIFFERENT MINDS.
I AM but just returned from Melissa's Bedside, & in my Life, tho' it
has been a pretty long one, & I have during the course of it been at many
Bedsides, I never saw so affecting an object as she exhibits. She lies wrapped
in a book muslin bedgown, a chambray gauze shift, and a French net
nightcap. Sir William is constantly at her bedside. The only repose he takes
is on the Sopha in the Drawing room, where for five minutes every fortnight he
remains in an imperfect Slumber, starting up every Moment & exclaiming
"Oh! Melissa, Ah! Melissa," then sinking down again, raises his left arm and
scratches his head. Poor Mrs. Burnaby is beyond measure afflicted. She sighs
every now & then, that is about once a week; while the melancholy Charles
says every Moment "Melissa how are you?" The lovely Sisters are much to be
pitied. Julia is ever lamenting the situation of her friend, while lying
behind her pillow & supporting her head -- Maria, more mild in her greif,
talks of going to Town next week, & Anna
is always recurring to the pleasures we once enjoyed when Melissa was well. --
I am usually at the fire cooking some little delicacy for the unhappy invalid
-- Perhaps hashing up the remains of an old Duck, toasting some cheese or
making a Curry, which are the favourite dishes of our poor friend. -- In these
situations we were this morning surprised by receiving a visit from Dr.
Dowkins; "I am come to see Melissa," said he. "How is She?" "Very weak
indeed," said the fainting Melissa -- "Very weak," replied the punning Doctor,
"aye indeed it is more than a very week since you have taken to your
bed -- How is your appetite?" "Bad, very bad," said Julia. "That is
very bad" -- replied he; "Are her spirits good, Madam?" "So poorly, Sir, that
we are obliged to strengthen her with cordials every Minute." -- "Well then
she receives Spirits from your being with her. Does she sleep?"
"Scarcely ever." -- "And Ever Scarcely, I suppose, when she does. Poor thing!
Does she think of dieing?" "She has not strength to think at all." "Nay,
then she cannot think to have Strength."
Volume The Second
By a partial, prejudiced, & ignorant Historian.
To Miss Austen, eldest
daughter of the Revd. George Austen, this Work is inscribed with all
due respect by
The Author
N.B. There will be very few Dates in this History.
Henry the 4th
HENRY the 4th ascended the throne of England much to his own
satisfaction in the year 1399, after having prevailed on his cousin &
predecessor Richard the 2d to resign it to him, & to retire for the
rest of his Life to Pomfret Castle, where he happened to be murdered. It
is to be supposed that Henry was married, since he had certainly four
sons, but it is not in my power to inform the Reader who was his Wife.
Be this as it may, he did not live for ever, but falling ill, his son the
Prince of Wales came and took away the crown; whereupon the King made a
long speech, for which I must refer the Reader to Shakespear's Plays,
& the Prince made a still longer. Things being thus settled between
them, the King died, & was succeeded by his son Henry who had
previously beat Sir William Gascoigne.
Henry the 5th
THIS Prince, after he succeeded to the throne, grew quite reformed &
Amiable, forsaking all his dissipated Companions, & never thrashing
Sir William again. During his reign, Lord Cobham was burnt alive, but I
forget what for. His Majesty then turned his thoughts to France, where
he went & fought the famous Battle of Agincourt. He afterwards
married the King's daughter Catherine, a very agreable Woman by
Shakespear's account. In spite of all this, however, he died, and was
succeeded by his son Henry.
[From this point on, only excerpts are given here; a
complete version
of the descriptions of the later Plantagenets and Henry VII is available
elsewhere, and the full
text of the History of England, including scans of the
illustrations by Cassandra Austen in the original manuscript is at yet
another site.]
Henry the 6th
I CANNOT say much for this Monarch's Sense -- Nor would I if I could,
for he was a Lancastrian.
I suppose you know all about the Wars between him and & The Duke
of York, who was of the right side; If you do not, you had better read
some other History, for I shall not be very diffuse in this, meaning by
it only to vent my Spleen against, & shew my hatred to
all those people whose parties or principles do not suit with mine, and
not to give information. [...] There were several Battles between
the Yorkists & Lancastrians, in which the former (as they ought)
usually conquered. [...]
Edward the 4th
THIS Monarch was famous only for his Beauty & his Courage, of
which the Picture we have here given of him, & his undaunted
Behaviour in marrying one Woman while he was engaged to another, are
sufficient proofs. [...] One of Edward's Mistresses was Jane Shore, who
has had a play written about her, but it is a tragedy & therefore not
worth reading. [...]
Henry the 7th
[...] His Majesty died, & was succeeded by his son Henry, whose only
merit was his not being quite so bad as his daughter Elizabeth.
IT would be an affront to my Readers were I to suppose that they were
not as well acquainted with the particulars of this King's reign as I am
myself. It will therefore be saving them the task of reading
again what they have read before, & myself the trouble of
writing what I do not perfectly recollect, by giving only a slight sketch
of the principal Events which marked his reign. Among these may be
ranked Cardinal Wolsey's telling the father Abbott of Leicester Abbey
that "he was come to lay his bones among them", the reformation in
Religion, & the King's riding through the Streets of London with Anna
Bullen. It is however but Justice, & my Duty to declare that this
amiable Woman was entirely innocent of the Crimes with which she was
accused, of which her Beauty, her Elegance, & her Sprightliness were
sufficient proofs, not to mention her solemn protestations of Innocence,
the weakness of the Charges against her, and the king's Character; all of
which add some confirmation, tho' perhaps but slight ones when in
comparison with those before alledged in her favour. Tho' I do not
profess giving many dates, yet as I think it proper to give some & shall
of course make choice of those which it is most necessary for the Reader
to know, I think it right to inform him that her letter to the King was
dated on the 6th of May. The Crimes & Cruelties of this Prince were too
numerous to be mentioned (as this history I trust has fully shown); &
nothing can be said in his vindication, but that his abolishing Religious
Houses & leaving them to the ruinous depredations of time has been of
infinite use to the landscape of England in general, which probably was a
principal motive for his doing it, since otherwise why should a Man who
was of no Religion himself be at so much trouble to abolish one which had
for Ages been established in the Kingdom? His Majesty's 5th wife was the
Duke of Norfolk's Neice who, tho' universally acquitted of the crimes for
which she was beheaded, has been by many people supposed to have led an
abandoned Life before her Marriage -- of this, however, I have many doubts,
since she was a relation of that noble Duke of Norfolk who was so warm in
the Queen of Scotland's cause, & who at last fell a victim to it. The
king's last wife contrived to survive him, but with difficulty effected
it. He was succeeded by his only son Edward.
Edward the 6th
As this prince was only nine years old at the time of his Father's
death, he was considered by many people as too young to govern, & the
late King happening to be of the same opinion, his mother's Brother, the
Duke of Somerset, was chosen Protector of the realm during his
minority. [...] He was beheaded, of which he might with reason have been
proud, had he known that such was [to be] the death of Mary Queen of
Scotland; but as it was impossible that He should be conscious of what
had never happened, it does not appear that he felt particularly
delighted with the manner of it. [...]
[...] His Majesty was of that amiable disposition which inclines to
Freindships, & in such points was possessed of a keener perception in
Discovering Merit than many other people. I once heard an excellent
Sharade on a Carpet, of which the subject I am now on reminds me, and as
I think it may afford my Readers some Amusement to find it out,
I shall here take the liberty of presenting it to them.
SHARADE
My first is what my second was to King James the 1st, and you
tread on my whole.
The principal favourites of his Majesty were Car, who was afterwards
created Earl of Somerset and whose name may have some share in the above
mentioned Sharade, & George Villiers, afterwards Duke of Buckingham. On
his Majesty's death he was succeeded by his son Charles.
Charles the 1st
[...] The Events of this Monarch's reign are too numerous for my pen,
and indeed the recital of any Events (except what I make myself) is
uninteresting to me; my principal reason for undertaking the History of
England being to prove the innocence of the Queen of Scotland, which I
flatter myself with having effectually done, and to abuse Elizabeth, tho'
I am rather fearful of having fallen short in the latter part of my
Scheme. -- As therefore it is not my intention to give any particular
account of the distresses into which this King was involved through the
misconduct & Cruelty of his Parliament, I shall satisfy myself with
vindicating him from the Reproach of Arbitrary & tyrannical Government
with which he has often been Charged. This, I feel, is not difficult to
be done, for with one argument I am certain of satisfying every sensible
& well disposed person whose opinions have been properly guided by a good
Education -- & this Argument is that he was a Stuart.
Finis
Saturday Nov: 26th 1791
To Miss Cooper
COUSIN
Conscious of the Charming Character which in every Country, & every
Clime in Christendom is Cried Concerning you, with Caution & Care I
Commend to your Charitable Criticism this Clever Collection of Curious
Comments, which have been Carefully Culled, Collected, & Classed by your
Comical Cousin
The Author
A Collection of Letters
MY Children begin now to claim all my attention in a different
Manner from that in which they have been used to receive it, as they
are now arrived at that age when it is necessary for them in some
measure to become conversant with the World. My Augusta is 17 &
her Sister scarcely a twelve-month younger. I flatter myself that
their education has been such as will not disgrace their appearance in
the World, & that they will not disgrace their Education,
I have every reason to beleive. Indeed, they are sweet Girls. --
Sensible yet unaffected -- Accomplished yet Easy. -- Lively yet
Gentle. -- As their progress in every thing they have learnt has been
always the same, I am willing to forget the difference of age, and to
introduce them together into Public. This very Evening is fixed on as
their first entrée into life, as we are to drink tea with
Mrs. Cope & her Daughter. I am glad that we are to meet no
one, for my Girls' sake, as it would be awkward for them to enter too
wide a Circle on the very first day. But we shall proceed by
degrees. -- Tomorrow, Mr. Stanly's family will drink tea with us,
and perhaps the Miss Phillips will meet them. On Tuesday we shall pay
Morning-Visits. -- On Wednesday we are to dine at Westbrook. On
Thursday we have Company at home. On Friday we are to be at a private
concert at Sir John Wynne's -- & on Saturday we expect Miss Dawson
to call in the morning, -- which will complete my Daughters'
Introduction into Life. How they will bear so much dissipation I
cannot imagine; of their Spirits I have no fear, I only dread their
health.
This mighty affair is now happily over, & my Girls are
out. As the moment approached for
our departure, you can have no idea how the sweet Creatures trembled
with fear & expectation. Before the Carriage drove to the door, I
called them into my dressing-room, & as soon as they were seated,
thus addressed them. "My dear Girls, the moment is now arrived when I
am to reap the rewards of all my Anxieties and Labours towards you
during your Education. You are this Evening to enter a World in which
you will meet with many wonderfull Things; Yet let me warn you against
suffering yourselves to be meanly swayed by the Follies & Vices of
others, for beleive me, my beloved Children, that if you do -- I shall
be very sorry for it." They both assured me that they would ever
remember my advice with Gratitude, & follow it with Attention;
That they were prepared to find a World full of things to amaze &
shock them: but that they trusted their behaviour would never give me
reason to repent the Watchful Care with which I had presided over
their infancy & formed their Minds. -- "With such expectations
& such intentions, (cried I) I can have nothing to fear from you --
& can chearfully conduct you to Mrs. Cope's without a fear of
your being seduced by her Example or contaminated by her Follies.
Come then, my Children, (added I) the Carriage is driving to the door,
& I will not a moment delay the happiness you are so impatient to
enjoy." When we arrived at Warleigh, poor Augusta could hardly
breathe, while Margaret was all Life & Rapture. "The
long-expected Moment is now arrived, (said she) and we shall soon be
in the World." -- In a few Moments we were in Mrs. Cope's parlour,
-- where with her daughter she sat ready to receive us. I observed
with delight the impression my Children made on them. -- They were
indeed two sweet, elegant-looking Girls, & tho' somewhat abashed
from the peculiarity of their Situation, Yet there was an ease in
their Manners & Address which could not fail of pleasing. --
Imagine, my dear Madam, how delighted I must have been in beholding,
as I did, how attentively they observed every object they saw, how
disgusted with some Things, how enchanted with others, how astonished
at all! On the whole, however, they returned in raptures with the
World, its Inhabitants, & Manners.
Yrs. Ever -- A---- F----
WHY should this last disappointment hang so heavily on my Spirits? Why
should I feel it more, why should it wound me deeper than those I have
experienced before? Can it be that I have a greater affection for Willoughby
than I had for his amiable predecessors? Or is it that our feelings become
more acute from being often wounded? I must suppose, my dear Belle, that this
is the Case, since I am not conscious of being more sincerely attached to
Willoughby than I was to Neville, Fitzowen, or either of the Crawfords, for
all of whom I once felt the most lasting affection that ever warmed a Woman's
heart. Tell me then, dear Belle, why I still sigh when I think of the
faithless Edward, or why I weep when I behold his Bride, for too surely this
is the case. -- My Freinds are all alarmed for me; They fear my declining
health; they lament my want of Spirits; they dread the effects of both. In
hopes of releiving my Melancholy, by directing my thoughts to other objects,
they have invited several of their freinds to spend the Christmas with us.
Lady Bridget Dashwood & her Sister-in-Law Miss Jane are expected on
Friday; & Colonel Seaton's family will be with us next week. This is all
most kindly meant by my Uncle & Cousins; but what can the presence of a
dozen indifferent people do to me, but weary & distress me. -- I will not
finish my Letter till some of our Visitors are arrived.
Friday Evening --
Lady Bridget came this Morning, and with her, her sweet Sister, Miss
Jane. -- Although I have been acquainted with this charming Woman above
fifteen years, Yet I never before observed how lovely she is. She is now about
35, & in spite of sickness, Sorrow, and Time, is more blooming than I ever
saw a Girl of 17. I was delighted with her, the moment she entered the house,
& she appeared equally pleased with me, attaching herself to me during the
remainder of the day. There is something so sweet, so mild in her Countenance,
that she seems more than Mortal. Her Conversation is as bewitching as her
appearance; -- I could not help telling her how much she engaged my
Admiration. -- "Oh! Miss Jane" (said I) -- and stopped from an inability at
the moment of expressing myself as I could wish -- "Oh! Miss Jane" (I
repeated) -- I could not think of words to suit my feelings -- She seemed
waiting for my Speech. -- I was confused -- distressed. -- My thoughts were
bewildered -- and I could only add "How do you do?" She saw & felt for my
embarrassment & with admirable presence of mind releived me from it by
saying -- "My dear Sophia, be not uneasy at having exposed Yourself -- I will
turn the Conversation without appearing to notice it." Oh! how I loved her
for her kindness! "Do you ride as much as you used to do?" said she. -- "I am
advised to ride by my Physician, We have delightful Rides round us, I have a
charming horse, am uncommonly fond of the Amusement," replied I, quite
recovered from my Confusion, "& in short, I ride a great deal." "You are
in the right my Love," said She, Then repeating the following Line which was
an extempore & equally adapted to recommend both Riding & Candour
--
"Ride where you may, Be Candid where You
can,"
She added, "I rode once, but it is many years ago" -- She spoke
this in so Low & tremulous a Voice, that I was silent -- Struck with her
Manner of Speaking, I could make no reply. "I have not ridden," continued she,
fixing her Eyes on my face, "since I was married." I was never so surprised
-- "Married, Ma'am!" I repeated. "You may well wear that look of
astonishment," said she, "since what I have said must appear improbable to you
-- Yet nothing is more true than that I once was married."
"Then why are you called ``Miss Jane''?"
"I married, my Sophia, without the consent or knowledge of my father --
the late Admiral Annesley. It was therefore necessary to keep the secret from
him & from every one, till some fortunate opportunity might offer of
revealing it. -- Such an opportunity alas! was but too soon given in the death
of my dear Capt. Dashwood -- Pardon these tears," continued Miss Jane, wiping
her Eyes, "I owe them to my Husband's Memory; He fell, my Sophia, while
fighting for his Country in America after a most happy Union of seven
years. -- My Children, two sweet Boys & a Girl, who had constantly resided
with my Father & me, passing with him & with every one as the Children
of a Brother (tho' I had ever been an only child) had as yet been the Comforts
of my Life. But no sooner had I lossed my Henry, than these sweet Creatures
fell sick & died. -- Conceive, dear Sophia, what my feelings must have
been when as an Aunt I attended my Children to their early Grave. -- My Father
did not survive them many weeks -- He died, poor Good old Man, happily
ignorant to his last hour of my Marriage."
"But did you not own it, & assume his name at your husband's death?"
"No; I could not bring myself to do it; more especially when in my
Children, I lost all inducement for doing it. Lady Bridget and Yourself are
the only persons who are in the knowledge of my having ever been either Wife
or Mother. As I could not prevail on myself to take the name of Dashwood (a
name which after my Henry's death I could never hear without emotion), and as
I was conscious of having no right to that of Annesley, I dropt all thoughts
of either, & have made it a point of bearing only my Christian one since
my Father's death." She paused -- "Oh! my dear Miss Jane (said I) how
infinitely am I obliged to you for so entertaining a Story! You cannot think
how it has diverted me! But have you quite done?"
"I have only to add, my dear Sophia, that my Henry's elder Brother dieing
about the same time, Lady Bridget became a Widow like myself, and as we had
always loved each other in idea from the high Character in which we had ever
been spoken of, though we had never met, we determined to live together. We
wrote to one another on the same subject by the same post, so exactly did our
feelings & our Actions coincide: We both eagerly embraced the proposals we
gave & received of becoming one family, and have from that time lived
together in the greatest affection."
"And is this all?" said I, "I hope you have not done."
"Indeed I have; and did you ever hear a Story more pathetic?"
"I never did -- and it is for that reason it pleases me so much, for when
one is unhappy, nothing is so delightful to one's sensations as to hear of
equal Misery."
"Ah! but my Sophia, why are you unhappy?"
"Have you not heard, Madam, of Willoughby's Marriage?" "But my Love, why
lament his perfidy, when you bore so well that of many young Men
before?" "Ah! Madam, I was used to it then, but when Willoughby broke his
Engagements, I had not been dissapointed for half a year." "Poor Girl!" said
Miss Jane.
To Miss Fanny Catherine Austen
MY DEAR NEICE
As I am prevented by the great distance between Rowling and Steventon from
superintending Your Education Myself, the care of which will probably on that
account devolve on your Father & Mother, I think it it my particular Duty
to prevent your feeling as much as possible the want of my personal
instructions, by addressing to You on paper my Opinions & Admonitions on
the conduct of Young Women, which you will find expressed in the following
pages. --
I am my dear Neice
Your affectionate Aunt
The Author.
MY DEAR LOUISA
Your friend Mr. Millar called upon us yesterday in his way to Bath, whither
he is going for his health; two of his daughters were with him, but the oldest
& the three Boys are with their Mother in Sussex. Though you have often
told me that Miss Millar was remarkably handsome, you never mentioned anything
of her Sisters' beauty; yet they are certainly extremely pretty. I'll give
you their description. -- Julia is eighteen; with a countenance in which
Modesty, Sense, & Dignity are happily blended, she has a form which at
once presents you with Grace, Elegance, & Symmetry. Charlotte, who is
just Sixteen, is shorter than her Sister, and though her figure cannot boast
the easy dignity of Julia's, yet it has a pleasing plumpness which is in a
different way as estimable. She is fair & her face is expressive
sometimes of softness the most bewitching, and at others of Vivacity the most
striking. She appears to have infinite wit and a good humour unalterable; her
conversation during the half hour they set with us, was replete with humorous
Sallies, Bonmots & repartees; while the sensible, the amiable Julia
uttered Sentiments of Morality worthy of a heart like her own. Mr. Millar
appeared to answer the character I had always received of him. My Father met
him with that look of Love, that social Shake, & cordial kiss which marked
his gladness at beholding an old & valued friend from whom thro' various
circumstances he had been separated nearly twenty Years. Mr. Millar observed
(and very justly too) that many events had befallen each during that interval
of time, which gave occasion to the lovely Julia for making most sensible
reflections on the many changes in their situation which so long a period had
occasioned, on the advantages of some, & the disadvantages of others.
From this subject she made a short digression to the instability of human
pleasures & the uncertainty of their duration, which led her to observe
that all earthly Joys must be imperfect. She was proceeding to illustrate
this doctrine by examples from the Lives of great Men, when the Carriage came
to the Door and the amiable Moralist with her Father & Sister was obliged
to depart; but not without a promise of spending five or six months with us on
their return. We of course mentioned you, and I assure you that ample Justice
was done to your Merits by all. "Louisa Clarke (said I) is in general a very
pleasant Girl, yet sometimes her good humour is clouded by Peevishness, Envy,
& Spite. She neither wants Understanding nor is without some pretensions
to Beauty, but these are so very trifling, that the value she sets on her
personal charms, & the adoration she expects them to be offered, are at
once a striking example of her vanity, her pride, & her folly." So said
I, & to my opinion everyone added weight by the concurrence of their
own.
your affectionate
Arabella Smythe
MANY have been the cares & vicissitudes of my past life, my beloved
Ellinor, & the only consolation I feel for their bitterness is that on a
close examination of my conduct, I am convinced that I have strictly deserved
them. I murdered my father at a very early period of my Life, I have since
murdered my Mother, and I am now going to murder my Sister. I have changed my
religion so often that at present I have not an idea of any left. I have been
a perjured witness in every public tryal for these past twelve Years; and I
have forged my own will. In short, there is scarcely a crime that I have not
committed. -- But I am now going to reform. Colonel Martin of the Horse
guards has paid his Addresses to me, & we are to be married in a few days.
As there is something singular in our Courtship, I will give you an account of
it. Col. Martin is the second son of the late Sir John Martin, who died
immensely rich, but bequeathing only one hundred thousand
pound a piece to his three younger Children, left the bulk of his fortune,
about eight Million, to the present Sir Thomas. Upon his small pittance the
Colonel lived tolerably contented for nearly four months, when he took it into
his head to determine on getting the whole of his eldest Brother's Estate. A
new will was forged & the Colonel produced it in Court -- but nobody would
swear to it's being the right Will except himself, & he had sworn so much
that nobody beleived him. At that moment, I happened to be passing by the
door of the Court, and was beckoned in by the Judge, who told the Colonel that
I was a Lady ready to witness anything for the cause of Justice, & advised
him to apply to me. In short, the Affair was soon adjusted. The Colonel
& I Swore to its' being the right will, & Sir Thomas has been obliged
to resign all his illgotten Wealth. The Colonel in gratitude waited on me the
next day with an offer of his hand. -- I am now going to murder my Sister.
Yours Ever.
Anna Parker.
MY DEAR CLARA
I HAVE been so long on the ramble that I have not till now had it
in my power to thank you for your Letter. -- We left our dear home on
last Monday month; and proceeded on our tour through Wales, which is a
principality contiguous to England and gives the title to the Prince
of Wales. We travelled on horseback by preference. My Mother rode
upon our little pony, & Fanny & I walked by her side or rather ran, for
my Mother is so fond of riding fast that She galloped all the way.
You may be sure that we were in a fine perspiration when we came to
our place of resting. Fanny has taken a great many Drawings of the
Country, which are very beautiful, tho' perhaps not such exact
resemblances as might be wished, from their being taken as she ran
along. It would astonish you to see all the Shoes we wore out in our
Tour. We determined to take a good Stock with us & therefore each
took a pair of our own besides those we set off in. However we were
obliged to have them both capped & heelpeiced at Carmarthen, & at last
when they were quite gone, Mama was so kind as to lend us a pair of
blue Sattin Slippers, of which we each took one and hopped home from
Hereford delightfully --
I am your ever affectionate
Elizabeth Johnson.
Volume the Third
[Dedication:]
To Miss Austen
MADAM
Encouraged by your warm patronage of The beautiful Cassandra,
and The History of England, which through your generous support
have obtained a place in every library in the Kingdom, and run through
threescore Editions, I take the liberty of begging the same Exertions in favour
of the following Novel, which I humbly flatter myself, possesses Merit beyond
any already published, or any that will ever in future appear, except such as
may proceed from the pen of Your Most Grateful Humble Servt.
THE AUTHOR
Steventon August 1792 --
To Miss Mary Lloyd
The following Novel is by permission
Dedicated,
by her Obedt. humble Servt.
The Author
...Mr. Gower was the only son of a very large Family, of which
Miss Rose Gower was the thirteenth daughter. This Young Lady, whose
merits deserved a better fate than she met with, was the darling of
her relations -- From the clearness of her skin & the Brilliancy
of her Eyes, she was fully entitled to all their partial affection.
Another circumstance contributed to the general Love they bore her,
and that was one of the finest heads of hair in the world. A few
Months before [...], her heart had been engaged by the attentions and
charms of a young Man whose high rank and expectations seemed to
foretell objections from his Family, to a match which would be highly
desirable to theirs. Proposals were made on the young Man's part, and
proper objections on his Father's -- He was desired to return from
Carlisle, where he was with his beloved Rose, to the family seat in
Sussex. He was obliged to comply, and the angry father, then finding
from his Conversation how determined he was to marry no other woman,
sent him for a fortnight to the Isle of Wight under the care of the
Family Chaplain, with the hope of overcoming his Constancy by Time and
Absence in a foreign Country. They accordingly prepared to bid a long
adieu to England -- The young Nobleman was not allowed to see his
Rosa. They set sail -- A storm arose which baffled the arts of the
Seamen. The Vessel was wrecked on the coast of Calshot and every Soul
on board perished. The sad Event soon reached Carlisle, and the
beautiful Rose was affected by it, beyond the power of Expression.
Notes
- "Gentle":
- This could also mean "well-born".
- [Passage erased in original manuscript]:
- "He never told a Lie but once, & that was merely to oblige
me. Indeed, I may truly say there never was such a Brother!"
- Desert... destroyed the Hothouse":
- I.e. because the hot-house was destroyed, there is no fruit to serve for
dessert.
- June 2d. 1793:
- At that date, Jane Austen was 17 years old.
- "Ride where you may, Be Candid where You can":
- According to Chapman, this is a parody of Pope's
Laugh where we must, be candid where we can.
- "only one hundred thousand pound... about eight
Million... his small pittance":
- Of course these are ridiculously large sums of money.
- "a fortnight to the Isle of Wight":
- This is meant to be a ludicrously commonplace contrast with the
exalted happenings in conventional novels (in which this situation would
require a year on the Continent, at least).
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