Jane Austen’s Letters 72 (Sloane St 30 Apr 1811, Sloane St), 73-75 (Chawton 29 & 31 May & 6 June 1811)

Fireplace in room at 10 Henrietta Place, shared by Jane Austen and Fanny Knight when they stayed with Henry Austen in 1814

Dear friends and readers,

I left off my journey through Jane Austen’s letters, an attempt to delve beyond the barriers her family set up by destroying most of them, by close reading, at Letter 71, Thurs 25 April 1811). Jane Austen was then living at Chawton, but at Sloane Street with Henry and Eliza Austen while working on the proofs of Sense and Sensibility. I did so after I had broken with chronology to study the extant letters from Jane to her niece Anna Austen Lefroy (76, Thurs-Sat, 29-31 Oct 1812; 103, ?mid-July 1814; 104; Wed-Thurs, 10-18 Aug 1814; 107, Fri-Sun, 9-18 Sept 1814); 113, Wed, 30 Nov 1814). This was a subsection of my study of the Cambridge editions of Austen’s manuscripts. I’d concluded perhaps one could understand some important letters better if one read these, those to specific correspondents apart from Cassandra, separately and placed them against a reading of biographical and life-writing material relating to that person.

I also was beginning to realize Austen herself simply did not discuss her fiction in any sufficiently detailed or articulate way in her letters, and that she was more unconscious of what she ended up with than I had supposed before I also studied the later manuscripts).

I simply didn’t have the time to keep it up anymore when I was no longer sure of the value of what I had proposed.

Recently on Austen-l, Diana Birchalls has proposed to take over leading those who want to continue going through Austen’s letters chronologically one-at-a-time, and I’ve decided to join in and write more briefly on each, and every few weeks write a blog going over a few letters at a time. Before suspending my project I had written singly on Letter 72 (but not blogged), so this blog has more on Letter 72 than 73-75, but after this all will be much shorter, concise, and occasionally — on those rare instances where a letter by Austen to someone other than Cassandra has survived — set that one against a context of other letters to that person (if we have them) or what can be usefully added about Austen’s relationship to that person (usually a brother or relative).

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Map: Lower Sloane Street, Sloane Square, Sloane Terrace (1827)

Letter 72, Tues, 30 April 1811, Sloane St, Jane to Cassandra, no address.

This is very much a medias res letter, 5 days after the last.

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, & then — I do not know. — My head dress was a Bugle band like the border to my gown, & a flower of Mrs Tilson’s. — I depended upon hearing something of the Evens from Mr W.K.2-& 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 M” 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-controul but in vain. –I should like to know what her Estimate is but am always half afraid of finding a clever novel too clever — & of finding my own story & my own people all forestalled. Eliza has just rec” a few lines from Henry to assure her of the good conduct of his Mare. He slept at Uxbridge on Sunday, & wrote from Wheatfield. — We were not claimed by Hans place yesterday, but are to dine there today- — Mr Tilson called in the event — but otherwise we were quite alone all day, & after having been out a good deal, the change was very pleasant

LeFaye says a letter is missing. So even here there is something to hide. We are to remember that Eliza was not well and Austen says how pleased she is to be “quite alone all day, & after having been out a good deal, the change was very pleasant.” The same Jane: concerns with money, even tiny sums: Eliza got Jane a frank that is why she is writing to answer Cassandra so quickly. She shall spend no more on her pelisse. She returns to contrivances over fashion in the close. Where is Henry going? There appears to be real worry about him – from Eliza. His horse. Where he stayed and slept. There was an evening (part of what was destroyed) where she was complimented as “a pleasing looking young woman.” She says she must be content with that. She is past 35 — her Marianne would think that very old indeed (Mrs Dashwood not much older).

There are four parts of this letter that merit attention: Austen’s remark she regards Brunton as a peer-rival. First, for those who’d like to read Self-Control, it’s printed in the Jane Austen Library Series; as for its quality and relationship to Austen’s fiction and that of her contemporaries & later 19th century women authors, I’ve written a separate blog (“Somewhere between Jane Austen and Anne Bronte”)

Second, Austen’s attitude towards governesses and the disciplining of children. The letter continues:

I like your opinion of Miss Allen much better than I expected, & 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, tho’ they are my neices. 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.”

She again (as in The Watsons and Emma) feels for a woman who has a mean rough lousy job — “governing away.” In other words, these people forced the poor governess to be the tyrant to work away at the necessary repression. The whole thing chilling in every way from the poor pay and treatment a governess would get to what she was expected to do. Austen’s awareness in her “hopes of her staying a whole twelvemonth.” She expected Cassandra not to like this put upon young woman (!). How ironic the poor oppressed despised expected to train children in submission.

I don’t under two lines: “I am in a dilemma” are not encouraging. It
seems that the meanness wanted is from an “Emma” — who or what character or incident this refers to may be impossible to get it if it’s a life story (LeFaye offers no help).

The passage connects to the latter reference to visiting Mrs Dundas for Martha’s way of separating herself from these Austen was to become a paid companion to Mrs Dundas (who, to look ahead) dies the day after letter 77, 29-30 Nov 1811).

A third part is the local politics. Again the letter continues:

But really, I was never much more put to it, than in contriving 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 7 till another Session, as I have just had the pleasure of reading. — There is always something to be hoped from Delay. —

“Between Session & Session”
“The first Prepossession”
“May rouse up the Nation”
‘And the Villainous Bill”
“May be forced to lie Still”
‘Against Wicked Men’s will.”

There is poetry for Edward & his Daughter.

After the nonsense words between Fanny and Jane (they put “p’s” before each word but it is not possible to decipher this). LeFaye’s note leads us to an informative cited in the Cranbrook Journal. A local issue where Edward was one of those who had been misled (Edward, partly drawn in John Dashwood never was more than dim) to conclude it was not in their individual interest to pay for any improvement for someone else’s land that might not immediately give profit. A narrow and ultimately destructive attitude (that is exploited today). Austen is empathetic with the self-centered politics of the landowner eager to stop a canal. The verses are Jane’s. Yes a little later in the letter she is ironic over Edward’s good day and is “very glad to hear of his kind promise of bringing you to Town.” But note she does not quite believe it. “I hope everything will arrange itself favourably. Edward has agreed to provide transportation for Cassandra:

I forgot to tell you in my last, that our cousin Miss Payne called in on Saturday & was persuaded to stay dinner. — She told us a great deal about her friend Lady Cath. Brecknell, who is most happily married – -& Mr Brecknell is very religious, & has got black Whiskers. — I am glad to think that Edward has a tolerable day for his drive to Goodnestone, & very glad to hear of his kind promise of bringing you to Town. I hope every thing will arrange itself favour ably. The 16th is now to be M” Dundas’s day [for Martha].

To me it’s ludicrous that this is a favor: his “kind promise.” He’s got resources, money, freedom as a man and she’s spending her life caring for his children but it’s a big favor if he offers to drive her. Having returned to Martha, and remembered a fringe woman cousin, she returns to Eliza and Anna:

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 — & 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.

At the close of the letter another marginalized ummarried woman persuaded to stay to dinner. Miss Payne, a cousin. Her intelligence indicated by the sketched in conversation which Austen captures. Mrs Dundas (as I said above) is the woman Martha is hired to be companion to. That’s why a day must be carved out.

I am glad to see that Austen shows a sign that Anna ought to come to London too. She is working on it: “Eliza not quite resolved on inviting Anna … but I think she will.” Eliza would not forget the mother’s hatred and resentment nor perhaps her old flirtation with James: Anna cannot escape a past that is not hers because she cannot get outside this family group. And then letters missing again.

For Christy’s helpful addition on Mary Lloyd’s shameless selfish unreasoning attitude towards Eliza (and Anna too), and how it affected Anna’s chances at London, see her comment.

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Syringa

Letters 73-74, Wed, Fri 29, 31 May 1811, Chawton, to Cassandra at Godmersham

We can see from Letters 73 and 74 Austen just does not discuss in her letters what she is now spending most of her time doing — correcting the proofs of S&S about to come out, and a whole-scale (no trivial task) thorough revamping of First Impressions into P&P to try to get it published. We hear nothing whatever of this in these heroic efforts in these two letters.

It’s not probable Cassandra would have so assiduously eliminated these details as in the later letters in this second half o the set (looking at the letters as being 151, letter 74 is about half-way) do contain details. Censored — as in the reference to ordination in MP which no longer makes sense, but there.

73: Yes there’s a lot about flowers and growing things, the heat (“excessively hot” — oh that she had lived in summer of 2012 in Virginia), but then a little later a fire is wanted. She suggests how hard it is to keep count of these people dropping babies: “It was a mistake of mine, dear Cassandra, to talk of a 10th Child at Hamstall: I had forgot there but but 8 already.”

Some of the Flower seeds are coming up very well — but your Mignionette makes a wretched appearance. – -Miss Benn has been
equally unlucky as to hers; She had seed from 4 different people, & none of it comes up. Our young Piony at the foot of the Fir tree has just blown & looks very handsome; & the whole of the Shrubbery Border will soon be very gay with Pinks & 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 plumbs — but not many greengages-on the standard scarcely any-three or four dozen perhaps against the wall. I beleive I told you differently when I first came home, but I can now judge better than I could then

There is a continuation of the unsympathetic attitude towards Anna:

Anna is nursing a cold caught in the Arbour at Faringdon, that she may be able to keep her engagement to Maria M.6 this evening, when I suppose she will make it worse.

I am interested by her worry lest Martha if she be “home” might be discommoded by Frank, his wife and growing progeny. Austen is hoping for Martha to come here. Let Frank, Mary &c go to Steventon, and Martha please to come here. In this letter she says she must not press Miss Sharpe to come, but two days letter in the next letter she is pressing Anne to come:

I have had a medley & satisfactory Letter this morns from the Husband & Wife at Cowes; 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, & is I daresay what they expect; but supposing Martha to be at home, it does not seem a very easy thing to accomodate [sic] so large a party. –My Mother offers to give up her room to Frank & Mary-but there will then be only the Best, for two Maids & three Children. — They go to Steventon about the 22nd — & 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

74: She is so eager for Anne Sharpe’s acquiescence and after all (she says, pathetically if we are paying attention), Cassandra and Martha do not dislike the plan. She persists on and off with this and speaks of Mary Cooke jokingly (another thwarted female partnership), she is sorry for her as only 2 curates around for possible husbands. (Curates Mary Crawford would have pointed out are usually nearly broke).

There’s a long paragraph on her maneuverings to get Martha’s agreement and Miss Sharpe to come, and this morphs and ends Austen’s attempt to fend off any spinning wheels from Mrs Knight. The last thing she wants or needs. She’d spin a rope to hang herself.

This circumstance has made me think the present time would be favourable for Miss Sharp’s coming to us; it seems a more disengaged period with us, than we are likely to have later in the Summer; if Frank & Mary do come, it can hardly be before the middle of July, which will be allowing a reasonable length of visit for Miss Sharpe supposing she begins it when you return; & if You & Martha do not dislike the plan, & she can avail herself of it, the opportunity of her being conveyed hither will be excellent. — I shall write to Martha by this post, & if neither You nor she make any objection to my proposal, I shall make the invitation directly-& as there is no time to lose, you must write by return of post if you have any reason for not wishing it done. — It was her intention I beleive to go first to Mrs Lloyd — but such a means of getting here may influence her otherwise.

How eager she is. How pathetic. Then:

I cannot endure the idea of her [Mrs Knight] giving away her own wheel, & have told her no more than is the truth, in saying I could never use it with comfort; — I had a great mind to add that if she persisted in giving it, I would spin nothing with it but a Rope to hang myself – but was afraid of making it appear a less serious matter of feeling than it really was.

An 18th century spinning wheel

She finally bends and enters into Anna’s enjoyable evening at Farringdon wholeheartedly. Not threatened here:

From Monday to Wednesday Anna is to be engaged at Farringdon, in order that she may come in for the Gaieties of Tuesday’ (1′ 4th), on Selbourne Common, where there are to be Volunteers & Felicities of all kinds … . — Poor Anna is also suffering from her cold which is worse today, but as she has no sore throat I hope it may spend itself by Tuesday She had a delightful Evens with the Miss Middletons — Syllabub, Tea, Coffee, Singing, Dancing, a Hot Supper, eleven o’clock, everything that can be imagined agreable [sic]. — She desires her best Love to Fanny, & will answer her letter before she leaves Chawton, & engages to send her a particular account of the Selbourn day.

This is followed by the famous comic heartlessness – she knows she should not quite say this — the passage does reflect an awareness of the Peninsular war once again — and how important and bloody the fighting there really was.

How horrible it is to have so many people killed — and what a blessing that one cares for none of them!

As letter 73, so 73 is involved in gardening: quick set hedges are cheap you see. They began their china tea too

You cannot imagine – -it is not in Human Nature to imagine what a nice walk we have round the Orchard. — The row of Beech look very well indeed, & so does the young Quickset hedge in the Garden. — I hear today that an Apricot has been detected on one of t1i.e Trees. — My Mother is perfectly convinced now that she shall not be overpower’d by her Cleft Wood — & I beleive would rather have more than less.

And a Tuesday!

I bless my stars that I have done with Tuesday

She hopes that Anna’s sore throat may be over by Tuesday. Tuesday not lucky. I did not read the first 70 or so letters looking out for bad Tuesdays, and only begin as of now.

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Letter 75, Thurs, 6 June 1811, Jane, at Chawton, to Cassandra, at Godmersham

“I have a magnificent project — which was immediately thwarted, to bring together herself, Martha, Anne Sharpe, and Cassandra. It’s yet another and continual disappointment that her new plan for their community, for Anne Sharpe, for Martha to be with her is thwarted. She opens, returns, comes back to it, and at one point comes close to pointing out how she realizes they are all putting her off, in plain truth pretending, lying:

I have given up all idea of Miss Sharpe’s travelling with You & Martha, for tho’ 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 [italics Austen’s].

And still she leans on Martha, still cherishes a service as if it were a gift:

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 Waggon tomorrow; it is certainly what we want, & I long to know what it is like; & as I am sure Martha has great pleasure in making the present, I will not have any regret.

On Jane’s behalf let me say I wish Martha had gotten one of the men she was said to be oogling after at the close of the previous letter.

Like Diane Reynolds, I note note that here again we have Austen at a height of her powers, working away, 6 days between this letter and the last, no acknowledgement anywhere she’s hard at work on S&S proofs, or the revised P&P.

My favorite line to Cassandra:

I will not say that your Mulberry trees are dead, but I am afraid they are not alive.

Letter 75 continued in the comments.

Ellen