The Letters of Jane Austen: Selected from the compilation of her great nephew, Edward, Lord BradbourneAusten, Jane
General
The Letters of Jane Austen: Selected from the compilation of her great nephew, Edward, Lord Bradbourne
Austen, Jane
Austen, Cassandra, 1773-1845; Austen, Jane, 1775-1817 -- Correspondence; Novelists, English -- 19th century -- Correspondence
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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