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
Your news of Edward Bridges was quite news, for I have had no letter
from Wrotham. I wish him happy with all my heart, and hope his choice
may turn out according to his own expectations, and beyond those of his
family; and I dare say it will. Marriage is a great improver, and in a
similar situation Harriet may be as amiable as Eleanor. As to money,
that will come, you may be sure, because they cannot do without it. When
you see him again, pray give him our congratulations and best wishes.
This match will certainly set John and Lucy going.
There are six bedchambers at Chawton; Henry wrote to my mother the other
day, and luckily mentioned the number, which is just what we wanted to
be assured of. He speaks also of garrets for store-places, one of which
she immediately planned fitting up for Edward's man-servant; and now
perhaps it must be for our own; for she is already quite reconciled to
our keeping one. The difficulty of doing without one had been thought of
before. His name shall be Robert, if you please.
Before I can tell you of it, you will have heard that Miss Sawbridge is
married. It took place, I believe, on Thursday. Mrs. Fowle has for some
time been in the secret, but the neighborhood in general were quite
unsuspicious. Mr. Maxwell was tutor to the young Gregorys,--consequently,
they must be one of the happiest couples in the world, and either of
them worthy of envy, for she must be excessively in love, and he mounts
from nothing to a comfortable home. Martha has heard him very highly
spoken of. They continue for the present at Speen Hill.
I have a Southampton match to return for your Kentish one, Captain G.
Heathcote and Miss A. Lyell. I have it from Alethea, and like it,
because I had made it before.
Yes, the Stoneleigh business is concluded, but it was not till yesterday
that my mother was regularly informed of it, though the news had reached
us on Monday evening by way of Steventon. My aunt says as little as may
be on the subject by way of information, and nothing at all by way of
satisfaction. She reflects on Mr. T. Leigh's dilatoriness, and looks
about with great diligence and success for inconvenience and evil, among
which she ingeniously places the danger of her new housemaids catching
cold on the outside of the coach, when she goes down to Bath, for a
carriage makes her sick.
John Binns has been offered their place, but declines it; as she
supposes, because he will not wear a livery. Whatever be the cause, I
like the effect.
In spite of all my mother's long and intimate knowledge of the writer,
she was not up to the expectation of such a letter as this; the
discontentedness of it shocked and surprised her--but I see nothing in
it out of nature, though a sad nature.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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