The Annotated Sense and Sensibility

by Jane Austen

  28. Stockings, which went to just above the knee and were fixed in place with a garter, were a basic part of a woman’s wardrobe. Jane Austen refers to buying ones at various points in her letters. They could be cotton or wool as well as silk; the latter were more expensive, and Anne Steele’s boasting of silk ones is probably because she and Lucy may not always have been able to afford silk. Silk was especially scarce, and therefore expensive, at this time due to the Napoleonic Wars.

  29. make love: court, profess love.

  30. The impropriety of eavesdropping is consistently upheld by the better characters in Jane Austen, along with a general respect for others’ privacy and personal secrets. Elinor’s willingness to remain silent about Lucy’s engagement, despite the pain it causes, is one example of this sort of integrity. In Pride and Prejudice the heroine leaves the room rather than talking more to her sister, when she learns that this sister is ready to tell her information she was not meant to divulge, even though the information is of great importance to the heroine.

  31. A closet usually meant a small room then. A chimney board was a large wooden panel placed in front of the hearth during the summer, when the fireplace was not being used.

  32. This gives a sense of Lucy’s moral character.

  33. Pall Mall: a well-known and expensive street in London (see note 54). Edward’s lodging there does not suggest much effort at economizing, though, as his talk of going to Oxford indicates, he is staying in London only briefly. He may even have a friend who lives there and is willing to accommodate him for a few days.

  34. chariot: small, enclosed carriage (see note 26).

  35. A huswife, or housewife, was a small case for needlework and sewing supplies. The ones here are the same as the needle books that were earlier mentioned as gifts from Fanny Dashwood (this page).

  36. light upon: find, come across.

  37. A bishop was in charge of a diocese, a large region consisting of numerous parishes. The approval of a bishop was required to become ordained as a clergyman.

  38. The doctor’s new living would be his new position as clergyman for a parish; he, like many holders of a living, could hire a curate to perform the duties.

  39. against: for.

  40. Elinor means that it is good she is prepared for the terrible eventuality of being asked to write to the doctor and has her answer of “not for all the world” ready. Elinor is being ironic at Miss Steele’s expense, since she knows that the latter eagerly hopes people will think her attachment to the doctor strong enough to justify asking her to write to him, and she would certainly love to send such a letter. The statement, like some others in the novel, indicates that Elinor, as generally serious and high-minded as she is, does have a sense of humor and can be witty.

  41. It is possible that the Richardsons are not genteel, for their stopping at the Miss Steeles’ current residence in Bartlett’s Buildings to offer one of them a ride suggests they live in the vicinity, and that area was not inhabited mostly by those who were genteel. Nevertheless, they probably are wealthy, as many doing business in London became during this period.

  42. Keeping a carriage indicated wealth, and a coach was the largest and most expensive of all carriages.

  43. in anger against: angry with.

  44. bout: time, i.e., this stay in London.

  45. Muslin was a lightweight cotton fabric originally from India that had become extremely popular in Britain in the late eighteenth century and was the most widely used material for women’s gowns during this period—a muslin meant a dress of this fabric. Muslin came in a variety of patterns and decorations; Northanger Abbey, on the subject of muslins, mentions “the spotted, the sprigged, the mull, or the jackonet.” Muslin’s delicate nature meant it was in danger of being torn.

  46. after: according to.

  47. The preferment would be his appointment to a clerical position. His chances seem remote because personal connections were vital for obtaining a living, and Edward, with his family turned against him, probably does not have any connections to assist him.

  48. intelligence: news, information.

  49. set down: settle down.

  50. matter: amount.

  51. stout: strong, robust.

  52. A girl of all works would be the sole servant in a household and have to perform a variety of chores. Such servants would always be female, since women comprised the great majority of servants and were significantly cheaper than male servants—someone who could afford a male servant could probably afford two female ones, which would make far more sense on a budget. Among the tasks of such a servant would be cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, and waiting at table. The labor involved would require substantial strength, though even with that the mistress of the house would certainly have to help the servant with many of her tasks.

  53. two-penny post: local London postal service (see note 22).

  54. She calls it a liberty because people usually wrote only to relatives and close friends, and Elinor has certainly not indicated any wish to correspond with Lucy. But correspondence between two women would not be considered improper, since there would be no danger of sexual misbehavior.

  55. This suggests one motive of Lucy’s letter: a wish of exulting in her triumph over Elinor with regard to Edward. Another motive appears toward the end.

  56. Much of her language, such as “great trials, and great persecutions,” is hackneyed, echoing both the Bible and romantic fiction.

  57. Her sister, in reporting their conversation to Elinor, never described any mention of Elinor, which she presumably would have if it had occurred. Lucy, knowing Edward’s affection for Elinor, would have had little reason to say anything good of her.

  58. This is the direct opposite of what Anne Steele reported, which was that Edward encouraged Lucy to drop the engagement for her sake if she wished, and that Lucy insisted on maintaining it.

  59. regard: heed or fear.

  60. As already mentioned, personal recommendations played a central role in procuring livings.

  61. Her humble phrasing suggests the lower status of her cousins, who probably would be happy to know, or become friendly with, someone of higher status like Mrs. Jennings. It also suggests Lucy’s wish to appeal to Mrs. Jennings, whom she has just called “dear.” Lucy, knowing where Elinor is staying, would assume that Mrs. Jennings would also see the letter, for letters were often shared among members of the same household. Writing to Elinor allows her to flatter Mrs. Jennings in a way that is less awkward than if she were writing to the latter directly.

  62. This means she is running out of space on her sheet of paper. Paper was expensive then, and postage was determined by the number of sheets sent in each letter. Therefore people tried to minimize the sheets used: in her own letters Jane Austen at various times wrote between existing lines, wrote new lines perpendicular to existing ones, and wrote in blank spaces near the address, all to fit more writing on a given number of sheets.

  63. Mrs. Jennings’s response shows her susceptibility to flattery, and thus the shrewdness of Lucy in appealing to her in this way.

  VOLUME III, CHAPTER III

  1. London was known for the poor quality of its air, which was considered unhealthful as well as unpleasant, for medical opinion attributed many ailments to bad air.

  2. It took them two and a half days to reach London from Barton, and their return will be more difficult, since Mrs. Jennings has not indicated an intention of going to Barton (as mentioned later, the Middletons are remaining in London, so she would have no good reason to go there now). This means they will have to pay for transportation and find a chaperone (see note 14).

  3. The phrasing suggests Mrs. Jennings lacks other forms of eloquence.

  4. altogether: on the whole.

  5. eligible: suitable, proper.

  6. Elinor saw Anne Steele in Kensington Gardens during the second week of March, so this would be in a few weeks (see this page).

  7. delicacy: refined sense of what is
proper and becoming.

  8. inforced: enforced, i.e., seconded, reaffirmed.

  9. Elinor may have hesitated to accept Mrs. Palmer’s invitation from a sense that she was asking them only as part of her invitation to Mrs. Jennings, or from a fear that Mrs. Palmer’s word was unreliable due to her flightiness and her deference to her far less accommodating husband. In either case, Mr. Palmer’s invitation, which was presumably made in a more rational and clearer fashion, would remove her hesitation.

  10. Elinor avoids saying Willoughby’s name or the name of his estate, Combe Magna. She clearly knows that even their mention upsets her sister. In this Marianne contrasts with Elinor, who has always been able to speak and hear of Edward and Lucy with calmness.

  11. Though both Cleveland and Combe Magna are in Somersetshire, they were earlier stated to be almost thirty miles apart (this page), a point Elinor was just trying to make.

  12. comfortable: pleasant.

  13. The distance is later described as eighty miles (this page). The standard travel speed on main roads was seven to eight miles an hour, so it would take a little more than ten hours. For the location of Bristol, a main port city at the time, see maps and this page.

  14. Since it was considered improper for unmarried young women to travel on their own, the male servant who worked for Mrs. Dashwood could accompany them. When two young women in Pride and Prejudice travel they use the same arrangement. The servant would take the public coach to reach Elinor and Marianne.

  15. started: introduced.

  16. dull: listless.

  17. Copying prints was a common activity of those who drew; in fact, the long-standing method for teaching drawing was to have the student engage in continual copying from books. Mrs. Jennings may have expressed admiration for this print, one Elinor presumably purchased for herself. The copy Elinor is making would cost far less than another new print. She would move to the window because artificial light at this time was far too weak to be effective for drawing.

  18. Mrs. Jennings’s refusal to listen, despite her insatiable curiosity, indicates she has some sense of honor and courtesy, despite her frequent disregard for the finer points of etiquette. It distinguishes her from the two Miss Steeles.

  19. Meaning her copying of the print. Women often talked while pursuing various domestic employments, particularly embroidery.

  20. lesson: exercise, piece (on the pianoforte).

  A contemporary church service at St. Stephen, Walbrook, one of the many churches in the city of London designed by Sir Christopher Wren.

  [From Fiona St. Aubyn, Ackermann’s Illustrated London—illustrations by Augustus Pugin and Thomas Rowlandson (Ware, 1985), p. 29]

  [List of Illustrations]

  21. post: mail.

  22. The living, or position as clergyman at Delaford, is controlled by Colonel Brandon. Wealthy landowners often controlled the livings of the parish where they resided, which meant they could appoint a new person whenever it became vacant, something that usually happened with the death of the existing holder. All that was required was for the appointee to be ordained and for the appointment to receive the consent of the bishop for the diocese, which was usually not a great barrier. Thus someone like Colonel Brandon was free to use this power to confer benefits on someone he liked, though most people controlling livings were conscientious enough to select someone they also thought would perform the duties adequately.

  23. The normal etiquette would be for someone offering an appointment to express doubt about its acceptance, as a gesture of respect for the recipient, but he knows that in the present case such a gesture would be particularly artificial.

  24. A rectory gave the holder the right to receive all the tithes in his parish. A vicarage, the other principal type of clerical position, gave the holder the right to receive only some of them. Thus rectories were generally better, but in some cases their income could be smaller than that of certain vicarages, since parishes varied greatly in the amount of tithes they could produce.

  25. Most livings would provide more than two hundred pounds a year. To improve a living was to raise the tithes, often through reassessing property values to reflect recent improvements and thereby the amount of tithes owed. In a letter Jane Austen refers to her father’s attempts to raise his tithes (Jan. 3, 1801).

  26. Colonel Brandon’s benevolence to someone he does not even know provides proof of his good character. This is valuable, since he, while playing an important role in the story, is absent or withdrawn for a good part of it.

  27. disposition: mental tendencies or bent.

  28. put off so agreeable an office: transfer so pleasant a task.

  29. indifferent: of middling quality. A house, or parsonage, for the clergyman to reside in was a standard part of a living.

  30. evil: difficulty.

  31. presentation: conferral, bestowal (of the clerical position).

  32. settle: marry, establish a married home.

  33. interest: influence, especially through personal connections. He refers to his influence in the church.

  34. This is when Mrs. Jennings “was almost ready to cry out, ‘Lord! what should hinder it?’ ” (this page).

  35. Her final words were, “I shall always think myself very much obliged to you” (this page).

  VOLUME III, CHAPTER IV

  1. sensibly: acutely.

  2. No one could know when Colonel Brandon would be able to bestow the clerical living, because it would become available only upon the death or resignation, most likely the former, of the previous holder.

  3. Mrs. Jennings’s complete misunderstanding of what is really happening is something that often occurred in the fiction of the time. It was a favorite device of writers to create suspense or drama; sometimes it was even a principal engine of the plot. Jane Austen ridicules it in Northanger Abbey for its implausibility, so her use of it here conflicts with her normal procedure, especially since the sustained miscommunication between Elinor and Mrs. Jennings, in which each makes numerous statements without ever realizing that the other person is speaking of a completely different subject, strains credibility somewhat. The main difference in Jane Austen’s use of this device is that she employs it purely to generate a brief comic episode, and it has no effect on the plot.

  4. Elinor is talking about the parsonage house, and Mrs. Jennings of Colonel Brandon’s own house.

  5. She thinks Edward will be the clergyman to perform the marriage ceremony, and for that he needs to be ordained. This is why she considers Elinor’s talk of the matter a sign that the wedding is imminent, and why she finds it odd that Colonel Brandon does not write to Edward.

  6. so forward: at such an advanced stage.

  A bishop; he would be necessary for the ordination of Edward that Mrs. Jennings is speaking of.

  [From William Pyne, Costume of Great Britain (London, 1804; 1989 reprint), Plate XXII]

  [List of Illustrations]

  7. was brought to bed: had her child.

  8. Earlier Mrs. Jennings thought of Betty’s sister when she was speculating about a servant for Edward and Lucy (see this page and note 24). Thus she shows a particular zeal for the paternalist assistance toward servants common in this society.

  9. A lady’s maid would dress and groom her mistress and take care of her clothes. It was a high-ranking position, for it required knowledge of clothes and fashion, skill at hairdressing, and, since she would be closer to her mistress than a typical servant, some education and relatively polished speech and manners. This is why Mrs. Jennings wonders if Betty’s sister would be suited for the job. At present Elinor lacks a lady’s maid, since her mother’s household has only three servants and they would be needed for more essential chores. But if married to Colonel Brandon she would be in a position to hire one.

  10. A housemaid’s principal job was cleaning the house, but she was also frequently expected to do sewing or needlework.

  11. Elinor’s writing to Edward raises no problem of impropriety
, in contrast to Marianne’s writing to Willoughby, because of her family connection with Edward.

  12. Leaving his farewell card would, like leaving his visiting card when arriving in a place, be a sign of respect and friendship. His interest in speaking to Elinor before his departure from London is a mark of his regard for her. His departure from London, already mentioned, would be a logical move in his new circumstances, for living there was more expensive. He will struggle to live on his remaining income, especially after being used to luxuries like frequent travel, his own horse, and a servant, also with his own horse, to attend him wherever he goes. It was undoubtedly an allowance from his mother, common for sons in wealthy families, that enabled him to afford all that.

  13. Elinor is forced to undergo one more difficult test to her fortitude and self-command. This one is particularly difficult because she must give Edward news that makes his marriage to Lucy much more likely.

  14. Her statement of congratulation is very formal, echoing the language found in official communications. She may be falling back on standard wording to restrain her emotions.

  15. The halting nature of her speech indicates how difficult and painful this is for her.

  16. views: expectations, plans.

  17. “Establishing all one’s views of happiness” was a standard formulation for speaking about the prospect of marriage.

  18. The reason for his emphatic utterance of this name, and nothing else, upon hearing the news will become clearer.

  19. It is notable that he begins to stumble over his words just after expressing his conviction that Elinor is the source of this unexpected benefit.

  20. His statements have already hinted at what this suspicion might be, and further clues will shortly appear.

  21. His thanks are very formal, and while complimenting Colonel Brandon’s general character, he never expresses any actual satisfaction or pleasure regarding what the colonel has done for him.

  22. Mrs. Jennings earlier said the two were close in her description of Delaford (this page). Such proximity was common, for the wealthiest landowner and the clergyman were normally the two leading figures in a rural parish, and there was usually a strong wish on both sides for a good working relationship.