by Jane Austen
28. The “old ladies” would be the chaperones, who would be supervising the dance and watching out for impropriety.
29. This is the sixth time in this chapter that Isabella has used “my dear” or “my dearest” when addressing Catherine. These phrases are often used in Austen’s novels: Catherine and Mrs. Allen each say “my dear” in this chapter, and Jane Austen employs both phrases in her letters (for an example, see this illustration). But Isabella’s usage far exceeds the norm, a product of her incessant efforts to profess deep affection for others.
30. jig it: dance. The term was used especially for a lively dance such as a jig, which, however, was not something danced at assemblies like this.
31. quiz: make fun of, ridicule.
32. quizzes: This is “quizzers” in the original edition, but the context suggests that is a printer’s error, for Thorpe is obviously referring to people who are worthy of being ridiculed, due to their oddity, rather than people doing the ridiculing.
A contemporary ferroniere, a piece of jewelry for the head.
[From Alice Morse Earle, Two Centuries of Costume in America (New York, 1903), p. 792]
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VOLUME I, CHAPTER IX
1. Dinner was a late-afternoon meal; supper was a separate meal occurring late in the evening. Someone arriving home at the end of an evening, especially an evening spent dancing, would naturally be very hungry for the latter meal. A sentimental heroine in distress, however, would likely be unable to eat—and would certainly be unable, as Catherine presently does, either to sleep soundly or to awake with revived spirits.
2. schemes: plans, projects. The term was a common one then, and had no connotation of anything underhanded.
3. habitude: familiarity.
4. work: needlework.
5. Carriages would make plenty of noise.
A woman engaged in needlework.
[From Mary Augusta Austen-Leigh, Personal Aspects of Jane Austen (New York, 1920), p. 167]
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6. Thorpe uses “devil” several times in the novel; no other character does, and the word is used in other Austen novels only by rough, often vulgar, characters. No one in her works ever employs “hell.”
7. “They” refers to James and Isabella; James’s lack of a carriage means he has had to rent one from a coachmaker.
8. “Famous,” which he uses frequently, was a colloquial term of praise then. Colloquial expressions of the sort Thorpe often employs were not considered appropriate for polite conversation.
9. He means their tumble out of their supposedly decrepit carriage.
10. Claverton Down is an elevated area to the east of Bath. It was a popular place for those seeking fresh air and exercise. One contemporary guidebook describes it as “distinguished for its beautiful extensive level velvet turf” (Pierce Egan, Walks Through Bath).
11. dust: commotion, uproar. This is another of Thorpe’s colloquialisms. It is also inappropriate for him to suggest, without any basis, the possibility that Catherine might behave rudely.
12. Catherine wishes Mrs. Allen to intercede and rescue her from the outing. Unfortunately for her, Mrs. Allen’s inadequacy as a guide and source of advice throws Catherine on her own resources, which are not developed enough to allow her to judge with confidence.
13. take the rest: have to be checked or arrested.
14. spirits: ardor, vigor.
15. own: acknowledge.
16. important: pompous.
17. The servant may be one employed by the lodging being rented by the Allens. Taking care of visitors’ horses would be a frequent task in Bath, due to the constant driving around and socializing of those staying there.
18. The reference is to Thorpe’s inflated boast of his horse’s speed—see note 23.
A thoroughbred horse (this one is for racing) such as John Thorpe believes his to be.
[From William Henry Scott, British Field Sports (London, 1818), p. 521]
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19. “As rich as a Jew” was a common expression, though not one normally used in polite conversation. It was also not necessarily based on personal knowledge, for the Jewish population in England at this time was small, perhaps fifteen thousand out of a total of more than eight million, and was heavily concentrated in certain neighborhoods, mostly in London. Jews had been banished from England in 1290, and it was not until the mid-seventeenth century that this policy changed. From that point on a limited but steady stream of Jews immigrated to England from other parts of Europe. Like other religious minorities, Jews were excluded from public office and suffered certain forms of discrimination, but they were allowed to worship as they chose and to live and work in relative freedom and security.
Anti-Semitic attitudes, however, remained a powerful force in English culture. Their strength was indicated by the furious popular opposition to a bill of 1753 allowing for limited naturalization for Jews born abroad—though after this outcry forced the withdrawal of the bill, public agitation against Jews disappeared. Another example of prejudiced attitudes appears in productions of Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice: after more than a century of Shylock being treated as a secondary comical figure, from the 1740s on he became the main focus of the play, and was depicted in the most diabolical way possible.
Shylock also reinforced the principal negative image of Jews, which was of grasping and unscrupulous merchants and bankers. A number of Jews had attained great commercial success, especially in the world of finance; a few had also arranged important transactions for the British state, news of which had caused a political reaction including fears of Jewish manipulation or even control of the government. The publicity surrounding these financiers reinforced the idea of Jewish wealth. In actuality, the great majority of Jews in England were poor, in part because of a continual influx of penniless immigrants. But even the principal trades pursued by poor Jews—street hawking in London and itinerant peddling in the countryside—supported the stereotype of Jewish commercial rapacity.
At the same time, during the second half of the eighteenth century more liberal attitudes toward Jews steadily grew. Many writers argued for their common humanity with the rest of the population and lamented the mistreatment and prejudice they had suffered. These more tolerant attitudes were particularly marked among the wealthiest classes in England. Hence John Thorpe’s crude talk of Jews would mark his lack of gentility and refinement, as would his earlier-expressed hostility to foreigners.
20. Calling him “Old Allen” is much too familiar, considering that Thorpe has almost no acquaintance with him. That is why Catherine does not understand him at first, and then switches to the correct “Mr. Allen.”
21. Thorpe is obviously inquiring into Catherine’s chances of receiving a large inheritance. Such interest was common when thinking of a potential marital prospect, and indicates that Thorpe’s mind is moving in that direction. At the same time, few would raise the topic in such a crude manner—one that still fails to elucidate his motives to Catherine. His mentioning the subject the day after meeting her certainly signals that his interest in her does not derive from affection.
22. Mr. Allen’s gout was mentioned earlier (see this page). Gout is not a major cause of death, though Thorpe’s avarice makes him wish to make the association.
23. Alcohol would worsen gout.
24. It was not polite to invoke the Lord’s name as part of such exclamations.
25. overset: overcome, overpowered.
26. Many people associated climate with health, and some engaged in serious scientific investigations of the possible links. Knowing nothing of microbes, people turned to a variety of other explanations of illness, and asserting the influence of the atmosphere was popular among both medical men and laypeople.
27. Accounts of eighteenth-century Oxford frequently mention the heavy drinking there. One reason was the lax educational standards: while lectures were regularly offered, attendance was not
required and many students spent little time studying. This left them with plenty of leisure time to fill, which is also what allows John Thorpe and James Morland to pay an extended visit to Bath even though they are now in the midst of the school’s winter term. See this illustration.
28. oaths: curses, profane words.
29. Springs in carriages served as shock absorbers, to reduce the shaking caused by the often rough roads of the time.
30. tittuppy: shaky, unsteady. The term was colloquial.
A contemporary picture of drunken revelry at Oxford.
[From Joseph Grego, Rowlandson the Caricaturist, Vol. II (London, 1880), p. 185]
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31. business: object, thing.
32. York is in the northeast of England, and thus a considerable distance from Bath, in the southwest; see this map. Carriages, being made mostly of wood, would contain plenty of nails.
33. impudent: shameless.
34. A central theme of this novel is the encounter of Catherine, who has lived a very sheltered life, with deceitful or bad people for the first time.
Horse racing (see note 36).
[From William Henry Scott, British Field Sports (London, 1818), p. 461]
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35. Buying and selling horses was a common activity of men.
36. These would be horse races, a common entertainment for men.
37. Shooting parties were sponsored by landowners with large numbers of game birds (principally partridges and pheasants) on their property.
38. Foxhunting involved the rapid pursuit of the prey by hounds, followed by men on horseback. The hunt’s fast pace, and the frequent need to jump over fences and creeks as people raced across fields, required audacious and skillful riding. The risk of falling off one’s horse and suffering serious injury was high. For a picture of foxhunters suffering difficulties, see below.
39. This passage shows an early stage in Catherine’s learning to think for herself, and to discern the deceptions or flaws of others.
40. Watches, usually fitting in the pocket, had become standard accessories by this period. They were not as accurate as clocks, due to the difficulty of creating a precisely calibrated timekeeping mechanism on such a small scale, which is why people often compared watches to confirm the correct time.
An accident during a fox hunt.
[From Works of James Gillray (London, 1849), Figure 109]
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41. vastly: extremely. “Vastly” was a very common word in the eighteenth century that had begun to decline in use by Austen’s time; only cruder or less intelligent characters in her novels employ it.
42. The market or marketplace was a large open area behind the town hall where numerous food vendors came to offer their wares; see this map. Lack of refrigeration meant that the availability of particular items could vary greatly from day to day.
43. A muslin gown decorated with spots; see also note 17.
A spotted muslin dress.
[From The Repository of arts, literature, fashions, manufactures, &c, Vol. XIII (1815), p. 366]
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44. This is a large fortune for a woman. Only a small number of female characters in Austen’s novels possess this much—Catherine later turns out to have three thousand pounds. This would be a lump sum that would go to the husband upon marriage and, if not urgently needed, usually be invested in government bonds that earned 5 percent a year in interest. One notable feature of Jane Austen is that she is so explicit about amounts of money. As for the current equivalent values, one pound in 1803 would have the value of approximately seventy pounds in 2013 (or around 110 U.S. dollars). Hence twenty thousand pounds in 1803 would translate into over two million dollars today, though the relative costs of different items have changed so much that such figures can serve only as rough estimates.
45. Women were normally given money to buy wedding clothes. This would not mean primarily clothes for the wedding itself—bridal clothes were rarely extravagant, and wedding gowns were suitable for wear on later occasions—but a trousseau containing an assortment of clothes to outfit the bride for her upcoming new life.
46. warehouse: store.
47. put by: set aside.
48. Precious family jewels were usually handed down to daughters. Pearls, while still used, had recently declined in favor as a jewelry material in this period, which may be one reason why the fashion-conscious Mrs. Allen recollects this detail.
49. This is a natural question, for the eldest son usually received a greater inheritance than any other child. Even someone as inexperienced as Catherine, and as unmaterialistic, would think of such practical considerations.
VOLUME I, CHAPTER X
1. Since gowns were not bought ready-made, but ordered from a dressmaker or a seamstress (see note 22), Isabella could have decided herself how the sleeves should be.
Women with bonnets (see note 6).
[From Max von Boehn, Modes & Manners of the Nineteenth Century, Vol. I (London, 1909), p. 87]
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2. Isabella is referring to the roses on Catherine’s gown. For more, see note 17.
3. It would be improper to inquire into another person’s romantic affections or affairs without being invited, or to tease another person on the subject. Catherine’s firm enunciation of this principle, a widely upheld one, distinguishes her from Isabella, who has just been making presumptuous remarks about Catherine’s supposed romantic situation. Isabella’s ignorance of or indifference to such rules of behavior explains the incredulity with which she will respond to Catherine’s statement.
4. He is drinking the warm mineral waters supplied by the Pump Room. Furnishing such waters was the official reason for the room’s existence. Mr. Allen, unlike the many other characters who frequent the Pump Room purely for social reasons, has come to Bath to treat his gout and thus makes use of what was recommended as a prime treatment for the ailment.
5. They could be reading some of the daily newspapers published in London and distributed throughout England—between ten and fifteen such papers existed during this period, with the number fluctuating as some closed and new ones were established—or provincial newspapers, which were often weeklies. The newspapers could differ sharply on some questions because many were aligned with, or even sponsored financially by, either the ruling government or the opposition party, and tailored their coverage accordingly. A wide variety of papers were available in Bath, with bookshops or circulating libraries allowing people access to some through payment of a subscription. Men are consistently presented in Austen’s novels as the principal readers of newspapers; one reason is that only they could participate in politics (though politics was far from the only subject covered by the papers).
6. Bonnets, which generally meant hats without a brim, started to become especially popular around 1800. They were more casual than many other types of headgear, and therefore appropriate in a daytime venue like the Pump Room.
7. simplicity: sincerity, naturalness, lack of affectation.
8. The unoriginal topics of their conversation constitute another proof of Catherine’s ordinariness, in contrast to the many novel heroines who are marked by their extraordinary qualities or their uniqueness. Later Catherine herself will say, in reply to a compliment on her supposedly being unlike anyone else, “Oh! dear, there are a great many people like me, I dare say, only a great deal better” (this page). At the same time as the narrative here suggests, Catherine’s lack of affectation does form a sort of distinction in itself.
9. Catherine’s comment is artless because a woman with any social art, i.e., adroitness, would never reveal her affection for a man so openly, especially to the man’s sister. That is what surprises and amuses her listener.
10. Miss Tilney’s bow represents an acknowledgment of the point just made; she may use it from a wish to respond in some manner, without having a verbal response at hand. Bows, whic
h are mostly used by men in Austen’s novels, indicate formal manners. Such manners were more common at elite social levels, and the Tilneys are soon shown to be very wealthy; Henry Tilney bows at several points.
11. The phrase “had the pleasure” is another sign of formal and correct manners. Ideally, in order to compliment those being addressed, one speaks of the pleasure one feels, or that those on whose behalf one is speaking felt, on meeting them—even though, in this case, Miss Tilney may know nothing of Henry’s actual feelings on the occasion.
12. This coming in advance contrasts with the Allens’ simply finding lodgings upon arrival, as they easily do (see note 20). It probably indicates the wish of Mr. Tilney’s father (General Tilney, who will be introduced shortly) to ensure that the best possible lodgings are found and that he can proceed to them the moment of his arrival in Bath—even at the cost of extra trouble and expense for his son.
13. That is, they have gone horseback riding.
14. For the cotillion ball, see note 23.
15. This presumably is because excessive solicitude over clothing can cause one to become overdressed, or overadorned, which runs counter to the period’s increased preference for naturalness and simplicity in dress. One symptom of this trend was the popularity of loose white gowns that were far less resplendent or carefully constructed than the gowns of earlier periods. Another was the popularity, for men, of dark, sober garments with affinities to the attire used in the country for outdoor pursuits, as well as an emphasis on perfect cut and fit and subtle understatement, rather than ostentation, as the supreme mark of fine male dressing.
16. Her great-aunt could have been reading from a book, or she could have been delivering her own lecture; “to read a lecture” sometimes had that latter meaning. Criticism of strong interest in dress was present in much of the literature of the time, including female conduct books. Such interest was condemned variously as a distraction from more important religious, moral, or intellectual pursuits, as an inducement to vanity, and as an encouragement to illicit sexual behavior. Her great-aunt probably delivered this message recently—doing so at Christmas, since that was when more distant relations would be gathered together—because she felt Catherine, now seventeen, was entering the age when she was in danger of succumbing to such pernicious interests.