Oxford World’s Classics

by Jane Austen

  ‘Oh! the dear Creature, cried I, how passionately he loves me! But dear Lady Scudamore did you tell him that I was totally dependant on my Uncle & Aunt?’

  ‘Yes, I told him every thing.’

  ‘And what did he say.’

  ‘He exclaimed with virulence against Uncles & Aunts; Accused the Laws of England for allowing them to possess their Estates when wanted by their Nephews or Neices, and wished he were in the House of Commons, that he might reform the Legislature, & rectify all its abuses.’

  ‘Oh! the sweet Man! What a spirit he has!’ said I.

  ‘He could not flatter himself he added, that the adorable Henrietta would condescend for his Sake to resign those Luxuries & that Splendor to which She had been used, and accept only in exchange the Comforts and Elegancies which his limitted Income could afford her, even supposing that his house were in Readiness to receive her. I told him that it could not be expected that she would; it would be doing her an injustice to suppose her capable of giving up the power she now possesses & so nobly uses of doing such extensive Good to the poorer part of her fellow Creatures, merely for the gratification of you and herself.’

  ‘To be sure said I, I am very Charitable every now and then. And what did Mr Musgrove say to this?’

  ‘He replied that he was under a melancholy Necessity of owning the truth of what I said, and that therefore if he should be the happy Creature destined to be the Husband of the Beautiful Henrietta he must bring himself to wait, however impatiently, for the fortunate day, when she might be freed from the power of worthless Relations and able to bestow herself on him.’

  What a noble Creature he is! Oh! Matilda what a fortunate one I am, who am to be his Wife! My Aunt is calling to me to come & make the pies.* So adeiu my dear freind.

  & beleive me your &c.—H. Halton.

  Finis

  [Scraps]

  To Miss Fanny Catherine Austen*

  My dear Neice

  As I am prevented by the great distance between Rowling & Steventon* from superintending Your Education Myself, the care of which will probably on that account devolve on your Father & Mother, I think it is my particular Duty to prevent your feeling as much as possible the want of my personal instructions, by addressing to You on paper my Opinions & Admonitions on the conduct of Young Women,* which you will find expressed in the following pages.—I am my dear Neice

  Your affectionate Aunt

  The Author.

  The female philosopher*—.

  a Letter.

  My dear Louisa

  Your friend Mr Millar called upon us yesterday in his way to Bath, whither he is going for his health; two of his daughters were with him, but the eldest & the three Boys are with their Mother in Sussex. Though you have often told me that Miss Millar was remarkably handsome, You never mentioned anything of her Sisters’ beauty; yet they are certainly extremely pretty. I’ll give you their description.— Julia is eighteen; with a countenance in which Modesty, Sense & Dignity are happily blended, she has a form which at once presents you with Grace, Elegance & Symmetry. Charlotte who is just sixteen is shorter than her Sister, and though her figure cannot boast the easy dignity of Julia’s, yet it has a pleasing plumpness which is in a different way as estimable. She is fair & her face is expressive sometimes of softness the most bewitching, and at others of Vivacity the most striking. She appears to have infinite Wit and a good humour unalterable; her conversation during the half hour they set with us, was replete with humorous Sallies, Bonmots & repartées;* while the sensible, the amiable Julia uttered Sentiments of Morality* worthy of a heart like her own.Mr Millar appeared to answer the character I had always received of him. My Father met him with that look of Love, that social Shake, & cordial kiss* which marked his gladness at beholding an old & valued friend from whom thro’ various circumstances he had been separated nearly twenty Years. Mr Millar observed (and very justly too) that many events had befallen each during that interval of time, which gave occasion to the lovely Julia for making most sensible reflections on the many changes in their situation which so long a period had occasioned, on the advantages of some, & the disadvantages of others. From this subject she made a short digression to the instability of human pleasures & the uncertainty of their duration, which led her to observe that all earthly Joys must be imperfect. She was proceeding to illustrate this doctrine by examples from the Lives of great Men* when the Carriage came to the Door and the amiable Moralist* with her Father & Sister was obliged to depart; but not without a promise of spending five or six months with us* on their return. We of course mentioned you, and I assure you that ample Justice was done to your Merits by all. ‘Louisa Clarke (said I) is in general a very pleasant Girl, yet sometimes her good humour is clouded by Peevishness, Envy & Spite. She neither wants Understanding or is without some pretensions to Beauty, but these are so very trifling, that the value she sets on her personal charms, & the adoration she expects them to be offered are at once a striking example of her vanity, her pride, & her folly.’ So said I, & to my opinion every one added weight by the concurrence of their own.

  your affec.te Arabella* Smythe

  The first Act of a Comedy—

  Characters

  Popgun* Maria

  Charles Pistoletta*

  Postilion* Hostess

  Chorus of ploughboys* Cook

  & and

  Strephon* Chloe

  Scene—an Inn—

  Enter Hostess, Charles, Maria, & Cook.

  Host.ss to Maria) If the gentry in the Lion* should want beds, shew them number 9.—

  Maria) Yes Mistress.—

  exit Maria—

  Host.ss to Cook) If their Honours in the Moon ask for the bill of fare,* give it them.

  Cook)—I wull, I wull—

  exit Cook.

  Host.ss to Charles) If their Ladyships in the Sun ring their Bell— answer it.

  Charles) Yes, Ma’am.—

  Exeunt Severally—

  Scene changes to the Moon, & discovers Popgun & Pistoletta.

  Pistol.tta) Pray papa how far is it to London?

  Popgun) My Girl, my Darling, my favourite of all my Children, who art the picture of thy poor Mother who died two months ago, with whom I am going to Town to marry to Strephon,* and to whom I mean to bequeath my whole Estate, it wants seven Miles.*

  Scene changes to the Sun—

  Enter Chloe & a chorus of ploughboys.

  Chloe) Where am I? At Hounslow.*—Where go I? To London—. What to do? To be married—. Unto whom? Unto Strephon. Who is he? A Youth.—Then I will sing a Song.

  Song—

  I go to Town

  And when I come down,

  I shall be married to Stree-phon

  And that to me will be fun.*

  Chorus) Be fun, be fun, be fun,

  And that to me will be fun.

  Enter Cook—

  Cook) Here is the bill of fare.

  Chloe reads) 2 Ducks, a leg of beef, a stinking partridge,* & a tart.— I will have the leg of beef and the Partridge.

  exit Cook.

  And now I will sing another song.

  Song—

  I am going to have my dinner,

  After which I shan’t be thinner,

  I wish I had here Strephon

  For he would carve the partridge if it should

  be a tough one.

  Chorus) Tough one, tough one, tough one,

  For he would carve the partridge if it

    Should be a tough one.

  Exit Chloe and Chorus—.

  Scene changes to the inside of the Lion.

  Enter Strephon & Postilion

  Streph.) You drove me from Staines* to this place, from whence I mean to go to Town to marry Chloe. How much is your due?

  Post.) Eighteen pence.

  Streph.) Alas, my friend, I have but a bad guinea* with which I mean to support myself in Town. But I will pawn to you an undirected Letter* that I received from Chloe.

 
Post.) Sir, I accept your offer.

  End of the first Act.—

  A Letter from a Young Lady, whose feelings being too strong for her Judgement led her into the commission of Errors which her Heart disapproved.*—

  Many have been the cares & vicissitudes of my past life, my beloved Ellinor,* & the only consolation I feel for their bitterness is that on a close examination of my conduct, I am convinced that I have strictly deserved them. I murdered my father at a very early period of my Life, I have since murdered my Mother, & I am now going to murder my Sister. I have changed my religion so often that at present I have not an idea of any left. I have been a perjured witness in every public tryal for these last twelve Years;* and I have forged my own Will. In short there is scarcely a crime that I have not committed—But I am now going to reform. Colonel Martin of the Horseguards* has paid his Addresses to me, & we are to be married in a few days. As there is something singular in our Courtship, I will give you an account of it. Col. Martin is the second Son of the late Sir John Martin who died immensely rich, but bequeathing only one hundred thousand pound apeice to his three younger Children, left the bulk of his fortune, about eight Million to the present Sir Thomas. Upon his small pittance the Colonel lived tolerably contented for nearly four months when he took it into his head to determine on getting the whole of his eldest Brother’s Estate. A new will was forged & the Colonel produced it in Court—but nobody would swear to it’s being the right Will except himself, & he had sworn so much that Nobody beleived him. At that moment I happened to be passing by the door of the Court, and was beckoned in by the Judge who told the Colonel that I was a Lady ready to witness anything for the cause of Justice, & advised him to apply to me. In short the Affair was soon adjusted. The Colonel & I swore to its’ being the right will, & Sir Thomas has been obliged to resign all his illgotten Wealth. The Colonel in gratitude waited on me the next day with an offer of his hand—. I am now going to murder my Sister. Yrs Ever,

  Anna Parker.*

  A Tour through Wales*—

  in a Letter from a young Lady—

  My dear Clara

  I have been so long on the ramble* that I have not till now had it in my power to thank you for your Letter—. We left our dear home on last Monday Month;* and proceeded on our tour through Wales, which is a principality contiguous to England and gives the title to the Prince of Wales. We travelled on horseback by preference. My Mother rode upon our little poney & Fanny & I walked by her side or rather ran, for my Mother is so fond of riding fast that She galloped all the way. You may be sure that we were in a fine perspiration* when we came to our place of resting. Fanny has taken a great Many Drawings of the Country, which are very beautiful, tho’ perhaps not such exact resemblances as might be wished, from their being taken as she ran along. It would astonish you to see all the Shoes we wore out in our Tour. We determined to take a good Stock with us & therefore each took a pair of our own besides those we set off in. However we were obliged to have them both capped & heelpeiced* at Carmarthen,* & at last when they were quite gone, Mama was so kind as to lend us a pair of blue Sattin Slippers,* of which we each took one and hopped home from Hereford* delightfully—

  I am your ever affectionate

  Elizabeth Johnson.*

  A Tale.

  A Gentleman whose family name I shall conceal,* bought a small Cottage in Pembrokeshire* about two Years ago. This daring Action was suggested to him by his elder Brother who promised to furnish two rooms & a Closet* for him, provided he would take a small house near the borders of an extensive Forest, and about three Miles from the Sea. Wilhelminus* gladly accepted the Offer and continued for some time searching after such a retreat when he was one morning agreably releived from his Suspence by reading this advertisement in a Newspaper.

  To be Lett

  A Neat Cottage on the borders of an extensive forest & about three Miles from the Sea. It is ready furnished except two rooms & a Closet.

  The delighted Wilhelminus posted away immediately to his brother, & shewed him the advertisement. Robertus congratulated him & sent him in his Carriage to take possession of the Cottage. After travelling for three days & six Nights without Stopping, they arrived at the Forest & following a track which led by it’s side down a steep Hill over which ten Rivulets meandered, they reached the Cottage in half an hour. Wilhelminus alighted, and after knocking for some time without receiving any answer or hearing anyone stir within, he opened the door which was fastened only by a wooden latch & entered a small room, which he immediately perceived to be one of the two that were unfurnished—From thence he proceeded into a Closet equally bare. A pair of Stairs that went out of it led him into a room above, no less destitute, & these apartments he found composed the whole of the House. He was by no means displeased with this discovery, as he had the comfort of reflecting that he should not be obliged to lay out any thing on furniture himself—. He returned immediately to his Brother, who took him next day to every Shop in Town, & bought what ever was requisite to furnish the two rooms & the Closet. In a few days every thing was completed, and Wilhelminus returned to take possession of his Cottage. Robertus accompanied him, with his Lady the amiable Cecilia & her two lovely Sisters Arabella and Marina to whom Wilhelminus was tenderly attached, and a large number of Attendants—An ordinary Genius* might probably have been embarrassed in endeavouring to accomodate so large a party, but Wilhelminus with admirable presence of mind gave order for the immediate erection of two noble Tents in an open Spot in the Forest adjoining to the house. Their Construction was both simple & elegant—A Couple of old blankets, each supported by four sticks, gave a striking proof of that taste for Architecture & that happy ease in overcoming difficulties which were some of Wilhelminus’s most striking Virtues.

  Finis

  End of the Second Volume

  Volume the Third

  Jane Austen—May 6th 1792.*

  Contents*

  Evelyn

  Kitty, or the Bower

  To Miss Mary Lloyd,*

  The following Novel is by permission

  Dedicated,

  by her Obed.t humble Serv.t

  The Author

  Evelyn*

  In a retired part of the County of Sussex there is a village (for what I know to the Contrary) called Evelyn, perhaps one of the most beautiful Spots in the south of England. A Gentleman passing through it on horseback about twenty years ago, was so entirely of my opinion in this respect, that he put up at the little Alehouse in it & enquired with great earnestness whether there were any house to be lett* in the Parish. The Landlady, who as well as every one else in Evelyn was remarkably amiable, shook her head at this question, but seemed unwilling to give him any answer. He could not bear this uncertainty—yet knew not how to obtain the information he desired. To repeat a question which had already appear’d to make the good woman uneasy was impossible—. He turned from her in visible agitation. ‘What a situation am I in!’ said he to himself as he walked to the window and threw up the sash.* He found himself revived by the Air, which he felt to a much greater degree when he had opened the window than he had done before. Yet it was but for a moment—. The agonizing pain of Doubt & Suspence again weighed down his Spirits. The good woman who had watched in eager silence every turn of his Countenance with that benevolence which characterizes the inhabitants of Evelyn, intreated him to tell her the cause of his uneasiness. ‘Is there anything Sir in my power to do that may releive your Greifs—Tell me in what manner I can sooth them, & beleive me that the freindly balm of Comfort and Assistance shall not be wanting; for indeed Sir I have a simpathetic Soul.’

  ‘Amiable Woman (said Mr Gower, affected almost to tears by this generous offer) This Greatness of mind in one to whom I am almost a Stranger, serves but to make me the more warmly wish for a house in this sweet village—. What would I not give to be your Neighbour, to be blessed with your Acquaintance, and with the farther knowledge of your virtues! Oh! with what pleasure would I form myself by such an exa
mple!* Tell me then, best of Women,* is there no possibility?— I cannot speak—you know my Meaning——.’

  ‘Alas! Sir, replied Mrs Willis, there is none. Every house in this village, from the sweetness of the Situation, & the purity of the Air, in which neither Misery, Illhealth, or Vice are ever wafted, is inhabited. And yet, (after a short pause) there is a Family, who tho’ warmly attached to the spot, yet from a peculiar Generosity of Disposition would perhaps be willing to oblige you with their house.’* He eagerly caught at this idea, and having gained a direction to the place, he set off immediately on his walk to it. As he approached the House, he was delighted with its situation. It was in the exact center of a small circular paddock,* which was enclosed by a regular paling,* & bordered with a plantation of Lombardy poplars,* & Spruce firs alternatively placed in three rows.* A gravel walk ran through this beautiful Shrubbery,* and as the remainder of the paddock was unincumbered with any other Timber, the surface of it perfectly even & smooth, and grazed by four white Cows which were disposed at equal distances* from each other, the whole appearance, of the place as Mr Gower entered the Paddock was uncommonly striking. A beautifully-rounded, gravel road without any turn or interruption* led immediately to the house. Mr Gower rang—the Door was soon opened. ‘Are Mr & Mrs Webb at home?’ ‘My Good Sir they are’—replied the Servant; And leading the way, conducted Mr Gower up stairs into a very elegant Dressing room,* where a Lady rising from her seat, welcomed him with all the Generosity which Mrs Willis had attributed to the Family.