by Jane Austen
1. This chapter marks the beginning of a new phase in the novel, when Anne’s attention—and much of the action—returns to those she had seen at Uppercross and Lyme. It is appropriate that it comes just after she reached an important decision regarding her principal new acquaintance since then, Mr. Elliot.
2. The reason why Louisa remains at Lyme, despite her improved condition, will soon become clear.
3. For the thickness of Mary’s letter, see note 15.
4. The Crofts could have sent their compliments orally to the servant who took the letter and then delivered it to Anne with the message, or they could have included a brief note to her. In either case, their presence in Bath would be apparent to Anne.
5. Sir Walter may say this after being presented with the Crofts’ visiting card. It is stated later (this page) that they “considered their intercourse with the Elliots as a mere matter of form,” which suggests they would at least wish to preserve the proper forms of courtesy.
6. Many characters in Jane Austen use “sir” or “ma’am” when speaking to their parents, so this is not necessarily a sign of particular formality. But usually they vary that usage with “papa/mamma” or “father/mother”; the younger Musgroves use only these latter designations. In contrast, Anne is shown only using “sir,” here and on this page.
7. Sir Walter’s assumption is that the Crofts have not brought a letter from his daughter out of kindness but out of a wish to establish their connection with him and secure his goodwill, thereby inducing him to visit them.
8. Dinner parties were central to Christmas celebrations, which then involved mostly feasting and gatherings of family and friends. Christmas trees and the exchange of presents and cards would develop only later as significant parts of the holiday.
9. This means the Musgroves’ children have returned to school.
10. Local roads in the country varied in quality (see note 16), and, since they were normally unpaved, bad weather could make travel on them very difficult. In contrast, streets in Bath began to be paved in the early eighteenth century, and eventually it became standard throughout the city, especially on streets in the affluent parts of town.
11. This is a remarkable statement considering that Mary has just criticized Mrs. Harville for leaving her children with Mrs. Musgrove. Moreover, Mrs. Harville has the excuse, which Mary does not, of needing the children gone so she can nurse someone else. Earlier, during her two weeks at Lyme, Mary had no apparent hesitation in leaving her children with only her servants (see note 16).
12. Gout was a common affliction of the time, concentrated particularly among older gentlemen like the admiral (it struck men far more than women). It results from an excess of uric acid in the blood, which can cause inflammation and agonizing pain in various joints, most especially those of the big toe. What usually brings it on is excessive consumption, generally over many years, of alcohol and foods rich in purine, which include various types of meat and fish. At the time, people understood its connection with a rich diet but not its exact physiological causes; there was also little treatment for it, other than moderation in eating and drinking.
Coming to Bath, or other spas, was one of the most popular treatments, to the point that the city became associated with sufferers from gout. In a letter Jane Austen suggests her brother may travel to Bath for a possible case of gout (June 19, 1799). Its warm waters were a particular attraction for those suffering from ailments of the joints, as also seen in Mrs. Smith’s use of them for her rheumatic fever. In the case of gout, the waters, both when drunk and bathed in, could produce an initial aggravation of the symptoms, but medical opinion considered this to be ultimately salutary. In Northanger Abbey the heroine is able to go to Bath because Mr. Allen, an older friend of the family, is seeking treatment for gout and invites her along, while Tobias Smollett’s Humphry Clinker, one of the best-known novels of the eighteenth century, begins with a similar venture to Bath and the nearby spa of Clifton by the gouty main character, Matthew Bramble.
13. Jemima has already been identified as Mary’s nursery maid (see this page). Her receiving news from the butcher and passing it on to her mistress shows the way local gossip circulates. She may have spoken to the butcher while out herself—Mrs. Musgrove criticized her for going out too much—or when the butcher came to the house on business. It is also possible she and the butcher are more than friends: servant girls would often marry workingmen (and then leave service), and butchers were especially likely candidates since their jobs gave them frequent reason to call at houses.
14. It is notable that Mary worries about a sore throat only on her own account and not on her children’s account.
15. Mary’s letter, described as thicker than usual, can be longer because it is going via the Crofts rather than the post office. Postal rates were very high during this period—the postal service was used to raise revenue, and the government’s need for money to fight the wars with Napoleon had made it increase rates considerably—and the cost of a letter varied according to the number of sheets. In this case Mary probably had some space remaining on her existing sheet and decided to save it to add news about Louisa, but the Crofts’ offer made her feel free to begin a new sheet. Mary’s thinking about such matters is a sign of consideration for Anne, for the cost of letters was borne by the recipient. Jane Austen’s own letters reveal a strong attention to holding down cost: she adds short messages from succeeding days onto many letters, saves space with a variety of abbreviations, and even writes across lines she has already written (making the new lines perpendicular to the old ones) or writes upside down in the space between existing lines.
16. This second part of Mary’s letter demonstrates how easily she switches from querulousness to good humor: it required only a kind note from Mrs. Croft to reverse completely her view of the Crofts and to inspire her with greater cheer about everything. Mary’s letters are almost the only ones in Persuasion; in other novels Jane Austen makes much greater use of them. Some of her early literary efforts were written entirely in the form of letters, a style of composition popular in the eighteenth century, and in her novels she shows the influence of that style by using letters to reveal character as well as to convey information.
17. The answer from Mr. Musgrove would be his consent to their marriage: saying a man was in love with a woman usually meant he wished to marry her. Asking parental consent, particularly of the father, was standard at this time. Men would usually ask the father’s consent in person; Captain Benwick’s use of a letter may result from his general shyness and quietness.
18. Captain Benwick is a commander (see this page), a lower rank than Captain Wentworth’s. This, and his greater youth, also means he has made less money. Moreover, while Wentworth is brother-in-law to an admiral, Benwick’s family is never mentioned, suggesting he has no relation of distinction.
19. The description of Mary’s stay at Lyme speaks of her “sense of being so very useful” (this page). But, among her specific activities, it never lists nursing, which suggests her usefulness probably existed mostly in her own head.
20. Anne’s surprise is probably shared by the reader. But, while no direct indication of such a development appeared earlier, Captain Benwick never came to Uppercross, despite his professed interest in Anne and Charles and Mary’s invitation, and Louisa remained in Lyme even after getting better. The reason for both is now apparent. It is possible that Louisa is being fetched at this time because Captain Benwick’s proposal prompted her to send word that she finally wished to return home.
21. wonderful: astonishing.
22. The sense of what this could mean for her is beginning to affect her, but at this point she keeps her mind focused on other things.
23. For four horses, and Sir Walter’s concern with that, see note 34.
24. “Miss Elliot” would be what Sir Walter would call Elizabeth when speaking.
25. Sir Walter, who has already been shown frequently lamenting the effects of aging on others,
associates gout with decrepitude because it usually afflicted people later in life, often becoming worse as people aged. It also was a disease noted for afflicting the wealthy, whose rich, meat-based diet, heavy consumption of alcohol, and frequently sedentary lifestyle made them especially vulnerable to it. The Prince Regent, the effective head of state in Britain at this time and a notorious glutton, suffered acutely from it, as had many monarchs over the centuries.
All this gave gout a certain social cachet, which may account for Sir Walter’s “poor old gentleman,” an unusually compassionate exclamation from him. Sir Walter’s relative sympathy—a notable contrast to his generally like-minded daughter’s immediate transition to wondering what the admiral’s arrival will mean for them socially—may also stem from worries regarding himself. He, a wealthy, middle-aged man, is in the category of people most likely to begin suffering from the disease. In fact, it was often regarded as a normal and expected stage of life for gentlemen, though Sir Walter’s concern with his appearance may have made him less likely to indulge in the excessive eating and drinking that often brought it on. “Poor old gentleman” is also ironic coming from Sir Walter, for he is probably older than Admiral Croft—Sir Walter being fifty-four, and Admiral Croft’s wife being thirty-eight (this page). Sir Walter’s vanity and good looks make him perceive himself to be younger than he is.
26. There are many naval officers in Bath (see note 39), but they would not wear their uniforms off duty, so Sir Walter and Elizabeth can only suspect that these men are sailors.
27. “Fine little boys” would be Mrs. Clay’s flattering language.
28. It is remarkable that, after hearing news with such tremendous implications for herself, Anne’s first conscious thoughts involve concern about the possibility of wrong behavior or suffering by others. In a letter to her niece about the novel, Jane Austen writes, “You may perhaps like the Heroine, as she is almost too good for me” (March 23, 1817).
29. minds: general inner characters.
30. interesting state: condition that touches or arouses concern in others.
31. This confirms Anne’s perceptiveness about Captain Benwick’s true character. Captain Wentworth, though having known Benwick far better than Anne has, later confesses himself to be completely astounded by the event (this page). Her earlier observation about Louisa’s feelings for Captain Wentworth being “a little fever of admiration” rather than real love is also vindicated (this page).
32. This discussion of their meeting of minds also suggests affinities between them even before their romance. Louisa was already an enthusiast of sorts, though not for poetry. She had ardently declared her willingness to suffer accidents rather than be separated from the man she loved and her determination never to abandon what she set out to do (this page and this page). Both declarations also had an element of showing off in front of Captain Wentworth, just as Benwick’s ardent quoting of poetic lines of despair were arguably intended, at least in part, to make an impression on Anne. Their falling in love with each other, so soon after she had displayed such interest in Wentworth and he had proclaimed himself to be inconsolable about Fanny Harville, suggests the less than profound nature of their earlier ardor, as well as the overall limitations of their characters. It also suggests the limitations of enthusiasm in general, and in doing so it tempers the novel’s tendency to celebrate warmth and spontaneity. Just as refusal to be persuaded can go too far, so can fervor and reliance on emotion. Anne’s controlled passion forms the ideal mean.
33. sensible: cognizant.
34. After worrying about others and trying to understand what has happened, the personal implications for Anne finally emerge to the surface in her mind—though she still tries to control and subdue the emotions they provoke. Her joy would be enhanced by her recent decision to reject Mr. Elliot, for it means she has no feelings to hinder or complicate her hope for a renewal of Captain Wentworth’s affection.
35. This means there were two meetings, first at the Elliots’ and then at the Crofts’.
36. Anne does not divulge anything. She has not been authorized to, and, having no particular connection to the participants, she would not consider herself justified in doing so.
37. Gay-street: a street in a good part of town, though not as grand or as fashionably situated as Camden Place. This probably accounts for Sir Walter’s satisfaction: the Crofts’ situation is not so bad as to taint Sir Walter by association, but it is definitely inferior to his. He had earlier expressed similar satisfaction with the admiral’s social position being an ideal one of moderate inferiority (see this page).
38. Regular exercise was recommended as one of the best cures for gout. The phrase “keep off the gout” stems from the disease’s normal pattern, in which bouts of intense pain, often lasting a few weeks, alternated with periods of remission. The admiral is now in the latter and hoping to avoid a new bout of pain. Were he in the midst of an attack it is unlikely he would be walking at all, for the usual concentration of pain in the feet or legs tended to immobilize the sufferer.
39. Admiral Croft would likely encounter many he knew, for Bath was a popular residence for retired military officers. Such men, having been stationed at various places, often overseas, throughout their careers, were less likely to have strong ties to a local area in Britain, and would find congenial a place where many others without current employment were gathered.
The happy, friendly society they form is also an indication that Bath does not have to be the place of cold, heartless elegance that Anne feared before her arrival.
40. Milsom-street: one of the leading shopping streets in Bath. It would be a natural place to encounter someone (in the next chapter it will be the setting for an even more significant encounter). It also represents the most direct route between the lower part of the town and Camden Place (see map).
41. The print trade was a major business at this time, with a great variety of prints available to buyers. Large windows that could attract customers by displaying wares had become a standard feature of many stores by this time, and print shops were naturally leading examples of this trend, with their windows serving as free picture galleries for those walking on the street.
42. Romantic landscapes were popular for paintings and prints, and they often included lakes and mountains, as well as figures in the landscape who were enjoying their beauties, in a boat or on land. It is not known if Jane Austen had a particular picture in mind; she could easily have seen a number with a scene such as the admiral describes. It is even possible that she had heard one of her two naval brothers opine on the flimsiness of boats in pictures such as this. A naval officer would certainly know, for in addition to commanding a large sailing ship, he would have ample experience with smaller boats, which were needed to convey people between ships or between ship and shore. Landscape painters of the time, with their intense focus on the beauties of nature, would not necessarily worry about accuracy in practical matters. Thus the episode suggests a nice comic contrast between Romantic idealism and the highly unromantic practicality of someone like Admiral Croft.
43. snug: enjoyable, comfortable. The word would naturally occur to the admiral, for it was also used as a term of praise for ships.
44. It would be a large blister if the admiral is not exaggerating, for the diameter of a three-shilling piece was just under an inch and a half (3.5 centimeters). As the product of her walks with him to keep off his gout, it would show the extent of her marital devotion. Mention of this coin dates the novel precisely, for this denomination was issued as a silver coin only from 1811, three years before the action is set, to 1816, the year the novel was finished. In general the only shilling coins issued by the British government were one-shilling pieces.
A shilling was, along with the pound and the pence, one of the three basic British monetary units. Twelve pence made a shilling, and twenty shillings made a pound.
45. Staffing ships was a perpetual problem for the navy, especially during major wars that m
obilized large numbers of ships, for the supply of skilled seamen never sufficed to fill all the ships. For this reason, the navy used press gangs to force every skilled man they could find into service. Even with this, most ships had to include a number of poor or inexperienced crewmen. Thus losing those who were good sailors would be a major grievance of a captain (as Admiral Croft probably was when this occurred). This could happen through administrative order: if, as he said, both these men did it, the likelihood is that one was in a position of influence or power to have the order issued on behalf of the other; favors for relatives or friends were a frequent practice in the navy.
46. His mistaking her for Mrs. Croft is what makes him kiss his hand: such an intimate gesture could be justified to the wife of a friend.
47. younker: youngster, specifically a boy or junior seaman in the navy. He presumably means Sir Archibald’s grandson. Sir Archibald himself might not be in the navy, though it is likely he is, and met Admiral Croft that way, while receiving his title from meritorious service there; it was common practice for sons to follow their fathers or grandfathers into the navy. The peace would have come too soon for the grandson because it makes advancement far more difficult, due to the reduced size of the navy and the fewer possibilities of distinguishing oneself by action. Some who were junior seamen could remain that always. Sympathy for this grandson would be what inspires the “Poor old Sir Archibald” that immediately follows. It also could be the grandson who kissed his hand, perhaps with the idea that in his situation he needs to curry as much favor from high-ranking naval officers as possible.
48. Yarmouth and Deal were both naval bases where the admiral had been stationed. Each was mentioned previously by him or by Mrs. Croft (this page and this page). See map, for locations.
49. Belmont: currently lower Lansdown Road, it was north of Milsom (see map). To get there Admiral Croft and Anne would have used George Saint, another large and busy thoroughfare. This is why the admiral waited to speak until Belmont, which, being a residential street and also very steep, would not have attracted as much traffic.