by Jane Austen
19. amusement: entertainment, recreation. Here it probably connotes attending the many public diversions of London.
20. acquirements: accomplishments.
21. eligibly: properly, suitably.
22. settled: married.
23. Twenty-one was when people legally came of age, and a logical point to begin one’s working life.
24. A noviciate is someone in a state of preparation before taking vows and entering a religious order, a life that usually involves penance and mortification as well as a sacrifice of normal society and pleasure. The condition of a governess was generally not that extreme: the wording is probably meant to suggest Jane’s perception of her fate and her stern determination to undertake the sacrifice regardless of the cost.
25. Since her mother died of tuberculosis, they probably fear that an illness, especially a respiratory one such as a cold, might portend a similar affliction for Jane, and thus that it would be essential to avoid taxing her strength.
26. If Emma’s suspicions of affection between Jane and Mr. Dixon are correct, there could be two or three different motives among the Campbells, especially if one included Mrs. Dixon, the former Miss Campbell.
27. Visiting someone who had been long absent was a standard courtesy owed to that person.
28. manners: general conduct and demeanor.
29. “Elegance” is a term of particular praise often employed in Austen’s novels. It was sometimes paired and contrasted with gentility, for elegance usually connoted something superior, the possession of qualities raising one above the usual attributes of gentility. It could be applied to a person’s mind, taste, conduct, or appearance. It is natural that someone as concerned with matters of superiority and inferiority as Emma should value elegance so highly.
30. Ideals of beauty in Austen’s novels often point to a happy medium as best. The wording here suggests moderate height, perhaps inclining to tall, is best for women. Jane Austen herself seems to have been tall: in a letter instructing her sister on purchases of gowns, she says seven yards of material will be needed for their mother and seven and a half for herself, adding just before that the longer cloth “is for a tall woman” (Jan. 25, 1801).
31. complacency: satisfaction. The term did not always have the pejorative connotation it has today.
32. took in: conceived.
33. mischievous: harmful, malevolent.
34. Emma is far from cured from her penchant for matchmaking.
A woman drinking tea.
[From The Repository of Arts, Literature, Fashions, Manufactures, &c, Vol. XI (1814), p. 240]
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35. powers: abilities—meaning Jane’s abilities.
36. Breakfast at the time usually consisted of breads or cakes of various kinds, accompanied by some combination of tea, coffee, and hot chocolate.
37. Caps were often worn by women indoors. They helped keep the hair clean, for there were limited means of washing hair then, and permitted their wearers to take less trouble fixing their hair. In a letter Jane Austen writes, “I have made myself two or three caps to wear of evening since I came home, and they save me a world of trouble as to hair-dressing” (Dec. 1, 1798). They were worn especially by older or married women, who had less reason to worry about making themselves more attractive. Since they were usually constructed of everyday, soft materials, they could easily be made by a woman skilled at sewing. For an example of an indoor cap, see the preceding page.
38. work-bags: large cloth bags containing materials and tools for needlework; they closed at the top with a drawstring. Among the items they often held would be the smaller huswife mentioned earlier by Miss Bates (see here). Ladies used work bags particularly for visiting, since it was common and accepted practice to take out one’s needlework and do it among others. They became especially popular in this period, when the fashion for slim dresses meant that ladies no longer could carry what they needed in the voluminous pockets that earlier fashions had allowed. The bags were usually embroidered on the outside; in showing them off Miss Bates could also boast of Jane’s skill in embroidery. It is appropriate, given the Bateses’ lack of money, that Jane should make for them objects of practical use rather than purely decorative ones.
39. “Affectation of candour,” a phrase used in Pride and Prejudice, means a pretense of thinking favorably of someone; “air of greatness” means an air or external attitude of magnanimity. In both cases Emma suspects a condescending falseness in Jane’s praise—praise that, as just stated, was mandatory courtesy on Jane’s part—due to her awareness of her musical inferiority to Jane (see here). Mr. Knightley’s statement the next day that Emma “made her [Jane] play so much” suggests Emma, presumably from both politeness and awareness of the other’s superiority, left most of the performing to Jane (see here).
40. disgustingly: distastefully.
41. This would be Miss Campbell’s fortune, which Mr. Dixon would have received upon marriage. That Emma knows the precise sum, despite never having met the woman in question, indicates how thoroughly knowledge of that nature circulated in this society (she presumably heard it from Miss Bates). Throughout Austen’s novels, people speak precisely and knowledgeably of other people’s fortunes and show a strong interest in learning what they do not know. Nor does anyone show embarrassment in discussing the subject.
42. reserve: reticence.
43. Since at a watering place (meaning a spa or seaside resort) and in London much time would often be spent going to public places and engaging in recreation, one might be impeded from attaining a deep or intimate knowledge of those sharing one’s company.
44. Most people refer to him as “Mr. Frank Churchill” to distinguish him from his uncle. Jane’s usage could reflect her never having known the uncle, or even, unlike the people of Highbury, heard much about him.
45. Though Emma’s dissatisfaction is understandable, such an extreme reaction points to an inclination to dislike on her side. Her own fascination with Frank Churchill and wish to learn more of him could sharpen her discontent with Jane.
Feeding animals.
[From Sir Walter Gilbey and E. D. Cuming, George Morland: His Life and Works (London, 1907), p. 150]
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VOLUME II, CHAPTER III
1. He is probably helping Mr. Woodhouse manage any legal and financial business he has. This could arise from the Woodhouse property, though its small size means that it would not require nearly the attention of a large estate like Mr. Knightley’s, or from Mr. Woodhouse’s other investments or sources of income. Mr. Knightley, as a close relation and friend as well as someone who deals regularly with such matters for himself, would be the ideal person to take charge of this.
2. Since Mr. Knightley is praising Emma for the improvement in her treatment of Jane, a full and open account would involve discussion of Emma’s past failings in this regard, and any such criticism of his daughter would distress Mr. Woodhouse.
3. This suggests that Mr. Knightley makes all the decisions. It also shows how fortunate Mr. Woodhouse and Emma are to have such an honest and capable friend to direct Mr. Woodhouse’s affairs, for the latter’s incompetence could easily lead to foolish financial decisions.
4. instrument: piano. This usage appears frequently in Austen’s novels, a sign of the piano’s dominant position in music making, at least in domestic circles like this (professional music would usually involve orchestras playing a variety of instruments). Jane’s lack of a piano at home will soon lead to an important plot development.
5. indulgence: gratification, luxury. The word generally did not have pejorative connotations then.
6. “Muffin” means what is called an English muffin in the United States. The visitors came for the evening, which means they would not have received dinner, but they would have taken tea with their hosts, and evening tea usually involved some kind of bread or pastry.
7. He is referring to her previous neglect of Jane Fairfax and su
ggesting that she will not be deficient in grasping his meaning.
8. He moves close to her so that he can utter these less agreeable words in a low enough tone to keep Mr. Woodhouse from hearing them.
9. their circumstances should be so confined: they should have such a tight financial situation.
10. A porker is a pig raised to provide fresh pork rather than ham and bacon. Different types of pig were chosen for each purpose, and they were raised and fed differently. Porkers were killed when relatively young, usually when they had just attained adulthood, because their meat was more tender. In contrast, bacon and ham pigs were allowed to live longer so they could reach the largest size possible. The reference to killing one suggests the Woodhouses have a small farm. Such a farm, designed mostly to produce food for one’s own table, was a common practice: the Austen family had a farm and raised a great variety of animals and plants for their own consumption.
11. Methods of raising animals, as well as animal breeds, could vary from farm to farm, though Mr. Woodhouse’s claim of a special quality to Hartfield pork is probably founded principally on his own discomfort with anything not familiar to him.
A chair and a fire screen. The latter would protect those close to the fire from excessive heat, for, as Mr. Woodhouse’s complaint indicates, fires needed to burn hot during the winter in order to heat the entire room.
[From Esther Singleton, The Furniture of Our Forefathers (New York, 1916), p. 451]
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12. Roasting was the most popular method of cooking fresh pork, which is why Mr. Woodhouse, concerned about its richness, warns against it. In contrast, fried pork steaks are rarely mentioned in cookbooks of the time. By frying without grease he probably means simply using the meat’s own fats rather than butter, which was used liberally by cooks of the time for frying.
13. Such a large gift of food attests to Emma’s charitableness toward the Bateses. Earlier, when she visited a poor family, she told them to come to Hartfield for broth; now, assisting a family of her own class that has fallen on hard times, she is even more generous.
14. When a porker was killed, part of it was usually cooked immediately and part was salted, meaning cured with salt, to preserve it for future use. Meat was frequently salted, for means of refrigeration were limited.
15. dressed directly: prepared or cooked immediately.
16. Carrots and parsnips had long been popular foods in England; turnips had become more widespread recently because of their increased use in agriculture (see note 17). Because all three are root vegetables, they would be natural choices in the wintertime. Fresh vegetables were not transported from other countries, so root crops or those stored from earlier in the year would be the only ones available then.
17. The mention of Randalls suggests that Emma’s excitement may result partly from her eagerness to hear something about Frank Churchill.
18. Miss Bates will spend the whole conversation switching haphazardly between her thanks to Mr. Woodhouse and the article of news she brings.
19. Mr. Knightley means Emma’s design of marrying Mr. Elton to Harriet, which he earlier suspected. He never indicates any suspicion of Mr. Elton’s proposal to Emma herself.
20. A bonnet or hat was almost always worn by a woman when going out; bonnets had become especially popular just after 1800. A spencer was a popular jacket. It was first worn by men in the late eighteenth century, when it was distinguished from other men’s coats by its lack of tails, and then became fashionable for women. Women’s spencers normally had high necks and long sleeves, fit tightly, and were very short, due to the high waistlines of women’s dresses. They were most frequently made of wool, but could also be velvet or silk. In a letter Jane Austen declares, “My kerseymere Spencer is quite the comfort of our Eveng walks” (June 30, 1808); kerseymere was a twilled fine woolen cloth. For a picture of a spencer, see this page; they often stood out from the dress through darker or brighter colors.
21. A salting pan would need to be large enough that the item being treated could be immersed completely in the salting liquid.
22. She probably fears that Miss Bates’s cold could be worsened by getting wet, a common belief at the time. Patty is their sole servant, or maid of all work, as they were often called. Such servants were women because the most basic household tasks were female ones, there being a strict separation of labor by gender for servants, and because female servants cost less. The poor status of maids of all work means that she has the same rank as a lower servant and thus is called by her first name. For pictures of maid servants at work, see this page and this page.
23. Mr. Elton has been at Bath and has presumably met this woman at one of the social events there. He may have gone with that idea in mind: Bath was a prime venue for finding a mate, for it contained a large number of affluent visitors and residents, attracted by its many opportunities for pleasure and social life, and its dances and gatherings allowed frequent contact with others.
24. The intimacy between Mr. Elton and the Coles was mentioned on this page.
25. Her quote, not a strictly accurate one, derives from Psalm 16, verses 5 and 6: “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup; thou maintainest my lot. / The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.” Being the daughter of a clergyman may make her especially likely to recall and use biblical phrases.
26. Mrs. Bates had been the mistress of the vicarage herself when her husband was alive. A clergyman’s wife often played a critical role in assisting her husband’s clerical duties.
27. Mr. Knightley would tend to think people short because he is tall, while Mr. Woodhouse probably tends to the opposite because he is always sitting down.
28. person and mind: physical appearance and inner character. The two terms are often paired in this way.
29. Jane’s having forgotten probably results both from her lack of interest and from a tendency to forget much of what Miss Bates rambles on about.
30. Churches generally had special pews allotted for different members of the congregation, with the family of the clergyman given a pew at the front. Since Mr. Elton has no family, he could easily invite someone else to use it.
31. The warm bath would be at Bath or other spas, which were fed by warm or even hot underground springs and in which people attempted to cure a variety of ailments. They also tried sea bathing for this purpose, but the waters of the English coast are cool and so not meant here.
32. Thus they directly contradict Mr. Woodhouse’s wishes as to not roasting pork. Loins were especially apt to be roasted. Emma had anticipated this when she responded earlier to her father by saying they could prepare the meat “in any manner they like.”
33. Emma is hoping that Jane’s reaction will reveal something about her feelings regarding the marriage of Miss Campbell and Mr. Dixon. Jane, however, replies calmly and sensibly.
34. Her words imply that Mrs. Cole suggested Emma might be the “young lady hereabouts” for Mr. Elton to marry, and that Miss Bates rejected the idea—this is why she speaks immediately below of Miss Woodhouse’s goodness in letting her chatter on and of her not offending (which she has tried to avoid doing by not completing the sentence). That this idea occurred to others demonstrates Emma’s own blindness in never imagining the possibility of Mr. Elton’s interest in her.
35. This statement summarizes Miss Bates well, for while lacking in imagination and intellectual depth, she does observe many things and reports them honestly, albeit disjointedly. This makes her speeches a valuable source of information for the reader.
36. well-looking: good-looking.
37. They have walked, being far too poor to afford a carriage, and hence need to worry about being caught in the rain.
38. Since they are roasting the loin, she thinks there is no point to inviting Mrs. Goddard to partake; later they might boil the leg of pork they are currently salting, the method of cooking salted pork already recommended by Mr. Woodhouse
.
39. “Strangers” then could mean those coming from outside one’s country or one’s town or community, and this is probably what Mr. Woodhouse, who is uncomfortable with newcomers, means. But in this case Mr. Elton has probably become engaged to a woman who is a relative stranger to him as well as to the community.
40. amusing: interesting.
41. He did not suffer long from Emma’s rejection; hence this confirms her earlier suspicion that Mr. Elton was not animated by any genuine feeling for her (see here).
42. intelligence: news, information.
43. Women did not buy gowns ready-made. They would purchase a sheet of cloth, selecting the fabric, color, and pattern or decoration they wished (see next page for a picture), and then hire someone to make up the gown. This would not necessarily be a full-time seamstress, for many ordinary women supplemented the family income through such tasks as dressmaking. In a letter Jane Austen expresses her wish that gowns could be purchased ready-made (Dec. 24, 1798).
44. A woolen draper sold items made of wool, a linen draper items of linen or related fabrics, and a haberdasher small items of attire or clothing embellishments, such as ribbons. Hence this is a general clothing store.
45. idea: thought.
46. “Where,” the word in the original edition, has been corrected to “when” in some later editions. The original wording could be a misprint, for “when” does make more sense. But “where” also may be intentional, to signal Harriet’s confusion and agitation at this moment.
47. White was the most popular color for gowns at the time. Fashion attempted to emulate the dress of classical antiquity, and it was believed that the lack of color on ancient buildings and statues reflected that culture’s ideal of simplicity and purity (in fact, ancient buildings and statues, as well as ancient clothing, were often brightly colored, and appear as they do now only because the paint has worn away over the centuries).