by Jane Austen
A woman in walking dress.
[From The Repository of Arts, Literature, Fashions, Manufactures, &c, Vol. XIII (1815), p. 297]
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VOLUME II, CHAPTER VI
1. construction: meaning, sense.
2. Morning meant most of the day, though they probably did not come to see Emma until at least the middle of the day, for the usual custom was for people to stay at home during the early hours.
An older woman outside a cottage, such as the one who nursed Frank when he was young (see next page).
[From William Alexander, Picturesque Representations of the Dress & Manners of the English (1813), Plate 44]
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3. The old woman probably took care care of Frank while he was an infant; wealthy families usually hired a nursery maid for this purpose. She could also have suckled him as a baby, for there was a long-standing custom among the wealthy of hiring wet nurses, but this is less likely, since in the decades preceding this novel the custom of mothers breast-feeding their own children had become prevalent. All this would have happened when Frank was too young to recall the woman now, for his mother died after only three years of marriage, and thus when he was two at the most, and he went to live with the Churchills soon after (see here). How the woman came to live in Highbury is uncertain, for Mr. Weston was serving in the militia while married, and militia units were always stationed in counties other than their home county (to ensure their loyalty in case they had to suppress any local riots or uprisings). The likeliest explanation is that she had long been a servant of the Westons, and had first followed Mr. Weston to his militia post or joined him there after his marriage, then remained with him when he returned to Highbury, and finally, when too old to work, either went to live with relatives or friends in the village or was set up by Mr. Weston in a cottage there.
4. house: building. “House” was often used then for structures other than dwellings, though in such cases the word was usually combined with whatever purpose the building served.
5. run on: extensive or sustained demand along.
6. Post horses were horses that could be hired when traveling. By this time England contained an elaborate network of places that furnished such horses and were stationed along the main roads at approximately ten miles apart, the distance horses could travel at full speed before needing to rest and feed. Travelers could stop at each station and quickly change horses. Traveling post, the method almost all characters in Austen’s novels use, involved doing this in a private carriage (as opposed to using the public coach). The carriage could be one’s own or one that had been hired; vehicles for hire were frequently available along with the horses. Stopping points were usually inns, which allowed travelers to pause and either eat or spend the night. Highbury, however, is not along the main road, so the horses at the Crown Inn are used mostly by locals, probably including those who rent them to set out from the village on a journey elsewhere. For a picture of such travel, see this page and this page.
7. During the eighteenth century, towns throughout England had seen the construction of assembly rooms for dancing (usually the dances were available to anyone paying a subscription). In larger towns they were separate buildings; in smaller places like this the rooms would be added to an existing building, often by the proprietor of a local inn. The size of the room here means it forms a visible addition from the outside.
8. The description suggests the neighborhood was never populous enough to support many dances. Rural areas had long experienced shifts in population, so it is doubtful the author means to signal a larger social trend by describing Highbury’s decline in numbers. The total population of rural areas in England at this time was increasing, though not as quickly as the urban population.
9. “Half-gentlemen” means those who are a little below the rank of gentlemen; this could include local prosperous tradesmen and members of non-genteel professions, such as an apothecary like Mr. Perry or an attorney. Since Mr. Knightley, Mr. Woodhouse, Mr. Weston, and Mr. Elton are the only ones identified as full gentlemen in Highbury, the club cannot be too selective if it wishes for enough members to form a whist table. Clubs had become a prominent feature of English life during the preceding century, with some organized for more exalted public purposes and many simply for private enjoyment; they were usually all-male. In Jane Austen’s unfinished novel The Watsons a woman complains regularly about her husband’s staying late at his whist club, which meets at a local inn.
10. Sashed windows open up and down—as opposed to casements, which open outward. The former had become the predominant style of window in England during the eighteenth century; see also note 13.
11. Emma has explained that the particular inhabitants of these houses are not genteel families, which means that a dance including them would involve a mixture of different social ranks. He responds that it would be only for the dance, and afterward people would return to their appropriate level.
12. The need to maintain clear distinctions of rank was an imperative in this society, believed to be essential for the hierarchy that sustained the social order. Emma is particularly scrupulous about it, as seen in her disdain for associating with the Martins, and proud, high-ranking families like the Churchills would usually be as well; this is why she is surprised by Frank’s attitude. Almost everyone followed this principle: the gatherings of the leading families of Highbury are consistently confined to themselves, with almost never any thought of inviting those outside their circle (the one partial exception will be a ball occurring later in the novel).
13. evil: disadvantage, harm.
14. He will continue to use such exaggerated expressions.
15. Since for him this is an introductory visit to Mrs. and Miss Bates, it would normally last only fifteen minutes.
16. brilliant: lustrous, glowing.
17. peculiar: particular.
18. The quality of a woman’s complexion, and the most desirable type of complexion, was a subject of frequent discussion. A youthful story of Jane Austen’s, “Jack and Alice,” includes a comical argument between two women over whether it is possible for a woman’s face to have too much color or redness. At this time cosmetics were considered improper, so women could rely only on their natural complexion. Nor could they resort to tanning for improvement, for tanned skin was regarded as distinctly unattractive.
19. These words echo a contemporary book on beauty and etiquette, The Mirror of Graces (1811), which, in a chapter devoted to complexion, states, “A young woman with very indifferent features, but a fine complexion, will, from ten persons out of twelve, receive spontaneous and warm admiration” (this page).
20. His true reason for disparaging Jane, something he does more than once, will later be revealed.
Travel in a post-chaise.
[From Ralph Straus, Carriages and Coaches (London, 1912), p. 216]
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21. taking out my freedom: obtaining my citizenship, i.e., membership in the community.
22. Gloves would be a common item to buy, for they were worn during all seasons, especially by the wealthy. They were used both to prevent physical contact between people for reasons of modesty and to keep hands white, which was a mark of refinement.
23. lay out: spend.
24. A guinea was a coin worth a pound and a shilling, or one and one-twentieth pounds.
25. These are types of gloves. Men’s gloves were often made of leather, and beaver skin was popular. York Tans were a popular glove made in York from sheep- or lambskin; noted for their beauty, they were a standard choice for formal wear. Fashion at the time favored light, natural colors such as tan for gloves.
26. bringing down and displaying: being brought down and displayed. This grammatical form of the passive voice is found elsewhere in Jane Austen and the language of the time.
27. It was standard in stores for goods, especially smaller goods such as gloves, to be stored in extensive drawers a
nd shelves behind or beneath the counter, from which they could be fetched and displayed for customers.
28. amor patriæ: patriotism; here local patriotism. Frank’s use of a Latin expression reflects his education. As the heir of a very wealthy family, he has undoubtedly received a distinguished one, probably including attendance at one of England’s elite boarding schools, which focused heavily on teaching Latin.
29. He seems to have avoided the question, but, wishing not to appear evasive, he now returns to it, having had some time to think of a possible reply.
30. The conflict between public fame and private happiness is discussed in various writings of the time, with classical ideals of amor patriae often figuring prominently. Frank contrasts the public reputation he is securing with his purchase at Ford’s with the private discontent he would be arousing in Miss Woodhouse by avoidance of her inquiry; eighteenth-century literature often contained such mock-heroic applications of grandiose issues and themes to humdrum realities.
31. Frank feels more free to speak now that he knows what Jane said, and thus does not need to worry about contradicting her story.
32. town: London.
33. Mrs. Weston intervenes because Emma’s reference to Jane’s expected destiny—becoming a governess—suggests pity for such a harsh fate, and this had been Mrs. Weston’s lot for many years.
34. This suggests that, until the two-year hiatus that preceded Jane’s current stay in Highbury, she made annual visits to her aunt and grandmother.
35. He later accompanies Emma and Jane with his voice, and shows a knowledge of music.
36. vouchsafed: deigned to provide.
A vicarage. Many at the time were not so nice.
[From The Repository of Arts, Literature, Fashions, Manufactures, &c, Series Two, Vol. II (1816), p. 191]
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37. The information about Mr. Dixon’s taste for Jane’s music has given Emma new fodder for her suspicions regarding the two. She is amused because she thinks an impartial evaluation of musical talent was not the reason for Mr. Dixon’s preference.
38. stupidity: indifference, stupor.
39. Airing such suspicions, especially before a relative stranger, is improper and indelicate in Emma, for she is accusing Jane Fairfax of serious misbehavior, and without any proof. Emma will continue this sort of indiscretion. Though partly cured of her officious matchmaking, she now falls into other types of misconduct, ones that will also cause harm, if not as serious as the harm she has inflicted on Harriet and Robert Martin.
40. It is notable that Frank, who was actually there and who seems far from naive or imperceptive, has apparently never harbored any suspicions himself; this seems, however, to carry no weight with Emma.
41. friends: relatives, in this case her aunt and grandmother.
42. cried up: praised, extolled.
43. Miss Bates has a fairly large acquaintance in Highbury, especially among those a little too low socially for Emma to associate with regularly.
44. repulsive: repellent. The word had a less intense connotation then.
45. “Safety in reserve” proves to be significant in relation to Jane.
46. world: fashionable or socially elite world.
47. They are speaking of the vicarage, Mr. Elton’s residence. The house’s defects were mentioned earlier (see here); it would also be smaller than Emma’s, Mrs. Weston’s, and the one Frank Churchill inhabits. For a contemporary picture of a vicarage, see this page.
48. accommodations: comforts.
49. Mrs. Weston, whose career as a governess means she came from straitened circumstances, probably has a much better idea than Emma or Frank of the privations a small house involves.
50. The housekeeper’s room is where she would manage the affairs of the house; it could also be a place for her to relax. A household without one might not be able to attract a good housekeeper, and even if it could, she would be handicapped in her work. A well-run house required a successful housekeeper, for there were many servants to supervise and the basic household tasks, such as cleaning, cooking, washing clothes, and furnishing heat and light, all involved complicated manual labor.
51. The butler was the chief male servant, the counterpart to the housekeeper. A wealthy household would have both. The butler’s duties included answering the door, serving at table, and managing the wine cellar; he also could serve as valet to the master of the house. The butler’s pantry would be, among other things, where serving dishes and utensils, including fine glass and china, were kept and cleaned (taking care of these was another important duty of his), where food supplies were delivered and inspected, and where everything for the table was organized before a meal was laid out and served.
52. establishment: marriage, or settled position achieved by marriage.
VOLUME II, CHAPTER VII
1. From the 1790s men had abandoned the wigs and powdered heads that had long been fashionable and adopted relatively short hairstyles. Thus they would need regular haircuts.
2. He probably hired one at the Crown Inn, along with post horses (see note 6). A chaise, deriving from the French word for chair, was the most popular vehicle for long-distance travel, unless one’s party contained more than the three people it seated. It was enclosed, thereby offering greater warmth and seclusion, while its small size meant it could make better speeds relative to the number of horses pulling it.
3. Travel with post horses, especially if a carriage was hired as well, was expensive, even for short distances. Emma had approved of his apparent moderation in expense because his wealthy upbringing could easily encourage extravagance.
4. coxcomb: fop; conceited, foolish man excessively concerned with his appearance.
A post-chaise.
[From John Aston, Social England Under the Regency (London, 1899), p. 350]
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5. Mr. Weston’s interest in a marriage between Frank and Emma would lead him to stress his admiration of her as much as possible. Its influence on Emma shows how much her vanity can sway her judgment of people.
6. candour: generosity; inclination to think well of others.
7. Newspapers by this time had become standard features of English life. They were read particularly by men, who would have a greater interest in political news because only they could participate in politics. Mr. Knightley, as a prominent landowner and a magistrate, would have many reasons to be well informed about political questions.
8. country: county.
9. The house in town could be where they resided before they moved to Highbury, or it could be a larger building they own there, or some combination of the two. They probably now rent it to others. London was expanding rapidly during this period, and property there could fetch substantial profits.
10. views: aspirations.
11. Mr. Knightley is not included in the comparison, for his residence is in Donwell rather than Highbury. The Coles exhibit a typical process of social climbing in this society. Having made money in trade (England was the leading commercial and industrial nation in the world), they have purchased a rural home, though one near London so they can keep an eye on their business. Counties such as Surrey next to London contained many such families and homes, who moved there from a preference for life away from the crowds and noise and smoke of the city and, perhaps even more, from a desire to establish themselves eventually as landed gentry. The completion of this process would require the purchase of a landed estate as well as the existence of a generation or two who had been removed from their mercantile origins. Mr. Weston is an example, as his family has been in Highbury awhile and he now owns Randalls (the contrasting lack of a name for the Coles’ home suggests it is not part of any estate); Mr. Weston’s having been an army officer adds to his claim of gentility.
12. A large separate dining room had recently become a standard feature of country houses.
13. Dinner company would represent an advance over inviting people for the evening
or during the day, for the dinner was more formal and expensive.
14. Single men would be especially prone to accepting invitations, for the job of managing a house, making it comfortable, and furnishing meals would normally be exclusively female. Even men who were willing to attempt these tasks would probably lack knowledge or training.
15. regular: proper.
16. Her absence could be explained as the result of her father’s unwillingness to go out and her need to stay with him, rather than her social exclusiveness.
17. “Respectable” was for those who were worthy but not genteel.
18. The size of the Coles’ dining table probably limits how many can dine with them; hence those who associate with genteel families but are in a lower position are invited to come after dinner, a lesser honor.
19. A spontaneous dance often capped large evening gatherings, for usually wealthy homes would own pianos and their residents or guests would include women skilled at playing them.
20. owned: acknowledged, admitted.
21. folding screen: a set of several full-length panels, with hinges between each panel that allowed them to be positioned at different angles. They could be used for privacy or, as here, for protection against drafts. For an example of a fire screen, which were used even more frequently, see this page.
22. The Coles probably know that Mr. Woodhouse will still not attend, but their solicitude would prove their good manners and intentions and thus might induce Emma to come, thereby ensuring that all the leading families of Highbury were at their party.
23. They may consider Mrs. Bates less certain because of the invitation of the Bateses to the Coles, though in fact she does join Mr. Woodhouse.
24. Its being near at hand adds to the challenge because of Mr. Woodhouse’s usual need for time to acclimate himself to any new development.
25. Afternoon at this time generally meant only the hour or two between dinner and the full onset of evening; the term was most often used in the summer, when there would still be plenty of light after dinner. Tea was served in this same period.