by Jane Austen
14. Mr. Weston shows the same willingness to offer exaggerated compliments as his son.
15. This whole conversation presents an amusing contrast, similar to ones found elsewhere in Austen’s novels, between two people with very different idées fixes. Mr. Weston is thinking only of his son, and Mrs. Elton only of herself, and each barely listens to the other, merely waiting for an opening to speak and return the conversation to their own cherished topic.
A conservatory.
[From The Repository of Arts, Literature, Fashions, Manufactures, &c, Vol. IX (1813), p. 230]
[List of Illustrations]
16. desponding: despondent.
17. Since Mr. Elton had been in Bath for only four weeks when he announced his engagement, the initial courtship cannot have been a long one. Her succeeding statement about purchasing a carriage indicates she is referring to the stage of preparing for the wedding.
18. Hymen was the Greek god of marriage, and putting on his saffron robe was a euphemism for getting married, one sometimes evoked in literary works. Mrs. Elton often peppers her conversation with fancy allusions such as this.
19. The bad grammar of “cheerfuller” stands in ironic contrast to her pretentious reference to “Hymen’s saffron robe.”
20. He purchased a carriage for her, a common custom with engaged couples (see note 13). His disappointment probably resulted from delays and difficulties in the construction and preparation of the carriage: people usually placed an order with a coachmaker, telling him the type and features they desired and then waiting for him to construct it. There was no mass production of vehicles then.
21. These would be her doctor’s orders. The limited means and knowledge available to medical professionals meant that, while people regularly consulted them, they also relied heavily on their own and their friends’ opinions on the best way to treat an illness, and a high-ranking and imperious person like Mrs. Churchill would be especially likely to do so.
22. should: would.
23. England’s very northerly latitudes mean there is a sharp difference in the length of days over the course of the year.
24. Before Frank’s February visit, Mr. Weston declared he was coming at just the right time and predicted “fine, dry, settled weather” (see here).
25. This sentence demonstrates Mr. Weston’s obtuseness, for his naturally fretful wife is precisely someone for whom such uncertainty would be a great source of anxiety and agitation.
26. He refers to their disdainful treatment of him and his first wife after their marriage (see here).
27. One form of aristocratic pride could center on not needing to worry about practical matters or engage in any labor, and this could make someone helpless as well as tiresome.
28. The longer-established a family is, the greater its status.
A conservatory.
[From The Repository of Arts, Literature, Fashions, Manufactures, &c, Series Two, Vol. II (1816), p. 1]
[List of Illustrations]
29. Birmingham was emerging in this period as one of the largest cities in England, in particular because of its thriving manufacturing industries. Manufacturing was a less socially reputable way of engaging in commerce than banking or foreign trade (the latter being Bristol’s specialty). Another reason for her dislike of Birmingham may be that it had recently surpassed Bristol in population. Birmingham is in the west central part of England and not far from Bristol, so a person from the former might choose to settle near the latter (see map).
30. By “neighbours” she means, as often in Austen’s novels, those of their own social rank, and thus the only people they might know well and befriend.
31. In discussing the Sucklings as well as this rival family, Mrs. Elton is detailing a typical process of social climbing, in which families acquiring additional wealth, usually from trade, purchased property in the hope of becoming landed gentlemen. The Westons and Coles are two examples in Highbury itself, and areas near cities were prime venues for such purchases. The senior Mr. Suckling, who presumably made much of the family fortune, began that process, whether he completed the final purchase or not, and his son is continuing it. Its completion usually took several generations. Hence the Sucklings, having owned Maple Grove for only eleven years or possibly a little more, are still at an early stage of their rise. Other families in their neighborhood would certainly have had their estates and country houses for far longer, and these, the truly “old established families,” would consider the Sucklings to be upstarts as much as the newer family that arouses such indignation in Mrs. Elton.
32. carrying round: being carried round.
33. His walking away at this juncture indicates Mr. Weston’s faulty manners, as did his persistence in talking to someone clearly uninterested in what he was saying; that her manners were at least as bad would not excuse his.
34. They may be playing whist, which involves four people.
35. Mr. Knightley is upset about Frank Churchill’s coming.
36. Isabella would naturally wish to give detailed instructions on taking care of her children.
37. “Physic” means treat with medicine. He undoubtedly knows that his wife urges great solicitation for the children’s health in her letter; he earlier commented acerbically on her habit of “doctoring and coddling” herself and the children (see here).
38. He means that the community now contains more people fit to socialize with the Woodhouses.
39. Mr. Knightley may be thinking, at least in part, of Frank Churchill’s influence.
40. dissipation: wasteful and intemperate pursuit of frivolous or immoral pleasures. The word was often used then, especially in literature, to connote a corrupt life of pleasure; in a letter from the very time she was writing Emma Jane Austen criticizes her niece’s draft of a novel for having a character “plunge into a vortex of Dissipation,” a phrase Austen considers very hackneyed (Sept. 28, 1814). In this case Emma is using such a strong term of reproof to accentuate her sarcasm.
A library.
[From John Swarbrick, Robert Adam and His Brothers (New York, 1915), p. 232]
[List of Illustrations]
41. Frequent reading is consistently presented as a sign of good character in Austen’s novels, while Mr. Knightley’s attention to his accounts, which would concern his estate, indicates his conscientiousness as a landowner.
The plan of an elaborate dinner.
[From Elizabeth Raffald, The Experienced English Housekeeper (London, 1786), foldouts]
[List of Illustrations]
VOLUME III, CHAPTER I
1. An absolute or complete declaration of love, which would amount to a proposal.
2. The trip from his current London residence of Manchester Street is shortly described as eighteen miles, which would take two or three hours each way, and if his aunt wished to see him for part of the day as well he would have little time to spend in Highbury.
3. observation: power or faculty of observing.
4. {CAUTION: PLOT SPOILER} His true priority is to see Jane Fairfax, though he avoids calling attention to that by first seeing Emma, whom others would consider to deserve first place in his attention, due to her social rank and to the possibility of his marrying her (which he undoubtedly is aware of, for it would be a logical surmise, considering their respective ages and social positions as well as their apparently compatible personalities, and his father would not have kept his hopes on the matter a secret). His anxiousness while with Emma would result from his being about to see Jane after a long absence.
5. Many ailments were described as nervous because nerves were used to explain much of human physiology. Here the nervous part of her disorder would be that relating to her mental and emotional state, which is why it is grouped with the willful part.
6. London, a city of a million people at this point, was known for its noise, though the affluent section they are inhabiting would probably be less noisy than most parts. For a contemporary satirical picture of hectic London
street life, see below.
A chaotic London street scene.
[From Joseph Grego, Rowlandson the Caricaturist Vol. II (London, 1880), p. 65]
[List of Illustrations]
7. Richmond is a town southeast of London on the River Thames (see map). During the eighteenth century, especially the later part, Richmond and the neighboring town of Twickenham had developed into popular locations for weekend and summer homes for wealthy residents of London. The presence of the court in Richmond helped stimulate this development, and it was furthered by Richmond’s proximity to London, the presence of the river, and the clean air there compared with London. The Churchills might be attracted by these features; its habitation by many wealthy people would also make it likely that they heard, perhaps from friends, that there would be suitable homes available for them, and that an eminent medical person would reside there. For pictures of Richmond and Twickenham, see the following page.
8. He probably means an hour’s ride on horseback. Men, particularly young men, often rode horses and could make a speed comparable to carriages (Mr. Weston’s estimate of nine miles in an hour represents a better speed than that of carriages, but his usual optimism may lead him to exaggerate). The disadvantage was that when the horse tired it could not be replaced, as could post horses pulling a carriage (see note 6). But nine miles, unlike eighteen (see immediately below), would be within a horse’s usual range, so going on horseback would represent an attractive option—Frank does travel this way more than once (see here and here).
9. Previous references give the distance to London as sixteen miles. That is probably the distance to and from mileposts on the outskirts of London, which were often used as the basis for measuring. Since Manchester Street (see next note) would be slightly closer than John and Isabella Knightley’s residence of Russell Square, the latter are probably a little more than eighteen miles distant.
10. Manchester Street is a street extending from Manchester Square that was built around 1790. It is in the West End, which had boomed during the eighteenth century and become the residence of the wealthy and fashionable in London. It would be natural for Mrs. Churchill to choose a house in that section. See the map for the general location.
11. She will keep him company. She is far too old to dance herself.
12. These are Isabella and John’s two eldest children, who are currently staying with Emma and Mr. Woodhouse.
Richmond Bridge (top), and a mansion at Twickenham, next to Richmond.
[From, respectively, John Britton, The Beauties of England and Wales, Vol. XIV (London, 1813), p. 204, and John Malcolm, Anecdotes of the Manners and Customs of London (London, 1808)]
[List of Illustrations]
VOLUME III, CHAPTER II
1. propriety: suitability, fitness.
A ball dress.
[From The Repository of Arts, Literature, Fashions, Manufactures, &c, Vol. IX (1813), p. 368]
[List of Illustrations]
2. This is an ideal that Mr. Knightley fits.
3. May in this part of England, according to recent records, has average high temperatures of 60 degrees Fahrenheit (or 16 degrees Celsius) and average lows of 45 degrees (or 7 degrees). Also, the climate was a little colder then.
4. privy counsellors: private or confidential advisers. The term was used particularly for the private advisers of the British monarch.
5. {CAUTION: PLOT SPOILER} He would be anxious for the arrival of the Eltons’ carriage, but because it is bringing Jane Fairfax.
A meteorological chart of the time.
[From The Repository of Arts, Literature, Fashions, Manufactures, &c, Vol. V (1811), p. 98]
[List of Illustrations]
6. He is soon shown attending Miss Bates and Jane Fairfax.
7. puppyism: the character or manner of a puppy, that is, a vain, empty-headed, overly familiar young man.
8. Mrs. Weston, who organized the event, has the right and duty to act as hostess.
A woman with a shawl.
[From The Repository of Arts, Literature, Fashions, Manufactures, &c, Vol. XII (1814), p. 303]
[List of Illustrations]
9. She may be thinking of the dirt Mrs. Weston mentioned earlier in her inspection of the ballroom (see here), which Miss Bates would have seen also, since she was invited to their consultations; it is evidently much reduced now. Aladdin’s lamp is from The Arabian Nights, which had been translated into English in the early eighteenth century and soon became very popular with both children and adults. Its popularity increased further after 1800, for its exoticism and fantastical elements appealed to the Romanticism of the period. The story of Aladdin and his magical lamp was one of the most read of the tales. A series titled “Popular Stories for the Nursery” appearing at this time included Aladdin, Sinbad the Sailor, and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, along with other folk or fairy tales, while Aladdin and Ali Baba also became popular stories in juvenile theater.
10. Mrs. Stokes, the innkeeper’s wife, is standing in the entrance to greet people. Neither she nor her husband are ever mentioned again, for their lower social rank would keep them from actually attending the ball.
11. Her worry about Mrs. Weston would stem not just from the trouble the latter has been taking over the ball, but from her being pregnant (the baby arrives in July or August—see chronology).
12. Miss Bates is more worried about not making the horses wait than about having to wait with Jane because Mrs. Elton forgot them.
13. Shawls had become widely used articles of women’s clothing in this period, for the prevailing thin, lightweight fashions made people wish for an additional layer of warmth. Shawls were normally one yard square, and the most popular material was cashmere. For an example, see the preceding page.
14. This would have been bought by the Dixons, the wedded couple, for others. Weymouth, like other fashionable spa and seaside resorts, had many fine shops, due to its affluent clientele.
15. Frank greeted them at the door with umbrellas; her speaking to him now suggests that he still accompanies them.
16. For the place of fairies in English culture then, see note 51.
17. complacently: with pleasure or satisfaction.
18. Ladies who could afford it had a maid to help them with their hair, but Jane is not in that position and so must arrange it herself.
19. Dr. Hughes would be a clergyman, not a medical man; the latter were almost never called “Dr.” then. Doctors had received a doctor of divinity. This was not necessary to become ordained—most clergy had a lesser degree—but would be a source of added prestige.
20. Mr. Richard is probably the son of Dr. and Mrs. Hughes; his first name is used to distinguish him from his father (even when men had other titles, such as Doctor or Captain, the procedure was followed of using the first name of all but the eldest male with the last name).
21. Miss Otway and Miss Caroline are, respectively, the older and younger daughters of the Otways, while Mr. George and Mr. Arthur are the two sons (the first is later called “Mr. George Otway”). Nomenclature would not indicate which is the elder, since, unlike with the daughters, the father preempts either of them being called by only their last name, but Miss Bates has probably mentioned them in order of seniority. The flurry of names she throws out gives a sense of the larger community of people who are attending; most of them probably live a little too far from Highbury to participate in its ordinary social events, but they would be willing to travel there for the sake of a ball.
22. noble: splendid.
23. They are serving tea (which could include coffee). Tea was usually served an hour or two after dinner, which is probably the approximate time now.
24. Miss Bates’s long speech, and another later in the ball, serve to convey the general atmosphere of the place and the event as well as to impart a variety of specific details.
25. dress: attire, outfit. She is complimenting all that Jane is wearing (in the hope of receiving the same comprehensive compliment
in return).
26. Wright is identified elsewhere as Mrs. Elton’s cook. The likeliest explanation is that she is also the housekeeper and serves as the lady’s maid as well when required. Emma has a special lady’s maid, but the Eltons cannot afford as large a staff. Mrs. Elton’s apparent interest in having two or more male servants (see note 30), which were more prestigious but more expensive, may also have made her skimp on female servants. Wright, most likely a longtime servant, could have acquired some experience over the years in hairdressing, whereas most female servants were girls or young women unlikely to have engaged in that task before.
27. Pearls, which had long been a basic material of jewelry, continued to be used, though not as frequently as in other periods; this, along with the more modest tastes of other women here, may be why Mrs. Elton notices few pearls. The most common uses for them, often joined with other stones, were in necklaces and earrings. For an example of a pearl necklace from the time, see picture on this page.
28. easy: familiar, informal. Emma has also noticed Mrs Elton’s breach of normal protocol by using others’ first names; Frank’s reaction is especially strong in this instance, even though in general he is not a stickler for formality. He will comment on Mrs. Elton’s usage again later—here.
29. disapprove: disapprove of; the verb was often used then in this transitive manner.
30. {CAUTION: PLOT SPOILER} Emma meant he was ungrateful for Mrs. Elton’s audible praise of him a little earlier; he thinks, however, that she may have guessed his secret and is accusing him of ingratitude toward a woman who is patronizing Jane Fairfax. This is why he frowns momentarily and then changes the subject.