by Jane Austen
27. The principal task of the most common of under-servants, housemaids, was cleaning the rooms, and the scene-painters’ presence would impede their ability to do that. This could distress the servants, who would also know they faced a huge job returning the rooms to their normal state when he left.
28. Books were normally published unbound then; a purchaser would pay to have one bound, choosing the style and quality of the binding according to his or her taste and budget. In this case, as they bought copies of the play to use for only a short period, they elected to forgo the trouble and expense of having them bound.
29. particularity: peculiarity.
30. Fathers were usually the principal barrier to the pleasures pursued by wealthy young men like Mr. Yates. Fathers who disapproved of their sons’ extravagances could cut off or reduce their allowances, generally the sons’ sole or principal source of income while their fathers were alive. The Loiterer, a periodical written by Jane Austen’s brother James while he was at Oxford, to which she may have contributed an essay, contains a satirical portrayal, in the form of an imaginary diary, of an idle and dissipated student. He relates having received, to his dissatisfaction, “a letter from my father, no money, and a great deal of advice—wants to know how my last quarter’s allowance went—how the devil should I know?—he knows I keep no account—Do think fathers are the greatest Bores in nature.”
31. This is an example of Jane Austen’s technique of writing from the point of view of a character, instead of as an objective narrator, and thereby giving a vivid picture of the character’s thoughts. The eighteenth-century novels that shaped her development as a writer were often written in the form of letters or diaries, a technique that allows the reader to enter completely into the inner thoughts and perspective of a character. In her youth she tried writing a few pieces in this manner, and may have even written initial drafts of Sense and Sensibility or Pride and Prejudice in the form of letters. While she eventually rejected the technique, which has serious handicaps in telling a complex story with many characters, she still exhibits its influence by including passages where characters do, in effect, speak their thoughts for themselves through the medium of the narrator. In this passage Mr. Yates reveals his vanity and folly by imagining that his host is thankful for his continued presence in his house.
32. They play the pianoforte, and possibly sing, since young ladies were often taught that as well and the most common piano pieces were songs with words. The teaching of music allowed people to play for family and friends; otherwise the only music most people heard was at church.
33. Thinking of him as “Crawford,” with no “Mr.,” indicates her belief in their intimacy, for women would do that with unrelated men of their own rank only if they were very close, and even then many did not.
34. The great news is Sir Thomas’s return, which will allow his wedding to Maria to finally take place.
35. Henry had been completely absent during the first two weeks of September, but Maria, with the vivid memory of recent weeks when he was constantly present, may have largely forgotten that by now.
36. Just as Mrs. Grant sent a note of congratulation to Lady Bertram, so Dr. Grant, being a man, is the one to pay his respects to Sir Thomas.
37. Usually a call like this would not occur so early. The reason for coming now, in addition to the anxiousness of Dr. Grant, is soon revealed.
38. Bath, in southwest England, was a spa town that for at least a century had been the country’s leading resort. Jane Austen, who lived in Bath for five years, set half of two novels there; it is also the only town aside from London mentioned in all her novels. For a picture of Bath from the time, see this page.
39. break through: violate, cast aside.
40. condition: insist, stipulate.
41. Norfolk is where his estate lies. York is never otherwise mentioned in the novel. Henry mentions it not because he is likely to be there but to emphasize his willingness to come from anywhere; York, in the north of England, is farther from Northampton than any of the other places.
42. Bath was at its height during the winter, and during October was much less lively. His uncle may go there now because he, like many visitors, was going for his health; Bath initially became popular because of its abundant hot springs, believed to have medicinal qualities.
43. Banbury is on the route to Bath (see map). The total distance from Northampton, which is several miles from Mansfield, to Bath was around ninety-eight miles by current roads. This would take more than a day using normal means of travel. Banbury is before the halfway point, but Henry will have only part of this day for travel. His wish to get started as soon as possible is the likely reason for the early hour of his and Dr. Grant’s visit. Such reasoning, of course, as well as his speaking first to Tom, indicates the relative unimportance of Maria to his thoughts.
44. Bath had many stables to accommodate visitors. Stables, along with related matters of horses and carriages, are a frequent topic of conversation among men in Austen’s novels. Tom’s question, like his earlier comment about Bath’s emptiness at this season, indicates his familiarity with the town. As a young man frequently traveling in pursuit of pleasure, he has undoubtedly gone there more than once; it would be a natural place to meet other idle and pleasure-loving young men.
45. Maria has surmised that Henry is about to abandon her, despite all his earlier attentions. She is anguished and mortified, but, anticipating that he will speak to her next, she determines to avoid humiliation by maintaining an air of outward calm.
46. independence: financial independence. Mr. Crawford’s fortune not only allows him to travel freely, but also means he can stay anywhere as long as he likes, since most business involving the management of his estate can be conducted by letter.
47. He may have simply shaken her hand, perhaps very lightly, as a parting gesture.
48. directly: immediately.
49. Henry’s decision to leave now is prompted partly by the end of the play, which may make him wish for a fresh source of amusement. But he also undoubtedly fears further flirtation with Maria now that her father has returned, for Sir Thomas would probably notice their closeness, creating complications for Henry. Sir Thomas’s sudden arrival may also have spurred Henry to pause and reflect, and to realize that he needs to pull back to avoid becoming seriously entangled with Maria.
50. That is, exposure of Maria’s love for Henry Crawford, despite her engagement to another man, and her attempts through flirtation and close contact to draw him toward an offer of marriage. Such conduct would be scandalous, and knowledge of it could seriously harm Maria’s reputation.
51. intelligence: news, information.
52. activity: vigor, diligence.
53. expensive: extravagant.
54. Knowing of his son’s propensity to behave foolishly and irresponsibly, Sir Thomas would not want him around a friend who could draw him further in that direction. He also knows that, with her sister about to marry, Julia may be thinking of marriage too, and he would not want her associating with a young man whose wealth and social rank might make him seem a desirable husband but whose character makes him highly undesirable in Sir Thomas’s eyes.
55. want: need.
VOLUME II, CHAPTER III
1. family: household. The term could include servants as well, and probably does so here.
2. He would have been in town, i.e., London, when attending sessions of Parliament.
3. They have been seeing the Grants and the Crawfords for several months, but it was in the last few weeks that Edmund and Mary Crawford became especially close and saw each other frequently at Mansfield.
4. countenance: composure, calm demeanor.
5. figure: general appearance or form.
6. Of course, though Edmund does not realize this, it is the fact that he expresses his agreement with his father’s new assessment of Fanny that affects her so strongly.
7. The slave trade had been a prominent political issue i
n Britain since a major campaign to abolish it began in the 1780s. The campaign organized the formation of local committees across the country, and the gathering of petitions with hundreds of thousands of signatures to submit to Parliament. It also inspired numerous writings, as well as paintings and political cartoons and even special medallions by the leading porcelain manufacturer Wedgwood, that denounced the slave trade. This eventually led Parliament to abolish the trade (though not slavery itself) in 1807, but knowledge of the issue would have lingered, further spurred by criticisms of the continuation of slavery and measures like an act that made slave-trading a felony in 1811, the year before the composition of this novel began.
All this would make it natural for Fanny, whose reading of a book on Britain’s recent mission to China indicates some curiosity about public affairs, to ask about the issue when listening to Sir Thomas discuss the West Indies, long the main end point of the trade in slaves. The end of the trade brought new conditions to the economy there, and forced estate owners like Sir Thomas to make adjustments. Some, knowing they could no longer buy replacement slaves, undertook new efforts to improve conditions among their existing slaves in order to lessen the death rate, efforts also encouraged in some cases by increased humanitarian concerns. Sir Thomas’s own efforts in this regard, or other changes made in response to the end of the slave trade, may have partly caused the delay in his return. He also could discuss his experience in Parliament while the trade was being debated and abolished.
Finally, Fanny’s interest could have been further spurred by her regular correspondence with her brother in the navy. While the navy had long protected Britain’s slave trade, it was tasked after its abolition in 1807 with trying to suppress other nations’ trade; Jane Austen’s naval brothers, Francis and Charles, both captained ships whose duties included stopping slave ships. Moreover, some naval officers’ experience overseas had turned them against slavery. In 1807, after Francis Austen’s ship visited an island with slaves, he wrote that while it was not as harsh there as in the West Indies, “slavery however much it may be modified is still slavery, and it is much to be regretted that any trace of it should be found to exist in countries dependent on England, or colonised by her subjects” (quoted in John H. Hubback, Jane Austen’s Sailor Brothers, p. 192).
8. In other words, Sir Thomas answered Fanny’s question, furnishing her with information (and demonstrating that his ownership of a slave-holding estate does not make him unwilling to discuss the subject), but everyone else maintained the “dead silence.”
9. repulsive: repellent.
10. powers: qualities, abilities.
11. argue: infer, conclude.
12. Little information is given about the childhood of the Crawfords except that at some point they lost both parents and were raised by an uncle and aunt (see this page). When their father was alive, they could have spent much of their time on the family estate in Norfolk. After that, those they lived with, like many wealthy town-dwellers, may have gone to the country only during the summer; earlier Mary spoke of her uncle’s preparing a summer place in Twickenham, which is near London but was still fairly rural then.
13. Tunbridge, or Tunbridge Wells, and Cheltenham were fashionable spa towns where many wealthy people went; the first is south of London, the second is in western England. Because they were not large like Bath, they might be described as in the countryside. But since spa visitors would normally concentrate on the pleasures of the town itself, including mingling with visitors of a similar social rank, they would have a very different experience there than in a true rural district, where opportunities for activity were limited during colder months and few other genteel people were close enough for regular socializing.
14. She means her inner resources, specifically her ability to find means of entertaining herself.
15. spirits: animation, cheerfulness.
16. After Sir Thomas’s arrival Rushworth went home with the news, and he has presumably been there since, so Sir Thomas has yet to spend much time with him.
17. stupidity: dullness.
18. Business for him is primarily the management of his estate, which includes matters of finance and investments and those of farming. Sir Thomas may also discuss community affairs, for wealthy landowners normally participated in local government and other concerns of their parish, such as its church.
19. That is, he simply repeats others’ opinions and has no real convictions or ideas of his own.
20. Sir Thomas’s rapidity in noticing demonstrates how critical his long absence was for allowing the engagement to go forward. Had he been present when it was being formed he would have noticed Mr. Rushworth’s mental inferiority, as well as possibly Maria’s lack of strong affection, and would probably have discouraged the engagement.
21. alliance: marriage. It would be very advantageous to be linked to a family as wealthy and socially prominent as the Rushworths.
22. The breaking of an engagement by a woman would damage both her reputation—causing her to be known as a jilt—and the standing of the family; it could also provoke resentment and bitterness on the part of the man and his family. Jane Austen, after receiving her one known offer of marriage and accepting it, then changed her mind. Whether from fear of the anger of the groom’s family or from embarrassment and the awkwardness of the situation, she insisted on immediately leaving this family’s house, where they were staying, despite the inconveniences involved. In that case no lasting damage was done to the friendship between the Austens and the other family, but her engagement had lasted only a single night and had never been announced. The long-standing nature of Maria’s engagement would add significantly to her censure for not knowing her mind and mistreating Mr. Rushworth, and add to his resentment, while its public nature would ensure that the faults and humiliations of the parties were widely known.
23. open: frank, unreserved.
24. disposition: general mental character or bent.
25. Meaning regular visits by Maria, which her proximity to Mansfield and lack of strong affection for her husband would encourage.
26. reflections: imputations.
27. Her “self-revenge” may mean simply showing Henry that she does not need him. She also may think that becoming a wealthier and more prominent member of fashionable London society than Henry is a way of getting back at him.
28. She worries that her credit, i.e., reputation, will suffer if others suspect that she loved him and tried to win him, only to be jilted, and breaking off her engagement to Mr. Rushworth would feed that suspicion.
29. Thus anger against Henry plays the critical role in Maria’s decision to go ahead with her marriage. Had there been no flirtation with Henry, then after Sir Thomas returned and perceived Mr. Rushworth’s deficiencies, she may well have accepted his offer to cancel the engagement.
30. Once married, a woman gained more freedom to travel without a chaperone; moreover, as mistress of a household, she would be able to arrange her own affairs there.
31. sensibly: fervently, acutely.
32. This of course is the opposite of Sir Thomas’s hope that marriage to Mr. Rushworth will allow her to be often at Mansfield.
33. consequence: social rank or importance.
34. world: fashionable world, high society.
35. As revealed on this page, the couple will spend the winter in Brighton and then settle into their new home in London in the spring. Buying new furniture and a new carriage were standard premarital activities for an engaged couple, at least among those who could afford it.
36. fairer play: better scope. She may fear that before the wedding others, such as Mrs. Rushworth, will interfere in their decisions, or she may expect that once they are married, her husband will cede control of such matters.
37. Most family servants would remain at Sotherton, but a lady’s maid would accompany her mistress. Mrs. Rushworth may also want a familiar footman, the servant who answers the door. A chariot is a carriage similar to a chaise; u
nlike the latter, it was mostly used for transport around town.
38. A dowager is a widow; the term is applied especially to one whose son has married, thereby installing his wife in the position formerly occupied by his mother (in the case of titled nobility, where the term is most commonly used, the wife becomes the new “Lady —” and the widow becomes the “Dowager Lady —”). In this case no titles are involved, but Maria has replaced Mrs. Rushworth as mistress of a grand estate. As someone who once occupied a position of great importance, a dowager would have particular reason to act with dignity and propriety and impress people with her continued importance.
39. During this period Bath, which was beginning to decline as a pleasure resort, was becoming very popular as a retirement destination, especially for widows. In the country it was often difficult for them to travel and they did not pursue the outdoor sports popular with men; in contrast, Bath was compact, easy to get around in, and full of both a wide array of entertainments and numerous other people of leisure.
40. parade: talk ostentatiously in order to impress others.
41. Cards were the principal activity at evening parties, which were very popular in Bath. In Persuasion the heroine explains that since she is “no card-player,” she has no interest in the Bath evening parties.
42. At the time brides did not wear special, or even necessarily white, wedding gowns. But they would wear a very elegant dress, with various accoutrements, including in many cases a veil (for an example, see this page). Bridesmaids were a long-established custom. The two in this case are Julia and Fanny.
43. Smelling salts, made of ammonium carbonate, were often carried by women and used to revive people, especially those who fainted.
44. Since buying a new carriage was common practice before a wedding, those in the neighborhood would expect one here, especially given the wealth of the groom. But, as explained on this page, Maria chose to wait to do this in order to accelerate the wedding.
45. triumph: elation, exultation.
46. Brighton, on the southern coast of England, had become its most popular seaside resort during this period, in part because it was the favorite venue of the Prince Regent, the current ruler of Britain (his father, George III, was still king, but the king’s madness caused Parliament to appoint his son as the effective ruler, or regent; this is why the period is often called the Regency). Seaside resorts were the most popular venues for honeymoons.