by Jane Austen
20. This shows the mercenary attitude to marriage that makes Fanny such a wonder, and also echoes Lady Bertram’s comment about a duty to accept an offer from a wealthy and high-ranking man.
21. exigeant: exacting, demanding. The word is in italics because it is a French word that had not become standard English.
22. This suggests he is much older. The marriage of a rich old man with a beautiful young woman, and the frequent infidelity of the latter, was a common subject of satire.
23. She means she will have Mansfield continually in her thoughts.
24. This case probably played a significant role in Mary’s earlier statement that everyone is taken in, i.e., deceived, in marriage (see this page).
25. inconsiderately: rashly, carelessly.
26. According to Mary, taking three days to consider a marriage proposal and inquire about the groom means there was no want, or lack, of foresight.
27. This is an example of Jane Austen’s technique of allowing a character to reveal, and condemn, herself through her own words. She draws the sweeping conclusion that her friend’s failure shows there is no way to know how a marriage will turn out, instead of drawing the more logical inference that there was a problem in her friend’s method or in the reliability of the people she consulted.
28. “The Blues” is the Royal Horse Guard Blues, an elite cavalry regiment based in London that acted as royal bodyguards and that was very prestigious.
29. For Mary’s maneuvering, Fanny’s suspicions, and Henry’s reaction to seeing the necklace on Fanny, which strengthened her suspicions, see this page and this page.
30. allowed himself in: permitted himself to indulge in.
31. fixing: securing the affection of.
32. Again Mary sees triumphing over another as the most glorious pleasure and achievement in love. She also reveals a contradictory attitude toward her own sex, calling for Fanny to get revenge for the wrongs suffered by women just after she has declared the worthlessness of most ladies’ affections. Two pretentious characters, Miss Bingley in Pride and Prejudice and Mrs. Elton in Emma, express similarly contradictory sentiments on questions of female value or rights.
33. sports: amuses himself.
34. stander-by: bystander.
35. Fanny’s statement is interesting, since she was a bystander who observed keenly the relationship of Julia and Maria with Henry, and Julia’s misery when he chose Maria. She may be suggesting that less attentive bystanders like Mary failed to observe nearly as much, or she may be ackowledging the limitations of her observations, and suggesting that the wounded feelings may be even worse than what she perceived.
36. There were more young men like William seeking promotion than could be satisfied, and a man like Admiral Crawford probably would receive many pleas for assistance.
37. put by: set aside.
38. varieties: variations.
39. Spring was the standard time for the meeting of Parliament, of which Sir Thomas is a member.
40. calculated: suited, apt.
41. oppressed: depressed.
42. passed: been conveyed. Her pleasure indicates some softening in her attitude toward him, though she still thinks of him only as a friend, and she can feel pleased only once he has left the room.
VOLUME III, CHAPTER VI
1. discrimination: perception.
2. in a fairer train: on a better or more certain course.
3. participation of: partaking of, sharing in.
4. Thus the author shows some of the limitations of Fanny’s judgment, even while picturing her generally as wise and virtuous. Also, the vision presented here of a marriage between Edmund and Mary is ambivalent: it would not be ideal, given Mary’s flaws and the conflict of their natures, but it would not necessarily be bad either.
5. Naval officers did not wear their uniforms while off duty. Each rank of officer had a distinctive uniform.
6. Commander was the next rank above lieutenant. It allowed an officer to captain a small vessel like a sloop.
7. confident: confidant.
8. Fanny would then be able to see William’s uniform, because, once in Portsmouth and back on duty, he would wear it when he went ashore. This is Fanny’s first visit to her family in the eight and a half years since she came to Mansfield. As a woman, she needs a male escort, and thus an earlier visit would have required Tom or Edmund to make a special trip to Portsmouth and back to take her, and then again to bring her home. Now she can accompany William on the way there.
9. This indicates that while Fanny has become attached to Mansfield Park and those living there, and has never complained of her treatment, she has continually suffered, at least to some degree, from the perpetual reminders of her social inferiority.
10. unassailed: unaffected.
11. Her dressing room is attached to her bedroom, and thus is a private chamber where she can be alone with her thoughts.
12. To appeal to her dignity would be to remind her that it would be degrading or undignified to allow an inconvenience like this to upset or disorient her. The next sentence speaks of his calling upon her self-command; maintaining one’s self-command and dignity in the face of the vicissitudes of life was considered an aristocratic virtue.
13. “Love” is capitalized in the original. This presumably signals Fanny’s current exalted and idealized vision of her mother’s love, similar to religious believers capitalizing “Lord” or other sacred concepts.
14. Sloops often patrolled the home coast and waters, and if this was the mission of the Thrush it might return to base in less than two months. Larger ships tended to go to distant seas and oceans, and their cruises could last for years at a time.
15. To go out of harbor is not the same as sailing, for it meant the ship would anchor in a nearby waterway to await orders to sail, and officers in the ship might still have an opportunity to come ashore. But only when still in harbor could a civilian like Fanny see her.
16. The dockyard was an enormous industrial complex for building and repairing ships, and was considered the leading sight in Portsmouth. For more, see this page, note 5, and this page, note 17.
17. scruple: hesitate.
18. comfortable: pleasant, enjoyable.
19. Her idea was for them to use the public coach. William seems to have traveled that way on his own, but Sir Thomas probably feels that Fanny deserves better. In addition, the difference in cost would not be as great for two passengers, for renting a carriage and horses cost the same for one or for two people, whereas riding coach meant buying a fare for each person.
20. These are bank notes. Coins were used for most everyday transactions, but notes were preferred for larger sums of money.
21. The standard carriage for traveling post, a chaise, accommodated three passengers.
22. indulgence: gratification.
23. Traveling post did not involve any great difficulty, but, as on any journey, mishaps could occur—once when Jane Austen was traveling she left a valuable item at an earlier stop and had to take steps to retrieve it—and Mrs. Norris seizes on any possible justification for her presence, particularly one that allows her to claim she is being useful.
24. Sir Thomas will almost certainly pay Fanny’s passage back, but that will occur only after two months, and Mrs. Norris would not stay that long, especially since her choices would be to stay with the Prices, who are not affluent, or to rent her own accommodation.
25. Edmund wishes to go to London to see Mary, and seems to intend to propose to her there.
26. The first stage is to Northampton. Since breakfast is probably at ten, it makes sense for the travelers to leave earlier, for the journey takes more than a day and they do not wish to arrive late on the second day.
VOLUME III, CHAPTER VII
1. They have used Sir Thomas’s carriage, driven by the family coachman, on the initial stage to Northampton. There they will rent a post-chaise at an inn to use for the rest of their journey.
2. An attack on
a superior force would offer the opportunity for more glory and more prize money. Ships of the British navy often attacked larger enemy vessels, for the superior seamanship of the British compared with most other navies gave them an advantage.
3. If the first lieutenant was out of the way, most likely through being killed or wounded in battle, William would step into his place and be better positioned to win acclaim for a victory that could in turn lead to another promotion.
4. Meaning distributed among his family in Portsmouth. Naval officers could sometimes gain large amounts through prize money seized from defeated ships, though it would usually require more than one action, and sloops were less likely to gain prize money than frigates, the next largest type of ship.
5. This is probably a long-standing plan, made when both William and Fanny were children. Their modest circumstances led them to envisage only a cottage rather than a grander dwelling.
6. The phrase “all for love” alludes to a famous drama of that name written in 1677 by the leading poet John Dryden.
7. Mary writes so assiduously to Fanny partly for the sake of her brother: social rules forbade unmarried men and women from corresponding, so Henry can communicate with Fanny only through his sister’s letters.
8. chief: greater part.
9. Being able to communicate with Edmund through this means is probably another reason for her letters, since the same rules prevented her writing to him directly.
10. dirty: muddy.
11. Oxford is along the most direct route to Portsmouth. The university was divided into colleges, and all students were enrolled in one.
12. Newbury is sixty-eight miles from Northampton by current roads; this would take them around nine hours by current speeds, on top of less than an hour to get from Mansfield to Northampton. For the locations of Newbury, Oxford, and Portsmouth, see map.
13. They did not arrive at their destination until after the normal dinnertime, and they need to rise early the next morning for another long day, so they wish to retire before the later supper hour. Hence a single large meal at the inn substitutes for both dinner and supper.
14. regularly: steadily.
15. The main town of Portsmouth was surrounded by fortifications, a legacy of its long being a major naval base. According to contemporary travelers, access to the town was no longer guarded, but it still required going through one of several gates; Landport Gate, at the northeastern edge of town, was the one normally used by those traveling to Portsmouth (see map). A narrow channel of water lay just outside the fortifications, so those entering or leaving needed to cross a drawbridge. Because the compact town had long been completely built up, the population expanded into surrounding areas, so Fanny sees new buildings only outside the drawbridge. Since that time Portsmouth has expanded further and incorporated these surrounding areas, and the small central part is now called Old Portsmouth. Jane Austen was familiar with Portsmouth, since she lived for three years in the nearby town of Southampton.
16. It is now early February (see chronology, this page), so daytime ends early.
17. The streets of Portsmouth were paved, so carriage wheels would rattle. In Persuasion the author mentions the substantial noise made by carriages and carts going along the streets of Bath, also paved. Thus William must speak loudly to the driver.
18. The high street, as in many English towns, is the principal street. Since Portsmouth was old and crowded, a side street would be narrow.
19. trollopy: slovenly, untidy; or sluttish (as in current English).
20. The servant should open the door.
21. These are her orders to sail.
22. Ships had small rowboats for traveling to land or to other ships; for a contemporary picture, see this page.
23. William also first went to sea at eleven or twelve; current regulations stated that eleven was the youngest age for sons of officers to enter the service (others were supposed to wait until age thirteen). Regulations also dictated that a boy aspiring to become an officer serve three years as a “volunteer” before ascending to midshipman, the rank William held until recently. In practice, many with good naval connections could arrange for their sons to start as midshipmen. Whether that has happened in this case is uncertain, but it is probable that either his father or brother arranged for him to start on William’s ship by talking to the captain, who had wide latitude to select personnel under him.
24. manner: deportment, social polish.
25. Parlor was the usual name, along with drawing room, for a sitting or living room. A parlor was smaller and less luxurious.
26. Older houses—and those in Portsmouth would tend to be old—often had rooms serving as passages to others, since they generally did not have corridors.
27. Sam is the brother going on the Thrush with William, which is why she worries that his things will not be ready when the ship sails.
28. Spithead is the part of the strait separating the English mainland from the Isle of Wight opposite Portsmouth (see maps, see this page and this page). It is approximately five miles long and two miles wide. The name derives from an adjacent sandbank, called the Spit, stretching along the mainland shore. It is well protected from winds off the English Channel, and was where ships preparing to leave Portsmouth gathered while awaiting their orders.
29. This is the first speech of Mrs. Price, and it reveals characteristics she will continue to display: incompetence and negligence in managing household affairs, a tendency toward complaining and self-pity, and an indifference toward Fanny.
30. The Canopus is the name of an actual ship captained in 1805 and 1806 by Jane Austen’s brother Francis. On this page she also uses the name of the ship he was captaining at the time of this novel, the Elephant. She had written to him, asking, “And by the bye—shall you object to my mentioning the Elephant in it, & two or three other of your old Ships?—I have done it, but it shall not stay, to make you angry.—They are only just mentioned” (July 6, 1813). In the end these were the only two ships of Francis’s she mentions; she also uses the names of two of her brother Charles’s (see this page, note 53). Both the Canopus and the Elephant were ships of the line; the former was part of the fleet commanded by Admiral Nelson that won the famous Battle of Trafalgar, though to Francis’s great regret the ship was away on a separate mission at the time of the battle.
31. Their expecting William and Fanny to arrive at almost the exact time they do demonstrates the predictability of travel times, due to the uniformly good quality of the main roads and the well-developed system of traveling post. William probably conveyed his estimate of their arrival time in a letter.
32. Tea was originally served in bowl-like dishes until, in the late eighteenth century, cups with handles appeared. But the term “dish of tea” continued to be used for a while; it may have lingered especially long with those, like Mrs. Price, who were less affluent and thus slower to purchase items in the newer style.
33. dress: cook, prepare.
34. This is the bell to call servants; for more, see this page, note 13.
35. fine: refined, elegant.
36. starved: perished or afflicted from cold.
37. This is the only reference to coal in Austen’s novels. In rural areas, where her novels are mostly set, wood was used for fires. But in large towns, wood was scarcer, for it needed to be transported from farther away. Coal was cheaper, especially for coastal towns like Portsmouth, since it was easier to ship it there from Newcastle, a large town on the northeast coast that was the center of England’s coal mining industry.
38. It is notable that, after all that has happened since William and Fanny’s arrival, the carriage driver has yet to be paid.
39. oath: curse, profane word or expression.
40. A portmanteau is a case or bag for traveling; it would contain William’s clothes and other effects.
41. A bandbox is a lightweight, delicate box that was used particularly for women’s hats; this is separate from Fanny’s trunk, already m
entioned. In Pride and Prejudice, the heroine and her sisters have bandboxes with them during one journey, and Jane Austen, in a letter describing her arrival in London for a visit to her brother Henry, mentions taking possession of her bedroom and unpacking her bandbox (March 2, 1814).
42. “Sharp” was “alert” in the first edition. Jane Austen probably changed it because “alert,” in a naval context, meant specifically being on the watch or lookout, and that would not be appropriate in this context. From this point until the end of the paragraph she made a number of alterations between editions, the only substantial ones in the novel. One of her naval brothers almost certainly informed her of the more correct terminology that a man familiar with naval matters like Mr. Price would use.
43. G—: God. This would be considered improper to print in full, since it involved taking the Lord’s name in vain. This is an example of Mr. Price’s oaths; the author may have imagined him using others that she did not dare to print even in abbreviated form. Naval men were notorious for using profane language.
44. The doctor is the ship’s surgeon. Surgeons were naturally important figures on naval ships, needed to deal with wounds from accidents and battle and with the continual threat of disease in crowded ships. They often had surgeon’s mates assisting them.
45. Turner’s was an actual store in Portsmouth. “Mess” was “things” in the first edition and probably means the same. One meaning of “mess” then was a quantity or collection of food, and the term may have been used in the navy to refer to other supplies as well. The most common use of “mess” then was for a group of men on a naval ship (or in an army unit) who dined together, with all who served on ship being part of a mess; it could also refer to the place where they dined. Hence another possibility is that Mr. Price means “things for your mess,” in which case the ungrammatical abbreviation would be a further sign of his informality and lack of polish.