A LETTER FROM JANE
The time of Captain Austen’s service in the _Elephant_ is divided into
three periods. For over a year she was employed with Admiral Young’s
fleet in the North Sea, which was stationed there to watch Vice-Admiral
Missiessy, then at anchor at the mouth of the Scheldt, ready to slip
out if occasion offered. The ships under his command had been newly
built in Napoleon’s great dockyard of Flushing, which was rendered
ineffective by the constant British blockade. In the autumn of 1812 the
_Elephant_ was cruising off the Azores with the _Phœbe_ and _Hermes_.
The disputes concerning trade had by this time resulted in war with
the United States. On this cruise we have the record in the log of the
capture of an American privateer, the _Swordfish_.
“_December 27._--At two, saw a strange sail bearing W. by N. Made the
signal to the _Hermes_ with a gun. Made all sail in chace. At sunset,
chace distant two miles. The chace had all the appearance of an armed
vessel.
“28.--Fired several shots at the chace. At five minutes to two
perceived her hoist two lights and bring to. At two shortened sail,
hove to, boarded, and took possession of the chace, which proved to
be the American schooner privateer _Swordfish_, out sixteen days from
Boston, armed with twelve six-pounders and eighty-two men. During the
chace ten of her guns and several spars were thrown overboard.”
After her return to England with the prize and another turn at the
Flushing blockade, the _Elephant_ was ordered to the Baltic. They were
engaged in convoying vast numbers of small vessels through the Sound
and the Belt past the coasts of Denmark, which was still under the
power of France, and in keeping at a distance such armed craft of the
enemy as were dangerous. We find, in these short cruises to and fro,
as many as two hundred and fifty or three hundred sail in company,
under the charge of three or four men-of-war. An entry in the log on
October 10 will show the nature of the work: “A boat from the _Zealous_
came with letters for the Admiral, and to say that the galliott chaced
yesterday was one which had drifted out of the convoy the preceding
night, and was captured in the morning by a row-boat privateer off
Nascoi, which, on the _Zealous’_ approach, abandoned her and escaped
into Femerin. It appearing on examining the master of the galliott that
he never had belonged to the convoy, but had merely joined them off
Anholt and continued with them for security sake, without applying for
instructions, it was decided to consider the vessel as a recapture, and
to take her on to Carlskrona as such. She is called the _Neptunus_,
Daniel Sivery, master, belonging to Gottenberg, and bound from that
place to Stralsund with a cargo of rice, sugar, coffee, and indigo.”
The Island of Anholt, captured in 1809, was a possession of great
importance to the English when engaged in this work, on account of its
lighthouse, which could signal to the ships of the convoy and keep them
all in their places. Of this island Captain Austen had a few words to
say which show that its importance lay therein alone. After a lengthy
and minute description of the lighthouse and all which appertained to
it, he continues: “The garrison at present consists of about three men
of a veteran battalion, and a few marine artillery, which form by many
degrees the most considerable portion of the population, for, exclusive
of the military and their appendages of wives and children, there are
but sixteen families on the island, who all reside at the only village
on it, near the high ground to the westward, and whose principal
occupation is fishing, in which they are generally very successful
during the summer.
“Antecedent to the war between England and Denmark and the consequent
occupation of the island by the English, the Anholters paid a small
rent to the proprietor of the soil, who is a Danish nobleman residing
at Copenhagen; but at present they are considered and fed as prisoners
of war by the English. They are an exceedingly poor people, and seem to
enjoy but a small proportion of worldly comfort.”
The Island of Rugen, which was another anchoring station for the
_Elephant_, was the only portion of the conquests of Gustavus Adolphus
which still remained under the Swedish flag. The whole tract of country
which he conquered was called Swedish Pomerania, but the mainland
districts had lately been occupied by part of Napoleon’s army under
Marshal Brune.
Of Rugen, Captain Austen writes: “The British ships of war were not
supplied with fresh beef and vegetables whilst the _Elephant_ was
there, and I understood because (though they might have been procured)
the price was too great, which may probably be in a great degree owing
to the neighbouring part of Pomerania having been last year occupied by
the French troops, and having suffered much from the effects of war,
as well as having still large armies in its vicinity, which must of
course very materially affect the state of the markets for provisions
of all kinds.”
While the _Elephant_ was employed in this way in convoying small
vessels backwards and forwards, great events were going on all round.
The southern shores of the Baltic were included this year in the great
arena of the battles which preceded the downfall of Napoleon.
Napoleon’s day was now nearly over. The retreat, in 1812, from Moscow
had shaken his reputation, and Prussia no longer attempted to keep
up the disguise of friendly relations with France. The revolt of the
Prussian regiments of Napoleon’s army gave the signal for a national
organisation, and the whole country turned openly against France. The
garrisons left in the fortified towns, conquered seven years earlier,
were the only remnants of French dominion. Marshal Bernadotte, who had
fought for his Emperor at Grezlaw and Wagram, had lately been selected
to be Crown Prince of Sweden. His interests were now centred in Sweden,
and his great desire was to conquer Norway. That kingdom was ceded in
1814, in exchange for Rugen and the Pomeranian territories, and has
been, almost from that date, a source of increasing difficulty to the
Crown of Sweden. Bernadotte had asked help towards his project from
Napoleon, at the same time promising to give him reinforcements for
the Russian invasion. This offer was refused, and Bernadotte remained
neutral until he saw that matters were going against his former
sovereign. Now, in 1813, he declared himself an ally of the Russians
and Austrians, and brought across the Baltic into Swedish Pomerania a
contingent of 12,000 men, of whom a considerable number were convoyed
by English men-of-war.
In the log for May 28, 1813, we read: “Sailed the _Princess Caroline_
and several of the brigs, with a large fleet of transports, for the
Sound. The transports have 4900 Swedish troops on board, to be landed
in Swedish Pomerania.” These soldiers assisted in the defeat of Marshal
Oudinot, and were among the force which drove back Napoleon from
Leipzig in the next October, just at the same time that Wellington had
completed the liberation of Spain and was leading his army through the
passes of the Pyrenees.
It is scarcely remarkable that the signal asking for news should be so
frequently made from the _Elephant_ when such events were in progress.
A letter from Jane to her brother, written while all this was going
on, must have been truly refreshing, with its talk of hayfields, and
abundance of cheerful gossip about nothing in particular:
“CHAWTON, _July 3, 1813_.
“MY DEAREST FRANK,--Behold me going to write you as handsome a
letter as I can! Wish me good luck. We have had the pleasure of
hearing from you lately through Mary, who sent us some of the
particulars of yours of June 18 (I think), written off Rugen,
and we enter into the delight of your having so good a pilot.
Why are you like Queen Elizabeth? Because you know how to chuse
wise ministers. Does not this prove you as great a Captain as
she was a Queen? This may serve as a riddle for you to put
forth among your officers, by way of increasing your proper
consequence. It must be a real enjoyment to you, since you are
obliged to leave England, to be where you are, seeing something
of a new country and one which has been so distinguished as
Sweden. You must have great pleasure in it. I hope you may
have gone to Carlscroon. Your profession has its _douceurs_
to recompense for some of its privations; to an enquiring and
observing mind like yours such _douceurs_ must be considerable.
Gustavus Vasa, and Charles XII., and Cristina and Linneus. Do
their ghosts rise up before you? I have a great respect for
former Sweden, so zealous as it was for Protestantism. And I
have always fancied it more like England than other countries;
and, according to the map, many of the names have a strong
resemblance to the English. July begins unpleasantly with us,
cold and showery, but it is often a baddish month. We had some
fine dry weather preceding it, which was very acceptable to the
Holders of Hay, and the Masters of Meadows. In general it must
have been a good hay-making season. Edward has got in all his
in excellent order; I speak only of Chawton, but here he has
better luck than Mr. Middleton ever had in the five years that
he was tenant. Good encouragement for him to come again, and
I really hope he will do so another year. The pleasure to us
of having them here is so great that if we were not the best
creatures in the world we should not deserve it. We go on in
the most comfortable way, very frequently dining together, and
always meeting in some part of every day. Edward is very well,
and enjoys himself as thoroughly as any Hampshire-born Austen
can desire. Chawton is not thrown away upon him. He talks of
making a new garden; the present is a bad one and ill-situated,
near Mr. Papillon’s. He means to have the new at the top of
the lawn behind his own house. We like to have him proving and
strengthening his attachment to the place by making it better.
He will soon have all his children about him. Edward, George
and Charles are collected already, and another week brings
Henry and William. It is the custom at Winchester for Georges
to come away a fortnight before the holidays, when they are not
to return any more; for fear they should overstudy themselves
just at last, I suppose. Really it is a piece of dishonourable
accommodation to the Master. We are in hopes of another visit
from our true lawful Henry very soon; he is to be our guest
this time. He is quite well, I am happy to say, and does not
leave it to my pen, I am sure, to communicate to you the joyful
news of his being Deputy Receiver no longer. It is a promotion
which he thoroughly enjoys, as well he may; the work of his own
mind. He sends you all his own plans of course. The scheme for
Scotland we think an excellent one both for himself and his
nephew. Upon the whole his spirits are very much recovered. If
I may so express myself his mind is not a mind for affliction;
he is too busy, too active, too sanguine. Sincerely as he was
attached to poor Eliza moreover, and excellently as he behaved
to her, he was always so used to be away from her at times,
that her loss is not felt as that of many a beloved wife might
be, especially when all the circumstances of her long and
dreadful illness are taken into the account. He very long knew
that she must die, and it was indeed a release at last. Our
mourning for her is not over, or we should be putting it on
again for Mr. Thomas Leigh, who has just closed a good life at
the age of seventy-nine, and must have died the possessor of
one of the finest estates in England, and of more worthless
nephews and nieces than any other private man in the United
Kingdom. We are very anxious to know who will have the living
of Adlestrop, and where his excellent sister will find a home
for the remainder of her days. As yet she bears his loss with
fortitude, but she has always seemed so wrapped up in him that
I fear she must feel it dreadfully when the fever of business
is over. There is another female sufferer on the occasion
to be pitied. Poor Mrs. L. P. (Leigh Perrot) who would now
have been mistress of Stoneleigh had there been none of the
vile compromise, which in good truth has never been allowed
to be of much use to them. It will be a hard trial. Charles’
little girls were with us about a month, and had so endeared
themselves that we were quite sorry to have them go. They are
now all at South End together. Why do I mention that? As if
Charles did not write himself. I hate to be spending my time
so needlessly, encroaching too upon the rights of others. I
wonder whether you happened to see Mr. Blackall’s marriage in
the papers last January. We did. He was married at Clifton to
a Miss Lewis, whose father had been late of Antigua. I should
very much like to know what sort of a woman she is. He was a
piece of perfection--noisy perfection--himself, which I always
recollect with regard. We had noticed a few months before
his succeeding to a College living, the very living which we
recollected his talking of, and wishing for; an exceeding good
one, Great Cadbury in Somersetshire. I would wish Miss Lewis
to be of a silent turn and rather ignorant, but naturally
intelligent and wishing to learn, fond of cold veal pies, green
tea in the afternoon, and a green window blind at night.
“You will be glad to hear that every copy of S. and S. is
sold, and that it has brought me £140, besides the copyright,
if that should ever be of any value. I have now, therefore,
written myself into £250, which only makes me long for more.
I have something in hand which I hope the credit of P. and P.
will sell well, though not half so entertaining, and by the bye
shall you object to my mentioning the _Elephant_ in it, and two
or three other old ships? I _have_ done it, but it shall not
stay to make you angry. They are only just mentioned.
“_July 6._--I have kept open my letter on the chance of what
Tuesday’s post might furnish in addition, and it furnishes the
likelihood of our keeping our neighbours at the Great House
some weeks longer than we expected. Mr. Scudamore, to whom my
brother referred, is very decided as to Godmersham not being
fit to be inhabited at present. He talks even of two months
being necessary to sweeten it, but if we have warm weather I
daresay less will do. My brother will probably go down and
sniff at it himself, and receive his rents. The rent-day has
been postponed already.
“We shall be gainers by their stay, but the young people
in general are disappointed, and therefore could wish it
otherwise. Our cousins, Colonel Thomas Austen and Margaretta,
are going as aide-de-camps to Ireland; and Lord Whitworth goes
in their train as Lord-Lieutenant; good appointments for each.
I hope you continue well and brush your hair, but not all off.
“Yours very affectionately,
“J. A.”
The “something in hand” in this letter was “Mansfield Park.” The
mentions of ships occur in one of the scenes at Portsmouth, when
the whole of the Price family are full of the _Thrush_ going out of
harbour, and have no eyes or ears for Fanny, who has just come home
after an absence of seven or eight years. The scene is worth quoting
almost _in extenso_:
“Fanny was all agitation and flutter--all hope and apprehension. The
moment they stopped, a trollopy-looking maid-servant, seemingly
in waiting for them at the door, stepped forward, and, more intent
on telling the news than giving them any help, immediately began
with--‘The _Thrush_ is gone out of harbour, please, sir, and one of the
officers has been to----’ She was interrupted by a fine tall boy of
eleven years old, who, rushing out of the house, pushed the maid aside,
and while William was opening the chaise-door himself, called out,
‘You are just in time. We have been looking for you this half-hour.
The _Thrush_ went out of harbour this morning. I saw her. It was a
beautiful sight. And they think she will have her orders in a day or
two. And Mr. Campbell was here at four o’clock to ask for you; he has
got one of the _Thrush’s_ boats, and is going off to her at six, and
hoped you would be here in time to go with him.’
“A stare or two at Fanny, as William helped her out of the carriage,
was all the voluntary notice which this brother bestowed; but he made
no objection to her kissing him, though still engaged in detailing
farther particulars of the _Thrush’s_ going out of harbour, in which
he had a strong right of interest, being to commence his career of
seamanship in her at this very time.
“Another moment, and Fanny was in the passage and in her mother’s arms.
She was then taken into a small parlour. Her mother was gone again to
the street-door to welcome William. ‘Oh, my dear William, how glad I
am to see you! But have you heard about the _Thrush_? She is gone out
of harbour already, three days before we had any thought of it; and
I do not know what I am to do about Sam’s things; they will never be
ready in time; for she may have her orders to-morrow perhaps. It takes
me quite unawares. And now you must be off to Spithead, too. Campbell
has been here quite in a worry about you; and now what shall we do?
I thought to have had such a comfortable evening with you, and now
everything comes upon me at once.’
“Her son answered cheerfully, telling her that everything was always
for the best, and making light of his own inconvenience in being
obliged to hurry away so soon.
“‘To be sure, I had much rather she had stayed in harbour, that I
might have sat a few hours with you in comfort, but as there is a
boat ashore I had better go off at once, and there is no help for it.
Whereabouts does the _Thrush_ lie at Spithead? Near the _Canopus_? But,
no matter--here is Fanny in the parlour, and why should we stay in the
passage? Come, mother, you have hardly looked at your own dear Fanny
yet.’
“Lastly, in walked Mr. Price himself, his own loud voice preceding
him, as, with something of an oath kind, he kicked away his son’s
portmanteau and his daughter’s bandbox in the passage and called out
for a candle; no candle was brought, however, and he walked into the
room.
“Fanny, with doubting feelings, had risen to meet him, but sank down
on finding herself undistinguished in the dusk, and unthought of. With
a friendly shake of his son’s hand, and an eager voice, he instantly
began--‘Ha! welcome back, my boy. Glad to see you. Have you heard the
news? The _Thrush_ went out of harbour this morning. Sharp is the word,
you see. By G----, you are just in time. The doctor has been inquiring
for you; he has got one of the boats, and is to be off for Spithead by
six, so you had better go with him. I have been to Turner’s about your
mess; it is all in a way to be done. I should not wonder if you had
your orders to-morrow; but you cannot sail in this wind, if you are to
cruise to the westward with the _Elephant_. By G----, I wish you may.
But old Scholey was saying, just now, that he thought you would be sent
first by Texel. Well, well, we are ready, whatever happens. But, by
G----, you lost a fine sight by not being here in the morning to see
the _Thrush_ go out of harbour. I would not have been out of the way
for a thousand pounds. Old Scholey ran in at breakfast-time, to say she
had slipped her moorings and was coming out. I jumped up, and made but
two steps to the platform. If ever there was a perfect beauty afloat,
she is one; and there she lies at Spithead, and anybody in England
would take her for an eight-and-twenty. I was upon the platforms two
hours this afternoon looking at her. She lies close to the _Endymion_,
between her and the _Cleopatra_ just to the eastward of the sheer
hulk.’ ‘Ha!’ cried William, ‘that’s just where I should have put her
myself. It’s the best berth at Spithead. But here is my sister, sir;
here is Fanny,’ turning and leading her forward; ‘it is so dark you did
not see her.’ With an acknowledgment that he had quite forgot her, Mr.
Price now received his daughter, and having given her a cordial hug,
and observed that she was grown into a woman, and he supposed would be
wanting a husband soon, seemed very much inclined to forget her again.”
The statement in the beginning of “Mansfield Park” that “Miss Frances
(Mrs. Price) married, in the common phrase, to ‘disoblige her family,’
and by fixing on a lieutenant of marines, without education, fortune or
connections, did it very thoroughly,” is not difficult to believe.