SLOANE ST., Thursday (April 25).
MY DEAREST CASSANDRA,--I can return the compliment by thanking you for
the unexpected pleasure of your letter yesterday, and as I like
unexpected pleasure, it made me very happy; and, indeed, you need not
apologize for your letter in any respect, for it is all very fine, but
not too fine, I hope, to be written again, or something like it.
I think Edward will not suffer much longer from heat; by the look of
things this morning I suspect the weather is rising into the balsamic
north-east. It has been hot here, as you may suppose, since it was so
hot with you, but I have not suffered from it at all, nor felt it in
such a degree as to make me imagine it would be anything in the country.
Everybody has talked of the heat, but I set it all down to London.
I give you joy of our new nephew, and hope if he ever comes to be hanged
it will not be till we are too old to care about it. It is a great
comfort to have it so safely and speedily over. The Miss Curlings must
be hard worked in writing so many letters, but the novelty of it may
recommend it to them; mine was from Miss Eliza, and she says that my
brother may arrive to-day.
No, indeed, I am never too busy to think of S. and S.[13] I can no more
forget it than a mother can forget her sucking child; and I am much
obliged to you for your inquiries. I have had two sheets to correct, but
the last only brings us to Willoughby's first appearance. Mrs. K.
regrets in the most flattering manner that she must wait till May, but I
have scarcely a hope of its being out in June. Henry does not neglect
it; he has hurried the printer, and says he will see him again to-day.
It will not stand still during his absence, it will be sent to Eliza.
The Incomes remain as they were, but I will get them altered if I can. I
am very much gratified by Mrs. K.'s interest in it; and whatever may be
the event of it as to my credit with her, sincerely wish her curiosity
could be satisfied sooner than is now probable. I think she will like my
Elinor, but cannot build on anything else.
Our party went off extremely well. There were many solicitudes, alarms,
and vexations beforehand, of course, but at last everything was quite
right. The rooms were dressed up with flowers, etc., and looked very
pretty. A glass for the mantelpiece was lent by the man who is making
their own. Mr. Egerton and Mr. Walter came at half-past five, and the
festivities began with a pair of very fine soles.
Yes, Mr. Walter--for he postponed his leaving London on purpose--which
did not give much pleasure at the time, any more than the circumstance
from which it rose,--his calling on Sunday and being asked by Henry to
take the family dinner on that day, which he did; but it is all smoothed
over now, and she likes him very well.
At half-past seven arrived the musicians in two hackney coaches, and by
eight the lordly company began to appear. Among the earliest were George
and Mary Cooke, and I spent the greatest part of the evening very
pleasantly with them. The drawing-room being soon hotter than we liked,
we placed ourselves in the connecting passage, which was comparatively
cool, and gave us all the advantage of the music at a pleasant distance,
as well as that of the first view of every new-comer.
I was quite surrounded by acquaintance, especially gentlemen; and what
with Mr. Hampson, Mr. Seymour, Mr. W. Knatchbull, Mr. Guillemarde, Mr.
Cure, a Captain Simpson, brother to _the_ Captain Simpson, besides Mr.
Walter and Mr. Egerton, in addition to the Cookes, and Miss Beckford,
and Miss Middleton, I had quite as much upon my hands as I could do.
Poor Miss B. has been suffering again from her old complaint, and looks
thinner than ever. She certainly goes to Cheltenham the beginning of
June. We were all delight and cordiality, of course. Miss M. seems very
happy, but has not beauty enough to figure in London.
Including everybody we were sixty-six,--which was considerably more than
Eliza had expected, and quite enough to fill the back drawing-room and
leave a few to be scattered about in the other and in the passage.
The music was extremely good. It opened (tell Fanny) with "Poike de Parp
pirs praise pof Prapela;" and of the other glees I remember, "In peace
love tunes," "Rosabelle," "The Red Cross Knight," and "Poor Insect."
Between the songs were lessons on the harp, or harp and pianoforte
together; and the harp-player was Wiepart, whose name seems famous,
though new to me. There was one female singer, a short Miss Davis, all
in blue, bringing up for the public line, whose voice was said to be
very fine indeed; and all the performers gave great satisfaction by
doing what they were paid for, and giving themselves no airs. No amateur
could be persuaded to do anything.
The house was not clear till after twelve. If you wish to hear more of
it, you must put your questions, but I seem rather to have exhausted
than spared the subject.
This said Captain Simpson told us, on the authority of some other
Captain just arrived from Halifax, that Charles was bringing the
"Cleopatra" home, and that she was probably by this time in the
Channel; but as Captain S. was certainly in liquor, we must not quite
depend on it. It must give one a sort of expectation, however, and will
prevent my writing to him any more. I would rather he should not reach
England till I am at home, and the Steventon party gone.
My mother and Martha both write with great satisfaction of Anna's
behavior. She is quite an Anna with variations, but she cannot have
reached her last, for that is always the most flourishing and showy; she
is at about her third or fourth, which are generally simple and pretty.
Your lilacs are in leaf, ours are in bloom. The horse-chestnuts are
quite out, and the elms almost. I had a pleasant walk in Kensington
Gardens on Sunday with Henry, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Tilson; everything was
fresh and beautiful.
We did go to the play, after all, on Saturday. We went to the Lyceum,
and saw the "Hypocrite," an old play taken from Molière's "Tartuffe,"
and were well entertained. Dowton and Mathews were the good actors; Mrs.
Edwin was the heroine, and her performance is just what it used to be. I
have no chance of seeing Mrs. Siddons; she did act on Monday, but as
Henry was told by the box-keeper that he did not think she would, the
plans, and all thought of it, were given up. I should particularly have
liked seeing her in "Constance," and could swear at her with little
effort for disappointing me.
Henry has been to the Water-Color Exhibition, which opened on Monday,
and is to meet us there again some morning. If Eliza cannot go (and she
has a cold at present), Miss Beaty will be invited to be my companion.
Henry leaves town on Sunday afternoon, but he means to write soon
himself to Edward, and will tell his own plans.
The tea is this moment setting out.
Do not have your colored muslin unless you really want it, because I am
afraid I could not send it to the coach without giving trouble here.
Eliza caught her cold on Sunday in our way to the D'Entraigues. The
horses actually gibbed on this side of Hyde Park Gate: a load of fresh
gravel made it a formidable hill to them, and they refused the collar; I
believe there was a sore shoulder to irritate. Eliza was frightened, and
we got out, and were detained in the evening air several minutes. The
cold is in her chest, but she takes care of herself, and I hope it may
not last long.
This engagement prevented Mr. Walter's staying late,--he had his coffee
and went away. Eliza enjoyed her evening very much, and means to
cultivate the acquaintance; and I see nothing to dislike in them but
their taking quantities of snuff. Monsieur, the old Count, is a very
fine-looking man, with quiet manners, good enough for an Englishman,
and, I believe, is a man of great information and taste. He has some
fine paintings, which delighted Henry as much as the son's music
gratified Eliza; and among them a miniature of Philip V. of Spain, Louis
XIV.'s grandson, which exactly suited my capacity. Count Julien's
performance is very wonderful.
We met only Mrs. Latouche and Miss East, and we are just now engaged to
spend next Sunday evening at Mrs. L.'s, and to meet the D'Entraigues,
but M. le Comte must do without Henry. If he would but speak English, I
would take to him.
Have you ever mentioned the leaving off tea to Mrs. K.? Eliza has just
spoken of it again. The benefit she has found from it in sleeping has
been very great.
I shall write soon to Catherine to fix my day, which will be Thursday.
We have no engagement but for Sunday. Eliza's cold makes quiet
advisable. Her party is mentioned in this morning's paper. I am sorry to
hear of poor Fanny's state. From that quarter, I suppose, is to be the
alloy of her happiness. I will have no more to say.
Yours affectionately,
J. A.
Give my love particularly to my goddaughter.
Miss AUSTEN, EDWARD AUSTEN'S, Esq.,
Godmersham Park, Faversham.