26 May 1801 – Tuesday – from Paragon, Bath

My dear Cassandra

For your letter from Kintbury & for all the compliments on my writing which it contained, I now return you my best thanks.– I am very glad that Martha goes to Chilton; a very essential temporary comfort her presence must afford to Mrs Craven, and I hope she will endeavour to make it a lasting one by exerting those kind offices in favour of the Young Man, from which you were both with-held in the case of the Harrison family by the mistaken tenderness of one part of ours.–

The Endymion came into Portsmouth on Sunday, & I have sent Charles a short letter by this day’s post.– My adventures since I wrote to you three days ago have been such as the time would easily contain; I walked yesterday morning with Mrs Chamberlayne to Lyncombe & Widcombe, and in the evening I drank tea with the Holders.– Mrs Chamberlayne’s pace was not quite so magnificent on this second trial as in the first; it was nothing more than I could keep up with, without effort; & for many, many Yards together on a raised narrow footpath I led the way.– The Walk was very beautiful as my companion agreed, whenever I made the observation– And so ends our friendship, for the Chamberlaynes leave Bath in a day or two.– Prepare likewise for the loss of Lady Fust, as you will lose before you find her.– My evening visit was by no means disagreable.  Mrs Lillingstone came to engage Mrs Holder’s conversation, & Miss Holder & I adjourned after tea into the inner Drawingroom to look over Prints & talk pathetically.  She is very unreserved & very fond of talking of her deceased brother & Sister, whose memories she cherishes with an Enthusiasm which tho’ perhaps a little affected, is not unpleasing.– She has an idea of your being remarkably lively; therefore get ready the proper selection of adverbs, & due scraps of Italian & French.–

I must now pause to make some observation on Mrs Heathcote’s having got a little Boy;– I wish her well to wear it out–& shall proceed:–

Frank writes me word that he is to be in London tomorrow; some money Negociation from which he hopes to derive advantage, hastens him from Kent, & will detain him a few days behind my father in Town.– I have seen the Miss Mapletons this morning; Marianne was buried yesterday, and I called without expecting to be let in, to enquire after them all.– On the servant’s invitation however I sent in my name, & Jane & Christiana who were walking in the Garden came to me immediately, and I sat with them about ten minutes.– They looked pale & dejected, but were more composed than I had thought probable.– When I mentioned your coming here on Monday, they said that they should be very glad to see you.–

We drink tea to night with Mrs Lysons;– Now this, says my Master will be mighty dull.– On friday we are to have another party, & a sett of new people to you.– The Bradshaws & Greaves’s, all belonging to one another, and I hope the Pickfords.– Mrs Evelyn called very civilly on sunday, to tell us that Mr Evelyn had seen Mr Philips the proprietor of No 12 G.P.B. and that Mr Philips was very willing to raise the kitchen floor;–but all this I fear is fruitless–tho’ the water may be kept out of sight, it cannot be sent away, nor the ill effects of its’ nearness be excluded.– I have nothing more to say on the subject of Houses;– except that we were mistaken as to the aspect of the one in Seymour Street, which instead of being due West is Northwest.–

I assure you inspite of what I might chuse to insinuate in a former letter, that I have seen very little of Mr Evelyn since my coming here; I met him this morning for only the 4th time, & as to my anecdote about Sidney Gardens, I made the most of the Story because it came in to advantage, but in fact he only asked me whether I were to be at Sidney Gardens in the evening or not.– There is now something like an engagement between us & the Phaeton, which to confess my frailty I have a great desire to go out in;– whether it will come to anything must remain with him.– I really beleive he is very harmless; people do not seem afraid of him here, and he gets Groundsel for his birds & call that.– My Aunt will never be easy till she visits them;–she has been repeatedly trying to fancy a necessity for it now on our accounts, but she meets with no encouragement.– She ought to be particularly scrupulous in such matters, & she says so herself– but nevertheless– — — — Well — I am come home from Mrs Lysons as yellow as I went;– You cannot like your yellow gown half so well as I do, nor a quarter neither.  Mr Rice & Lucy are to be married, one on the 9th and the other on the 10th of July. —  Yrs affec:ly  JA.

[To be continued on the following day, Wednesday 27th]