24 October 1808 – Tuesday – from Castle Square

My dear Cassandra

Edward and George came to us soon after seven on Saturday, very well, but very cold, having by choice travelled on the outside, and with no great coat but what Mr Wise, the coachman, good-naturedly spared them of his, as they sat by his side.  The were so much chilled when they arrived, that I was afraid they must have taken cold; but it does not seem at all the case; I never saw them looking better.  They behave extremely well in every respect, showing quite as much feeling as one wishes to see, and on every occasion speaking of their father with the liveliest affection.  His letter was read over by each of them yesteray, and with many tears; George sobbed aloud, Edward’s tears do not flow so easily; but as far as I can judge they are both very properly impressed by what has happened.

Miss Lloyd, who is a more impartial judge than I can be, is exceedingly pleased with them.  George is almost a new acquaintance to me, and I find him in a different way as engaging as Edward.  We do not want amusements; bilbocatch, at which George is indefatigable, spillikins, paper ships, riddles, conundrums, and cards, with watching the flow and ebb of the river, and now and then a stroll out, keep us well employed; and we mean to avail ourselves of our kind papa’s consideration, by not returning to Winchester till quite the evening of Wednesday.

Mrs J.A. had not time to get them more than one suit of clothes; their others are making here, and though I do not believe Southampton is famous for tailoring, I hope it will prove itself better than Basingstoke.  Edward has an old black coat, which will save his having a second new one; but I find that black pantaloons are considered by them as necessary, and of course one would not have them made uncomfortable by the want of what is usual on such occasions.

Fanny’s letter was received with great pleasure yesterday, and her brother sends his thanks and will answer it soon.  We all saw what she wrote, and were very much pleased with it.  Tomorrow I hope to hear from you, and tomorrow we must think of poor Catherine.  Today Lady Bridges is the heroine of our thoughts, and glad shall we be when we can fancy the meeting over.  There will then be nothing so very bad for Edward to undergo.

The St Albans, I find, sailed on the very day of my letters reaching Yarmouth, so that we must not expect an answer at present; we scarcely feel, however, to be in suspense, or only enough to keep our plans to ourselves.  We have been obliged to explain them to our young visitors, in consequence of Fanny’s letter, but we have not yet mentioned them to Steventon.  We are all quite familiarised to the idea ourselves; my mother only wants Mrs Seward to go out at Mid-summer.

What sort of a kitchen garden is there?  Mrs J.A. expresses her fear of our settling in Kent, and, till this proposal was made, we began to look forward to it here; my mother was actually talking of a house at Wye.  It will be best, however, as it is.  Anne has just given her mistress warning; she is going to be married; I wish she would stay her year.  On the subject of matrimony, I must notice a wedding in the Salisbury paper, which has amused me very much, Dr Phillot to Lady Frances St Lawrence.  She wanted to have a husband I suppose, once in her life, and he a Lady Frances.

I hope your sorrowing party were at church yesterday, and have no longer that to dread.  Martha was kept at home yesterday by a cold, but I went with my two nephews, and I saw Edward was much affected by the sermon, which, indeed, I could have supposed purposely addressed to the afflicted, if the text had not naturally come in the course of Dr Mant’s observations on the Litany: ‘All that are in danger, necessity, or tribulation,’ was the subject of it.  The weather did not allow us afterwards to get farther than the quay, where George was very happy as long as we could stay, flying about from one side to the other, and skipping on board a collier immediately.  In the evening we had the Psalms and Lessons, and a sermon at home, to which they were very attentive; but you will not expect to hear that they did not return to conundrums the moment it was over.  Their aunt has written pleasantly of them, which was more than I hoped.

While I write now, George is most industriously making and naming paper ships, at which he afterwards shoots with horse-chestnuts, brought from Steventon on purpose; and Edward equally intent over the ‘Lake of Killarney,’ twisting himself about in one of our great chairs.

[To be continued on the following day, Tuesday 25th October]