24 September 1813 – Friday – continuation from previous day

Friday.  I am sorry to find that one of the nightcaps here belongs to you — sorry, because it must be in constant wear. — Great Doings again today — Fanny, Lizzy & Mar: are going to Goodnestone for the Fair, which is tomorrow, & stay till Monday, & the Gentlemen are all to dine at Evington.  Edwd has been repenting ever since he promised to go & was hoping last night for a wet day — but the morng is fair.– I shall dine with Miss Clewes & I dare say find her very agreable.– The invitation to the Fair was general; Edwd positively declined his share of that, & I was very glad to do the same.– It is likely to be a baddish Fair– not much upon the Stall, & neither Mary O. nor Mary P.–

It is hoped that the Portfolio may be in Canty this morng.  Sackree’s sister found it at Croydon & took it to Town with her, but unluckily did not send it down till she had directions.  Fanny C’s. screens can be done nothing with, but there are parts of workbags in the parcel, very important in their way.– Three of the Deedes girls are to be at Goodnestone.– We shall not be much settled till this visit is over– settled as to employment I mean;– Fanny & I are to go on with Modern Europe together, but hitherto have advanced only 25 Pages, something or other has always happened to delay or curtail the reading hour.– I ought to have told you before of a purchase of Edward’s in Town, he desired you might hear of it, a Thing for measuring Timber with, so that you need not have the trouble of finding him in Tapes any longer.– He treated himself with this seven shilling purchase, & bought a new Watch & new Gun for George.– The new gun shoots very well.

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Apples are scarce in this Country; £1-5-a sack.– Miss Hinton should take Hannah Knight.– Mrs Driver has not yet appeared.– J. Littleworth & the Grey Poney reached Bath safely.–

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A Letter from Mrs Cooke, they have been at Brighton a fortnight, stay at least another & Mary is already much better.– Poor Dr Isham is obliged to admire P. & P. — & to send me word that he is sure he shall not like Mde Darblay’s new Novel half so well.– Mrs C. invented it all of course.  He desires his compts to you & my Mother.– Of the Adlestrop-Living business Mrs C. says “It can be now no secret, as the Papers for the necessary Dispensations are going up to the Archbishop’s Secretary.– However be it known that we all wish to have it understood that George takes this Trust entirely to oblige Mr Leigh & never will be a shilling benefited by it. Had my consent been necessary, beleive me I shd have withheld it, for I do think it on the part of the Patron a very shabby peice of business.– All these & other Scrapings from dear Mrs E.L. are to accumulate no doubt to help Mr Twisleton to a secure admission again into England.”– I would wish you therefore to make it known to my Mother as if this were the first time of Mrs Cooke’s mentioning it to me.–

I told Mrs C. of my Mother’s late oppression in her head.– She says on that subject– “Dear Mrs Austen’s is I beleive an attack frequent at her age & mine. Last year I had for some time the Sensation of a Peck Loaf resting on my head, & they talked of cupping me, but I came off with a dose or two of calomel & have never heard of it since.”–

The three Miss Knights & Mrs Sayce are just off;– the weather has got worse since the early morng;– whether Miss Clewes & I are to be Tete a Tete, or to have 4 gentlemen to admire us is uncertain.

I am now alone in the Library, Mistress of all I survey — at least I may say so & repeat the whole poem if I like it, without offence to anybody.–

Martha will have wet Races & catch a bad cold;– in other respects I hope she will have much pleasure at them– & that she is free from Earache now.  I am glad she likes my cap so well.–

I assure you my old one looked so smart yesterday that I was asked two or three times before I set off, whether it was not my new one.– I have this moment seen Mrs Driver driven up to the Kitchen Door.  I cannot close with a grander circumstance or greater wit.–

Yours affec:ly  J.A.

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I am going to write to Steventon so you need not send any news of me there.

Louisa’s best Love & a Hundred Thousand Million Kisses.

Miss Austen
Chawton
Alton
Hants