27 May 1817 – Tuesday – from College St, Winchester – to Nephew

[Letter to Jane Austen’s nephew, James Edward Austen, written from her rooms at Mrs Davids’s, College Street, Winchester]

I know no better way my dearest Edward, of thanking you for your most affectionate concern for me during my illness, than by telling you myself as soon as possible that I continue to get better.– I will not boast of my handwriting; neither that, nor my face have yet recovered their proper beauty, but in other respects I am gaining strength very fast.  I am now out of bed from 9 in the morng to 10 at night– Upon the Sopha t’is true– but I eat my meals with Aunt Cass: in a rational way, & can employ myself, & walk from one room to another.– Mr Lyford says he will cure me, & if he fails I shall draw up a Memorial & lay it before the Dean & Chapter, & have no doubt of redress from that Pious, Learned & disinterested Body.–

Our Lodgings are very comfortable.  We have a neat little Drawg-room with a Bow-window overlooking Dr Gabell’s Garden.  Thanks to the kindness of your Father & Mother in sending me their Carriage, my Journey hither on Saturday was performed with very little fatigue, & had it been a fine day I think I shd have felt none, but it distressed me to see Uncle Henry & Wm K- who kindly attended us on horseback, riding in rain almost all the way.– We expect a visit from them tomorrow, & hope they will stay the night, and on Thursday, which is Confirmation & a Holiday, we are to get Charles out to breakfast.  We have had but one visit yet from him poor fellow, as he is in Sickroom, but he hopes to be out tonight.–

We see Mrs Heathcote every day, & William is to call upon us soon.– God bless you my dear Edward.  If ever you are ill, may you be as tenderly nursed as I have been, may the same Blessed alleviations of anxious, simpathizing friends be Yours, & may you possess — as I dare say you will — the greatest blessing of all, in the consciousness of not being unworthy of their Love.– I could not feel this.– Your very affec: Aunt
J.A.

Had I not engaged to write to you, you wd have heard again from your Aunt Martha, as she charged me to tell you with her best Love.–

J.E. Austen Esqre
Exeter College
Oxford