[Letter to brother, Charles Austen]
My dearest Charles
Many thanks for your affectionate Letter. I was in your debt before, but I have really been too unwell the last fortnight to write anything that was not absolutely necessary. I have been suffering from a Bilious attack, attended with a good deal of fever.– A few days ago my complaint appeared removed, but I am ashamed to say that the shock of my Uncle’s Will brought on a relapse, & I was so ill on friday & thought myself so likely to be worse that I could not but press for Cassandra’s returning with Frank after the Funeral last night, which she of course did, & either her return, or my having seen Mr Curtis, or my Disorder’s chusing to go away, have made me better this morning. I live upstairs however for the present & am coddled. I am the only one of the Legatees who has been so silly, but a weak Body must excuse weak Nerves. My Mother has borne the forgetfulness of her extremely well;– her expectations for herself were never beyond the extreme of moderation, & she thinks with you that my Uncle always looked forward to surviving her.– She desired her best Love & many thanks for your kind feelings; and heartily wishes that her younger Childn had more, & all her Childn something immediately. My Aunt felt the value of Cassandras company so fully, & was so very kind to her, & is poor Woman! so miserable at present (for her affliction has very much increased since the first) that we feel more regard for her than we ever did before. It is impossible to be surprised at Miss Palmer’s being ill, but we are truly sorry, & hope it may not continue. We congratulate you on Mrs. P.’s recovery.– As for your poor little Harriet, I dare not be sanguine for her. Nothing can be kinder than Mrs Cooke’s enquiries after you & her, in all her Letters, & there was no standing her affectionate way of speaking of your Countenance, after her seeing you.– God bless you all. Conclude me to be going on well, if you hear nothing to the contrary.– Yours Ever truely J.A.
Tell dear Harriet that whenever she wants me in her service again, she must send a Hackney Chariot all the way for me, for I am not strong enough to travel any other way, & I hope Cassy will take care that it is a green one. I have forgotten to take a proper-edged sheet of Paper.
Captn C. J. Austen RN
22 Keppel St
Russell Sqre
QuinnTessence 
Pingback: …a weak Body must excuse weak Nerves. | QuinnTessence