Part 6 (1/2)

There is a passage in a letter written from Southampton, February 1807,[41] in which she says she is often 'all astonishment and shairl and contrasts them hat she sees in the 'best children' of a later date

One other erton Brydges, the author and genealogist His sister had married Mr

Lefroy, who in 1783 had becoe Austen would have held, had it becoerton, on his e in 1788, had for two years rented Mr Austen's parsonage at Deane in order to be near his sister

The nearest neighbours of the Lefroys were the Austens at Steventon I remember Jane Austen the novelist as a little child She was very intied by her Her randmother was sister to the first Duke of Chandos Mr Austen was of a Kentish family, of which several branches have been settled in the Weald of Kent, and so there

When I knew Jane Austen I never suspected that she was an authoress, but ht and elegant, but with cheeks a little too full

Sir Egerton's description is theof the two; but itafter the time he mentions, and that his recollections were no doubt somewhat mellowed by Jane Austen's subsequent fame; whereas Philadelphia Walter's is an unvarnished conteirl a few years older than herself

Fortunately, neither looks nor e of twelve, so we need not be surprised to find that Eliza, riting in August 1791 in reference to a letter just received from Steventon, talks of the two sisters as 'perfect Beauties,' ere of course gaining 'hearts by dozens' And again in November of the same year, she writes that she hears 'they are two of the prettiest girls in England'[42] When due allowance is hteen and fifteen years of age both Cassandra and Jane had their fair share of good looks

Eliza's letters give us another glimpse of the sisters in 1792, and indeed of the whole Steventon party She writes on Septe you that our dear Uncle and Aunt are both in perfect health

The former looks uncommonly well, and in er than ever Often do I sit and trace her features in his, till my heart overflows at my eyes I always tenderly loved my Uncle, but I think he is now dearer tothe nearest and best beloved relation of the never to be sufficiently regretted parent I have lost; Cassandra and Jane are both very reatly improved as well in manners as in person, both of which are now much more formed than when you saw theree seldoives the preference to Jane, whose kind partiality to me indeed requires a return of the sah, I believe; he also is much improved, and is certainly endoith uncoh in a different way, upon each member of this family

As to the coolness which you know had taken place between H and ement, on his part, and we are at present on very proper relationlike tern him for the Church Cassandra was fro, the abode of her brother Edward--from which she returned some time since, but is now once more absent, as well as her sister, on a visit to the Miss Lloyds, who live at a place called Ibthorp, about eighteen stoke and a private one in the neighbourhood, both of which reeable

The date 1790 or 1791 ned to the portrait--believed to be of Jane Austen, and believed to be by Zoffany--which has been chosen as the frontispiece for this book, as it was for Lord Brabourne's edition of the Letters[43] We are unable for want of evidence to judge of the likeness of the picture to Jane Austen as a girl; there is, so far as we have heard, no fa been painted; and, as her subsequent fame could hardly have been predicted, we should not expect that either her great-uncle Frank, or her cousin, Francis Motley Austen, would go to the expense of a picture of her by Zoffany Francis Motley had a daughter of his own, another Jane Austen, who became Mrs Campion of Danny, and a confusion between the two Janes is a possible explanation

On the other hand, we believe there is no tradition in either the Austen or the Campion family of any such portrait of _that_ Jane Austen, and the _provenance_ of our picture is well authenticated The Rev Morland Rice (grandson of Edward Austen) was a Dedalen, Dr Newman, many years before his death, told him that he had a portrait of Jane Austen the novelist, that had long been in his family He stated that it was painted at Bath when she was about fifteen, and he promised to leave him (M Rice) the picture A few months before his death, Dr Nerote to his friend, Dr Bloxa: 'I have another picture that I wish to go to your neighbour, Morland Rice It is a portrait of Jane Austen the novelist, by Zoffany The picture was given to ton, Kent, because she was a great admirer of her works' Colonel Austen was a son of Francis Motley, and it is hardly conceivable that he should give away to a stranger a portrait of his _sister_ Jane as one of his _cousin_ Jane Our Jane became fifteen on December 16, 1790, and Zoffany returned from India[44] in that year Jane is believed to have visited her uncle, Dr Cooper (who died in 1792), at Bath There is nothing in these dates to raise any great difficulty, and, on the whole, we have good reason to hope that we possess in this picture an authentic portrait of the author

The Austens seem to have been possessed of considerable histrionic talent, and they were decidedly ambitious in the plays they undertook

Their cousin Eliza was out of England in 1784 when their theatricals first began; but on a later occasion she was one of the principal performers They had their summer theatre in the barn, and their winter theatre either there or within the narrow li-room, where the number of listeners must have been very small In 1784 Sheridan's _Rivals_ was acted by 'soentleiven also the tragedy of _Matilda_[45] It was the day of prologues and epilogues, and the young actors were careful to o that would ht into play his skill in verse-ue (froue to _Matilda_ was given by Edward Austen, and the epilogue by Thomas Fowle

Midsue Austen dismissed his pupils for their holidays, and it was at these two periods that the theatricals usually took place For the year 1787 we have a few details as to conteland with her mother in the summer of 1786, and probably went to Steventon at e Wells with her mother and her cousin Phila In a letter to her brother, Phila tells us that they went to the theatre, where (as was the custom in those days) the Comtesse--presumably as a person of some importance--'bespoke' the play, which was _Which is the Man?_[46] and _Bon Ton_[47] This is interesting, because later on in the same letter Phila says: 'They [ie the Coo at Christmas to Steventon and mean to act a play, _Which is the Man?_ and _Bon Ton_ My uncle's barn is fitting up quite like a theatre, and all the young folks are to take their part The Countess is Lady Bob Lardoon [_sic_] in the former and Miss tittup in the latter They wish me much of the party and offer to carry me, but I do not think of it I should like to be a spectator, but ae to act a part, nor do I wish to attain it'

Eliza was, however, very urgent with Phila that she should send all diffidence _to Coventry_

Your accosvery full of company, she says she can only promise you 'a place to hide your head in,' but I think you will not mind this inconvenience I am sure I should not--to be with you Do not let your dress neither disturb you, as I think I can e it so that the _Green Roo We purpose setting out the 17th of DecemberI assure you we shall have a reat deal of amusement, the house full of company, frequent balls You cannot possibly resist so many temptations, especially when I tell you your old friend Ja party

But Phila still stood out, and Eliza attacked her once ht to Steventon, provided she could bring herself to act, 'forpeople_”'

We hear no more news of these theatricals, but it is probable that there was a change in the selection of the plays, for there is extant a prologue by James Austen to _The Wonder_,[48] acted at Steventon, Deceue 'spoken by a Lady in the character of Violante' There is also a prologue to _The Chances_,[49] acted at Steventon, January 1788

The last Steventon perfore took place in January 1790, when a farce called _The Sultan_[50] was acted

The leading lady on this last occasion was Miss Cooper, who spoke the epilogue in the character of Roxalana, Henry Austen playing the title-role On the sah Life below Stairs_, was also given

Of Jane's own part in these performances there is no record, for she was only just fourteen when the last took place But even if she took no more share than fanny Price, she uage of the theatre--knowledge that she was to turn to good account in _Mansfield Park_ She was an early observer, and it ht reasonably be supposed that sos which are so vividly painted in the _Mansfield Park_ theatricals are due to her recollections of these entertainments