Part 6 (2/2)

The talent and liveliness which she would show, if ever she had an opportunity of acting herself, ined The late Sir Willia with her at a Twelfth Night party when he was a little boy, on which occasion she, having drawn the part of Mrs Candour, acted it with appreciation and spirit

FOOTNOTES:

[33] W R O'Byrne's _Naval Biographical Dictionary_, 1849

[34] Pp 16-20

[35] We again make use of the words of the _Memoir_ (pp 15-17) in the description of the family party, &c

[36] We are told that Jane was one of the least exclusive of the fae was given up in 1798 See letter of November 17 in that year in _Brabourne_, vol i p 165

[39] _Memoir_, p 42

[40] _Memoir_, p 45

[41] See p 201

[42] _Supra_, p 43

[43] A reproduction of this picture appears also as a frontispiece to the first volume of Dent's illustrated edition of the novels (1892)

[44] _Dictionary of National Biography_, sv

[45] By Dr Thomas Francklin; but said to be almost a translation of Voltaire's _Duc de Foix_

[46] A coh Life above Stairs_, a comedy by David Garrick

[48] _The Wonder: a Woman keeps a Secret_, a comedy by Mrs Centlivre

[49] Probably Garrick's version of Fletcher's colio_, by I Bickerstaffe

CHAPTER V

GROWTH AND CHANGE

1792-1796

Though it may hardly be likely that the Austens could rival Mrs Bennet of _Pride and Prejudice_ by professing to dine with four-and-twenty fahbourhood), a very fair amount of society to be had around Steventon

Readers of Jane Austen's letters will cohbours, with occasional indications of the estimate which she formed of their intellects and characters Probably there were rees of refinement in different families; and towards the bottom of the list must have come the squire of many acres,[51] e are told, inquired of Mr Austen whether Paris was in France or France in Paris, and who quoted a speech of the Rector's wife as beginning with a round oath, saying, when re the story' When the author of the _Meo the ian with the clergy, he was no doubt thinking of theinto the depths of the country sohtenment of a university To this ed, and thus the faave to the society around them at least as much culture as they received frohbourhood stood the houses of three peers--those of Lord Portsmouth at Hurstbourne, Lord Bolton at Hackwood, and Lord Dorchester at Greywell The owners of these places now and then gave balls at ho parties to sostoke Hardly less imersfield and the Chutes of The Vyne The Mr Chute of that day was not only one of the two MP's for the whole county of Hampshi+re, but was also a well-known and popular MFH, and the husband of an excellent and cultivated wife Then came other squires--Portals at Freefolk, Bramstons at Oakley Hall, Jervoises at Herriard, Harwoods at Deane, Terrys at Dummer, Holders at Ashe Park--with several clerical families, and other smaller folk