Part 22 (1/2)

Godust 24, 1805]

MY DEAR CassANDRA,--George[146] is a fine boy, and well behaved, but Daniel chiefly delightedAfter tea we had a cribbage-table, and he and I o rubbers of his brother and Mrs Mary Mr Brett was the only person there, besides our two families

Yesterday was a very quiet day with us;battledore and shuttlecock with Willias, and improve a little; we have frequently kept it up _three_ times, and once or twice _six_

The tards went to Canterbury in the chaise, and found Mrs Knight as you found her, I suppose, the day before, cheerful but weak

I have been used very ill this ht to have had when Elizabeth and Henry had theirs, and which in its way from Albany[147] to Godmersham has been to Dover and Steventon It was finished on the 16th, and tells what theirs told before as to his present situation[148]; he is in a great hurry to be ed hiht to have been an answer to his He e the receipt of his, when I speak of those of the saot to number mine on the outside

Elizabeth has this moment proposed a scheme which will be very much for my pleasure if equally convenient to the other party; it is that when you return on Monday, I should take your place at Goodnestone for a few days Harriot cannot be insincere, let her try for it ever so much, and therefore I defy her to accept this self-invitation of mine, unless it be really what perfectly suits her As there is no tie on Monday, and can return with you, ifto Goodnestone is at all inconvenient

Goodnestone Farust 27, 1805]

There is no chance of tickets for the Mr

Bridgeses, as no gentlearrison are invited

With a civil note to be fabricated to Lady F, and an ansritten to Miss H, you will easily believe that we could not begin dinner till six

We were agreeably surprised by Edward Bridges's coe to tell, too late for the cricketasked to dine with the players,[149] came home It is impossible to do justice to the hospitality of his attentions towardstoasted cheese for supper entirely on ust 30, 1805]

Next week seems likely to be an unpleasant one to this faaentle to cohts Edward Bridges has been trying to rouse their spirits, but without success Mr

Hahters and an expected ball, declares he will do nothing

Yours affectionately, J A

Cassandra and Jane had a sche nephews and nieces; but we can say no more about the plan, for the letters now cease until January 1807 As for the events of 1806, there is every reason to believe that the Austens spent the first part of that year in Bath, dividing their tis[150]

Meanwhile, Francis Austen had been helping to h not always in so front a rank as he would have desired to occupy We left hi the defenders of the coast, and considering the possibilities of a landing by the French in their flat-bottoate that he was noted as '_the_ officer who knelt in Church,' and it was there that he met and fell in love with his future wife, Mary Gibson She became in time one of the best loved of the sisters-in-law; but we are told that at the tiht shock to Cassandra and Jane, because the lady chosen was _not_ Martha Lloyd, as they had hoped she e was out of the question, and in May 1804 Frank was appointed to the _Leopard_, the flagshi+p of Admiral Louis, who at this ti Napoleon's flotilla

Frank's reht him home, for a short time, just at the date of his father's death in January 1805 In March, Ad in the _Canopus_ and soon beca-captain, took part in the chase after Villeneuve to the West Indies and back

Thus far, fortune had favoured his which seemed likely to continue, as he was personally known to Nelson and had reason to hope that he would soon give hiate But a sad reverse was in store for hi Cadiz; and, after Nelson's arrival froland in the _Victory_ on September 28, the _Canopus_ was ordered to 'complete supplies'[152] at Gibraltar

After this, followed an order to Adena, to a convoy proceeding to Malta Shaking themselves free fro out of Cadiz, they made haste to join the main fleet in spite of contrary winds, and with the dreadful apprehension of being too late for the imminent battle 'I do not profess,' he writes to Mary Gibson, 'to like fighting for its own sake, but if there has been an action with the combined fleets I shall ever consider the day on which I sailed from the squadron as the most inauspicious one of my life' Six days later (on October 27) he had to add: 'Alas! my dearest Mary, all my fears are but too fully justified The fleets have met, and, after a very severe contest, a lishTo lose all share in the glory of a day which surpasses all that ever went before is what I cannot think of with any degree of patience' But he soon turns frorets to speak of the death of Nelson, and adds: 'I never heard of his equal, nor do I expect again to see such a ment he united prompt decision and speedy execution of his plans; and he possessed in a superior degree the happy talent ofevery class of persons pleased with their situation, and eager to exert the the public service'

For his personal disappoint part in Sir John Duckworth's cruise to the West Indies and in the victory over the French at St Do home, with three prizes, to receive the thanks of Parlia of May 1806 In the following July, Francis Austen and Mary Gibson wereresidence at Bath of his mother and sisters had cohters, and Martha Lloyd, left Bath Cassandra and Jane were thoroughly tired of the place--so says Jane in a letter written two years afterwards to Cassandra, res of escape[154] The immediate destination of the party was Clifton, and here Martha Lloyd left theate in accordance with the lines quoted above[155] The Austens did not stay long at Clifton, and by the end of the h; but neither did this prove ust 5 they set out, in soh, his sister (Miss Elizabeth Leigh), Mr Hill (agent of Mr