Part 37 (1/2)

_Sunday_--Excellent sweetness of you to sendletter; it made its appearance, with one fros walked in How glad I aht think the offer superfluous, but you have set my heart at ease Tell Henry that I _will_ stay with hireeable to him

You shall hear from me once more, some day or other

Yours very affectionately, J A

Miss Austen, 10 Henrietta Street

Even in the et the literary profession which she had now seriously adopted

Indeed, it was just at this time that the second edition of _Sense and Sensibility_, on which she had ventured under the advice of her publisher Egerton, appeared[278] According to our dates, she was not now actually engaged in regular composition--for _Mansfield Park_[279]

was coun till January 21, 1814 Wea few hu herself hints in advance for Miss Bates or Mr Woodhouse; for we learn so of her process froht, who related her childish reo 'Aunt Jane,'[280] she said, 'would sit very quietly at work beside the fire in the God, ju upon it, write so down quietly to her work again' She also reirls into an upstairs roohter, to which the little ones on the wrong side of the door listened, thinking it very hard that they should be shut out frohter may have been the result of the second novel then published, for there is an entry in fanny Knight's diary: 'We finished _Pride and Prejudice_'; or it may have been caused by a first introduction to Aunt Norris and Lady Bertram Happy indeed were those who could hear their creator ht' The dra that for complete enjoyment on a first acquaintance it is almost indispensable that they should be read aloud by so the to the concurrent testimony of those who heard her, and she handed it on to her nephew, the author of the _Memoir_

On November 13 Jane left Godmersham with Edward, spent two days with some connexions of his at Wrotham, and reached London on the 15th, in time to dine with Henry in Henrietta Street

After that she had various plans; but we do not knohich she adopted; and there is nothing further to tell of her movements until March 1814

We knoever, that _Eun in January; and that on March 2, when Henry drove his sister up to London, spending a night at Cobha _Mansfield Park_ for the first tier to communicate Henry's impressions to Cassandra

Henrietta Street: Wednesday [March 2, 1814]

MY DEAR CassANDRA,--You rong in thinking of us at Guildford last night: ere at Cobhaone on We therefore did no e while fresh horses were put in--and proceeded directly to Cobha down to a very nice roast fowl, &c

We had altogether a very good journey, and everything at Cobhaton! That was the only alas! of the business I shall therefore return his bill, and in reading till Bentley Green Henry's approbation is hitherto even equal to my wishes

He says it is very different from the other two, but does not appear to think it at all inferior

He has only h thepart He took to Lady B and Mrs Nof the characters He understands them all, likes fanny, and, I think, foresees hoill all be I finished the _Heroine_[281] last night, and was very much amused by it I wonder Jaly We went to bed at ten I was very tired, but slept to a miracle, and am lovely to-day, and at present Henry seeht, stopped to bait and breakfast at Kingston, and were in this house considerably before two, quite in the style of Mr Knight Nice s Mr

Barlowe met us at the door and, in reply to enquiries after news, said that peace was generally expected I have taken possession of my bedroom, unpacked my bandbox, sent Miss P's two letters to the twopenny post, been visited by M{de} Bigeon and a byWe had soht, which gave us a hard road fro dirty and heavy, Henry had a pair of leaders put on from the latter place to the bottom of Sloane St His own horses, therefore, cannot have had hard work I watched for _veils_ as we drove through the streets, and had the pleasure of seeing several upon vulgar heads And no do you all do?--you in particular, after the worry of yesterday and the day before I hope Martha had a pleasant visit again, and that you andof the chimney-sweeper as soon as I wake to-morrow Places are secured at Drury Lane for Saturday, but so great is the rage for seeing Kean[283] that only a third and fourth row could be got; as it is in a front box, however, I hope we shall do pretty well--_Shylock_, a good play for fanny--she cannot be ord has just been here She tellsMy poor old muslin has never been dyed yet It has been promised to be done several ti their own souls in scarlet sinIt is evening

We have drank tea, and I have torn through the third vol of the _Heroine_ I do not think it falls off It is a delightful burlesque, particularly on the Radcliffe style Henry is going on with _Mansfield Park_ He admires H

Crawford: I ood I can, as I kno much you will enjoy itWe hear that Mr Kean is ot in Drury Lane for the next fortnight, but Henry ht, when you are reckoned upon

Give my love to little Cass I hope she found ht I have seen nobody in London yet with such a long chin as Dr Syntax, nor anybody quite so large as Goglicus

Saturday [March 5, 1814]

Do not be angry withanother letter to you I have read the _Corsair_,out is impossible It is a nasty day for everybody Edward's[284] spirits will be wanting sunshi+ne, and here is nothing but thickness and sleet; and though these two roohtfully warm, I fancy it is very cold abroad

_Sunday_--We were quite satisfied with Kean I cannot i, but the part was too short; and, excepting him and Miss Smith, and _she_ did not quite answer my expectation, the parts were ill filled and the play heavy We were too much tired to stay for the whole of _Illusion_ ('Nour-jahad'), which has three acts; there is a great deal of finery and dancing in it, but I think little merit Elliston was 'Nour-jahad,' but it is a solemn sort of part, not at all calculated for his powers There was nothing of the _best_ Elliston about hiht not have known him but for his voice