Part 40 (1/2)

Even in illness, the interests of _Elected; and a day or two later Henry was able to dictate the following letter to Mr

Murray:--

DEAR SIR,--Severe illness has confined me to my bed ever since I received yours of y{e} 15th I cannot yet hold a pen, and employ an amanuensis

The politeness and perspicuity of your letter equally claim my earliest exertion Your official opinion of the h I venture to differ occasionally from your critique, yet I assure you the quantum of your commendation rather exceeds than falls short of the author's expectation and my own The terms you offer are so very inferior to e had expected that I areat error in my arithmetical calculation On the subject of the expence and profit of publishi+ng you must be much better informed than I am, but documents in my possession appear to prove that the suht of _Sense and Sensibility_, _Mansfield Park_, and _Emma_ is not equal to the money which my sister has actually cleared by one very moderate edition of _Mansfield Park_;--(you yourself expressed astonishment that so small an edition of such a work should have been sent into the world)--and a still smaller one of _Sense and Sensibility_[300]

Henry, however, becaly ill that on October 22 Jane dispatched expresses to her brothers and sister, suht left God to a delay in the delivery of the letter, James Austen did not receive his till the 24th He rode to Chawton that evening, and the next day he and Cassandra arrived in London For a tier, but after a week's anxiety he was so far on the road to recovery that his two brothers were able to return ho to Jane's untiring exertions at this tian to suffer One other consequence too, but of a less tragical kind, was due to Henry's illness The physician that attended hi, no doubt, Mr Haden--was one of the Prince Regent's physicians, and he, either knowing or hearing (for it was now an open secret) that Jane Austen was the author of _Pride and Prejudice_, inforreatly admired her novels, 'that he read them often, and kept a set in every one of his residences; that he hihness that Miss Austen was staying in London' The Prince did not so far condescend as to desire to see Miss Austen in person, but he instructed his librarian, Mr Clarke, to wait upon her and show her any civility in his power The result was that on November 13 Jane was shown over the library and other apartments at Carlton House, and in the course of the visit Mr Clarke announced that if Miss Austen had any other novel forthco, she was at liberty to dedicate it to the Prince We cannot tell what iven to Jane by this piece of information, as Cassandra was at that time also in Hans Place, and there is therefore no letter of Jane to her on the subject

But, at any rate, Jane was loyal enough to wish to do as right and proper in the circu to Mr Clarke as follows:--

SIR,--Itheattentions which I received from you at Carlton House on Monday last, was the infor at liberty to dedicate any future work to His Royal Highness, the Prince Regent, without the necessity of any solicitation on my part Such, at least, I believed to be your words; but as I am very anxious to be quite certain of as intended, I entreat you to have the goodness to inform me how such a permission is to be understood, and whether it is incu the work now in the press to His Royal Highness; I should be equally concerned to appear either presurateful

To which Mr Clarke replied:--

Carlton House: November 16, 1815

DEAR MADAM,--It is certainly not _incumbent_ on you to dedicate your work now in the press to His Royal Highness; but if you wish to do the Regent that honour either now or at any future period, I am happy to send you that permission, which need not require any more trouble or solicitation on your part

Your late works, Madahest honour on your genius and your principles In every neork your y and power of discrient has read and admired all your publications

Accept iven reat inclination to write and say so And I also, dear Madam, wished to be allowed to ask you to delineate in some future work the habits of life, and character, and enthusiasyman, who should pass his time between thelike Beattie's Minstrel:--

Silent when glad, affectionate tho' shy, And now his look was hed aloud, yet none knehy

Neither Goldsmith, nor La Fontaine in his _Tableau de Fayed in literature, no man's enes

Believe me at all tied servant, J S CLARKE, _Librarian_

PS--I a for about three weeks to Mr

Henry Streatfeild, Chiddingstone, Sevenoaks, but hope on ain

On November 17 Henry was sufficiently recovered to address a letter to Mr John Murray on his sister's behalf This was followed by a letter from herself on November 23

Hans Place: Thursday [November 23, 1815]

SIR,--My brother's note last Monday has been so fruitless, that I aood effect; but yet I am so very much disappointed and vexed by the delays of the printers, that I cannot help begging to knohether there is no hope of their being quickened Instead of the work being ready by the end of the present month, it will hardly, at the rateproceed, be finished by the end of the next; and as I expect to leave London early in December, it is of consequence that no more time should be lost Is it likely that the printers will be influenced to greater dispatch and punctuality by knowing that the work is to be dedicated, by perent? If you can lad My brother returns _Waterloo_[301] with many thanks for the loan of it We have heard much of Scott's account of Paris[302] If it be not incoe you have any set already opened? Youin careful hands

I remain, Sir, your ob{t} hu, his brother Edward, who had brought his daughter fanny up to town, left her as a companion to her Aunt Jane, and escorted Cassandra to Chawton

Hans Place: Friday [November 24, 1815]

MY DEAREST CassANDRA,--I have the pleasure of sending you a reat delight to you