I too am fortunate, indeed, to have a person of your calibre and disposition whom I can call ‘friend’. Which is more than I can say for those frivolous gatherings at assembly rooms and balls – such tedious conversation to be had with cantankerous farmers and gouty gentlemen. And as for the ladies! If you had seen the satin, sir, which exited this house this very evening, in such a flap and in such vast quantities, as could have put sails on Admiral Nelson’s entire fleet, you would have been most alarmed! Give me my library, cousin, a glass or two or four of port and Edward Gibbons Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire any day or night.
And so we prepare for Christmas or, in truth, we leave it in the very capable hands of Mrs Hill, and admire the smells coming from the kitchen, from afar. Ah, Christmas, a time when the weather gives us permission to stay at home and mind our own business!
I will bid you farewell now, cousin, but to say do not fret over the offspring which will soon be born. It is a blessing and by the time you have moved onto your fifth, you will be well accustomed to it. Let me finish by wishing yourself, Mrs Collins and all at Hunsford and Rosings, the most wonderful Christmas and New Year, if I have not done so already!
Your affectionate cousin,
Henry Bennet
1793 – The year in which the Collins lineage is assured, the Bennet family visit Rosings and Miss Catherine Bennet catches the eye of a gentleman friend.
Hunsford,
near Westerham,
Kent.
14th February, 1793
Dear Sir,
I am deeply humbled by your last letter which was full of praise and appreciation of my good self and, though I be the most humble of men, I felt it keenly. It was the good Lord, himself, who saw fit to drive me to the mending of a breach between our two families; “in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:19.
I will make it of the greatest importance and urgency to include, when next visiting Hertfordshire, several journals of my sermons, for I keep them all. Had I known that they would mean so much to you, I would not have deprived you of them this long. We may retire to your library, of an evening, and I would be very happy to read from them, that we should both enjoy them at our leisure, for I do love to read back over my elegant turns of phrase and be reminded of how the Holy Spirit moves through me.
And now onto our most wonderful news! The good Lord is smiling down on us all here at Hunsford as we welcomed young Thomas Lewis Henry Collins into the family late last Tuesday evening. My dear Charlotte is well and strong and dotes on the boy.
I myself am suffering from a slight sprain to my wrist which makes writing this letter excessively painful but I shall proceed regardless. It was a most unfortunate and poorly timed occurrence. I became aware that as Thomas’s arrival approached, my dear Charlotte found my assistance and company irksome and I was in such a fluster that I slipped on the last three steps of our main stairwell, going backwards before flying forwards, head first into the front door. Fortunately for me, it was partially open, so instead of receiving the full impact of injury, I lunged through the door and slid along the gravel. It was most unfortunate, however, that Miss Anne de Bourgh, accompanied by Mrs Jenkinson, was passing in her phaeton at the time and her horse, being startled, added greater confusion and consternation to the scene. I apologised most profusely for the distress caused and promised to call on the ladies at Rosings at the first possible opportunity to make amends for my foolishness and to bring word of the arrival of our newborn. And having, the evening before, spilled coffee on Lady Lucas’s satin gown, I was feeling it best to avoid all women by locking myself up in my study, until such time as I felt steadied (which, I confess, was never fully accomplished until after Thomas’s arrival and, perhaps, not even then).
Thomas is a healthy boy, praise the Lord, and Sir William declares he has his chin, which Charlotte believes is possible, for he has many. I myself see a little of my late mother in him, especially around the eyes, for there is a cunning there which would appear to have skipped my generation but has resurfaced in Thomas, bless the boy. We are fortunate indeed and Charlotte is overjoyed and glad to have her mother with her at this time.
I feel all the weight of additional responsibilities now landing on my shoulders, for I have an example to set as a father to both my child and the parishioners and it is a duty I will take most seriously, for any misdemeanours and little human weaknesses which I had heretofore indulged in, must now be plucked out and cast away.
Mrs Collins joins me in extending an invitation to your family to visit us here at our humble abode at your earliest possible convenience. It has been my greatest wish, since our two families have become so intimate and in order to repay the frequent generosity shown to me at Longbourn, to invite you hither. As my cousin Elizabeth, nay, I must call her Mrs Darcy, is to join her husband in visiting Rosings at Easter, it is our dearest wish that you, Mrs Bennet and your daughters will coincide their visit with a stay with us. We may be a compact company but, if the girls are willing to share a room, and we use the closets (now that they have shelves therein) for storage and accept every request to dine at Rosings, you will find that this parsonage can comfortably accommodate us all.
Indeed, another motive for my inviting you hither is to restore harmony at Rosings, for your presence may soften her ladyship’s disposition toward Elizabeth (it will be her first time accepting my cousin into Rosings as a guest since the undesireable union between her and Mr Darcy). When Lady Catherine becomes more acquainted with the respectable family from whence she comes, I am confident that all relations will be amiable and delightful. Her charitable and forgiving nature appears to have already put the sad business behind her although Charlotte states that it is because she has now turned her attentions to her other nephew, Colonel Fitzwilliam, as a future son-in-law. In truth, I cannot say.
Sir, again we are blessed in Thomas. The future of Longbourn is secured for another generation and please give all your dear family our sincerest well-wishes and we hope to see you at Easter.
Your cousin,
William Collins
Longbourn,
near Meryton,
Hertfordshire.
19th February, 1793
Dear Sir,
On behalf of all at Longbourn, may I extend the heartiest congratulations to you and Charlotte on the birth of young Thomas Lewis Henry Collins. We are delighted and have toasted his good health.
It was not your letter from Kent which informed us, however, of your happy news but my sister-in-law, Mrs Philips, from Meryton. She called on Mrs Bennet last week in her usual ostentatious manner, that forever sends me to the garden or my library for refuge, and announced in a deafening tone (that reminded me of a cannon I once heard fired on Hove beach, to warn off smugglers) that the Collinses had welcomed a boy, Thomas, into the world. We never question her source of information for she mixes with high and low alike, but we can vouch that she is never wrong. The inclusion of ‘Henry’ in his naming has not gone undetected by me and I am deeply touched to the core of my being. I also noticed that Lady Catherine’s late husband, Lewis, gets a nod and am sure he is equally flattered, wherever he may now be found.
But, sir, I must insist, please do not undertake further correspondence until your wrist, is healed. I implore you to throw etiquette to one side and use the well-thought-of common sense of a rational man. In fact, I hereby declare we are honoured and accept your kind invitation to stay and give you the date of our expected arrival at Easter, and that no further communication is necessary until then. Mrs Bennet, who is truly delighted with the invitation, Kitty, Mary and I arrive on Spy Wednesday, March 23rd, and stay for ten nights, if that is not too great an inconvenience to your household. We will keep to ourselves, as best we can, that we are not in your way. Mary and I will be satisfied with a book, while Kitty will be drawn to Rosings at every opportunity by Mrs Bennet,
to spend time with Elizabeth (who is now with child) and to be awestruck by her surroundings and, therefore, cousin, you will hardly discern we are about.
As for your most generous offer to bring a collection of your sermons with you to Longbourn, I must stipulate, sir, that I will hear none of it. Those sermons, so sanctified and divinely inspired, were meant for the ears of your parishioners and especially for the benefit of Lady Catherine de Bourgh and her household. I would feel like I was trespassing, nay, stealing from her, to listen to them so, please, ease my conscience by relinquishing this most kind offer.
In the interim, I will keep an inquisitive eye out for the return of Sir William and Lady Lucas, that they should bring us tidings of young Thomas. Best wishes again to your dear wife, Charlotte, and all at Hunsford.
Yours sincerely,
Henry Bennet
Longbourn,
near Meryton,
Hertfordshire.
6th April, 1793
Dear Mr Collins,
I write now to inform you of our safe arrival home and to thank you for your unprecedented kindness to us on our recent stay with you at Hunsford Parsonage during Easter and your kind introduction of the Bennet family to all at Rosings.
Little has changed in our absence excepting we lost our dear old apple tree, the one I could see here from my library window. Apparently, the storm had not been severe but, as you pointed out to me on several occasions, it was diseased beyond measure and should really have been taken down long before now. It was something I refused to do, similar in a way to putting down a loyal old dog – when it came to the time, I just had not the heart. I always felt “she has another year in her yet!” The girls did swing from that tree throughout their childhood and I found it gave me comfort to look on it. Nature, however, in her wisdom did see fit to take matters into her own hands but, at least, had the benevolence to wait until I was absent. It is now in the fireplace and keeping me warm as I write to you now.
I believed Mary, being so fond of nature and forever in the garden, would weep but she did not. She explained that all the cycles of nature are good and part of God’s plan, therefore not to be mourned. A singular lady, our Mary! I suspect her of planning an escape to a convent on the continent when I depart for I have seen particular books and observed letters despatched. I have not mentioned it to her for I feel it gives her comfort as she sips tea with neighbours to dream of cloisters and solitude.
Thomas is indeed a fine fellow. I look forward with eagerness to his growth and development to discover whether he inherits the Collins intelligence and eloquence or the Lucas practicality and chins. Either way, it will be an interesting collaboration of traits and demeanours.
We stopped for a night with the Gardiners in London, as planned, for the roads are bad after the winter and we were tired. I must confess, though they meant well by getting tickets for us for Covent Garden, I had much rather stay at home. I felt The London Gazette and a new port that Mr Gardiner had recently acquired were calling to me but, alas, I was forced to ignore, nay neglect, them and move where I was not wanted nor where there was any appeal for me.
Fortunately, however, I did witness an incident that turned the evening around in my estimation and provided real entertainment. I noticed a young gentleman sitting in a row where the seating was steep, who appeared to have as much interest in the dramatics on stage as I had, for his head kept nodding as though he were falling asleep. It dawned on me that perhaps he was on to something and that, when confident of being unobserved, I could follow his example in time. I kept a watch and at last he fell into a slumber only to awake, moments later, upside-down in the lap of the lady in front. I could not tell who was more alarmed for many, including the gentleman himself, were screaming. All we could see were his legs in the air and two persons attempting to retrieve him back to his seat and all was uproar for some minutes. Although many consoled the lady, my sympathies lay with the poor, embarrassed man and a silent prayer of gratitude escaped my lips, as I looked at the lady in the row in front of myself, “there but for the Grace of God goes Mr Bennet”.
Speaking of young gentlemen, that Colonel Fitzwilliam is a very likeable chap. He seemed to be quite taken with our Kitty whenever we dined at Rosings although I believe Lady Catherine now has her sights set on him to marry her daughter, fortune not being an issue in that household. A very nice chap indeed, I believe he stays with Darcy at Pemberley a great deal. He and Darcy, who has grown considerably on me, are very fond of each other, more like brothers than cousins, and Elizabeth, never having a brother of her own, also seems attached to the young soldier. Mrs Bennet is insisting that Kitty joins Elizabeth at Pemberley from Michaelmas to Christmas, to ensure that she has a companion after the arrival of her child, to be joined by the rest of us at Christmas.
Enough of these matters for now. Wishing you and your dear family all the best.
Your affectionate cousin,
Henry Bennet
Hunsford,
near Westerham,
Kent.
5th May, 1793
Dear Sir,
I am most glad that you arrived home safely and sorry to hear that you lost your most favoured apple tree. Indeed, it was a miracle that it has survived thus far. In fact, I was quite afraid to walk anywhere in the proximity of it on my last trip into Hertfordshire, lest it fall over or a bough break and fall upon my head.
I do hope you are utterly mistaken in your opinion of Mary … such suspicions should be investigated at once, and no leniency shown, for it is a grave sin no lesser than that committed by her sister, Lydia. I have, however, always found Mary to be very knowledgeable in the doctrines and writings of the Church of England and to have a strong sense of her obligation to her family, therefore I am confident that you are incorrect in assuming that she would turn her back on her faith for the mere lure of quietude.
I am obliged, cousin, to turn now, however, to a subject of the most serious nature. As you may recall, I was horrified to find myself on the receipt of Lady Catherine’s rage and disapproval following the engagement of Mr Darcy and my fair cousin Elizabeth last year. It was several months before she would permit me into her company or acknowledge me following Sunday service and many more weeks before she would invite us to dine at Rosings. Indeed she is only now allowing those dishes, which she knows to be my favourites, to appear at table when we dine.
It is, therefore, with the utmost solemnity that I must insist that you interfere at once in any plans my cousin Catherine may have regarding visiting at Pemberley and meeting Colonel Fitzwilliam again. The reasons I have are as follows: firstly that it is widely known that Colonel Fitzwilliam must marry for wealth. As a second son, he has not the fortune of his elder brother or of his cousins Mr Darcy and his sister Georgiana Darcy or his cousin Miss Anne de Bourgh. Although he has a wealthy uncle in Madeira who is known to be very unwell and not expected to live very long, it is also known, through Lady Catherine’s contacts, that his immense fortune is to be divided in five betwixt all his nieces and nephews, thereby improving Colonel Fitzwilliam’s situation but not sufficiently to suit his manner of living.
The second reason is that he is intended for Miss Anne de Bourgh and although it is a peculiar engagement of sorts, whereby he is not aware of the particulars, the subject is to be broached and finalised on his next visit to Rosings with Lady Catherine, herself, expected to make the announcement at Christmas.
The final reason, sir, is for my sake. On receiving your last letter, I felt it best to make haste at once to Rosings to inform Lady Catherine that there was something sinister afoot but she at once flew into a rage, similar to that which I witnessed in the past, making me regret that I had said anything at all. I was, yet again, to blame! I had brought the Bennets to Rosings and introduced them to her eligible nephew, I who knew their cunning ways and crafty manner of procuring husbands. I was, she said to my horror, determined to bring down the house of Rosings and see the future of the finest families in the cou
ntry destroyed.
I will say no more on this subject, sir, excepting that I expect, as the future heir of Longbourn, to have my wishes met on this very important issue.
With kind regards to Mrs Bennet and all at Longbourn.
Yours sincerely,
William Collins
Hunsford,
near Westerham,
Kent.
31st July, 1793
Dear Mr Bennet,
I do hope that all my cousins at Longbourn are well this summer and that you received my last correspondence of early May. I fear it may have been lost, for I have been waiting patiently for a response which has not arrived and, as it held such important advice, I shall attempt to abbreviate here that you can proceed to take action immediately.
The Longbourn Letters Page 4
