by Jane Austen
62. Fanny may have genuinely considered Marianne more attractive than Elinor; the narrator describes the former as “handsomer” (this page). But Fanny’s hostility toward Elinor would give her extra reason to denigrate her.
63. The idea of a woman’s looks having a specific monetary value can be found elsewhere in this society, though usually not in so crass a form. Beauty was certainly a crucial asset, perhaps the most important one for gaining a husband and through that financial security and a comfortable home.
64. Visiting a new couple within one’s family circle or neighborhood was a standard courtesy.
65. Sir John’s love of sport gives him a natural interest in horses, and since they tended to be a popular topic for gentlemen in general, he is probably surprised as well as disappointed by John Dashwood’s lack of knowledge.
66. set him down as: reckoned or determined him to be.
67. fashion: elegance, high social rank.
68. As on so many occasions, he is thinking of his wife. Thus he describes Lady Middleton and Mrs. Jennings, and not Sir John, for his wife would be dealing mainly with other women if she visited the family.
69. sister: sister-in-law, i.e., Fanny.
70. scruple … of: hesitation … in.
71. Money from trade, which is how Mrs. Jennings’s husband acquired his fortune, would be considered low, i.e., socially inferior.
72. prepossessed: predisposed to believe.
A landscape that has had trees removed to improve the view.
[From Humphrey Repton, The Art of Landscape Gardening (Boston, 1907; reprint ed.), p. 26]
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VOLUME II, CHAPTER XII
1. Her confidence contrasts with the attitude of Lady Middleton, who considered her husband’s earlier assurances of the Miss Steeles’ gentility to be worthless (this page).
2. understanding: intelligence.
3. address: outward demeanor or manner, especially in conversation.
4. Etiquette dictated an introductory visit be fifteen minutes. The precision of “seven minutes and a half” gives a sense of how closely Lady Middleton and Mrs. John Dashwood, sticklers for strict etiquette, adhered to the time limit.
5. Lucy probably wishes to tell Elinor of his arrival because it reveals her intimate knowledge of him. She may also fear that Elinor, due to her family connection with John Dashwood and his wife, will see Edward before she does.
6. Since Lucy’s location at Bartlett’s Buildings is far from the residences of others they know, including Edward’s mother and sister (see note 31, and map), there would probably be little danger of detection if he visited Lucy. He may simply prefer not to see her and be using this as a convenient excuse.
7. His calling twice suggests a stronger wish to see Elinor than Lucy. In the next chapter he will call for a third time. The card is his visiting card.
8. Harley Street is just north of Mayfair in Marylebone. It would be a distinguished address, and not far from those of other characters.
9. Elinor and Marianne, as close friends of the Middletons and as John Dashwood’s sisters, have to be invited. It is notable that he and his wife give a dinner for new acquaintances but seem never to have considered giving one for his sisters’ sake.
10. Colonel Brandon’s surprise results from his complete lack of connection to or acquaintance with John Dashwood.
11. Her curiosity may stem from continued concern for Edward, as well as a natural interest in seeing someone of whom she has heard so much. It may also indicate a lingering hope, perhaps not even acknowledged, for a marriage to Edward.
12. Lucy is genteel because she, unlike her sister, has decent outward manners, however nasty she is in reality. An example would be Lucy’s checking her sister when she rudely insisted on visiting Marianne in her bedroom. Lady Middleton was earlier shown worrying whether the two sisters would be elegant, or even genteel; that she has ceased to do so, despite the importance of these qualities to her, testifies to how susceptible she is to flattery.
13. They know that their presence at the Middletons’ will ensure them an invitation. In deciding to move the Miss Steeles show themselves as ready to drop their London relatives as they were to abandon those in Exeter with whom they had been staying before they met Sir John.
14. The flaw in Elinor’s reasoning, a rare one for her, comes from not guessing that Edward would stay away, given both the embarrassing nature of the situation for him and his general shyness and discomfort in company.
15. recollection: recovery of composure.
16. directly: immediately.
17. The servant would open the door and lead them to the place, probably the drawing room, where the hosts and any other guests were gathered.
18. She will become Lucy’s mother, i.e., mother-in-law, if she marries Edward. The phrase “all my happiness” is frequently used in reference to marriage. It is notable that Lucy sees all her happiness depending on Mrs. Ferrars rather than Edward himself, for it is his mother’s attitude that will determine whether the marriage is financially opportune for Lucy.
19. aspect: look, facial expression.
20. In other words, Mrs. Ferrars says little because she has few ideas, or thoughts, to express; people in general do not thus restrict themselves—the clear implication is that most also have few thoughts to express but are happy to chatter anyway. Hence in a very brief space the author manages to skewer both this character and most people.
21. The four are the Miss Steeles, Mrs. Ferrars, and her daughter Fanny. Elinor’s conclusion is an example of how critical and independent she can be in her private judgment, even as she always maintains outward politeness and respect.
A coffeepot of the time.
[From MacIver Percival, Old English Furniture and its Surroundings (New York, 1920), Plate XII]
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22. In organizing and hosting an affair like this, the mistress of the house would display the family wealth. A large number of servants would be needed to serve all the courses in a dinner party and attend to the guests’ needs; their presence would be a further testament to the family’s fortune.
23. This is in reference to a farm he recently bought (this page).
24. peculiar: particular.
25. chief: greater part.
26. want: lack.
27. improved: cultivated (especially by education).
28. spirits: animation, cheer.
29. temper: composure, equanimity.
30. Politics were a favorite subject of gentlemen, while enclosing land and horses have already been revealed as fascinating to John Dashwood and Sir John Middleton, respectively. Breaking horses means taming them and making them obedient.
31. Coffee was frequently served after dinner. Evening tea could include coffee, though tea was more popular in England. For a picture of a contemporary coffeepot, see previous page.
32. The following conversation is an excellent example of Jane Austen’s ability, within a short space and using an ordinary incident, to display the distinctive characteristics of a variety of people.
33. address: dexterity.
34. Miss Steele’s tactic is a little less refined than her sister’s, since it involves saying opposite things in succession, and thereby obviously lying about one. It is not clear which sister’s method works better in its object of flattering both sides.
35. enforcing: urging, reaffirming.
36. Their order of speaking follows a clear hierarchy, as it often did in this society. The two mothers, having the strongest claim on the matter, speak first. The two grandmothers follow. Finally, both the Miss Dashwoods and Miss Steeles have an equal claim to speak next, but the latter’s eagerness to curry favor makes them interject first.
37. A screen was used to shield people from the heat of the fire: because fires were the only source of heat in a room, they would need to burn strongly, especially in a large room, and people near the fire could be too hot. Larger screens wo
uld be placed on a stand and moved between a person and the fire; smaller screens would be attached to a handle and held. The screens mentioned here are the latter type, since they are passed around for inspection. Screens could be decorated with embroidery or painted; both were common pastimes of ladies, and Elinor’s artistic skill would make painting a screen a natural gift for her sister-in-law.
38. They may have been recently mounted, or placed in an appropriate frame, because the Dashwoods wished to have it done by a skilled craftsman in London. Thus this does not necessarily indicate a disdain for Elinor’s gift on their part.
Homes were often decorated with pictures or other objects created by female family members, due to the popularity of decorative projects among ladies. Other examples already seen are the drawings by Elinor placed on the walls of the Dashwoods’ cottage (this page), and the embroidered landscape by Mrs. Palmer that is hung in the room in Mrs. Jennings’s house currently inhabited by Elinor and Marianne (this page).
39. Female accomplishments such as painting or drawing were often seen as ways to attract men.
40. He can rely only on others’ opinions in evaluating her talent, not offer his own.
41. colouring: blushing.
42. “An’t” or “ain’t” was incorrect grammar.
43. Since a landscape painting is usually larger than a handheld screen, their praise of Miss Morton is probably intended to make Elinor’s work look less impressive.
44. particular: peculiar.
45. She considers it a philippic, or denunciation, because identifying someone as a lord’s daughter indicates her importance and shows the folly of anyone who dares to speak slightingly of her. The use of such a strong, rarely used term as “philippic” may be intended as an ironic commentary on Mrs. Ferrars’s own sense of self-importance, especially as the term, which derives from the great Greek orator Demosthenes, was usually applied to a long formal speech rather than to one simple, banal sentence, as here.
46. Marianne’s interventions on Elinor’s behalf often have this effect.
47. amiable: kind, benevolent.
48. Though acting from genuine sympathy for her sister, Marianne ends up turning everyone’s attention toward herself.
49. intelligent: knowing.
50. These are smelling salts. Usually consisting of ammonium carbonate, they were frequently used to rouse people who fainted or were otherwise incapacitated. Women often carried them.
51. As already discussed (note 60), many ailments were described then as nervous.
52. That such a brief episode could affect her the entire evening indicates her extreme sensitivity.
53. nervous: inclined to nervous disorders or weakness.
Lady Mary Grenville; an example of the prestige of drawing for upper-class ladies.
[From The Masterpieces of Hoppner (London, 1912), p.15]
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VOLUME II, CHAPTER XIII
1. meanness: pettiness, baseness.
2. perplexed: complicated.
3. It is now February (see this page), which is the month when Mrs. Palmer’s baby is expected, so her message may be a request for her mother’s assistance with something relating to that.
4. own: acknowledge, allow.
5. high: highly. Lucy’s grammar is often incorrect. Lucy will later write a letter to Elinor that is full of Mrs. Jennings’s praises, in the apparent hope that Elinor will show Mrs. Jennings the letter. This use of a third party to convey flattery may be a favorite technique of hers.
6. She clearly refers to Mrs. Ferrars’s forbidding look and general hostility toward Elinor, which both gratify Lucy and prove to her that she has better chances.
7. triumph: expression of triumph.
8. Since Elinor is staying in this house she, unlike Lucy, must function as hostess. She also may have “more to do” because she must hide her knowledge of the engagement from Edward.
9. easy: unembarrassed; free from awkwardness or stiffness.
10. The achievement of composure is not a simple or quick task. But her persistence does allow her eventually to manage it.
11. As a man he is naturally less subject to embarrassment, but the specifics of this case cause him to suffer more from it right now.
12. These were the normal polite inquiries one would make to an acquaintance not seen for a while.
13. The numerous floors of houses in London meant there would be many landing places, or stair landings.
14. This suggests a consciousness of her own fortitude, and may be a mild irony directed at Elinor by the author. Her prolonged absence may be to help her steady her nerves.
15. According to convention a man should be in raptures when he is with his lady love, especially if he has not seen her for a long time. But everything known about Edward so far suggests that he will neither feel nor express many raptures upon seeing Lucy.
16. speaking: expressive, eloquent.
17. Marianne once more shows her genuine benevolence, even as again her actions have a less than beneficent effect. In this case, she is also being rude to Lucy, who as a visitor to the house deserves, whatever her personal faults, to be greeted by Marianne and included in the conversation.
18. Marianne is obviously failing to notice Edward’s discomfort, which, given its acuteness, must be at least somewhat apparent.
19. Unmarried young women were not supposed to travel on their own. Edward could serve as chaperone on their journey—as an indirect relation of theirs this would not be improper. Jane Austen’s own travel plans were frequently arranged to allow her to be accompanied by one of her brothers.
20. Marianne’s tendency to evaluate the world according to her own wishes and feelings causes her to overlook others’ real situation and needs.
21. Edward, whatever his feelings about his mother, might not necessarily be pleased to hear Marianne express her pointed dislike of her.
22. The allusion is to Willoughby’s abandonment of Marianne: it would be the great, or important, engagement, while Edward’s attendance at another social event would be the little one.
23. Marianne probably means that Edward, knowing his mother’s disapproval of his love for Elinor, decided the most conscientious course would be to stay away and avoid creating discomfort or ill will among the others.
24. make against: go against, be unfavorable to.
25. This has a pointed meaning that Marianne cannot conceive but that probably strikes everybody else: namely that Edward’s willingness to stand by his engagement to Lucy for four years is a superb example of his keeping a commitment however much it goes against his pleasure.
26. By this point even Marianne notices Edward’s discomfort, but this does not induce restraint in her.
27. Her praise of Edward for fulfilling unpleasant engagements reminds Elinor of the unpleasant fact of the engagement and Lucy of his lack of affection for her.
28. teazing: annoying.
29. wanted: needed.
30. Marianne’s ignorance, and indiscretion based on that ignorance, have added to the many difficulties of Elinor’s situation.
VOLUME II, CHAPTER XIV
1. Esq. stands for “esquire,” an informal title generally placed after the names of untitled gentlemen. It derives from the medieval squire, who served and ranked below a knight, the lowest of titled positions. It would be especially likely to be employed in a formal announcement like this one. In some of her letters Jane Austen affixes Esq. to the names of some male relatives; in one to a nephew who has just finished school and can now be considered an adult gentleman, she declares, “One reason for my writing to you now, is that I may have the pleasure of directing to you Esqre” (Dec. 16, 1816).
2. The suggestion is that few not intimately connected with the family would bother paying much attention to the newspaper announcement; its main function was to make the family feel good about seeing their important news receiving such official proclamation.
3. At this time this
would mean most of the day.
4. This is a good example of the ultimate primacy of social obligations in this world. Such obligations weighed particularly on women, who were in a more dependent situation than men.
5. “Satirical” could have a sharper meaning then, one that included a strong tendency toward sarcasm or the condemnation of others. The term would have additional resonance because satire was a popular literary genre in the eighteenth century.
6. As the guests, since the Miss Steeles are staying with the Middletons, Elinor and Marianne would be given priority next to the fire. Anne Steele’s focus on a matter like that is a good sign of her general concern with the material and the trivial.
7. stupid: dull, tiresome.
A woman in evening dress.
[From The Repository of arts, literature, fashions, manufactures, &c, Vol. IV (1810), p. 27]
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8. musical party: gathering to listen to music. Private concerts in people’s homes were one of the principal ways to experience music at this time. The large number of people, particularly ladies, who played musical instruments provided a basis for such concerts. In London they had become especially popular among the wealthy toward the end of the eighteenth century, a time when public concerts were increasing significantly in number and size and were therefore becoming less socially exclusive. Some of these private concerts were fairly grand and formal. Others, like this one, were smaller, in part because this would guarantee greater exclusivity—it is likely this consideration would appeal to John and Fanny Dashwood. Professional musicians, including famous ones, might perform at private concerts, though they were mainly only amateurs (as is the case here—see this page).
9. Since they received the cards for Elinor and Marianne, they would be expected to bring them to the party.
10. dress: attire.
11. Washing, or laundry, was an elaborate task in those days and could represent a significant cost. Country houses often had a laundry maid and more than one laundry room for various stages of the process. Those lacking such means could either hire a woman to come to their home and wash or send their clothes out to be laundered.
