by Austen, Jane
7. prospects: views.
8. A large number of windows was a sign of wealth. One of the taxes at the time was a window tax that was assessed according to how many windows one had in one's home. This of course made it especially impressive to have many.
9. glazing: installation of glass for the windows.
10. spoke her awful: indicated or revealed her to be worthy of awe.
11. stateliness: loftiness, grandeur.
12. office of introduction: duty or task of introducing people.
13. St. James's: the royal court. The reference is ironic since Sir William was only at court on one occasion, though he continually talks as if he is intimate with its ways. His lack of courage at this juncture reveals his true unfamiliar-ity with those of very high status.
14. The screen would be shielding her from the light or heat of the fire. Since many screens had a small surface (see below), it was necessary to position them properly to ensure that they shielded effectively.
15. handsome: fine, elegant.
16. plate: metal utensils, often of silver or gold.
17. This would mean he had the most important position after Lady Catherine herself, for the head and foot were the places for the leading figures in the household to sit.
Examples of fire screens. The one on the right is probably embroidered.
[From K. Warren Clouston, The Chippendale Period in English Furniture (London, 1897), pp. 153 and 198]
18. Lady Catherine's enjoyment of such sycophancy stands in sharp contrast to Darcy's indifference, if not aversion, to Miss Bingley's assiduous attentions and flattery. It indicates the considerable differences between Darcy and his aunt, despite their both being proud and of high social station.
19. her cows and her poultry: these would be part of the agricultural activites on the Collins's land; see p. 289, note 19.
20. pretty: this could mean what it does now, or it could be a more general term of praise, meaning admirable or proper or elegant.
21. It would be considered rude and impertinent to ask someone you have just met so many intimate questions, especially when unprompted. A youthful sketch of Jane Austen, “Letter the fourth,” involves one character's rude attempts to force another's secrets from her and the embarrassment that results for both.
22. This is why Miss De Bourgh is to inherit the family property. The practice in the Bennet family of entailing away from the female line was more common. In the case of Miss De Bourgh, her inheritance means that if Darcy, or another man, were to marry her, he would reap tremendous financial benefits, for few women of the time had dowries that could compare with an entire wealthy estate.
23. play: play music, particularly the piano.
24. She appears about to say “superior to yours” before she checks herself.
25. The speaking style here—a succession of short, emphatic statements or questions, along with abrupt change of topics—will continue to characterize Lady Catherine. It shows how peremptory and opinionated she is.
26. The other most popular accomplishment for ladies. In the Austen family, Jane played music and her sister Cassandra drew (see cover picture); the latter's sketch of Jane is the one reliable picture we have of her. In Sense and Sensibility, one of the two sister heroines draws, and the other plays music.
27. masters: instructors in music, drawing, or other subjects. They would be found most often in London, i.e., town.
28. Lady Catherine's surprise reflects her social position, for very wealthy families would have governesses as a matter of course. The Bennets are not in that category, though they could have afforded a governess if they had wished.
29. In families that lacked governesses, the parents, especially the mother, would normally educate the children. In Northanger Abbey the mother is shown working hard to teach her children basic academic skills, particularly reading. Sometimes at a later age the children would be sent to a school, though this was less common for girls than for boys. Jane Austen spent only a few years at school and commented later in a letter that school mistresses were generally an “ignorant class” (Apr. 8, 1805).
30. This probably means the Bennets hired masters for specific tasks, even if they did not regularly visit London for that purpose. This arrangement also existed in Jane Austen's family when she was a girl, and in a youthful letter she refers to practicing for the sake of her music master, though in a letter from later years she criticizes the practices of a music master and says that music masters tend to be “made of too much consequence” (Sept. 1, 1796; Dec. 2, 1815).
31. Lydia and Kitty exhibit such idleness, and Lydia's later actions show the harmful results of her upbringing. Jane Austen probably considers the Bennets to be guilty of partial negligence in educating their children. She herself learned mostly at home and without a governess, but she benefited from a strong educational atmosphere since her father ran a boarding school for boys (including his own sons). Mrs. Bennet's ignorance and Mr. Bennet's indolence would mean that no such atmosphere existed in their home.
32. wonderful: amazing.
33. situated: placed in situations, or positions of employment.
34. Lady Catherine's using her influence to help secure positions for those connected with her is a standard example of the patronage that was central to this society.
35. It is indeed unusual in this society.
36. full: very.
37. pleasures of youth: the main pleasures probably meant are meeting men and going to parties and balls. A girl not out would be barred from these activities, and if she had to wait until an elder sister married she might pass much of her youth without them.
38. delicacy of mind: sensitivity, regard for others' feelings. Elizabeth's point is that the younger sisters might dislike the elders or become jealous and spiteful if they had to wait long to come out because the elders failed to marry.
39. own it: admit it (her age). A woman would be considered too old for marriage at a fairly early age, and thus would have a reason not to reveal her age—though Elizabeth's age of twenty is still well below that threshold. Her reluctance to answer Lady Catherine may result from exasperation at the latter's criticising of Elizabeth's family and persistence in asking intimate questions. Some have argued that by the standards of the time Elizabeth does become a little impertinent in responding to Lady Catherine, her host and her superior in age and rank; if that is so, and it is debatable, her impertinence would be a reaction to Lady Catherine's own overbearing manner.
40. impertinence: rudeness, intrusiveness, tendency to speak about or interfere with what is not one's affair or has no pertinence to oneself.
41. quadrille: evidently Lady Catherine's favorite card game; earlier Mr. Collins referred more than once to her regularly playing it. A game similar to whist and bridge, quadrille had been very popular in the eighteenth century. Whist was in the process of displacing quadrille in public favor, in part because of the latter's complex rules, odd card values, and extensive specialized vocabulary. Lady Catherine's adherence to the game could be a function of her sex, for quadrille was reputed to be especially popular among women and whist among men; it also could reflect her strong-willed and imperious character, which leads her to continue playing the game popular in her youth instead of adapting to the new trend. The other figure in Jane Austen mentioned as playing quadrille, Mrs. Bates in Emma, is a very old woman.
42. cassino: a card game in which players attempt to form numerical combinations with cards in their hand and on the board. It involves some skill, but is also a relatively relaxed game, for it neither centers around gambling nor requires the complicated strategy and interaction of quadrille or whist. Thus it would suit well the timid and phlegmatic Miss De Bourgh; the other figure in Jane Austen who is described as playing it is the insipid Lady Middle-ton of Sense and Sensibility. Another chronicler of the manners and behavior of the time, Mary Mitford, depicts a group of dull quiet people who play cassino (she also mentions the popularity of quadrille
—see previous note —among some very old ladies).
43. fish: tokens or chips used in betting, and often made in the form of a fish.
44. Since it would now be dark, they are being driven back despite the short distance, for the limited means of illuminating paths then would make walking at night treacherous. They would need the offer of Lady Catherine's carriage since the Collinses are not mentioned as owning any vehicle except a gig (see below), which could never transport a party of five.
45. determine what weather… instructions: choices of words that illustrate Lady Catherine's character. It is as if she does not merely predict the weather, but delivers commands to the sky to make certain types of weather occur.
46. costing her some trouble: meaning the trouble of stretching the truth in her praise of Lady Catherine and the dinner party.
A gig. See p. 309, note 2.
[From Marjorie and C.H.B. Quennell, A History of Everyday Things in England, Vol. II (New York, 1922), p. 191]
Chapter Seven
Sir William staid only a week at Hunsford; but his visit was long enough to convince him of his daughter's being most comfortably settled, and of her possessing such a husband and such a neighbour as were not often met with. While Sir William was with them, Mr. Collins devoted his mornings1 to driving him out in his gig,2 and shewing him the country; but when he went away, the whole family returned to their usual employments, and Elizabeth was thankful to find that they did not see more of her cousin by the alteration, for the chief of the time between breakfast and dinner was now passed by him either at work in the garden, or in reading and writing, and looking out of window in his own book room, which fronted the road. The room in which the ladies sat was backwards.3 Elizabeth at first had rather wondered that Charlotte should not prefer the dining parlour for common use; it was a better sized room, and had a pleasanter aspect;4 but she soon saw that her friend had an excellent reason for what she did, for Mr. Collins would undoubtedly have been much less in his own apartment,5 had they sat in one equally lively; and she gave Charlotte credit for the arrangement.6
From the drawing room they could distinguish nothing in the lane, and were indebted to Mr. Collins for the knowledge of what carriages went along, and how often especially Miss De Bourgh drove by in her phaeton,7 which he never failed coming to inform them of, though it happened almost every day. She not unfrequently stopped at the Parsonage, and had a few minutes' conversation with Charlotte, but was scarcely ever prevailed on to get out.
Very few days passed in which Mr. Collins did not walk to Rosings, and not many in which his wife did not think it necessary to go likewise; and till Elizabeth recollected that there might be other family livings8 to be disposed of, she could not understand the sacrifice of so many hours.9 Now and then, they were honoured with a call from her Ladyship, and nothing escaped her observation that was passing in the room during these visits. She examined into their employments, looked at their work10 and advised them to do it differently; found fault with the arrangement of the furniture, or detected the housemaid11 in negligence; and if she accepted any refreshment, seemed to do it only for the sake of finding out that Mrs. Collins's joints of meat were too large for her family.
Elizabeth soon perceived that though this great lady was not in the commission of the peace for the county, she was a most active magistrate in her own parish,12 the minutest concerns of which were carried to her by Mr. Collins;13 and whenever any of the cottagers were disposed to be quarrelsome, discontented or too poor, she sallied forth into the village to settle their differences, silence their complaints, and scold them into harmony and plenty.
The entertainment of dining at Rosings was repeated about twice a week; and, allowing for the loss of Sir William, and there being only one card table in the evening, every such entertainment was the counterpart of the first. Their other engagements were few; as the style of living of the neighbourhood in general, was beyond the Collinses' reach.14 This however was no evil15 to Elizabeth, and upon the whole she spent her time comfortably16 enough; there were half hours of pleasant conversation with Charlotte, and the weather was so fine for the time of year, that she had often great enjoyment out of doors. Her favourite walk, and where she frequently went while the others were calling on Lady Catherine, was along the open grove which edged that side of the park, where there was a nice sheltered path, which no one seemed to value but herself, and where she felt beyond the reach of Lady Catherine's curiosity.17
In this quiet way, the first fortnight of her visit soon passed away. Easter was approaching, and the week preceding it, was to bring an addition to the family at Rosings, which in so small a circle must be important. Elizabeth had heard soon after her arrival, that Mr. Darcy was expected there in the course of a few weeks, and though there were not many of her acquaintance whom she did not prefer, his coming would furnish one comparatively new to look at in their Rosings parties, and she might be amused18 in seeing how hopeless Miss Bingley's designs on him were, by his behaviour to his cousin, for whom he was evidently destined by Lady Catherine; who talked of his coming with the greatest satisfaction, spoke of him in terms of the highest admiration, and seemed almost angry to find that he had already been frequently seen by Miss Lucas and herself.
His arrival was soon known at the Parsonage, for Mr. Collins was walking the whole morning within view of the lodges19 opening into Hunsford Lane, in order to have the earliest assurance of it; and after making his bow as the carriage turned into the Park, hurried home with the great intelligence. On the following morning he hastened to Rosings to pay his respects. There were two nephews of Lady Catherine to require them, for Mr. Darcy had brought with him a Colonel Fitzwilliam, the younger son of his uncle, Lord——20 and to the great surprise of all the party,
when Mr. Collins returned the gentlemen accompanied him. Charlotte had seen them from her husband's room, crossing the road, and immediately running into the other, told the girls what an honour they might expect,21 adding,
“I may thank you, Eliza, for this piece of civility. Mr. Darcy would never have come so soon to wait upon me.”22
Elizabeth had scarcely time to disclaim all right to the compliment, before their approach was announced by the door-bell, and shortly afterwards the three gentlemen entered the room. Colonel Fitzwilliam, who led the way, was about thirty, not handsome, but in person and address23 most truly the gentleman. Mr. Darcy looked just as he had been used to look in Hertfordshire, paid his compliments, with his usual reserve, to Mrs. Collins; and whatever might be his feelings towards her friend, met her with every appearance of composure. Elizabeth merely curtseyed to him, without saying a word.
Colonel Fitzwilliam entered into conversation directly with the readiness and ease of a well-bred24 man, and talked very pleasantly; but his cousin, after having addressed a slight observation on the house and garden to Mrs. Collins, sat for some time without speaking to any body. At length, however, his civility was so far awakened as to enquire of Elizabeth after the health of her family. She answered him in the usual way, and after a moment's pause, added,
“My eldest sister has been in town these three months.25 Have you never happened to see her there?”
She was perfectly sensible26 that he never had; but she wished to see whether he would betray any consciousness of what had passed between the Bingleys and Jane; and she thought he looked a little confused as he answered that he had never been so fortunate as to meet Miss Bennet.27 The subject was pursued no farther, and the gentlemen soon afterwards went away.
1. mornings: this would mean most of the day. Mornings lasted from breakfast until dinner, which was usually around four or five.
2. gig: an open carriage drawn by only one horse (see illustration on p. 307). It was less expensive than other open carriages, which is probably why Mr. Collins has one. These long carriage rides in the country, along with other details, suggest that Mr. Collins does not have to devote heavy amounts of time to clerical duties; this was generally
the case among the Anglican clergy of the period.
3. was backwards: faced the back.
4. aspect: appearance, or view to the outside.
5. apartment: room, or section of the house.
6. Elizabeth perceives that Charlotte's situation, while far from ideal, is better than she had imagined it could be when she first heard of Charlotte's marriage. This does not mean that she was wrong to criticize her friend's decision, but it does indicate that her immediate evaluation of the marriage did not constitute a definitive or complete verdict—as happens elsewhere with Elizabeth's immediate evaluations, or first impressions.
7. phaeton: carriage; see p. 293, note 27.
8. family livings: church livings or positions owned by Lady Catherine's family, and thus currently controlled by her. For more on the subject of livings, and their ownership, see p. 115, note 11.
9. They would be hoping to receive some of these other livings. It was not unusual for clergymen to hold multiple livings: Jane Austen's father and brother both did so, and the practice had increased in the decades before the novel. Wealthy owners of many livings, like Lady Catherine, were especially likely to sponsor it. Sometimes a clergyman was given livings that were close together, which allowed him to attend to them all from one residence. If that was not feasible, he could hire a clergyman to perform the clerical duties in the additional parishes. This latter man, known as a curate, usually received a very meager salary—the oversupply of clergy guaranteed the availability of curates and kept them from demanding more money. Hence the holder of these additional livings was able to keep most of the income it produced. This system had provoked some criticism by this point, but was still generally accepted as normal and natural.
10. work: needlework.
11. housemaid: the wording implies the Collinses have only one such maid. If so, it would indicate they are not that affluent, for housemaids were the most basic type of servants, and any family of means would have more than one.
