The Annotated Northanger Abbey

by Jane Austen

  “You think me foolish to call instruction a torment, but if you had been as much used as myself to hear poor little children first learning their letters and then learning to spell, if you had ever seen how stupid they can be for a whole morning together, and how tired my poor mother is at the end of it,32 as I am in the habit of seeing almost every day of my life at home, you would allow that to torment and to instruct might sometimes be used as synonimous words.”

  “Very probably. But historians are not accountable for the difficulty of learning to read; and even you yourself, who do not altogether seem particularly friendly to very severe, very intense application, may perhaps be brought to acknowledge that it is very well worth while to be tormented for two or three years of one’s life, for the sake of being able to read all the rest of it. Consider—if reading had not been taught, Mrs. Radcliffe would have written in vain—or perhaps might not have written at all.”

  Catherine assented—and a very warm panegyric from her on that lady’s merits, closed the subject.—The Tilneys were soon engaged in another on which she had nothing to say. They were viewing the country with the eyes of persons accustomed to drawing,33 and decided on its capability of being formed into pictures, with all the eagerness of real taste. Here Catherine was quite lost. She knew nothing of drawing—nothing of taste:—and she listened to them with an attention which brought her little profit, for they talked in phrases which conveyed scarcely any idea to her. The little which she could understand however appeared to contradict the very few notions she had entertained on the matter before. It seemed as if a good view were no longer to be taken from the top of an high hill, and that a clear blue sky was no longer a proof of a fine day.34 She was heartily ashamed of her ignorance. A misplaced shame. Where people wish to attach, they should always be ignorant. To come with a well-informed mind, is to come with an inability of administering to the vanity of others, which a sensible person would always wish to avoid. A woman especially, if she have the misfortune of knowing any thing, should conceal it as well as she can.35

  The advantages of natural folly in a beautiful girl have been already set forth by the capital pen of a sister author;36—and to her treatment of the subject I will only add in justice to men, that though to the larger and more trifling part of the sex, imbecility in females is a great enhancement of their personal charms, there is a portion of them too reasonable and too well informed themselves to desire any thing more in woman than ignorance.37 But Catherine did not know her own advantages—did not know that a good-looking girl, with an affectionate heart and a very ignorant mind, cannot fail of attracting a clever young man, unless circumstances are particularly untoward. In the present instance, she confessed and lamented her want of knowledge; declared that she would give any thing in the world to be able to draw; and a lecture on the picturesque immediately followed,38 in which his instructions were so clear that she soon began to see beauty in every thing admired by him, and her attention was so earnest, that he became perfectly satisfied of her having a great deal of natural taste. He talked of foregrounds, distances, and second distances—side-screens and perspectives—lights and shades;39—and Catherine was so hopeful a scholar,40 that when they gained the top of Beechen Cliff, she voluntarily rejected the whole city of Bath, as unworthy to make part of a landscape.41 Delighted with her progress, and fearful of wearying her with too much wisdom at once, Henry suffered the subject to decline, and by an easy transition from a piece of rocky fragment and the withered oak which he had placed near its summit,42 to oaks in general, to forests,43 the inclosure of them, waste lands,44 crown lands and government,45 he shortly found himself arrived at politics; and from politics, it was an easy step to silence.46 The general pause which succeeded his short disquisition on the state of the nation, was put an end to by Catherine, who, in rather a solemn tone of voice, uttered these words, “I have heard that something very shocking indeed, will soon come out in London.”

  This drawing shows Gilpin’s use of three different levels of distance, as well as his interest in ruins, which he considered particularly picturesque.

  [From William Gilpin, Observations on the River Wye (London, 1800; 2005 reprint), p. 37]

  [List of Illustrations]

  This drawing provides a stark illustration of Gilpin’s use of a side screen, as well as his contrasting of light and dark.

  [From William Gilpin, Observations on the River Wye (London, 1800; 2005 reprint), p. 41]

  [List of Illustrations]

  Miss Tilney, to whom this was chiefly addressed, was startled, and hastily replied, “Indeed!—and of what nature?”

  “That I do not know, nor who is the author. I have only heard that it is to be more horrible than any thing we have met with yet.”

  “Good heaven!—Where could you hear of such a thing?”

  “A particular friend of mine had an account of it in a letter from London yesterday. It is to be uncommonly dreadful. I shall expect murder and every thing of the kind.”47

  “You speak with astonishing composure! But I hope your friend’s accounts have been exaggerated;—and if such a design is known beforehand, proper measures will undoubtedly be taken by government to prevent its coming to effect.”

  “Government,” said Henry, endeavouring not to smile, “neither desires nor dares to interfere in such matters. There must be murder; and government cares not how much.”

  The ladies stared. He laughed, and added, “Come, shall I make you understand each other, or leave you to puzzle out an explanation as you can? No—I will be noble. I will prove myself a man, no less by the generosity of my soul than the clearness of my head. I have no patience with such of my sex as disdain to let themselves sometimes down to the comprehension of yours. Perhaps the abilities48 of women are neither sound nor acute—neither vigorous nor keen. Perhaps they may want observation,49 discernment, judgment, fire,50 genius, and wit.”51

  “Miss Morland, do not mind what he says;—but have the goodness to satisfy me as to this dreadful riot.”

  “Riot!—what riot?”

  “My dear Eleanor, the riot is only in your own brain. The confusion there is scandalous. Miss Morland has been talking of nothing more dreadful than a new publication which is shortly to come out, in three duodecimo volumes,52 two hundred and seventy-six pages in each, with a frontispiece to the first, of two tombstones and a lantern53—do you understand?54—And you, Miss Morland—my stupid55 sister has mistaken all your clearest expressions.56 You talked of expected horrors in London—and instead of instantly conceiving, as any rational creature would have done, that such words could relate only to a circulating library, she immediately pictured to herself a mob of three thousand men assembling in St. George’s Fields; the Bank attacked, the Tower threatened, the streets of London flowing with blood,57 a detachment of the 12th Light Dragoons, (the hopes of the nation,) called up from Northampton to quell the insurgents,58 and the gallant Capt. Frederick Tilney, in the moment of charging at the head of his troop, knocked off his horse by a brickbat59 from an upper window. Forgive her stupidity. The fears of the sister have added to the weakness of the woman; but she is by no means a simpleton in general.”

  The Tower of London.

  [From Fiona St. Aubyn, Ackermann’s Illustrated London, illustrations by Augustus Pugin and Thomas Rowlandson (Ware, 1985), p. 97]

  [List of Illustrations]

  Catherine looked grave. “And now, Henry,” said Miss Tilney, “that you have made us understand each other, you may as well make Miss Morland understand yourself—unless you mean to have her think you intolerably rude to your sister, and a great brute in your opinion of women in general. Miss Morland is not used to your odd ways.”

  “I shall be most happy to make her better acquainted with them.”

  “No doubt;—but that is no explanation of the present.”

  “What am I to do?”

  “You know what you ought to do. Clear your character handsomely before her. Tell her that you think ve
ry highly of the understanding of women.”

  “Miss Morland, I think very highly of the understanding of all the women in the world—especially of those—whoever they may be—with whom I happen to be in company.”

  The Gordon Riots. Fire and smoke rise above the buildings.

  [From E. Beresford Chancellor, The XVIIIth Century in London (New York, 1921), p. 13]

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  “That is not enough. Be more serious.”

  “Miss Morland, no one can think more highly of the understanding of women than I do. In my opinion, nature has given them so much, that they never find it necessary to use more than half.”

  “We shall get nothing more serious from him now, Miss Morland. He is not in a sober mood. But I do assure you that he must be entirely misunderstood, if he can ever appear to say an unjust thing of any woman at all, or an unkind one of me.”

  It was no effort to Catherine to believe that Henry Tilney could never be wrong. His manner might sometimes surprise, but his meaning must always be just:—and what she did not understand, she was almost as ready to admire, as what she did. The whole walk was delightful, and though it ended too soon, its conclusion was delightful too;—her friends attended her into the house, and Miss Tilney, before they parted, addressing herself with respectful form, as much to Mrs. Allen as to Catherine, petitioned for the pleasure of her company to dinner on the day after the next.60 No difficulty was made on Mrs. Allen’s side—and the only difficulty on Catherine’s was in concealing the excess of her pleasure.

  The morning had passed away so charmingly as to banish all her friendship and natural affection; for no thought of Isabella or James had crossed her during their walk. When the Tilneys were gone, she became amiable again, but she was amiable for some time to little effect; Mrs. Allen had no intelligence61 to give that could relieve her anxiety, she had heard nothing of any of them. Towards the end of the morning however, Catherine having occasion62 for some indispensable yard of ribbon which must be bought without a moment’s delay,63 walked out into the town, and in Bond-street overtook the second Miss Thorpe, as she was loitering towards Edgar’s Buildings between two of the sweetest girls in the world,64 who had been her dear friends all the morning. From her, she soon learned that the party to Clifton had taken place. “They set off at eight this morning,” said Miss Anne,65 “and I am sure I do not envy them their drive. I think you and I are very well off to be out of the scrape.—It must be the dullest thing in the world, for there is not a soul at Clifton at this time of year.66 Belle went with your brother, and John drove Maria.”67

  Catherine spoke the pleasure she really felt on hearing this part of the arrangement.

  “Oh! yes,” rejoined the other, “Maria is gone. She was quite wild to go. She thought it would be something very fine. I cannot say I admire her taste; and for my part I was determined from the first not to go, if they pressed me ever so much.”

  Catherine, a little doubtful of this, could not help answering, “I wish you could have gone too. It is a pity you could not all go.”

  “Thank you; but it is quite a matter of indifference to me. Indeed, I would not have gone on any account. I was saying so to Emily and Sophia when you overtook us.”

  Catherine was still unconvinced; but glad that Anne should have the friendship of an Emily and a Sophia to console her, she bade her adieu without much uneasiness, and returned home, pleased that the party had not been prevented by her refusing to join it, and very heartily wishing that it might be too pleasant to allow either James or Isabella to resent her resistance any longer.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Early the next day, a note from Isabella, speaking peace and tenderness in every line, and entreating the immediate presence of her friend on a matter of the utmost importance, hastened Catherine, in the happiest state of confidence and curiosity, to Edgar’s Buildings.—The two youngest Miss Thorpes were by themselves in the parlour;1 and, on Anne’s quitting it to call her sister, Catherine took the opportunity of asking the other for some particulars of their yesterday’s party. Maria desired no greater pleasure than to speak of it; and Catherine immediately learnt that it had been altogether the most delightful scheme in the world; that nobody could imagine how charming it had been, and that it had been more delightful than any body could conceive. Such was the information of the first five minutes; the second unfolded thus much in detail,—that they had driven directly to the York Hotel, ate some soup,2 and bespoke3 an early dinner, walked down to the Pump-room, tasted the water,4 and laid out5 some shillings in purses and spars;6 thence adjourned to eat ice at a pastry-cook’s,7 and hurrying back to the Hotel, swallowed their dinner in haste, to prevent being in the dark;8 and then had a delightful drive back, only the moon was not up, and it rained a little, and Mr. Morland’s horse was so tired he could hardly get it along.

  Catherine listened with heartfelt satisfaction. It appeared that Blaize Castle had never been thought of; and, as for all the rest, there was nothing to regret for half an instant.—Maria’s intelligence concluded with a tender effusion of pity for her sister Anne, whom she represented as insupportably cross, from being excluded9 the party.

  “She will never forgive me, I am sure; but, you know, how could I help it? John would have me go, for he vowed he would not drive her, because she had such thick ancles.10 I dare say she will not be in good humour again this month; but I am determined I will not be cross; it is not a little matter that puts me out of temper.”11

  Isabella now entered the room with so eager a step, and a look of such happy importance, as engaged all her friend’s notice. Maria was without ceremony sent away, and Isabella, embracing Catherine, thus began:—“Yes, my dear Catherine, it is so indeed; your penetration12 has not deceived you.—Oh! that arch eye of yours!—It sees through every thing.”

  Catherine replied only by a look of wondering ignorance.

  “Nay, my beloved, sweetest friend,” continued the other, “compose yourself.—I am amazingly agitated, as you perceive. Let us sit down and talk in comfort. Well, and so you guessed it the moment you had my note?—Sly creature!—Oh! my dear Catherine, you alone who know my heart can judge of my present happiness. Your brother is the most charming of men. I only wish I were more worthy of him.—But what will your excellent father and mother say?—Oh! heavens! when I think of them I am so agitated!”

  Catherine’s understanding began to awake: an idea of the truth suddenly darted into her mind; and, with the natural blush of so new an emotion, she cried out, “Good heaven!—my dear Isabella, what do you mean? Can you—can you really be in love with James?”

  This bold surmise, however, she soon learnt comprehended but half the fact. The anxious affection, which she was accused of having continually watched in Isabella’s every look and action, had, in the course of their yesterday’s party, received the delightful confession of an equal love.13 Her heart and faith were alike engaged to James.—Never had Catherine listened to any thing so full of interest, wonder, and joy. Her brother and her friend engaged!—New to such circumstances, the importance of it appeared unspeakably great, and she contemplated it as one of those grand events, of which the ordinary course of life can hardly afford a return.14 The strength of her feelings she could not express; the nature of them, however, contented her friend. The happiness of having such a sister was their first effusion, and the fair ladies mingled in embraces and tears of joy.

  Delighting, however, as Catherine sincerely did in the prospect of the connexion,15 it must be acknowledged that Isabella far surpassed her in tender anticipations.—“You will be so infinitely dearer to me, my Catherine, than either Anne or Maria: I feel that I shall be so much more attached to my dear Morland’s family than to my own.”

  This was a pitch of friendship beyond Catherine.

  “You are so like your dear brother,” continued Isabella, “that I quite doated on you the first moment I saw you. But so it always is with me; the first moment settles every thing. The ve
ry first day that Morland came to us last Christmas16—the very first moment I beheld him—my heart was irrecoverably gone. I remember I wore my yellow gown, with my hair done up in braids;17 and when I came into the drawing-room, and John introduced him, I thought I never saw any body so handsome before.”

  Here Catherine secretly acknowledged the power of love; for, though exceedingly fond of her brother, and partial to all his endowments, she had never in her life thought him handsome.

  “I remember too, Miss Andrews drank tea with us that evening,18 and wore her puce-coloured sarsenet;19 and she looked so heavenly, that I thought your brother must certainly fall in love with her; I could not sleep a wink all night for thinking of it. Oh! Catherine, the many sleepless nights I have had on your brother’s account!—I would not have you suffer half what I have done! I am grown wretchedly thin I know; but I will not pain you by describing my anxiety; you have seen enough of it. I feel that I have betrayed myself perpetually;—so unguarded in speaking of my partiality for the church!20—But my secret I was always sure would be safe with you.”

  Catherine felt that nothing could have been safer; but ashamed of an ignorance little expected, she dared no longer contest the point, nor refuse to have been as full of arch penetration and affectionate sympathy as Isabella chose to consider her. Her brother she found was preparing to set off with all speed to Fullerton, to make known his situation and ask consent;21 and here was a source of some real agitation to the mind of Isabella. Catherine endeavoured to persuade her, as she was herself persuaded, that her father and mother would never oppose their son’s wishes.—“It is impossible,” said she, “for parents to be more kind, or more desirous of their children’s happiness; I have no doubt of their consenting immediately.”