The Annotated Persuasion

by Jane Austen

  44. settle: marry.

  45. The following dialogue is the only one in the novel that Anne is not present to witness. It thus departs from the consistent presentation of the action through her eyes. Doing this allows the author to present Captain Wentworth’s ideas and motivations regarding love, for he would not reveal them in front of Anne, especially now that he is so aloof from her. It also suggests Anne is broadly correct in her analysis of him and thereby validates the observations she will continue to make about him, which will be the principal means of conveying his inner thoughts during the rest of the novel.

  46. It could be asked why he is here, considering that he claims no desire to meet Anne again. He, given his fortune and personal attractions, could certainly go elsewhere and have a good chance of finding a mate. One interpretation would be that he unconsciously does wish to see her again, but there are other explanations. He may not expect to see her: knowing the Crofts are renting Kellynch Hall, he could logically expect, before he decided to come, that Anne would be gone with her family; he never met Mary and would have no reason to expect her to be offering a home for Anne in the same area. He also would wish to visit his sister, as he talks of later visiting his brother, and while there he would be happy to see what young ladies were available. If the Miss Musgroves were not here, he might soon decide to end this visit.

  47. nice: fastidious, choosy, careful.

  48. Anne inspires his ideal in both a positive and a negative way. Her sweetness of manner, or outer character, provides the standard he seeks to find elsewhere, while the weakness he believes she showed earlier has made him identify strength as the most valuable quality of mind, or inner character. His standards are high, showing that he is indeed choosy and fastidious. He has yet to meet the woman who equals Anne, yet now he seeks a woman who is even better. It is possible that his experience with her, by inspiring such high standards, is one reason he has never married.

  Naval officers dining on board ship.

  [From Alfred Burton, The Adventures of Johnny Newcome in the Navy (London, 1818; 1904 reprint), p. 34]

  The main room of the Admiralty, the central headquarters of the navy.

  [From Fiona St. Aubyn, Ackermann’s Illustrated London, illustrations by Augustus Pugin and Thomas Rowlandson (Ware, 1985), p. 54]

  VOLUME I, CHAPTER VIII

  1. The year six, i.e., 1806, was the year of Captain Wentworth’s abortive wooing of Anne (it happened eight years ago, and it is now 1814).

  2. Later statements by Captain Wentworth in this chapter will validate her surmise.

  3. Her recollections give a powerful sense of how ideally suited the two were for each other, and thus how much has been lost by both.

  Pelisse—back view. It would close completely in front.

  [From Elisabeth McClellan, Historic Dress in America, 1800–1870 (Philadelphia, 1910), p. 139]

  4. It is ironic that Anne, the person Captain Wentworth avoids speaking to, is the one person, aside from the Crofts, with any knowledge of the navy.

  5. Thus his growing friendship with the Miss Musgroves, which will develop into a courtship of one of them, replicates in many ways his courtship of Anne. She herself notes the parallels.

  6. dress: prepare.

  7. Naval officers attempted to live on board in the same manner that gentlemen lived onshore, so their accommodations differed significantly from the rest of the ship’s company. They would have a special cook for themselves, nice eating materials including glassware, and servants (servants being seen, by those of this class, as one of the necessities of life). Those outside the navy, knowing of the size of ships and the numbers of men aboard but not of the many contrivances the navy had developed to cope with their small spaces, could easily imagine that conditions were harder than they were. For a picture of officers dining, see this page.

  8. Anne’s reaction is similar to Captain Wentworth’s later. She thinks of Mrs. Musgrove’s absurdity but shows outward kindness. The absurdity stems from Mrs. Musgrove’s lamenting her son so extravagantly, even though when alive he “had been very little cared for at any time by his family,” as well as from her projection of a completely implausible future for him.

  9. They could be referring to Steel’s Original and Correct List of the Royal Navy, a private publication that had been coming out regularly for several decades, or an official Navy List that the navy, inspired by Steel’s example, began publishing in 1814. Both publications contained, among other things, a list of all officers in the navy, grouped according to rank and showing the date they attained that rank, and a list of active ships, including their number of guns, current station, and, in most cases, commanding officer.

  10. Home service involved guarding Britain’s own coasts. This, because it meant the ship could easily return to port for repairs, was more suitable for ships that were old and in poor condition.

  11. The West Indies are the islands of the Caribbean. Since both Britain and its rivals France and Spain had colonies there, it was a leading center of naval action, as each country attempted to protect its own colonies and the trade with them, and to attack its enemy’s. The irony in his statement is that, because the West Indies could be a dangerous place to sail (for one thing, it experiences frequent hurricanes), it would not be an ideal place to be sent in a ship only “fit for home service for a year or two.”

  12. The Admiralty was the official government department in charge of the navy (for a picture, see this page).

  13. Constructing ships was expensive and required enormous amounts of the right type of wood (the most commonly used was oak due to its hardness). Hence the navy tried as much as possible to repair existing ships.

  14. Wentworth’s casual attitude toward risk reflects his own character, as well as what naval officers generally had to develop, given the hazards of their job.

  15. A sloop is the smallest of the main naval vessels. It would be all he could command at this stage of his career, as only a commander.

  16. Interest, or personal influence and connections, was valuable for securing ships, though, as Captain Wentworth’s example shows, it was not essential. It could come from influential friends outside the navy, but came most often from senior officers one had served under and who were in a position to help those they liked and considered worthy. Many officers did not get ships at this time. War led to frequent promotions, since it was the principal way to reward brave conduct, and this created a surplus of officers at ranks fit for command.

  17. This is just after Anne rejected him, something he is obviously thinking of. His statement indicates the difference in men’s and women’s situations. He can plunge into his work and focus his mind on that; she has no such outlet. This difference will later be an object of important discussion (this page).

  18. fashion: make, form.

  19. pelisse: a popular female overcoat, whose use was encouraged by the thin, lightweight fashions of the period. Jane Austen refers to pelisses frequently in her letters. Originally a half-length cloak, it had by this time become a close-fitting overcoat extending to the ankles (for a picture, see this page).

  20. privateers: ships authorized by a government to prey on the commercial ships of an enemy; in effect, licensed pirates. France, due to the defeat of much of its navy by Britain, relied heavily on privateers for its naval efforts.

  21. A frigate is larger than a sloop, so he was attacking a stronger ship. This was a common practice of the British navy. Its superior ship construction (in many cases), battle tactics, and practice in sailing and firing guns—the last a product of its ships being constantly at sea, where they would gain sailing experience and could practice firing, while French ships were mostly bottled up in port by the British—gave it advantages in any battle. Moreover, this very success gave it a confidence in its prowess that proved a further advantage. For a picture of a battle between British and French frigates, see this page.

  22. This is Plymouth Sound, the bay leading into Plymouth, a city
in southwest England and one of the main British naval bases.

  23. Great Nation: a translation of La Grande Nation, the name the French used for themselves in this period, thanks to their conquest of much of Europe. Wentworth’s use of it has a sarcastic ring, for he, like his listeners, knows that Britain and its allies have just decisively defeated France.

  24. Damage from battle would make ships less seaworthy.

  25. Newspapers often printed accounts of naval matters, including stories of battles of sea. Most papers also had a special section called “Ship News,” in which they listed ship arrivals and departures, as well as ships lost at sea; this helped merchants and shipowners keep track of merchant vessels, and the families of those on any kind of vessel learn the fate of loved ones.

  Captain Wentworth’s account of his near disaster shows the importance of chance in the navy. It also provides some validity to Lady Russell’s fears about the risk Anne would have run if she had accepted his proposal.

  26. Her reaction indicates he would have been missed by someone at least, though right now he may not be aware, or even wish to be aware, of that.

  27. Gibraltar, which is at the bottom tip of Spain, was an important British base, because it controlled the narrow passageway between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. As a base it could provide medical care to ill soldiers. It is possible that Dick’s illness was not that serious, but his captain, wishing to get rid of him, had decided to leave him there for treatment anyway, with a recommendation sufficient to ensure that another captain took him.

  28. Noncommissioned class means she is no longer in use. All ships in the British navy were rated, according to the number of guns.

  29. The Western Islands is another name for the Azores, a chain of Atlantic islands west of Portugal. They would be an excellent place to make prize money, for they lie next to the route between France and its Caribbean colonies, a prime source of its overseas trade. Frigates, the type of ship he was commanding then, were especially good ships for making money, for they tended to sail on their own, attacking enemy ships. Larger ships often spent their time engaging enemy fleets, or, especially in the later part of the war, blockading those fleets; such activities provided little opportunity for captures.

  30. The Mediterranean was another prime area of naval activity, for it allowed Britain to attack the coastal trade of France (and of Spain earlier, though by this point, after 1808—see chronology, this page—Spain was occupied by Napoleon and no longer really his ally). We will later meet Captain Harville and his wife; his children are also mentioned, and they would be a further reason for him to desire money. His not sailing again with Captain Wentworth may have resulted from the serious injury he is described as having suffered two years prior to the events of the novel.

  31. Wentworth’s willingness to do this, despite his lack of affection for Dick Musgrove, exhibits the goodness of his character. Such exhibitions are of particular value at this stage, when his resentment and aloof behavior toward Anne make it more difficult to perceive his character in a good light.

  32. The sofa developed as a piece of furniture only around 1800. It quickly attained wide popularity. For a picture of a contemporary sofa, see below.

  33. This continuation of the theme of Dick Musgrove, and the author’s astringent comments on him and his parents’ grief, shows its role in the development of the novel. The scene displays further positive qualities of Captain Wentworth, his self-command and good manners, even more in evidence through his ability to maintain them despite the absurdity, in the author’s view, of the lamentations that he is called upon to console. It also links him to Anne; she had earlier, while amused inwardly by Mrs. Musgrove’s laments, exercised similar self-control and manifested similar sympathy. Finally, in suggesting that grief can be excessive or absurd, even that of a parent for a dead child, it prepares for the treatment later of a character’s loudly proclaimed sorrow regarding his dead fiancée, which does not prove to be very lasting.

  Contemporary sofa.

  [From Esther Singleton, The Furniture of Our Forefathers, p. 643]

  34. This last statement gives a further sense of the author’s perspective. She makes a distinction she frequently makes, between principles of morality and principles of taste. The former are more important, but the latter still have their value and influence. One can sympathize morally with Mrs. Musgrove’s grief and believe in her right to it, while still finding its appearance ridiculous, and therefore likely to provoke amusement, even in the best persons—though such persons will, like Anne and Captain Wentworth, conceal their amusement from its target.

  35. The admiral’s behavior would come from long habit. Captains often walked around the area of the deck from which they commanded the ship with their hands clasped behind their back.

  36. Mrs. Croft is consistently depicted as having more polished manners than her husband; she probably has past experience calling him to order when he is doing things, like walking around instead of sitting when at a social gathering, that would not be considered polite.

  37. The admiral’s peremptory air would be a natural product of his years spent commanding ships.

  38. Lisbon, a port, is the capital of Portugal, a strong British ally against Napoleon. It provided the base for Wellington’s army, which fought the French in Spain during the period being discussed; this made it an important location for the British navy, which supplied the army.

  39. want: lack.

  40. Balls on ships could be organized by the captain. They would occur while the ship was in port, which meant the women who came would not be sailing with it. Entertainments were often organized for the ship while it was docked.

  41. A man-of-war, or ship of the line, was the largest type of ship in the navy. An enormous craft, it contained anywhere from 64 to 120 cannons, placed on two or three decks, and was staffed by as many as 800 men. It was used to fight enemy warships and thus took the lead at all major battles. Its size, and the high rank and importance of those commanding it, meant that a man-of-war had the most spacious and luxurious accommodations of any naval ship. For a picture, see this page.

  42. Portsmouth, the most important British naval base, was approximately 150 miles from Plymouth (see map), so he did not take these passengers a long distance.

  43. evil: bad thing; the word then had a weaker connotation than now.

  44. Naval ships were staffed only by men. Women could be transported in them and sometimes captains’ wives would accompany them. Jane Austen’s brother Charles, as captain, had his wife and children on board for a while.

  There are several additional reasons for Captain Wentworth to object to women on board that he could not mention before mixed company. One is that sailors were notorious for profane language. Another is that naval discipline could involve harsh physical punishments, including repeated floggings of bare-backed men before the entire ship’s company. A third is that while ships were in port it was normal for large numbers of prostitutes to come on board ship, often smuggling liquor with them. The reason was that because most crewmen had been pressed into service against their will, they were kept on board while the ship was docked to keep them from deserting, but experience had shown that, if never allowed to carouse and get sexual satisfaction during their years in service, they could become extremely discontented. One officer commented, not untypically, about these episodes: “The whole of the shocking, disgraceful transactions of the lower deck it is impossible to describe” (Brian Lavery, Nelson’s Navy, page 210).

  His attitude, which clearly contrasts with Admiral Croft’s, may also be spurred by his rejection by Anne. It had meant he could never take his own beloved on board, and it may have made him, while at sea, dislike seeing women because they reminded him of what he had lost.

  45. fine: refined, dainty, fastidious. Mrs. Croft is using the term in an at least partly pejorative sense, and applying it to both gentlemen and ladies.

  46. This is a natural metaphor for a naval
wife to use, especially one frequently at sea. It also harkens to a passage in a poem, “Henry and Emma,” alluded to later (see note 94). There Emma, vowing her eternal love for Henry, responds to his warning that she will face rough times with him:

                 Thy Rise of Fortune did I only wed,

                 From it’s Decline determined to recede?

                 Did I but purpose to embark with Thee,

                 On the smooth Surface of a Summer’s Sea…

                 But would forsake the Ship, and make the Shoar,

                 When the Winds whistle, and the Tempests roar?

  47. His good luck would result from the superior chance to make money in war from capturing enemy ships. The admiral’s statement also reflects a general acceptance of war at this time. While not regarded as good, it was seen as a natural fact of life, and few people protested against war or imagined a future state in which it would not be a regular occurrence.

  48. The East Indies are India and the islands of Southeast Asia; Admiral Croft served there (see note 37). They required a long time to reach from Britain in a sailing ship, which is why Mrs. Croft mentions the voyage there and back.

  49. Cork is in southern Ireland, which was ruled by Britain then. That it, and Lisbon and Gibraltar—already mentioned, and around a thousand miles from Britain—are called “places about home” demonstrates the sense of perspective and scale generated by the navy’s wide-ranging activities.

  50. The Streights are the Straits of Gibraltar, the entrance to the Mediterranean, where many British ships went.

  51. Bermuda and the Bahamas are near the islands of the Caribbean and so could be included in the West Indies, and probably are by some, to judge from Mrs. Croft’s explaining the distinction to her listener. Her scrupulous precision in detailing where she went indicates the sharp mind, and honesty, that will continue to characterize her.