The Annotated Persuasion

by Jane Austen

  Their near mishap here, and the ones they do suffer at other times, serve to show that their bold indifference to risk can have its disadvantages.

  VOLUME I, CHAPTER XI

  1. Regular church attendance was a standard practice and social obligation at the time. Jane Austen’s letters contain frequent mentions of attending church on Sunday, sometimes both in the morning and the evening.

  2. interesting: important.

  3. “Poor Mary” probably represents the thoughts of Anne, who is able to sympathize with her sister for the way she suffers from her own querulousness and pride, even as Anne is glad to be able now to escape the sufferings those qualities inflict on her.

  4. Lady Russell had earlier considered Captain Wentworth’s bold confidence one of his dangerous qualities and might consider a high degree of self-possession on his part a continuation of that quality. Lady Russell would also be distressed to see how much Captain Wentworth continues to affect Anne.

  5. She arrived in Uppercross approximately a week into September, so it would be early November if “two months” is a precise designation. It may not be so precise, for other information suggests the trip to Lyme, which is about to occur now, takes place a little later in November (see chronology, for September; and this page, for the sequence after Lyme).

  Picture of Lyme Regis and the Cobb from the early eighteenth century. The Cobb had been connected to the mainland by the time of the novel.

  [From Emma Austen-Leigh, Jane Austen and Lyme Regis (London, 1941), p. 4]

  6. relation: account, narration.

  7. Captain Wentworth would have been difficult to find, since he has no apparent home of his own. The letter might have been sent to his brother, or a fellow officer, and then sent on, or, if sent to Mrs. Croft at another address, could have been forwarded by the post office, which had recently established a special office and procedures for forwarding missent letters. The warm friendship between him and Captain Harville was mentioned on this page.

  8. Lyme: Lyme, or Lyme Regis, is a town on the southern coast, near Somerset (see map). In the eighteenth century it became a popular vacation spot.

  9. The others, learning his reason, acquit him of having deserted them.

  10. The seaside, after a long period of being shunned, had from the 1600s gradually become a popular destination, sought for the supposed health benefits of sea-bathing and drinking seawater, and for simple pleasure. By this time numerous towns along the coasts of England had developed into resorts, catering to the enthusiasm displayed by the young people here.

  11. Jane Austen’s family visited Lyme in November 1803, when the town suffered a major fire. Thus she knew the state of the weather in Lyme then.

  12. The expedition to Lyme is the first important result of this new conviction of Louisa. It will lead to another display of unpersuadable determination on her part, one with momentous consequences. The terms “wild” and “heedless” in the opening sentence of this and the next paragraph signal the reckless attitude of those pushing the trip. Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove wish to wait until summer because that is the normal time for visiting the sea.

  13. He wishes to save his horses from the overwork resulting from such a lengthy journey in one day. Horses were expensive, and overworking them was the main reason for needing to replace them; those that worked the busier transportation routes could need replacing as often as every three years. They would become particularly exhausted when pulling a heavy vehicle like the Musgroves’ coach, and when traveling at the speeds expected by those going beyond their immediate locale. Horses pulling public coaches, which went at top speeds, were usually rested after ten miles.

  The party could advance their speed by hiring horses, but they may have decided it was not worth the trouble and expense (see also note 90).

  14. The “nature of the country” around Lyme is hilly, which is why, instead of the 7–8 miles per hour carriages would usually attain then over smooth roads, they would make only around 5 miles per hour (seven hours for a round-trip of 34 miles, Lyme being 17 miles from Uppercross—see this page).

  England’s northerly latitude makes days in late fall and winter very short.

  15. The most common breakfast time then for those of their class was ten o’clock.

  16. A coach seats six, so they all could have traveled in it, but they may have thought this arrangement more comfortable. If servants were accompanying them, as would often be the case, they may have wished to have room inside for them, though servants could sit on outside perches on the coach (even if there were servants with them it would be normal for the author not to bother mentioning them). Charles also may have wished to demonstrate his curricle to Captain Wentworth; he is later shown to be interested in comparing his vehicle to another’s (see this page, and for a curricle, see note 26).

  17. Lyme sits below a sharp ascent of land, while its main street, Broad Street, is very steep and terminates at the beach (see map).

  18. One book of 1804 catering to the interest in seaside resorts, Feltham’s A Guide to All the Watering and Sea-Bathing Places, identified two inns in Lyme, “The Golden Lion” and “Three Cups,” where “lodging may be procured on easy terms.”

  19. “Rooms” mean assembly rooms, where dances were held and which also had a card room and a billiard table. In a letter from Lyme, written in September, Jane Austen describes attending a ball (Sept. 14, 1804). By November Lyme, like most seaside venues, would have been well past its main visiting season.

  20. Bathing machines were small cabins with a door on each end and wheels attached to the bottom. They were parked on the beach, where the user would enter the door facing the shore and change into swimming clothes. The machine would be rolled into the water, whereupon the swimmer could open the door facing seaward and plunge into the water; once done the process would be reversed. They had developed in the eighteenth century and soon became ubiquitous features of seaside resorts (for a picture, see frontispiece).

  21. The Cobb, which was first built in the thirteenth century and then repaired and improved at different times, has long been Lyme’s most distinctive feature. It is a curved structure, slightly west of the town, that extends into the sea and, by blocking the prevailing west winds and currents, provides an artificial harbor. This harbor was long the basis for Lyme’s economy, though during the eighteenth century it declined because of its inability to accommodate the larger ships of the time. (For its location and general shape, see map).

  22. Charmouth is another coastal town (see note 8, for a description). Up Lyme sits atop the ascent next to Lyme, and offers views of the town and sea. Pinny is a spot a little west of Lyme. (For locations, see map.)

  23. The Isle of Wight is a large island just off the southern coast, which was recommended by guidebooks then for its natural beauty. Jane Austen lived for two years in the nearby city of Southampton, and thus would have been in a good position to compare its beauties with those of Pinny.

  24. This lengthy and enthusiastic description of Lyme and its environs is unusual for Jane Austen. Unlike many novelists of her time and later, she rarely gives more than the briefest description of physical settings, and when referring to specific places, she generally says little about them. The description also seems to represent a deviation from her usual artistic discipline, for it does not advance the story in any clear way. For this reason, some speculate that she would have eliminated it if she had enjoyed greater opportunity to revise and polish the novel. One possible justification for it is the way its enthusiastic evocation of beauty seems to foreshadow the improvement in appearance and spirits that Anne experiences at Lyme.

  Whatever the artistic justifications, Jane Austen’s willingness to include this description does indicate her own love of Lyme. Jane Austen went there with her family in both 1803 and 1804; in a letter from the second visit she writes favorably of her experience there. It is an understandable affection, for Lyme and its environs do present a truly beautiful site.


  25. The Cobb can be strolled upon. It provides striking views of the sea, Lyme itself, and the cliffs and hills all around Lyme.

  26. While the principal part of the town has always been a little removed from the Cobb, there have long been a few houses very close to it. Since this is the location of the harbor, there would also have been piers in the vicinity. It is not certain if Jane Austen had a specific pier or house in mind.

  27. For prize money generally, see note 4. Lieutenants, while not receiving as much as those who captained the ship, still received a decent share, which could represent a lot of money if the ship had been very successful. Yet, because he was only a lieutenant, his fortune is probably much less than that of Captain Wentworth.

  28. He would have been promoted while at sea, probably because of some action of his there. Waiting to marry until fortune and promotion came would be standard practice for those in various walks of life. The ensuing tragedy could be seen as another lesson in the perils of waiting and being overly cautious, though in this case, if they had married, the principal difference would have been that Captain Benwick lost a wife rather than a fiancée.

  29. manners: outward bearing or behavior.

  30. alliance: union through marriage.

  31. Feltham’s A Guide to All the Watering and Sea-Bathing Places, which calls Lyme one of the better sea-bathing places in England, adds that it has the further advantage of being less expensive than most such places.

  32. retirement: seclusion, privacy.

  33. Captain Benwick is soon shown to have a strong interest in the Romantic poetry of the age. Appreciation of natural beauty was a central theme in that poetry, so a place like Lyme would suit that aspect of his nature.

  34. Captain Benwick’s situation of loss and regret has parallels to Anne’s, as she notes in the next line. But this description of others’ sympathy indicates a crucial difference. She, in contrast, must keep her sufferings completely to herself. An early work of Jane Austen’s, “Catharine,” speaks of “that assertion which says that sorrows are lightened by communication.”

  35. Men maintained marital eligibility longer than women (for the latter, see note 27). Thus in Jane Austen, while the female characters who marry are all below thirty, and are usually in their early twenties or younger, a number of comparable male characters are in their thirties, sometimes even late thirties. Later events will demonstrate the comparative validity of Anne’s prediction about Captain Benwick’s future, as opposed to the belief of Captains Wentworth and Harville that their friend is inconsolable.

  36. want: lack.

  37. Inns, which catered to the most affluent classes, offered meals, often lavish, as well as accommodations. The party was already said to have ordered dinner at the inn as soon as they arrived. Busy inns would normally have dinners readily available; this was especially important for those that served travelers, who frequently needed to eat immediately before their carriage left again. That is not true here, for Lyme is away from main traveling routes, and during the off-season the inn would have relatively few visitors (though inns could also be places for locals to meet). The inn probably needs time not only to cook but also to procure food from local shops, for lack of refrigeration meant that many items would need to be bought fresh.

  38. Standard etiquette dictated that people should issue invitations to dine with them and should carefully alternate which family invited the other. Dinners could also be opportunities, ones Sir Walter and Elizabeth would certainly seize, to display the elegance of one’s possessions, manners, and serving procedures. The Harvilles’ hospitality contrasts with the relative lack of hospitality toward her own relatives that Elizabeth displays later (this page).

  39. This demonstration of the goodness of those in the navy, which will continue throughout the novel, highlights for Anne what she has lost. It also helps reveal Captain Wentworth’s goodness, through the quality of his friends.

  40. Her astonishment would be increased by having lived almost all her life in spacious and luxurious Kellynch Hall.

  41. Lyme, being along the coast, is windy, and can suffer strong winter storms.

  42. fitting-up: furnishing.

  43. common indifferent plight: standard mediocre condition (of lodging houses).

  44. worked up: improved, brought to a superior state.

  45. Naval officers would stop at various ports around the world, and thus have opportunities to buy a variety of souvenirs. Such souvenirs would have particular value then, because the slowness and costs of overseas trade meant that numerous products were available only in their country of origin. He also may have procured his “rare species of wood” on these overseas voyages.

  46. amusing: interesting, diverting.

  47. The “more than gratification” would be the feelings, even stronger than simple satisfaction (the rough meaning of “gratification” then), that this inspiring picture stirs in her; the “less than gratification” would be the reminder the scene brings of what she has lost by not connecting herself with the navy.

  48. accommodations: arrangements.

  49. At this time the binding of books would indicate something of the owner. A book was generally sold with little or no binding; most purchasers would then have it rebound themselves, with the quality and elegance of the binding varying according to the means and wishes of the owner. Thus Captain Benwick’s well-bound books suggest the value he places on them.

  50. The needles and pins could help him make his own fishing net, mentioned just below, or they could be intended for other forms of netting. Netting purses or other small items was a popular activity for women: the heroine of Mansfield Park, Fanny Price, owns a netting box for keeping her netting supplies. The handicrafts described here, and the woodworking mentioned above, were popular pastimes for sailors on ships, who often needed ways to fill the long hours of waiting and inaction that were a frequent part of life at sea. The many contrivances on ships, to minimize the handicaps of a small space and difficult conditions, could also foster the spirit of practical ingenuity that Captain Harville displays.

  51. Making nets for fishing or hunting was a popular male activity. In a letter Jane Austen writes of two of her nephews, “They amuse themselves very comfortably in the Eveng—by netting; they are each about a rabbit net,” and then compares them in this to her brother Frank, who was a naval officer noted for his handiness and fondness for various crafts (Oct. 11, 1813). He may have inspired this depiction of Captain Harville.

  52. Dressing for dinner would be standard practice, especially when visiting a public place.

  53. Lyme was away from the main roads, being perched at the edge of the sea and separated from inland areas by steep hills. If it were a thoroughfare it could experience people passing through, even during the off-season.

  54. This suggests an evolution in their relationship, but a limited one.

  55. The darkness of the nights probably refers to the absence of moonlight. By this time larger towns had street lighting, but many smaller ones like Lyme (it had fewer than two thousand inhabitants at this time) still had little or no public lighting. In such towns, and in rural areas, people had to rely on the moon at night, and of course it fluctuated; whatever light it did offer would be further diluted by the overcast conditions prevailing over England throughout the colder months. Moreover, the artificial light generated by houses, shops, public buildings, and carriages, which played an important role in helping illuminate towns, would all be less in Lyme during the winter off-season.

  56. This suggests that Captain Benwick may not be as completely oppressed by sorrow as others suspect. He will show other signs of wishing for company.

  57. This idea that struggling against affliction was not only a benefit to oneself, but also a duty to one’s fellow creatures and to God, was widespread at the time. Anne’s own struggles along these lines would certainly make her likely to preach such a message, just as her own afflictions would tend to make her sympathize with, and attend t
o, someone who has suffered and whose sufferings have affinities to hers.

  58. This period, that of the Romantic poets, was indeed one of the richest in the history of English poetry, though many of the poets currently regarded as first-rate were far less heeded in their own time. Wordsworth and Coleridge, who helped launch the Romantic movement in poetry, were slow to gain popularity and respect; their seminal inaugural work, Lyrical Ballads, was read by few people when it appeared in 1798. Jane Austen has only a brief mention of Wordsworth in her last work, Sanditon. Two other famous poets, Shelley and Keats, who were just beginning to publish during the second decade of the nineteenth century, also did not attain quick recognition.

  59. These are two long narrative poems by Walter Scott. In contrast to the above poets, Scott immediately achieved great popularity. The two poems cited here, his most widely read, were among the best sellers of the age—and in this age, poetry generally outsold novels, at least until Scott’s own novels appeared. Both poems are stories of love and war, set in sixteenth-century Scotland; a critical element of Romanticism was fascination with the past, especially the medieval past, and Scott was central to fostering this sentiment. Jane Austen mentions each of these poems in her letters.

  60. These are two narrative poems by Lord Byron, the other highly popular poet of the time. Both are tragic love stories set in the Middle East; fascination with foreign lands, especially ones regarded as highly exotic, was another feature of Romanticism.

  61. The title of the Giaour, based on the main character, comes from a Muslim term of reproach for infidels. Byron himself admitted the difficulty of pronouncing it (one literary dictionary writes the pronunciation as “dja-oor”).