The Annotated Mansfield Park

by Jane Austen

  47. Summer was Brighton’s principal season. By “public place” the author means a place where many people congregate.

  48. Julia was earlier described as leaving the wedding in the same carriage as the bride and groom. Brides often took other women as companions on their honeymoon and even after that. Marriage revolved much less then around companionship, and it was expected that husbands and wives would live somewhat separate lives. Moreover, men and women often had completely different amusements. A female companion gave the bride someone to talk to and amuse herself with, allowing the husband to devote much of his time to activities with other men.

  VOLUME II, CHAPTER IV

  1. interesting: significant.

  2. dirt: mud.

  3. Earlier descriptions indicated that the parsonage is a little beyond the village, from the perspective of Mansfield Park. Fanny’s errand may have taken her to a place on the edge of the village that is visible from the parsonage.

  4. Umbrellas had first begun to be used widely as a protection against the rain in the early eighteenth century (they had previously been used in many places for shielding people from the sun or for ceremonial functions). There was some initial resistance to them in England, but by the end of the century they had become a common accessory, especially for wealthier people.

  5. desponding: despondent.

  6. A vestibule was a standard feature of a larger house, and the parsonage, though not as grand as Mansfield Park, is still a spacious and comfortable home.

  7. all alive: fully aroused.

  8. The “mistresses” are Mrs. Grant and Mary Crawford. The term could apply to any woman in an important position.

  9. There would be many cottages in the village, since most who live there are of modest means.

  10. Earlier Mary played the harp often for Edmund (see this page), but Fanny was never with him.

  11. This was during a dinner conversation in which Mary related the arrival of her harp to Fanny and Edmund (see this page).

  12. holding up: clearing up, ceasing to rain.

  13. awake to his idea: inclined to recollect his image.

  14. “Expression” denoted the ability of music to appeal to feelings (see this page, note 8); hence it would be a good complement to the more purely aural or technical category of “tone.”

  15. raised: aroused.

  16. The bench is unsheltered now because the leaves shading it have fallen. Shrubberies then often contained trees as well as bushes.

  17. On the subject of hedgerows, see this page, note 14.

  18. It was almost exactly three years ago that the Grants arrived at the parsonage, so they are responsible for the improvements.

  19. speakingly: strikingly.

  20. intelligences: mental faculties.

  21. Fanny’s ideas on memory probably derive in part from her reading of Samuel Johnson’s The Idler, mentioned on p. 292. Of The Idler’s 104 short essays, numbers 44, 72, and 74—“Use of memory,” “Regulation of memory,” and “Memory rarely deficient”—deal with the subject. None of the essays make Fanny’s exact points about the mysteries and particular variability of memory compared with other mental faculties, but they do discuss memory’s central importance to the mind, its frequent tendency to fail, the pain that memories of bad events can cause, and the great difficulty of either improving or controlling our memories. Fanny (or Jane Austen) could easily have been stimulated by these arguments to develop her own related reflections.

  22. impertinent: presumptuous; inclined to meddle with matters that are not one’s business.

  23. The property here is small, and trying to emulate the landscaping that set the standards of fashion at large places like Sotherton could lead to creating too many features for its size.

  24. Fanny’s speaking regularly to the gardener indicates her interest in the subject; she was described earlier as having plants in her room.

  25. In this period there was a great fascination and taste for evergreens, many of which had been introduced into England from abroad.

  26. variety: deviation or departure from the norm.

  27. Fanny’s enthusiasm for nature, which appears throughout the novel, has sometimes been seen as in conflict with Jane Austen’s emphasis on reason and her critique of romanticism in her heroines and her stories, most notably in the character of Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility. But Marianne errs by the excess of her romantic enthusiasm and reliance on her feelings. Jane Austen never criticizes feelings per se, as long as they are compatible with reason; thus Fanny, when she perceives herself being swayed by wrong or destructive feelings, attempts to curb them. Austen also displays a love of nature in her letters, and attributes it to many sensible characters in her novels. Fanny combines her rhapsodizing with careful, rational observation, as in her discussion of the different soils or where the wind is coming from, and, unlike Marianne Dashwood, Fanny appreciates nature that has been shaped by human hands, such as a shrubbery, as much as wild or untamed nature.

  28. Doge was the title of the elected head of state of certain republics in Italy, most notably Venice and Genoa. This anecdote concerns the doge of Genoa and appeared in Voltaire’s history Le Siècle de Louis XIV. According to Voltaire, the doge, visiting Louis XIV’s court at Versailles on state business, revealed his wit when, upon being “asked what he found most remarkable at Versailles, he responded, ‘Seeing myself there.’ ” Mary, whose conversation suggests a knowledge of French, could have read the popular work in the original, or in several English editions published in the second half of the eighteenth century under the title The Age of Louis XIV; she also could have encountered the tale through a version related by Samuel Johnson in a letter and published in Letters to and from the Late Samuel Johnson (1788), by Hester Lynch Piozzi. Those are the possible sources for Jane Austen also, who read French well.

  29. This would make it toward the end of November, since the Crawfords arrived in Mansfield in early July; see chronology, this page.

  30. She may be thinking of the influence and importance of a clergyman in local society, despite his not having great wealth, or of the ability of those of superior ability and character to lead and impress others. One example she may have in mind is her brother’s ability to inspire affection and respect at Mansfield Park despite having much less wealth than Mr. Rushworth, and probably less than the Bertrams.

  31. She means filling the house with guests, whether for specific events or for longer stays. Inviting other prominent people for extended stays was common among the elite in England. Few if any other families of their own rank would reside in their immediate neighborhood, and the difficulty and discomfort of travel made people wish to make the most of visits by staying longer.

  32. country: county. These would be her leading pleasures, since Mr. Rushworth’s character would keep his wife from wishing to spend much time alone with him, while his wealth would give her the means to engage in such activities.

  33. With Tom gone, Edmund can be called “Mr. Bertram” again.

  34. Traditionally only gentlemen were called “Mr.” Men below that rank, if middle class, were called “Goodman,” and lower-class men were not given any title at all. By the eighteenth century “Mr.” was applied more broadly, but Fanny, who here and elsewhere indicates an interest in history, would be aware of the older form.

  35. Two English kings were named Edmund: Edmund the Magnificent, who reigned from 939 to 946, and Edmund Ironside, who reigned in 1016. It was also the name of a number of English princes, sons of kings who never ascended the throne, and of English aristocrats, including knights. Most of these Edmunds lived in earlier ages, which Fanny is associating with chivalry and, most likely, with the “warm affections” of courtly love. She is probably influenced here by Walter Scott, whose Lay of the Last Minstrel she quoted earlier, and who in this and other highly popular narrative poems celebrated the chivalry and tender passions of earlier centuries in Scotland and England. Two of those poems, Marmi
on and Rokeby, contain characters named Edmund.

  36. John and Thomas were, along with William, the most common male names in England; approximately half the male population had one of these three names.

  37. There was a great concern at the time about sickness resulting from becoming chilled. One reason for worry was that there were very limited means of fighting infections, which therefore could turn serious easily.

  38. understanding: intellect, judgment.

  39. Shawls were a basic female accessory in this period, due to the prevalence of thin and lightweight materials like muslin in women’s fashions. Cashmere shawls were the most popular: they were first imported into Britain from India in the early eighteenth century, in connection with increased British commercial and colonial activity in India, and by this time they were also being manufactured in Britain. For examples of women with shawls, see this page and this page.

  40. Staircases often had windows to provide illumination.

  41. work on: influence, persuade.

  42. Here the maneuver is the design she just claimed of sitting down in order to be scolded and supplicated by Edmund. In fact, she and Fanny sat down before they even saw Edmund and Mrs. Grant, but Mary, as elsewhere, hopes to draw Edmund’s attention and conversation by teasing and provoking him. The very imperturbability she complains of in him may make her even more determined in this pursuit.

  43. East winds in England tend to be cold, for they come from the cold North Sea. In contrast, west winds come from waters that are warmed by the transatlantic Gulf Stream.

  44. Robert is a lower servant.

  45. dressed: prepared, cooked.

  46. Dr. Grant conducts two services on Sunday, each of which could last a long while.

  47. Lack of artificial refrigeration then meant that, in the absence of cold weather, food could spoil quickly.

  48. close: stifling, sultry. Mrs. Grant’s worries, and her knowledge of what is happening in both the garden and the kitchen, indicate she is a careful and conscientious housekeeper, contrary to Mrs. Norris’s earlier aspersions.

  49. These are men with shops selling plants and poultry, with the latter offering a larger variety of fowl than is customary now. Neither would normally be found in the country, as Mrs. Grant points out in a moment. Instead, the lady of the house would often undertake the cultivation of both plants and poultry; for an example of the latter, see this page.

  50. A deanery is a position as dean, the leader of a cathedral or collegiate church. In most cases in the Anglican Church it is a cathedral, a church that is the seat of a diocese and its presiding bishop. Cathedrals then had on average twenty-five to thirty resident clergy under the supervision of a dean. Hence a deanery was a position of great prestige; it also usually offered a high salary. Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral were the two churches in London with a dean—desirable posts in themselves as well as in the opportunity they offered to live in the capital. For a contemporary picture of St. Paul’s, see this page.

  51. Tradesmen frequently delivered their products, so if they were unpunctual, customers would be forced to wait.

  52. By “myrtle and turkey” she simply means the typical products of a nurseryman and a poulterer, respectively.

  53. Meaning mediocre family connections, who cannot procure a highly advantageous position for Edmund.

  54. Being twenty-four, Edmund needs to decide on his career soon.

  55. She suggests that if Edmund had more wealthy and high-ranking relations, he might, from envy or a wish to emulate them, be motivated to choose a career that offered greater possibilities of financial and social success. This harkens back to her earlier charge regarding Edmund’s lack of ambition (see this page).

  56. Edmund’s conception of a “middle state” is highly relative, for even the clerical position he aspires toward would place him within the top few percent of the population in income as well as social position. This attitude is frequently found in Austen’s novels: her mostly genteel characters judge almost exclusively by the standards of their own class, and often label as poor those who lack what others of their class possess, even while this “poverty” places them far above the living standards of the great majority of the populace.

  57. Since running for Parliament involved expense, often considerable, men in the position Edmund describes have almost no chance of being elected.

  58. He means the distinction of marrying her, as opposed to the distinction in his career she has been evoking.

  59. The great clock would be a very large outdoor one, most likely at the top of a tower or other high feature in the building, that can be heard from far away. Some grand houses had such clocks.

  60. Fanny may be thinking, at least partly, of dinner, which may be at five o’clock—a standard time then and the time earlier stated for the Rushworths’ dinner (see this page) and soon to be suggested for the Grants’ (this page and this page, note 17). Fanny and Edmund still need to make their adieus, walk back, and change before dinner. Fanny may also feel a need to check whether Lady Bertram needs any assistance, and she would dread even the remote possibility of being late and thereby delaying others.

  61. In other words, the garden does not have a direct route to the outside.

  62. To “eat one’s mutton” with someone was a long-standing expression for dining with someone, regardless of whether mutton was actually served. It was a natural expression in a country where sheep were ubiquitous.

  63. Dr. Grant continues to use “Mr. Edmund,” still the more formal and correct name.

  64. His casual expressed attitude toward his meals contrasts to his behavior on many occasions. He may be genuinely unaware of how demanding he can be, or he may not wish his finicky habits to be paraded before others.

  VOLUME II, CHAPTER V

  1. Characters in Austen’s novels frequently say “my dear” or “my dearest” when addressing others close to them. Jane Austen often begins her letters to her sister with “my dear Cassandra” or “my dearest Cassandra” (see this page).

  2. Fanny dined at the Grants’ once, just after the Crawfords arrived (see this page), but she was accompanying the others from Mansfield Park; no particular invitation was extended to her. This is what Lady Bertram meant earlier when she said, “Fanny never dines there, you know, in this sort of way.”

  3. It would be a proper and right thing by, or with regard to, Mrs. Grant, because refusing her first invitation to Fanny would be rude.

  4. A dressing room is a small room, usually attached to the bedroom, for getting dressed. Heads of the household were particularly likely to have a dressing room; Lady Bertram is also later described as having one. Sir Thomas is going there now to change for dinner, which men did as well as women. He will probably be assisted by a valet, who also takes care of his clothes.

  5. waiting: awaiting.

  6. Sir Thomas, in line with his general formality and correctness, designates Fanny by the title that Mrs. Grant would use.

  7. indulgence: favor.

  8. occasion: need.

  9. Meaning Lady Bertram’s needlework.

  10. Mrs. Norris adds to her disparaging sarcasm by speaking of an “agreeable day.” A dinner at five, indicated below to be the Grants’ time, would still be technically considered part of the day, but normally dinner guests remain well into the evening. By saying “day” Mrs. Norris suggests Fanny will not remain long.

  11. The five are Fanny, Edmund, Mary Crawford, and the Grants.

  12. Mrs. Norris is satirizing Mrs. Grant. Her earlier criticisms of Mrs. Grant for spending too much included the idea that a “fine lady in a country parsonage was quite out of place.” She believed Mrs. Grant aspired to being more fine or elegant than was warranted by her social and economic position, and Mrs. Norris is now happy to condemn her for what might seem lack of elegance in her dinner arrangements.

  13. That one should accept one’s social rank and behave in the manner appropriate to it was a generally accep
ted principle in this society, though Mrs. Norris takes it farther than most would.

  14. By “taking place of her” she means Fanny’s assuming the position as the leading lady of the company ahead of Mary Crawford. Etiquette dictates that Fanny, as the sole female guest, should have this position—this is why Mrs. Norris grudgingly admits that “Miss Crawford is in a manner at home,” for if she were a guest she would precede Fanny—but Mrs. Norris still insists that Fanny decline the honor.

  15. If Mrs. Norris were going home tonight, instead of staying at Mansfield Park, the family carriage would take her, and could then easily fetch Fanny back from the nearby parsonage. Taking a carriage out involved the trouble of getting horses ready and hitching them to it.

  16. Taking a carriage rather than walking to any formal occasion was considered more proper for a genteel person; in Emma the heroine chastises the hero for being too inclined to walk in such cases. This imperative would be reinforced by its being the end of November, when, in addition to the cold, the roads may be muddy and it will get dark early.

  17. This suggests that dinner will be at five. It is only a short carriage ride, but 4:20 would be too late to leave for a 4:30 dinner, especially since people normally did not proceed into dinner immediately, and too early for a 5:30 dinner.

  18. impose on: deceive.

  19. to a minute: at the precise time expected.

  20. Fanny’s new dress is probably what she wore at the wedding as Maria’s bridesmaid but could have simply been a gift. It was common for the marrying couple to give presents to relatives attending the ceremony, and Sir Thomas could have given Fanny a present on behalf of his daughter.