by Jane Austen
“We have not quite determined how far it shall carry us” said Mrs. Gardiner, “but perhaps to the Lakes.”17
No scheme could have been more agreeable to Elizabeth, and her acceptance of the invitation was most ready and grateful. “My dear, dear aunt,” she rapturously cried, “what delight! what felicity! You give me fresh life and vigour. Adieu to disappointment and spleen. What are men to rocks and mountains? Oh! what hours of transport18 we shall spend! And when we do return, it shall not be like other travellers, without being able to give one accurate19 idea of any thing. We will know where we have gone—we will recollect what we have seen. Lakes, mountains, and rivers, shall not be jumbled together in our imaginations; nor, when we attempt to describe any particular scene, will we begin quarrelling about its relative situation. Let our first effusions be less insupportable than those of the generality of travellers.”20
1. disgust: distaste.
2. The route from Hertfordshire to Kent would pass directly through London. The overall journey would take the better part of a day, so breaking it up by a night in London, if one had a place to stay, could make sense.
3. Mr. Bennet's distaste for writing comes up several times.
4. A chaise, like other carriages, would usually rattle quite a bit, thanks to the frequent bumpiness of the roads and the limited system of shock absorbers on vehicles then.
5. presentation: presentation at court (in order to be knighted).
6. This line indicates that the Gardiners' children must not have accompanied them on their recent Christmas visit to the Bennets. This has caused some puzzlement to readers and commentators, but in fact Christmas was not as significant a holiday then as now: it had declined in importance in England in the seventeenth century, partly under the influence of Puritanism, and would only become a major celebration again during the middle and late nineteenth century, when many of our current Christmas traditions, including the aspects most pertinent to children, were developed or made popular. During this period it was mostly an occasion for feasting and parties, and these gatherings often involved only adults. Thus by the standards of the time the Gardiners would not be unusual or negligent in having left their children behind in London, where they would be cared for by servants.
7. shopping: because of the immense wealth and variety of shops in London, and the cost and difficulty of transporting goods to provincial locations, shopping was a major activity of those visiting London. Jane Austen devoted considerable time to it when she stayed there. The extended nature of “morning” then means that most of the day was being spent in bustle and shopping.
8. theatres: another favorite activity of Jane Austen's while in London.
9. The conversation beginning here is occurring while they are at the theatre, and we are told below that it was ended by the conclusion of the play—in other words, it occurs while the play is going on. Such conversation during a play was normal at the time. One reason was that audience sections of the theatre were lit rather than in the dark (current technological limitations in lighting made it hard otherwise to illuminate the stage adequately); this naturally kept the audience's attention from being so exclusively focused on what was happening on stage.
10. rallied: teased or ridiculed good-naturedly.
11. A question of great pertinence in Jane Austen's novels, where marriage and love are often tied to issues of money. The distinction she normally draws is between insisting that enough money be available in order to marry a person one genuinely cares for, which is prudent, and pursuing a person one does not love merely because he or she has money, which is mercenary. This is a distinction that Mrs. Gardiner tries to draw here, by inquiring whether Wickham has any genuine feelings for Miss King, but that Elizabeth, in her persistent partiality for Wickham, refuses to see.
12. making love: wooing, or professing love toward, someone. At this time it did not mean anything more than that.
13. indelicacy: coarseness, lack of propriety or decency.
14. this event: her grandfather's death and her inheritance.
15. Once again Elizabeth alludes to Darcy.
16. Meaning that her denunciation of men has the flavor of something said by someone disappointed in love, and is thus an expression of petty resentment or frustration rather than of reasoned reflection. This period in the novel marks Elizabeth's low point, for she has successively been disappointed by Charlotte, by Bingley, and by Wickham. Elizabeth's speech also shows her falling into some of her father's cynicism, which represents a potential danger for her since she shares many traits with him.
17. the hakes: the Lake District in northwestern England (see map, p. 742), a leading tourist area. During the eighteenth century, as transportation conditions improved and overall affluence increased, travel for pleasure emerged as a favorite leisure activity. By the end of the century the Lake District had become the most popular destination in England for such travelers, thanks in particular to its mountainous and sparsely populated character, which gave it a strong appeal to those affected by the growing romantic taste for spectacular scenery and for nature untouched by human hands. The district was also a particular favorite of the romantic poets who were writing around the same time as Jane Austen.
18. transport: rapture, exaltation.
19. accurate: precise.
20. Elizabeth may be referring to the growing genre of travel writings and guidebooks that had developed with the rise of tourism and the worship of nature. Gilpin and other writers on the picturesque had popularized this concept by their writings about the natural beauties to be found in various parts of England (see p. 97, note 48). Elizabeth's words about the “relative situation” of a scene derive from such writings; the phrase was used as a way to evaluate scenic beauty, for writers on the picturesque argued that the situation, i.e., location and position, of a place or object determined its beauty.
Jane Austen's own attitude toward the picturesque and the worship of nature was mixed. She enjoyed natural beauty and liked Gilpin, though one of her letters refers affectionately to a satire on picturesque traveling that came out around the time of the novel (March 2,1814). In a letter mentioning her brother and nephew's trip to Scotland, she expresses interest in the beauties they saw there, wishes they could also have seen the Lakes, and mildly deprecates her nephew for failing to derive the same enjoyment from natural beauty as her brother (Sept. 25, 1813). At the same time, in line with her general hostility to many romantic attitudes, she ridicules extreme encomiums to nature. One of the heroines of Sense and Sensibility is mocked somewhat for this attitude, and her last work, Sanditon, contains a foolish character whose romantic enthusiasms—for nature, for poetry, and for love—lead him to lose almost all coherence of speech. A sense of the middle ground Jane Austen prefers can be seen in her story “Love and Friendship,” which ridicules romantic sentimentality mercilessly but which also has some of its sensible characters go on a tour to Scotland inspired by Gilpin.
In the case of Elizabeth, her interest in the Lakes would be in line with the author's attitude. But her words “What are men to rocks and mountains?” express a view more extreme than any seen in Jane Austen's own discussions of nature. The excessiveness of Elizabeth's outburst is further shown by its connection to feelings of resentment and of disappointment in humanity that will cause problems for her later.
Chapter Five
E very object in the next day's journey was new and interesting to Elizabeth; and her spirits were in a state for enjoyment; for she had seen her sister looking so well as to banish all fear for her health, and the prospect of her northern tour was a constant source of delight.
When they left the high road1 for the lane to Hunsford, every eye was in search of the Parsonage, and every turning expected to bring it in view. The paling2 of Rosings Park3 was their boundary on one side.4 Elizabeth smiled at the recollection of all that she had heard of its inhabitants.
At length the Parsonage was discernible. The garden sloping to the
road, the house standing in it, the green pales5 and the laurel hedge, every thing declared they were arriving. Mr. Collins and Charlotte appeared at the door, and the carriage stopped at the small gate, which led by a short gravel walk to the house, amidst the nods and smiles of the whole party. In a moment they were all out of the chaise, rejoicing at the sight of each other. Mrs. Collins welcomed her friend with the liveliest pleasure, and Elizabeth was more and more satisfied with coming, when she found herself so affectionately received. She saw instantly that her cousin's manners were not altered by his marriage; his formal civility was just what it had been, and he detained her some minutes at the gate to hear and satisfy his enquiries after all her family. They were then, with no other delay than his pointing out the neatness6 of the entrance, taken into the house; and as soon as they were in the parlour, he welcomed them a second time with ostentatious formality to his humble abode, and punctually repeated all his wife's offers of refreshment.
Elizabeth was prepared to see him in his glory; and she could not help fancying that in displaying the good proportion of the room, its aspect7 and its furniture,8 he addressed himself particularly to her, as if wishing to make her feel what she had lost in refusing him. But though every thing seemed neat and comfortable, she was not able to gratify him by any sigh of repentance; and rather looked with wonder at her friend that she could have so cheerful an air, with such a companion. When Mr. Collins said any thing of which his wife might reasonably be ashamed, which certainly was not unseldom,9 she involuntarily turned her eye on Charlotte. Once or twice she could discern a faint blush; but in general Charlotte wisely did not hear. After sitting long enough to admire every article of furniture in the room, from the sideboard to the fender,10 to give an account of their journey and of all that had happened in London, Mr. Collins invited them to take a stroll in the garden, which was large and well laid out, and to the cultivation of which he attended himself. To work in his garden was one of his most respectable pleasures; and Elizabeth admired the command of countenance11 with which Charlotte talked of the healthfulness of the exercise, and owned12 she encouraged it as much as possible. Here, leading the way through every walk and cross walk,13 and scarcely allowing them an interval to utter the praises he asked for, every view was pointed out with a minuteness which left beauty entirely behind.14 He could number the fields in every direction, and could tell how many trees there were in the most distant clump. But of all the views which his garden, or which the country,15 or the kingdom could boast, none were to be compared with the prospect of16 Rosings, afforded by an opening in the trees that bordered the park17 nearly opposite the front of his house. It was a handsome modern building, well situated on rising ground.18
From his garden, Mr. Collins would have led them round his two meadows,19 but the ladies not having shoes to encounter the remains of a white frost, turned back; and while Sir William accompanied him, Charlotte took her sister and friend over the house, extremely well pleased, probably, to have the opportunity of shewing it without her husband's help. It was rather small, but well built and convenient; and every thing was fitted up and arranged with a neatness and consistency of which Elizabeth gave Charlotte all the credit.20 When Mr. Collins could be forgotten, there was really a great air of comfort throughout, and by Charlotte's evident enjoyment of it, Elizabeth supposed he must be often forgotten.
She had already learnt that Lady Catherine was still in the country. It was spoken of again while they were at dinner, when Mr. Collins joining in, observed,
“Yes, Miss Elizabeth, you will have the honour of seeing Lady Catherine de Bourgh on the ensuing Sunday at church, and I need not say you will be delighted with her. She is all affability and condescension,21 and I doubt not but you will be honoured with some portion of her notice when service is over. I have scarcely any hesitation in saying that she will include you and my sister Maria in every invitation with which she honours us during your stay here. Her behaviour to my dear Charlotte is charming. We dine at Rosings twice every week, and are never allowed to walk home. Her ladyship's carriage is regularly ordered for us. I should say, one of her ladyship's carriages, for she has several.”22
“Lady Catherine is a very respectable, sensible woman indeed,” added Charlotte, “and a most attentive neighbour.”
“Very true, my dear, that is exactly what I say. She is the sort of woman whom one cannot regard with too much deference.”
The evening was spent chiefly in talking over Hertfordshire news, and telling again what had been already written; and when it closed, Elizabeth in the solitude of her chamber had to meditate upon Charlotte's degree of contentment, to understand her address23 in guiding, and composure in bearing with her husband, and to acknowledge that it was all done very well. She had also to anticipate how her visit would pass, the quiet tenor of their usual employments, the vexatious interruptions of Mr. Collins, and the gaieties of their intercourse with Rosings. A lively imagination soon settled it all.
About the middle of the next day, as she was in her room getting ready for a walk, a sudden noise below seemed to speak24 the whole house in confusion; and after listening a moment, she heard somebody running up stairs in a violent hurry, and calling loudly after her. She opened the door, and met Maria in the landing place,25 who, breathless with agitation, cried out, “Oh, my dear Eliza! pray make haste and come into the dining-room, for there is such a sight to be seen! I will not tell you what it is. Make haste, and come down this moment.”
Elizabeth asked questions in vain; Maria would tell her nothing more, and down they ran into the dining-room, which fronted26 the lane, in quest of this wonder; it was two ladies stopping in a low phaeton27 at the garden gate.
“And is this all?” cried Elizabeth. “I expected at least that the pigs were got into the garden, and here is nothing but Lady Catherine and her daughter!”
“La! my dear,” said Maria quite shocked at the mistake, “it is not Lady Catherine. The old lady is Mrs. Jenkinson,28 who lives with them. The other is Miss De Bourgh. Only look at her. She is quite a little creature. Who would have thought she could be so thin and small!”
“She is abominably rude to keep Charlotte out of doors in all this wind. Why does she not come in?”
“Oh! Charlotte says, she hardly ever does. It is the greatest of favours when Miss De Bourgh comes in.”
“I like her appearance,” said Elizabeth, struck with other ideas. “She looks sickly and cross.—Yes, she will do for him very well. She will make him a very proper wife.”29
Mr. Collins and Charlotte were both standing at the gate in conversation with the ladies; and Sir William, to Elizabeth's high diversion, was stationed in the doorway, in earnest contemplation of the greatness30 before him, and constantly bowing31 whenever Miss De Bourgh looked that way.32
At length there was nothing more to be said; the ladies drove on, and the others returned into the house. Mr. Collins no sooner saw the two girls than he began to congratulate them on their good fortune, which Charlotte explained by letting them know that the whole party was asked to dine at Rosings the next day.
1. high road: highway or main road.
2. paling: fence or fencing.
3. Rosings Park: Lady Catherine's home (often just shortened to Rosings). The home, as its name implies, includes a substantial park or grounds, which is what the fence borders. The wording of the passage, by suggesting that they traveled next to the fence for some distance, indicates the large size of Lady Catherine's grounds.
4. Thus the parsonage is adjacent to Lady Catherine's residence. This was a common arrangement, a sign of the wish to maintain a close link between the clergy and the landowning class, who were the leading figures in rural communities and generally directed community affairs.
5. pales: stakes driven into the ground to form a fence.
6. neatness: simple elegance, nice proportions.
7. aspect: general look or appearance; position in relation to the light from outside. Either meaning is p
ossible here.
8. furniture: furnishings.
The Rectory, or Parsonage, at Steventon, Hampshire; Jane Austen was born and grew up there. Her father received it through his position as rector.
[From Mary Augusta Austen-Leigh, Personal Aspects of Jane Austen (New York, 1920), p. 12]
9. not unseldom: not infrequently. Logically the expression should mean seldom, and therefore not frequently. But it was used as a synonym for not seldom. Hence the meaning here is that Mr. Collins often says things that might make his wife blush.
10. fender: fire guard; generally a low metal frame in front of the fireplace. Its purpose was to keep coals from the fire from rolling out onto the floor. Fenders were often made in a decorative design, and would be fairly prominent in a room because of the importance of the fireplace (the only source of heat).
11. command of countenance: in other words, her ability to keep a straight face.
12. owned: admitted.
13. every walk and cross walk: an indication of a sizable garden, and thus of Mr. Collins's relative affluence.
14. Meaning that his concern with the minute features of each scene caused him to pay no attention to questions of beauty.
15. country: county.
16. prospect of: view presented by.
17. park: enclosed area around the house.
18. An elevated position for a house was preferred because that would provide better views of the surroundings.
19. two meadows: these meadows would be part of the living Mr. Collins enjoys here. Giving such land, traditionally called glebe land, to clergymen was longstanding practice; by farming the land they could add to their income. The trend at this time was for tithes to be commuted in exchange for additional glebe land, which made the clergy more like landowners. Jane Austen's father engaged in a variety of agricultural endeavors while a clergyman, including planting vegetables and herbs and fruit in his garden, dairy farming, beekeeping, and raising pigs and sheep and different types of fowl.
