Letter #9, Post #6

Friday 13 April 2012
To Cassandra, from the Bull and George, Dartford, "I should have begun my letter soon after our arrival but for a little adventure which prevented me. After we had been here a quarter of an hour it was discovered that my writing and dressing boxes had been by accident put into a chaise which was just packing off as we came in, and were driven away towards Gravesend in their way to the West Indies. No part of my property could have been such a prize before, for in my writing-box was all my worldly wealth, 7L., and my dear Harry's deputation. Mr Nottley immediately despatched a man and horse after the chaise, and in half an hour's time I had the pleasure of being as rich as ever; they were got about two or three miles off." - Jane Austen, Wednesday 24 October 1798

                   Jane Austen's writing box. Photo British Museum.

An interesting link about Jane Austen's writing desk:
http://multimediacommons.blogspot.com/2010/08/austens-portable-writing-desk.html

Anyone ever loose their luggage at the airport? It was probably not remedied this easily.

Mr. Nottley was the landlord of the Bull and George in Dartford.

Harry was Harry Digweed (1771-1848). He was joint tenant with his brother, William-Francis (1776), of Steventon manor-house. So, they rented Steventon manor-house from Edward Austen Knight.

The deputation was a paper from Edward giving Harry Digweed the right to shoot game on Steventon land.

In Persuasion, chapter three, Jane Austen mentions a deputation:

     "Mr. Shepherd hastened to assure him, that Admiral Croft was a very hale, hearty, well-looking man, a little weather-beaten, to be sure, but not much, and quite the gentleman in all his notions and behaviour; not likely to make the smallest difficulty about terms, only wanted a comfortable home, and to get into it as soon as possible; knew he must pay for this convenience; knew what rent a ready-furnished house of that consequence might fetch; should not have been surprised if Sir Walter had asked more; had inquired about the manor; would be glad of deputation, certainly, but made no great point of it; said he sometimes took out a gun, but never killed; quite the gentleman."


I hope you have a good day today!
Terrie