Letter #11, Post #9

Sunday 24 June 2012
To Cassandra, from Steventon, "I went to Deane with my father two days ago to see Mary, who is still plagued with the rheumatism, which she would be very glad to get rid of , and still more glad to get rid of her child, of whom she is heartily tired. Her nurse is come, and has no particular charm either of person or manner; but as all the Hurstbourne world pronounce her to be the best nurse that ever was, Mary expects her attachment to increase." - Jane Austen, Saturday 17-Sunday 18 November 1798

Mary was Mary Lloyd Austen, James Austen's second wife. It sounds as though she was having a difficult time with this pregnancy. She was carrying James-Edward Austen Leigh. He was actually born on this day, 17 November 1798. He wrote A Memoir of Jane Austen in 1869.

The Hurstbourne nurse would have been the Miss Anne Debary we discussed in letter # 11, post #1.

The last mention of the Debary's in Jane Austen's letters is Letter #146, written Monday 16 December 1816. So there was a long acquaintance between the the Austen's and the Debary's throughout Jane Austen's life. From her letters it seems the words she put into Mr. Darcy's mouth have rang true, "My good opinion, once lost, is lost forever."

It started out innocently enough:

On Tuesday 18-Wednesday 19 December 1798 she writes, "I have been forced to let James & Miss Debary have two sheets of your Drawing paper, but they sha'nt have any more."

Wednesday 26 December 1798, "Miss Debary dines with us on friday as well as the Gentlemen."

Tuesday 8-Wednesday 9 January 1799, "Miss Debary has replaced your two sheets of Drawing paper, with two of superior size & quality; so I do not grudge her having them at all now."

Something must have happened sometime between January and November to affect Jane's opinion of the Debarys. It seems they have indeed lost her good opinion. They bring to mind Miss Lucy and Anne Steele in Sense and Sensibility.

Saturday 1 November 1800, "The Debaries persist in being afflicted at the death of their Uncle, of whom they now say they saw a great deal in London."

Thursday 20-Friday 21 November 1800, "Miss Debary, Susan & Sally all in black, but without Statues, made their appearance, & I was as civil to them as their bad breath would allow me. They told me nothing new of Martha."

Sunday 30 November-Monday 1 December 1800, "The Endless Debaries are of course very well acquainted with the lady who is to marry Sir Thomas, & all her family. I pardon them however, as their description of her is favourable."

And below, Jane compares an evening with the Debary's to being in labor pains. Elizabeth Austen, Edward's wife had just delivered their sixth son, Brook-John on 28 September 1808.

Saturday 1-Sunday 2 October 1808, "About an hour & half after your toils on Wednesday ended, ours began;-at seven o'clock, Mrs. Harrison, her two daughters & two Visitors, with Mr Debary & his eldest sister walked in; & Our Labour was not a great deal shorter than poor Elizabeth's, for it was past eleven before we were delivered.-A second pool of Commerce, & all the longer by the addition of the two girls, who during the first had one corner of the Table & Spillikins to themselves, was the ruin of us;-it completed the prosperity of Mr Debary however, for he won them both."

And a final opinion,

Sunday 8-Monday 9 September 1816, "The Debarys are indeed odious!"

Miss Lucy Steele as played by Anna Madeley and Miss Anne Steele as played by Daisy Haggard. (All I can say is poor, patient, tolerant Elinor.)

I hope you enjoy your day today!
Terrie