Today we start Letter number thirteen. Jane was writing to Cassandra who has been at Godmersham since at least September 1, 1798. Elizabeth had a baby, little William Austen, and Cassandra stayed at Godmersham to assist Elizabeth.
There maybe a letter missing between twelve and thirteen dated 28-29 November 1798.
To Cassandra, from Steventon, "My dear Cassandra
I am so good as to write to you again thus speedily, to let you know that I have just heard from Frank. He was at Cadiz, alive and well, on October 19, and had then very lately received a letter from you, written as long ago as when the 'London' was at St Helen's. But his raly latest intelligence of us was in one from me of September 1, which I sent soon after we got to Godmersham. He had written a packet full for is dear-est friends in England, early in October, to go by the 'Excellent'; but the 'Excellent' was not sailed, nor likely to sail, when he despatched this to me. It comprehended letters for both of us, for Lord Spencer, Mr Daysh, and the East India Directors. Lord St Vincent had left the fleet when he wrote, and was gone to Gibraltar, it was said to superintend the fitting out of a private expedition from thence against some of the enemies' ports; Minorca or Malta were conjectured to be the objects. Frank writes in good spirits, but says that our correspondence cannot be so easily carried on in future as it has been, as the communication between Cadiz and Lisbon is less frequent than formerly. You and my mother, therefore, must not alarm yourselves at the long intervals that may divide his letters. I address this advice to you two as being the most tender-hearted of the family." - Jane Austen, Saturday 1-Sunday 2 December 1798
"Raly" - ha, ha, Georgian Valley Girls!
Frank Austen, aka, Francis-William Austen, was the sixth Austen in the family line; born just before Jane. He was born at Steventon on 23 April 1774. He left for the Royal Naval Academy in 1786, at just twelve years old. Frank had an illustrious Naval career. At the time of this letter he was a Commander. By the end of his career in 1865 he was Admiral of the Fleet.
Frank married first Mary Gibson of Ramsgate on 24 July 1806. They had eleven children.
1. Mary-Jane born on 27 April 1807
2. Francis-William born on 12 July 1809
3. Henry-Edgar born on 21 April 1811
4. George born on 20 October 1812
5. Cassandra-Eliza born on 8 January 1814
6. Herbert-Grey born on 8 November 1815
7. Elizabeth born on 15 April 1817
8. Catherine-Anne born on 7 July 1818
9. Edward-Thomas born on 28 January 1820
10. Frances-Sophia born on 12 December 1821
11. Cholmeley born on 8 July 1823. He died 11 January 1824.
Mary Gibson Austen died on 15 July 1823, just a few days after Cholmeley was born.
Frank remarried five years later to Martha Lloyd (Jane and Cassandra's friend and James Austen's wife, Mary's, sister) on 24 July 1828.
Here is a link to his wiki page. You know you are famous when you have a wiki page, right?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Austen
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain.
In the notes at the back of the book Deirdre Le Faye says it could be that Jane had written a br instead of an m, (they look much the same in her handwriting) so that she would have been saying her brother Edward and Cassandra were the most tender-hearted of the family. Either way, it was sweet that Jane was concerned they would be worried about not hearing from Frank. It seems she might have been a bit tender-hearted herself.
I hope you enjoyed your day today!
Terrie
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