love and freindship-第6部分

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　but　I　am　sorry　to　say；　that　to　the　eternal　reproach　of　her　sensibility；　the　latter　infinitely　predominated。　　Nay；　faultless　as　my　conduct　had　certainly　been　during　the　whole　course　of　my　late　misfortunes　and　adventures；　she　pretended　to　find　fault　with　my　behaviour　in　many　of　the　situations　in　which　I　had　been　placed。　　As　I　was　sensible　myself；　that　I　had　always　behaved　in　a　manner　which　reflected　Honour　on　my　Feelings　and　Refinement；　I　paid　little　attention　to　what　she　said；　and　desired　her　to　satisfy　my　Curiosity　by　informing　me　how　she　came　there；　instead　of　wounding　my　spotless　reputation　with　unjustifiable　Reproaches。　　As　soon　as　she　had　complyed　with　my　wishes　in　this　particular　and　had　given　me　an　accurate　detail　of　every　thing　that　had　befallen　her　since　our　separation　（the　particulars　of　which　if　you　are　not　already　acquainted　with；　your　Mother　will　give　you）　I　applied　to　Augusta　for　the　same　information　respecting　herself；　Sir　Edward　and　Lady　Dorothea。

She　told　me　that　having　a　considerable　taste　for　the　Beauties　of　Nature；　her　curiosity　to　behold　the　delightful　scenes　it　exhibited　in　that　part　of　the　World　had　been　so　much　raised　by　Gilpin's　Tour　to　the　Highlands；　that　she　had　prevailed　on　her　Father　to　undertake　a　Tour　to　Scotland　and　had　persuaded　Lady　Dorothea　to　accompany　them。　　That　they　had　arrived　at　Edinburgh　a　few　Days　before　and　from　thence　had　made　daily　Excursions　into　the　Country　around　in　the　Stage　Coach　they　were　then　in；　from　one　of　which　Excursions　they　were　at　that　time　returning。　　My　next　enquiries　were　concerning　Philippa　and　her　Husband；　the　latter　of　whom　I　learned　having　spent　all　her　fortune；　had　recourse　for　subsistence　to　the　talent　in　which；　he　had　always　most　excelled；　namely；　Driving；　and　that　having　sold　every　thing　which　belonged　to　them　except　their　Coach；　had　converted　it　into　a　Stage　and　in　order　to　be　removed　from　any　of　his　former　Acquaintance；　had　driven　it　to　Edinburgh　from　whence　he　went　to　Sterling　every　other　Day。　　That　Philippa　still　retaining　her　affection　for　her　ungratefull　Husband；　had　followed　him　to　Scotland　and　generally　accompanied　him　in　his　little　Excursions　to　Sterling。　　〃It　has　only　been　to　throw　a　little　money　into　their　Pockets　（continued　Augusta）　that　my　Father　has　always　travelled　in　their　Coach　to　veiw　the　beauties　of　the　Country　since　our　arrival　in　Scotland　for　it　would　certainly　have　been　much　more　agreable　to　us；　to　visit　the　Highlands　in　a　Postchaise　than　merely　to　travel　from　Edinburgh　to　Sterling　and　from　Sterling　to　Edinburgh　every　other　Day　in　a　crowded　and　uncomfortable　Stage。〃　I　perfectly　agreed　with　her　in　her　sentiments　on　the　affair；　and　secretly　blamed　Sir　Edward　for　thus　sacrificing　his　Daughter's　Pleasure　for　the　sake　of　a　ridiculous　old　woman　whose　folly　in　marrying　so　young　a　man　ought　to　be　punished。　　His　Behaviour　however　was　entirely　of　a　peice　with　his　general　Character；　for　what　could　be　expected　from　a　man　who　possessed　not　the　smallest　atom　of　Sensibility；　who　scarcely　knew　the　meaning　of　simpathy；　and　who　actually　snored。　Adeiu　Laura。



LETTER　the　15th　LAURA　in　continuation。

When　we　arrived　at　the　town　where　we　were　to　Breakfast；　I　was　determined　to　speak　with　Philander　and　Gustavus；　and　to　that　purpose　as　soon　as　I　left　the　Carriage；　I　went　to　the　Basket　and　tenderly　enquired　after　their　Health；　expressing　my　fears　of　the　uneasiness　of　their　situation。　　At　first　they　seemed　rather　confused　at　my　appearance　dreading　no　doubt　that　I　might　call　them　to　account　for　the　money　which　our　Grandfather　had　left　me　and　which　they　had　unjustly　deprived　me　of；　but　finding　that　I　mentioned　nothing　of　the　Matter；　they　desired　me　to　step　into　the　Basket　as　we　might　there　converse　with　greater　ease。　　Accordingly　I　entered　and　whilst　the　rest　of　the　party　were　devouring　green　tea　and　buttered　toast；　we　feasted　ourselves　in　a　more　refined　and　sentimental　Manner　by　a　confidential　Conversation。　　I　informed　them　of　every　thing　which　had　befallen　me　during　the　course　of　my　life；　and　at　my　request　they　related　to　me　every　incident　of　theirs。

〃We　are　the　sons　as　you　already　know；　of　the　two　youngest　Daughters　which　Lord　St　Clair　had　by　Laurina　an　italian　opera　girl。　　Our　mothers　could　neither　of　them　exactly　ascertain　who　were　our　Father；　though　it　is　generally　beleived　that　Philander；　is　the　son　of　one　Philip　Jones　a　Bricklayer　and　that　my　Father　was　one　Gregory　Staves　a　Staymaker　of　Edinburgh。　　This　is　however　of　little　consequence　for　as　our　Mothers　were　certainly　never　married　to　either　of　them　it　reflects　no　Dishonour　on　our　Blood；　which　is　of　a　most　ancient　and　unpolluted　kind。　　Bertha　（the　Mother　of　Philander）　and　Agatha　（my　own　Mother）　always　lived　together。　　They　were　neither　of　them　very　rich；　their　united　fortunes　had　originally　amounted　to　nine　thousand　Pounds；　but　as　they　had　always　lived　on　the　principal　of　it；　when　we　were　fifteen　it　was　diminished　to　nine　Hundred。　　This　nine　Hundred　they　always　kept　in　a　Drawer　in　one　of　the　Tables　which　stood　in　our　common　sitting　Parlour；　for　the　convenience　of　having　it　always　at　Hand。　　Whether　it　was　from　this　circumstance；　of　its　being　easily　taken；　or　from　a　wish　of　being　independant；　or　from　an　excess　of　sensibility　（for　which　we　were　always　remarkable）　I　cannot　now　determine；　but　certain　it　is　that　when　we　had　reached　our　15th　year；　we　took　the　nine　Hundred　Pounds　and　ran　away。　　Having　obtained　this　prize　we　were　determined　to　manage　it　with　eoconomy　and　not　to　spend　it　either　with　folly　or　Extravagance。　　To　this　purpose　we　therefore　divided　it　into　nine　parcels；　one　of　which　we　devoted　to　Victuals；　the　2d　to　Drink；　the　3d　to　Housekeeping；　the　4th　to　Carriages；　the　5th　to　Horses；　the　6th　to　Servants；　the　7th　to　Amusements；　the　8th　to　Cloathes　and　the　9th　to　Silver　Buckles。　　Having　thus　arranged　our　Expences　for　two　months　（for　we　expected　to　make　the　nine　Hundred　Pounds　last　as　long）　we　hastened　to　London　and　had　the　good　luck　to　spend　it　in　7　weeks　and　a　Day　which　was　6　Days　sooner　than　we　had　intended。　　As　soon　as　we　had　thus　happily　disencumbered　ourselves　from　the　weight　of　so　much　money；　we　began　to　think　of　returning　to　our　Mothers；　but　accidentally　hearing　that　they　were　both　starved　to　Death；　we　gave　over　the　design　and　determined　to　engage　ourselves　to　some　strolling　Company　of　Players；　as　we　had　always　a　turn　for　the　Stage。　　Accordingly　we　offered　our　services　to　one　and　were　accepted；　our　Company　was　indeed　rather　small；　as　it　consisted　only　of　the　Manager　his　wife　and　ourselves；　but　there　were　fewer　to　pay　and　the　only　inconvenience　attending　it　was　the　Scarcity　of　Plays　which　for　want　of　People　to　fill　the　Characters；　we　could　perform。　　We　did　not　mind　trifles　however。　　One　of　our　most　admired　Performances　was　MACBETH；　in　which　we　were　truly　great。　　The　Manager　always　played　BANQUO　himself；　his　Wife　my　LADY　MACBETH。　　I　did　the　THREE　WITCHES　and　Philander　acted　ALL　THE　REST。　To　say　the　truth　this　tragedy　was　not　only　the　Best；　but　the　only　Play　that　we　ever　performed；　and　after　having　acted　it　all　over　England；　and　Wales；　we　came　to　Scotland　to　exhibit　it　over　the　remainder　of　Great　Britain。　　We　happened　to　be　quartered　in　that　very　Town；　where　you　came　and　met　your　Grandfather。　　We　were　in　the　Inn…yard　when　his　Carriage　entered　and　perceiving　by　the　arms　to　whom　it　belonged；　and　knowing　that　Lord　St　Clair　was　our　Grandfather；　we　agreed　to　endeavour　to　get　something　from　him　by　discovering　the　Relationship。　　You　know　how　well　it　succeeded。　Having　obtained　the　two　Hundred　Pounds；　we　instantly　left　the　Town；　leaving　our　Manager　and　his　Wife　to　act　MACBETH　by　themselves；　and　took　the　road　to　Sterling；　where　we　spent　our　little　fortune　with　great　ECLAT。　　We　are　now　returning　to　Edinburgh　in　order　to　get　some　preferment　in　the　Acting　way；　and　such　my　Dear　Cousin　is　our　History。〃

I　thanked　the　amiable　Youth　for　his　entertaining　narration；　and　after　expressing　my　wishes　for　their　Welfare　and　Happiness；　left　them　in　their　little　Habitation　and　returned　to　my　other　Freinds　who　impatiently　expected　me。

My　adventures　are　now　drawing　to　a　close　my　dearest　Marianne；　at　least　for　the　present。

When　we　arrived　at　Edinburgh　Sir　Edward　told　me　that　as　the　Widow　of　his　son；　he　desired　I　would　accept　from　his　Hands　of　four　Hundred　a　year。　　I　graciously　promised　that　I　would；　but　could　not　help　observing　that　the　unsimpathetic　Baronet　offered　it　more　on　account　of　my　being　the　Widow　of　Edward　than　in　being　the　refined　and　amiable　Laura。

I　took　up　my　Residence　in　a　Romantic　Village　in　the　Highlands　of　Scotland　where　I　have　ever　since　continued；　and　where　I　can　uninterrupted　by　unmeaning　Visits；　indulge　in　a　melancholy　solitude；　my　unceasing　Lamentations　for　the　Death　of　my　Father；　my　Mother；　my　Husband　and　my　Freind。

Augusta　has　been　for　several　years　united　to　Graham　the　Man　of　all　others　most　suited　to　her；　she　became　acquainted　with　him　during　her　stay　in　Scotland。

Sir　Edward　in　hopes　of　gaining　an　Heir　to　his　Title　and　Estate；　at　the　same　time　married　Lady　Dorothea。　　His　wishes　have　been　answered。

Philander　and　Gustavus；　after　having　raised　their　reputation　by　their　Performances　in　the　Theatrical　Line　at　Edinburgh；　removed　to　Covent　Garden；　where　they　still　exhibit　under　the　assumed　names　of　LUVIS　and　QUICK。

Philippa　has　long　paid　the　Debt　of　Nature；　Her　Husband　however　still　continues　to　drive　the　Stage…Coach　from　Edinburgh　to　Sterling：　Adeiu　my　Dearest　Marianne。　Laura。

Finis

June　13th　1790。



*

AN　UNFINISHED　NOVEL　IN　LETTERS


To　HENRY　THOMAS　AUSTEN　Esqre。

Sir

I　am　now　availing　myself　of　the　Liberty　you　have　frequently　honoured　me　with　of　dedicating　one　of　my　Novels　to　you。　　That　it　is　unfinished；　I　greive；　yet　fear　that　from　me；　it　will　always　remain　so；　that　as　far　as　it　is　carried；　it　should　be　so　trifling　and　so　unworthy　of　you；　is　another　concern　to　your　obliged　humble　Servant

The　Author


Messrs　Demand　and　Coplease　to　pay　Jane　Austen　Spinster　the　sum　of　one　hundred　guineas　on　account　of　your　Humble　Servant。

H。　T。　Austen

L105。　0。　0。

*

LESLEY　CASTLE



LETTER　the　FIRST　is　from　Miss　MARGARET　LESLEY　to　Miss　CHARLOTTE　LUTTERELL。　Lesley　Castle　　　　　Janry　3rd1792。

My　Brother　has　just　left　us。　　〃Matilda　（said　he　at　parting）　you　and　Mar