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CAROLINE AUSTEN My Aunt Jane Austen: A Memoir (1867)
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Caroline was very young when her aunt, Jane Austen, passed away, so her memories of the famous aunt are those of a child, and hence the charm. Also, she was the younger daughter of Jane Austen's eldest brother James, and hence grew up in the same home, the rectory at Steventon, where Jane was born and lived until she was twenty five, when the family moved to Bath for a few years, before they moved back to Chawton, which was close enough, that Caroline could visit often enough to have known her aunt Jane Austen well.
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" ... We remember our dead always—but when we shall have joined them their memory may be said to have perished out of the earth, for no distinct idea of them remains behind, and the next generation soon forget that they ever existed—"
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"Since her death, the public voice has placed her in the first rank of the Novellists of her day—given her, I may say, the first place amongst them—and it seems but right that some record should remain with us of her life and character; and that she herself should not be forgotten by her nearest descendants, whilst her writings still live, and are still spreading her fame wherever the English books are read.—Her last long surviving Brother° has recently died at the age of 91 [‘1865’ is in margin]—The generation who knew her is passing away—but those who are succeeding us must feel an interest in the personal character of their Great Aunt, who has made the family name in some small degree, illustrious—For them therefore, and for my own gratification I will try to call back my recollections of what she was, and what manner of life she led—It is not much that I have to tell—for I mean to relate only what I saw and what I thought myself—I was just twelve years old when she died—therefore, I knew her only with a child’s knowledge—
"Since her death, the public voice has placed her in the first rank of the Novellists of her day—given her, I may say, the first place amongst them—and it seems but right that some record should remain with us of her life and character; and that she herself should not be forgotten by her nearest descendants, whilst her writings still live, and are still spreading her fame wherever the English books are read.—Her last long surviving Brother° has recently died at the age of 91 [‘1865’ is in margin]—The generation who knew her is passing away—but those who are succeeding us must feel an interest in the personal character of their Great Aunt, who has made the family name in some small degree, illustrious—For them therefore, and for my own gratification I will try to call back my recollections of what she was, and what manner of life she led—It is not much that I have to tell—for I mean to relate only what I saw and what I thought myself—I was just twelve years old when she died—therefore, I knew her only with a child’s knowledge—
"My first very distinct remembrance of her is in her own home at Chawton—The house belonged to her second Brother, Mr. Knight (of Godmersham & Chawton) and was by him made a comfortable residence for his Mother and sisters—The family party there were, my Grandmother, Mrs. Austen—my two Aunts, her daughters—and a third Aunt of mine—Miss Lloyd, who had made her home with them before I can remember, and who remained their inmate as long as Mrs. Austen lived—"
"Now, as the remembrance of Chawton Cottage, for so in later years it came to be called, is still pleasant to me—I will assume that those who never knew it, may like to have laid before them, a description of their Aunt’s home—the last that she dwelt in—where, in the maturity of her mind, she completed the works that have given her an English name—where after a few years, whilst still in the prime of life, she began to droop and wither away—the home from whence she removed only in the last stage of her illness, by the persuasion of her friends, hoping against hope—and to which her sister before long had to return alone—
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"Now, as the remembrance of Chawton Cottage, for so in later years it came to be called, is still pleasant to me—I will assume that those who never knew it, may like to have laid before them, a description of their Aunt’s home—the last that she dwelt in—where, in the maturity of her mind, she completed the works that have given her an English name—where after a few years, whilst still in the prime of life, she began to droop and wither away—the home from whence she removed only in the last stage of her illness, by the persuasion of her friends, hoping against hope—and to which her sister before long had to return alone—
"My Grand Father, Mr. Austen, held for many years, the adjoining Livings of Deane and Steventon—but gave up his duties to his eldest son, and settled at Bath, a very few years before his own death—For a while, his Widow and daughters remained at Bath—then they removed to Southampton—and finally settled in the village of Chawton—
"Mr. Knight had been able to offer his Mother the choice of two houses—one in Kent near to Godmersham—and the other at Chawton—and she and her daughters eventually decided on the Hampshire residence."
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"The front door opened on the road,° a very narrow enclosure of each side, protected the house from the possible shock of any runaway vehicle—A good sized entrance, and two parlours, called dining and drawing room, made the length of the house; all intended originally to look on the road—but the large drawing room window was blocked-up and turned into a bookcase when Mrs. Austen took possession and another was opened at the side, which gave to view only turf and trees—A high wooden fence shut out the road (the Winchester road it was) all the length of the little domain, and trees were planted inside to form a shrubbery walk—which carried round the enclosure, gave a very sufficient space for exercise—you did not feel cramped for room; and there was a pleasant irregular mixture of hedgerow, and grass, and gravel walk and long grass for mowing, and orchard—which I imagine arose from two or three little enclosures having been thrown together, and arranged as best might be, for ladies’ occupation—There was besides a good kitchen garden, large court and many out-buildings, not much occupied—and all this affluence of space was very delightful to children, and I have no doubt added considerably to the pleasure of a visit—
"Everything indoors and out was well kept—the house was well furnished, and it was altogether a comfortable and ladylike establishment, tho’ I beleive the means which supported it, were but small—
"The house was quite as good as the generality of Parsonage houses then—and much in the same old style—the ceilings low and roughly finished—some bedrooms very small—none very large but in number sufficient to accomodate the inmates, and several guests—
"The dining room could not be made to look anywhere but on the road—and there my Grandmother often sat for an hour or two in the morning, with her work or her writing—cheered by its sunny aspect, and by the stirring scene it afforded her."
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"My visits to Chawton were frequent—I cannot tell when they began—they were very pleasant to me—and Aunt Jane was the great charm—As a very little girl, I was always creeping up to her, and following her whenever I could, in the house and out of it—I might not have remembered this, but for the recollection of my Mother’s telling me privately, I must not be troublesome to my Aunt—
"Her charm to children was great sweetness of manner—she seemed to love you, and you loved her naturally in return—This as well as I can now recollect and analyse, was what I felt in my earliest days, before I was old enough to be amused by her cleverness—But soon came the delight of her playful talk—Everything she could make amusing to a child—Then, as I got older, and when cousins came to share the entertainment, she would tell us the most delightful stories chiefly of Fairyland, and her Fairies had all characters of their own—The tale was invented, I am sure, at the moment, and was sometimes continued for 2 or 3 days, if occasion served—"
"As to my Aunt’s personal appearance, her’s was the first face that I can remember thinking pretty, not that I used that word to myself, but I know I looked at her with admiration—Her face was rather round than long—she had a bright, but not a pink colour—a clear brown complexion and very good hazle eyes—She was not, I beleive, an absolute beauty, but before she left Steventon she was established as a very pretty girl, in the opinion of most of her neighbours—as I learnt afterwards from some of those who still remained—Her hair, a darkish brown, curled naturally—it was in short curls round her face (for then ringlets were not.) She always wore a cap—Such was the custom with ladies who were not quite young—at least of a morning but I never saw her without one, to the best of my remembrance, either morning or evening."
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"Of the two, Aunt Jane was by far my favourite—I did not dislike Aunt Cassandra—but if my visit had at any time chanced to fall out during her absence, I don’t think I should have missed her—whereas, not to have found Aunt Jane at Chawton, would have been a blank indeed!
"Of the two, Aunt Jane was by far my favourite—I did not dislike Aunt Cassandra—but if my visit had at any time chanced to fall out during her absence, I don’t think I should have missed her—whereas, not to have found Aunt Jane at Chawton, would have been a blank indeed!
"As I grew older, I met with young companions at my Grandmother’s—Of Capt. Charles Austen’s motherless girls, one the eldest, Cassy—lived there chiefly, for a time—under the especial tutorage of Aunt Cassandra; and then Chawton House was for a while inhabited by Capt. Frank Austen; and he had many children°—I beleive we were all of us, according to our different ages and natures, very fond of our Aunt Jane—and that we ever retained a strong impression of the pleasantness of Chawton life—One of my cousins,° now long since dead, after he was grown up, used occasionally to go and see Aunt Cassa.—then left sole inmate of the old house—and he told me once, that his visits were always a disappointment to him—for that he could not help expecting to feel particularly happy at Chawton and never till he got there, could he fully realise to himself how all its peculiar pleasures were gone—
"In the time of my childhood, it was a cheerful house—my Uncles, one or another, frequently coming for a few days; and they were all pleasant in their own family—I have thought since, after having seen more of other households, wonderfully, as the family talk had much of spirit and vivacity, and it was never troubled by disagreements as it was not their habit to argue with each other—There always was perfect harmony amongst the brothers and sisters ..."
"Aunt Jane began her day with music—for which I conclude she had a natural taste; as she thus kept it up—tho’ she had no one to teach; was never induced (as I have heard) to play in company; and none of her family cared much for it. I suppose, that she might not trouble them, she chose her practising time before breakfast—when she could have the room to herself—She practised regularly every morning—She played very pretty tunes, I thought—and I liked to stand by her and listen to them; but the music, (for I knew the books well in after years) would now be thought disgracefully easy—Much that she played from was manuscript, copied out by herself—and so neatly and correctly, that it was as easy to read as print—
""I don’t beleive Aunt Jane observed any particular method in parcelling out her day but I think she generally sat in the drawing room till luncheon: when visitors were there, chiefly at work°—She was fond of work—and she was a great adept at overcast and satin stitch—the peculiar delight of that day—General handiness and neatness were amongst her characteristics— ... "
"After luncheon, my Aunts generally walked out—sometimes they went to Alton for shopping—Often, one or the other of them, to the Great House—as it was then called—when a brother was inhabiting it, to make a visit—or if the house were standing empty they liked to stroll about the grounds—sometimes to Chawton Park—a noble beech wood, just within a walk—but sometimes, but that was rarely, to call on a neighbour—They had no carriage, and their visitings did not extend far—there were a few familities [sic] living in the village—but no great intimacy was kept up with any of them—they were upon friendly but rather distant terms, with all—Yet I am sure my Aunt Jane had a regard for her neighbours and felt a kindly interest in their proceedings. She liked immensely to hear all about them. They sometimes served for her amusement, but it was her own nonsense that gave zest to the gossip—She never turned them into ridicule—She was as far as possible from being either censorious or satirical ... "
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"A very warm admirer of my Aunt’s writing but a stranger in England, lately made the observation that it would be most interesting to know what had been Miss Austen’s opinions on the great public events of her time—a period as she rightly observed, of the greatest interest—for my Aunt must have been a young woman, able to think, at the time of the French Revolution & the long disastrous chapter then begun, was closed by the battle of Waterloo, two years before her death—anyone might naturally desire to know what part such a mind as her’s had taken in the great strifes of war and policy which so disquieted Europe for more than 20 years—and yet, it was a question that had never before presented itself to me—and tho’ I have now retraced my steps on this track, I have found absolutely nothing!—"
"A very warm admirer of my Aunt’s writing but a stranger in England, lately made the observation that it would be most interesting to know what had been Miss Austen’s opinions on the great public events of her time—a period as she rightly observed, of the greatest interest—for my Aunt must have been a young woman, able to think, at the time of the French Revolution & the long disastrous chapter then begun, was closed by the battle of Waterloo, two years before her death—anyone might naturally desire to know what part such a mind as her’s had taken in the great strifes of war and policy which so disquieted Europe for more than 20 years—and yet, it was a question that had never before presented itself to me—and tho’ I have now retraced my steps on this track, I have found absolutely nothing!—"
" ... Of her historical opinions I am able to record thus much—that she was a most loyal adherent of Charles the 1st, and that she always encouraged my youthful beleif in Mary Stuart’s perfect innocence of all the crimes with which History has charged her memory—°"
"As I grew older, she would talk to me more seriously of my reading, and of my amusements—I had taken early to writing verses and stories, and I am sorry to think how I troubled her with reading them. She was very kind about it, and always had some praise to bestow but at last she warned me against spending too much time upon them—She said—how well I recollect it! that she knew writing stories was a great amusement, and she thought a harmless one—tho’ many people, she was aware, thought otherwise—but that at my age it would be bad for me to be much taken up with my own compositions—Later still—it was after she got to Winchester, she sent me a message to this effect—That if I would take her advice, I should cease writing° till I was 16, and that she had herself often wished she had read more, and written less, in the corresponding years of her own life."
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"Two of the great Physicians° of the day had attended my Uncle during his illness—I am not, at this distance of time, sufficiently sure which they were, as to give their names, but one of them had very intimate access to the Prince Regent, and continuing his visits during my Uncle’s recovery, he told my Aunt one day, that the Prince was a great admirer of her Novels: that he often read them, and had a set in each of his residences—That he, the physician had told his Royal Highness that Miss Austen was now in London, and that by the Prince’s desire, Mr. Clarke, the Librarian of Carlton House, would speedily wait upon her—
"Mr. Clarke came, and endorsed all previous compliments, and invited my Aunt to see Carlton House, saying the Prince had charged him to show her the Library there, adding many civilities as to the pleasure his R.H. had received from her Novels—Three had then been published—The invitation could not be declined—and my Aunt went, at an appointed time, to Carlton House—
"She saw the Library, and I beleive some other apartments, but the particulars of her visit, if I ever heard them, I have now forgotten—only this, I do well recollect—that in the course of it, Mr. Clarke, speaking again of the Regent’s admiration of her writing, declared himself charged to say, that if Miss Austen had any other Novel forthcoming, she was quite at liberty to dedicate it to the Prince.
"My Aunt made all proper acknowledgments at the moment, but had no intention of accepting the honor offered—until she was avised [sic] by some of her friends that she must consider the permission as a command—
"Emma was then in the Publisher’s hands—so a few lines of dedication were affixed to the 1st volume, and following still the instructions of the well informed she sent a Copy, handsomely bound, to Carlton House—and I suppose it was duly acknowledged by Mr. Clarke—
"My Aunt soon after her visit to him, returned home, where the little adventure was talked of for a while with some interest, and afforded some amusement°—In the following Spring, Mr. Henry Austen ceased to reside in London, and my Aunt was never brought so near the precints of the Court again—nor did she ever try to recall herself to the recollection of Physician, Librarian or Prince, and so ended this little burst of Royal Patronage."
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"In my later visits to Chawton Cottage, I remember Aunt Jane used often to lie down after dinner—My Grandmother herself was frequently on the sofa—sometimes in the afternoon, sometimes in the evening, at no fixed period of the day,—She had not bad health for her age, and she worked often for hours in the garden, and naturally wanted rest afterwards—There was only one sofa in the room—and Aunt Jane laid upon 3 chairs which she arranged for herself—I think she had a pillow, but it never looked comfortable—She called it her sofa, and even when the other was unoccupied, she never took it—It seemed understood that she preferred the chairs—
"I wondered and wondered—for the real sofa was frequently vacant, and still she laid in this comfortless manner—I often asked her how she could like the chairs best—and I suppose I worried her into telling me the reason of her choice—which was, that if she ever used the sofa, Grandmama would be leaving it for her, and would not lie down, as she did now, whenever she felt inclined—"
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"I need scarcely say she was dearly loved by her family—Her Brothers were very proud of her—Her literary fame, at the close of her life, was only just spreading—but they were proud of her talents, which they even then estimated highly— ... "
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September 15, 2021 - September 16, 2021.
Paperback, 22 pages
Published 1952 by Jane Austen Society
Original Title
My Aunt Jane Austen
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