Fashionable mourning dresses, Ladies Museum, 1805
According to Jane Austen chronicler and scholar, David Nokes, when Martha Lloyd’s mother died on April 16, 1805, Jane Austen showed few signs of grief or emotion over that woman’s earthly departure. Instead, Jane wrote a jaunty verse to an uncivil (and imaginary) dressmaker. I surmise that these verses were meant more to cheer Martha up than to bring Martha’s mood down by reminding her of her loss. Mrs Austen, who was known for her droll verses, wrote a mythical reply by the dressmaker. At this time the Austen women were still reeling from Rev. Austen’s death in January and their own change in financial circumstances, having moved to more modest lodgings and becoming accustomed to a drastically reduced style of life. They would soon invite Martha to live with them in Bath. (Martha would remain with the Austen women through their move to Southampton in 1809.) After Jane’s death in 1817, Martha joined Cassandra in Chawton to help look after Mrs. Austen.
The poem that Jane wrote gives us a glimpse into how mourning clothes were made to order quickly. In this for-instance, the dressmaker, Miss Green, was slow to respond.
Lines sent to an uncivil Dress maker
Miss Lloyd has now sent to Miss Green,
As, on opening the box, may be seen,
Some yards of a Black Ploughman’s Gauze,
To be made up directly, because
Miss Lloyd must in mourning appear –
For the death of a Relative dear –
Miss Lloyd must expect to receive
This license to mourn & to grieve,
Complete, er’e the end of the week –
It is better to write than to speak – Jane Austen
Mrs. Austen’s reply as Miss Green
I’ve often made clothes
For those who write prose,
But ’tis the first time
I’ve had orders in rhyme – .
Depend on’t, fair Maid,
You shall be obeyed;
Your garment of black
Shall sit close to your back,
And in every part
I’ll exert all my art;
It shall be the neatest,
And eke the completest
That ever was seen –
Or my name is not Green! – Mrs. Cassandra Austen
I only learned from you, Vic, earlier today that our Jane’s mum was a writer of verse! I’ve learned so many interesting things from you! Your blogs are nothing short of amazing!
:) I can’t wait for our joint post to be published next week! Thanks for stopping by, Jean.
Jane’s mother gets treated so many ways. Some documentaries and books would have you thinking Jane gets her cleverness from her mother as well as her father; other treatments make you think she’s the very model of Mrs. Bennet. I like the fact that they are colluding in this way, putting a brave face on their own mourning and that of Martha.
Quite interesting! Their styles differed just in those 2 samples. They were both fun to read. I would imagine that they were trying to distract Martha. Had Martha’s father already died? Would she have been naturally worried about what was going to happen to her? Where she was going to live?
Must have been wonderful to be part of a large, witty and literary family. Great post.