Jane Austen's World

Our month-by-month exploration of Jane Austen’s life, letters, and novels continues now as we take a look at August in Jane Austen’s world. If you’re new to the “A Year in Jane Austen’s World” series, you can find previous articles here: January, February, March, April, May, June, and July.

During the lovely summer months in the Hampshire countryside, we know Jane loved to walk and write and visit with friends and family. Sometimes the days are hot, but most of the time, it’s sunny and warm–usually with a chance of showers, which is what helps keep things so pretty and green. If you visit Chawton House Gardens or Jane Austen’s House this time of year, there is plenty to see!

Austen in Stitches

This summer, Chawton House Museum is hosting the “Chawton in Stitches” exhibit, which showcases “the work of award-winning graduate of the Royal School of Needlework Emily Barnett, whose degree project took inspiration from the gardens and collection at Chawton House. Her final showstopping piece comprises three beautifully embroidered panels, focusing on the Orchard and the Knight family cookbook, the Rose Garden and Elizabeth Blackwell’s Curious Herbal, and the Library Terrace and the women’s writing collection.”

You can read more about it HERE.

Austen Fountain Pens

The Jane Austen House Museum is proud to announce a beautiful new set of pens from Montblanc: “Historic luxury pen manufacturer Montblanc releases four exquisite limited edition writing instruments, celebrating Jane Austen and inspired by Jane Austen’s House.”

“The Montblanc Writers Edition Homage to Jane Austen pays tribute to Jane Austen as one of Britain’s most celebrated novelists with four limited edition pens. Each writing instrument in the collection represents a passion in Jane Austen’s life, including the countryside, this very House, travel and the ball, illustrating the many facets of her life and works. Details in the craftsmanship of each pen seamlessly reflect aspects of Jane Austen’s life and writing.”

August in Jane Austen’s Letters

Jane tends to write about the weather at some point in her letters, and her August letters are no different:

Cork Street, August 1796
“We reached Staines yesterday, I do not (know) when, without suffering so much from the heat as I had hoped to do. We set off again this morning at seven o’clock, and had a very pleasant drive, as the morning was cloudy and perfectly cool. I came all the way in the chaise from Hertford Bridge.”

She also writes about Henry’s lovely new home in Hans Place, about her own room, the gardens, and the downstairs room that seems to be where she writes in the morning.

23 Hans Place, August 1814
“It is a delightful place,—more than answers my expectation. Having got rid of my unreasonable ideas, I find more space and comfort in the rooms than I had supposed, and the garden is quite a love. I am in the front attic, which is the bedchamber to be preferred.”

“I live in [Henry’s] room downstairs; it is particularly pleasant from opening upon the garden. I go and refresh myself every now and then, and then come back to solitary coolness.”

“Now I have breakfasted and have the room to myself again. It is likely to be a fine day. How do you all do?”

From Vic: “In 1814, Henry moved from his rooms above his bank to a house he purchased in Hans Place in Knightsbridge. The area was situated near his old quarters on Sloane Street.” You can read more about Hans Place in Vic’s detailed article, “Jane Austen’s Visits to London.”

August in Jane Austen’s Novels

Pride and Prejudice

• Mr. Gardiner writes to Mr. Bennet in August (Gracechurch Street, Monday, August 2). Elizabeth reads the letter:
  
  “My dear Brother, At last I am able to send you some tidings of my niece, and such as, upon the whole, I hope will give you satisfaction. Soon after you left me on Saturday, I was fortunate enough to find out in what part of London they were. The particulars I reserve till we meet. It is enough to know they are discovered: I have seen them both——”
  
  “Then it is as I always hoped,” cried Jane: “they are married!”
  
  Elizabeth reads on: “I have seen them both. They are not married, nor can I find there was any intention of being so; but if you are willing to perform the engagements which I have ventured to make on your side, I hope it will not be long before they are. All that is required of you is, to assure to your daughter, by settlement, her equal share of the five thousand pounds, secured among your children after the decease of yourself and my sister; and, moreover, to enter into an engagement of allowing her, during your life, one hundred pounds per annum…”

Mansfield Park

• Tom Bertram arrives home: “Sir Thomas was to return in November, and his eldest son had duties to call him earlier home. The approach of September brought tidings of Mr. Bertram, first in a letter to the gamekeeper and then in a letter to Edmund; and by the end of August he arrived himself, to be gay, agreeable, and gallant again as occasion served, or Miss Crawford demanded; to tell of races and Weymouth, and parties and friends, to which she might have listened six weeks before with some interest, and altogether to give her the fullest conviction, by the power of actual comparison, of her preferring his younger brother.”
  
• Sir Thomas arrives home earlier than expected: “Julia, appearing at it, with a face all aghast, exclaimed, ‘My father is come! He is in the hall at this moment.’ How is the consternation of the party to be described? To the greater number it was a moment of absolute horror. Sir Thomas in the house! All felt the instantaneous conviction. Not a hope of imposition or mistake was harboured anywhere. Julia’s looks were an evidence of the fact that made it indisputable; and after the first starts and exclamations, not a word was spoken for half a minute: each with an altered countenance was looking at some other, and almost each was feeling it a stroke the most unwelcome, most ill-timed, most appalling! Mr. Yates might consider it only as a vexatious interruption for the evening, and Mr. Rushworth might imagine it a blessing; but every other heart was sinking under some degree of self-condemnation or undefined alarm, every other heart was suggesting, ‘What will become of us? what is to be done now?’ It was a terrible pause; and terrible to every ear were the corroborating sounds of opening doors and passing footsteps.”

Emma

• August is when Jane Fairfax will leave Highbury: “Jane Fairfax was still at her grandmother’s; and as the return of the Campbells from Ireland was again delayed, and August, instead of Midsummer, fixed for it, she was likely to remain there full two months longer, provided at least she were able to defeat Mrs. Elton’s activity in her service, and save herself from being hurried into a delightful situation against her will.”
  
• Emma’s sisters Isabella plans to visit in August (and will keep Harriet with them until then): “Mr. and Mrs. John Knightley were to come down in August, and she was invited to remain till they could bring her back.”

Persuasion

• Anne Elliot’s birthday: Anne, born August 9, 1787.
  
• Captain Wentworth goes to stay with Captain Benwick in August in order to break the news of Fanny Harville’s (his fiancée’s) death: “Not till the first week of August, when he came home from the Cape, just made into the Grappler. I was at Plymouth dreading to hear of him; he sent in letters, but the Grappler was under orders for Portsmouth. There the news must follow him, but who was to tell it? not I. I would as soon have been run up to the yard-arm. Nobody could do it, but that good fellow (pointing to Captain Wentworth). The Laconia had come into Plymouth the week before; no danger of her being sent to sea again. He stood his chance for the rest; wrote up for leave of absence, but without waiting the return, travelled night and day till he got to Portsmouth, rowed off to the Grappler that instant, and never left the poor fellow for a week. That’s what he did, and nobody else could have saved poor James. You may think, Miss Elliot, whether he is dear to us!”

August Dates of Importance

This brings us now to several important August dates that relate to Jane and her family:

Family News:
26 August 1766: George Austen (Jane’s brother) born at Deane.
July-August 1768: Austen family moves to Steventon, Hampshire.

Historic Dates:
1 August 1798: Horatio Nelson’s victory over Napoleon’s fleet at the Battle of the Nile.

Writing:
August 1797: Austen finishes “First Impressions.”
8 August 1815: Austen begins Persuasion.
August 1816: Persuasion revised and finished.

Sorrows:
9 August 1798: Lady Williams (Jane Cooper, one of Austen’s lifelong friends), dies in a tragic carriage accident on the Isle of Wight at the age of 27.

Summer Wanes

As the summer heat slowly diminishes in Jane Austen’s England, we can look forward to the first breaths of autumn next month when we return to examine September in Jane Austen’s World. Until then, I hope you’ve enjoyed exploring August and all it has to offer!

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RACHEL DODGE teaches college English classes, gives talks at libraries, teas, and book clubs, and writes for Jane Austen’s World blog. She is the bestselling author of The Little Women Devotional, The Anne of Green Gables Devotional and Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen. Now Available: The Secret Garden Devotional! You can visit Rachel online at www.RachelDodge.com.