Jane Austen Letters

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Waiting for the baby who will be Jane

Jane’s mother expects her next baby in November, though Jane will not arrive until December. She describes the children already at home: Francis is walking, little Cassandra talks all day, and Henry is proud of wearing breeches. Susanna Walter, the recipient, is married to George Austen’s half-brother.

Cassandra Austen (née Leigh) to Susanna Walter (née Weaver)
AUG 20, 1775

Steventon, 20th Augst. 1775.

My dear sister,

Your letter for which I sincerely thank you gave us very great pleasure by the good account it brought of our nephew George’s safe arrival at Jamaica, which was a circumstance we had for many weeks been very desirous of hearing; may all your future letters from both the young men be as favorable in the accounts they contain of their health and welfare as this was. Weaver has our warmest wishes for his success at Cambridge. Many thanks for your good wishes; we are all, I thank God, in good health, and I am more nimble and active than I was last time, expect to be confined some time in November. My last boy is very stout, and has run alone these two months, and he is not yet sixteen months old. My little girl talks all day long, and in my opinion is a very entertaining companion. Henry has been in breeches some months and thinks himself near as good a man as his brother Neddy, indeed no one would judge by their looks that there was above three years and a half difference in their ages, one is so little and the other so great. Master Van is got very well again, and has been with us again these three months; he is gone home this morning for a few holidays. The wheat promises to be very good this year, but we have had a most sad wet time for getting it in, however, we got the last load in yesterday, just four weeks after we first began reaping.

I am afraid the weather is not likely to mend for it rains very much to-day, and we want dry weather for our peas and oats; I don’t hear of any barley ripe yet, so am afraid it will be very late before harvest is over.

I was in hopes I should have seen you in Hampshire this summer, but it is now getting so late in the year that I suppose I must not think of it, and especially as you have so many young people under your care. I am sure I should be most sincerely glad to see you if you could come. I have nothing more to add at present but our love and good wishes to yourself and my brother and to all your young ones. I am very glad to find Mr. Freeman undertakes the care of the little orphans. My boys desire duty and love.

From your very affectte. sister, C. Austen.

Austen Papers identifies Susanna Walter as recipient; the earlier Life and Letters extracts are introduced collectively as letters to Mr. and Mrs. Walter.

Source: Austen Papers 1704–1856, edited by R. A. Austen-Leigh (1942), p. 31.