Steventon, Augst. 26th

My dear sister,

I received your kind letter in town and should have thanked you for it before now, but was so hurried while I was in town that I deferred it till I got home, and then Mr. Austen told me he had wrote to you very lately, and so I thought I would stay a little longer. I was not so happy as to see my nephew Weaver, suppose he was hurried in time as I think every one is in town; ’tis a sad place, I would not live in it on any account: one has not time to do one’s duty either to God or man. I had the pleasure of leaving my sister tolerably well and the child quite so; they are now moved into the country: I hope change of air will enable her to pick up her strength. We talk of going there and to Scarlets in about three weeks’ time, and shall be absent a full month. I shall take both my boys with me: as I know you don’t love writing, and as you are so kind to say it gives you pleasure to hear from us, I will write again soon, but do let us hear of you sometimes, the oftener the better; and I dare say George or James will be your secretary whenever you are busy or not in a writing humour. Mr. Austen wrote to Bill about a fortnight ago, I hope he will receive it. Sister Hancock staid with us only a few days, she had more courage than you had, and set out in a post-chaise with only her little Bessy, for she brought neither Clarinda or Peter with her, but believe she sincerely repented, before she got to her journey’s end, for in the middle of Bagshot heath the postilion discovered that he had dropped the trunk from off the chaise. She immediately sent him back with the horses to find it, intending to sit in the chaise till he returned, but was soon out of patience and began to be pretty much frighted, so began her walk to the ‘Golden Farmer’ about two miles off, where she arrived half dead with fatigue, it being in the middle of a very hot day. When she was a little recovered she recollected she had left all the rest of her things (amongst which were a large parcel of India letters, which she had received the night before, and some of them she had not read) in the chaise with the door open, she sent a man directly after them and got them all safe and after some considerable time the driver came with the trunk and without any more misfortune got to Bolton Street about nine o’clock. She is now settled in her cottage near Cobham, Surrey. The letters brought good accounts both of my brother Hancock and Mr. Hastings. To be sure if cossen Harry gets this living Madam must enlarge her money bag. What luck we shall have with those sort of cows I can’t say. My little Alderney one turns out tolerably well, and makes more butter than we use, and I have just bought another of the same sort, but as her calf is but just gone, cannot say what she will be good for yet. Indeed my dear sister I do most sincerely pity your lonely situation, should have been most happy had fortune placed us in the same neighbourhood. Am sorry we are not likely to see my brother Walter at present but hope he will come to us so soon as ’tis convenient to him.

Neddy is not so ungrateful to forget so good an aunt but talks of you very often. Thank God they are all very well, as are also Mr. Austen, and myself. Our kindest love to you and my brother, nephews and niece.

I am, my dear sister Your very affect. C: Austen.