With such a provision on my part, if you will do yours by repeating
the French Grammar, and Mrs. Stent {66b} will now and then ejaculate
some wonder about the cocks and hens, what can we want? Farewell for
a short time. We all unite in best love, and I am your very
affectionate
'J. A.'
The two next letters must have been written early in 1801, after the
removal from Steventon had been decided on, but before it had taken
place. They refer to the two brothers who were at sea, and give some
idea of a kind of anxieties and uncertainties to which sisters are seldom
subject in these days of peace, steamers, and electric telegraphs. At
that time ships were often windbound or becalmed, or driven wide of their
destination; and sometimes they had orders to alter their course for some
secret service; not to mention the chance of conflict with a vessel of
superior power--no improbable occurrence before the battle of Trafalgar.
Information about relatives on board men-of-war was scarce and scanty,
and often picked up by hearsay or chance means; and every scrap of
intelligence was proportionably valuable:--
'MY DEAR CASSANDRA,
'I should not have thought it necessary to write to you so soon, but
for the arrival of a letter from Charles to myself.
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