Hello! A hearty welcome to all my fellow Janeites as well as those who are joining our ranks for the very first time. This year, the Jane Austen Summer Program is dedicating this space to exploring all of Jane Austen’s literary works in honor of her 250th birthday celebration. We have elected to start with the fragments and bits that were cobbled together during her youth and are now lovingly referred to as her Juvenilia. And so, with that in mind, we turn our attentions to Jane Austen’s epistolary work, Lesley-Castle.
Synopsis
The first letter in this series is written by Miss Margaret (Peggy) Lesley to her friend, Miss Charlotte Lutterell. Much is happening at the secluded Lesley Castle because quite recently, Peggy and Matilda Lesley’s older brother left his two-year-old daughter, little Louisa, in their care and went to travel the continent. Peggy and Matilda’s father, Sir George, is busy scurrying about London, enjoying his life in the most capricious manner, and behaving like someone much younger than his fifty-seven-year-old self. But Peggy does not begrudge either of these men in her life their adventures. She, Matilda, and little Louisa are happy in their old castle, well away from Society. The sisters are essentially locked away and see only their nearest neighbors, and that is enough for them. Peggy is saddened that it has been four years since she last saw her friend, Charlotte, and wishes they could at some point cross paths again. She invites Charlotte to come to Lesley-Castle and thinks of how nice it would be if her father or brother would arrange for a meeting in any of the local towns.
With the second letter, the reader learns that Miss Charlotte has put aside the task of writing to her friend Peggy these last five weeks because she’s been involved in dealing with the preparations for her sister, Eloisa’s, upcoming nuptials. She reports that all her hard work has been in vain though because just before the wedding was supposed to take place it was canceled. This seems tragic enough, but then she shares the reason for the rupture. It seems that Eloisa’s betrothed, Henry Hervey, was thrown from a horse and there is little cause to think he might ever recover. Charlotte is distraught because she cannot think what will become of all the food she has prepared for this special occasion. While Eloisa cries, Charlotte reminds her that she is the one with the most cause to lament because she will surely have to do this all over once Eloisa decides to marry again—should the gentleman be a recovered Mr. Hervey or someone else. After Henry Hervey dies, a little while later, the family elects to go to Bristol so Eloisa can try to recover and cope with her grief. Near the end of the letter, unexpectedly, Charlotte reports that Peggy and Matilda’s father, Sir George, has taken a wife.
This third letter is devoted to Peggy’s reaction to the news about having a new stepmother. Initially, she is quite concerned with how this new marriage union will impact her and her sister. They fear that their stepmother will encourage their father to keep up his lively, lavish behavior and he will squander all their riches. There are also some concerns about what will happen should Sir George and the new Lady Lesley visit Lesley-Castle. Will Matilda have her position usurped at the head of the table? The sisters wish only to know more about their new stepmother. Then, she switches topics altogether and shares news about her brother. He is feeling much better about returning to his life of bachelorhood. Peggy tells the tale of how her brother first met his estranged wife, Louisa. Louisa set out to beguile him because she was penniless. After little Louisa, their daughter, was born, her true colors were revealed, and she was only too eager to take up with a young man named Danvers while abandoning Lesley.
As though they are not carrying on a conversation at all, when Charlotte writes her next letter to Peggy, she does not pick up where her friend left off, but instead, tells of her own woes. She writes a great deal about disposing of the wedding feast. Then, shares the knowledge she has of Peggy’s new stepmother with her. It seems that the new Lady Lesley and Charlotte were convenient friends at first but have kept up a rapid correspondence. Charlotte is sure the lady is tired of writing, yet they persist. She tells Peggy her worries are rationale because her father’s new wife is likely to squander the money and want all the family jewels for herself. Charlotte says that even though they have been in Bristol for some time, her sister, Eloisa, continues mourning. Charlotte has tried to convince Eloisa to move on and take interest in a new man, Mr. Cleveland, but there is resistance. Charlotte, for her part, cannot be persuaded to pursue Mr. Cleveland because she is content with dressing wedding tables for all her nearest and dearest.
The fifth letter in this set is sent from Peggy to Charlotte. She, her sister, and little Louisa, have been visited by Sir George and the new Lady Lesley. Peggy deems the woman to be not at all attractive, at least in the way Charlotte described. And it is apparent that once Lady Lesley has seen her new relations, she is ready to travel the four hundred miles right back to London almost immediately. But, interestingly enough, Lady Lesley and her companion, Mr. Fitzgerald, insist that Peggy, Matilda, and even little Louisa all come to town too.
The reader is given a view into Lady Susan Lesley’s mind when in the sixth letter, we see her correspondence with Miss Charlotte. She is disappointed in the old castle, the boring countryside, and the tall girls who are her husband’s daughters. Nothing is as she thought it would be. She is inclined to spend all day in her own room rather than be with the rest of them. When Lady Lesley notices that her brother, William Fitzgerald, seems to be overly fond of Matilda, she sets out to dissuade him from making the match. He needs to marry someone with a fortune, but Matilda’s money is entirely dependent on her father. At present, Lady Lesley controls Sir George’s purse strings and she has no intention of setting aside a large dowry for either of the girls. William passionately defends the girls calling them beautiful, with tall, elegant figures, and lustrous eyes. He offends his sister during the conversation, and she resolves to no longer try to give him good counsel.
Letter the Seventh is sent from Charlotte to Peggy. She has found it oddly amusing to read both Peggy and Lady Lesley’s letters these past few days. They are both handsome women who seem to be jealous of one another’s beauty. This sparks Charlotte to write of the rivalry that once existed between herself and her sibling, Eloisa. Years ago, they used to compete and try to earn the admiration and adulation of their parents. When they grew older, they left those ways behind. Eloisa excelled musically. Charlotte was a gifted baker. They both praised each other for their skills. In the last year, they have cooled toward one another but now Charlotte feels sorry for Eloisa because even though six weeks have passed, she is still not over the loss of Henry Hervey.
This letter veers off course, as we dip into the correspondence between Eloisa and her new confidant, Mrs. Emma Marlowe. Eloisa tells Emma that she is grateful. She never thought of having a true friend outside of her sister but takes such comfort in Emma’s acquaintance. She appreciates being able to wallow in her grief and still speak affectionately of Henry to her friend. Emma affords her this opportunity while all the others only seek to pull her out of her melancholy state. She is too sad to proceed, but again, thanks Emma for being a good friend and correspondent.
Emma’s response to Eloisa makes up letter number nine. In the first half, she assures Eloisa it is fine to write her most gloomy thoughts. Emma wishes to cheer up her friend, but also understands the need to share that which is most pressing. Then Mrs. Marlowe writes of her meeting with Lady Lesley, Matilda, and Peggy. They are all beautiful women, but Emma does not think any of them are as charming or attractive as Eloisa. Once she has given the compliment, she rails about the way women are never permitted to say sweet things to one another but begs her friend to see the words as the truth.
The final letter in this work comes from Peggy and is sent to Charlotte. Peggy feels that she cannot truly enjoy being in London because she and her sister are always surrounded by so many admirers. She knows Matilda has feelings for William Fitzgerald and Peggy confesses that she met Mrs. Marlowe’s brother, Mr. Cleveland, and found him to be her heart’s delight. Even though they did not speak a single word to each other, she is certain Mr. Cleveland would have dazzled her. Peggy has seen little of her father because he is always at the gaming tables. She spends more time than she’d like with her stepmother. It vexes her greatly to see little Lady Lesley wearing all the family jewels, but she has received word from her brother. He and his ex-wife, Louisa, have divorced. They have both remarried people they met while in Italy. He wishes for his sisters to bring little Louisa to Italy so he might see his daughter. Peggy does not know if or when the journey might take place because everyone has a different opinion about making the trek.
Analysis
In this epistolary novel, there are so many fragmented scenes taking place at once, it’s difficult to know where to look. Should we be watching what is happening in Italy and anticipating the family taking a trip there? Should we be remembering Lesley-Castle and readying ourselves to see the sisters return home? Or is there more to be said about the budding relationships between Peggy and Mr. Cleveland as well as Matilda and Mr. Fitzgerald? And what of Charlotte? Will she finally meet her match and encounter a gentleman who cares for food preparation in the same way she does?
It is a wonder that Austen did not return to this tale in her later years, if for no other reason than to flesh out these storylines and figure out which way to take the narrative.
A copy of the full text may be downloaded here.
With this reading, we have concluded our study of Austen’s Juvenilia. Please continue to celebrate Jane Austen’s upcoming birthday with us by reading Northanger Abbey.
Images: A View of Cawdor Castle, Scotland, 2023, Photo Taken By Mindy Killgrove-Harris
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