A Memoir of Jane Austen

More oxford books @ www.OxfordeBook.com
Fore more urdu books visit www.4Urdu.com
160
Anna Lefroy
she would certainly have the kindness to publish at least 4 vols
more about the Flint family, & especially would give many fresh
particulars on that part of it which M rs . H. has hitherto handled
too briefly; viz, the history of Mary Flint’s marriage with
Howard.
Miss Austen cannot close this small epitome of the miniature
abridgement of her thanks & admiration without expressing her
sincere hope that M rs . Hunter is provided at Norwich with a
more safe conveyance to London than Alton can now boast, as the
Car of Falkenstein° which was the pride of that Town was
overturned within the last 10 days.’
The Car of Falkenstein, Collier’s, but at that time called
Falkner’s Coach, relates to some earlier nonsense.
Her unusually quick sense of the ridiculous inclined her to
play with the trifling commonplaces of every day life, whether as
regarded people or things; but she never played with it’s serious
duties or responsibilities–– when grave she was very grave; I am
not sure but that Aunt Cassandra’s disposition was the most
equally cheerful of the two. Their affection for each other was
extreme; it passed the common love of sisters; and it had been so
from childhood. My Grandmother talking to me once [of] by
gone times, & of that particular time when my Aunts were placed
at the Reading Abbey School, said that Jane was too young to
make her going to school at all necessary, but it was her own
doing; she would go with Cassandra; ‘if Cassandra’s head had
been going to be cut off Jane would have her’s cut off too’––
They must however have been separated some times as Cassandra
in her childhood was a good deal with D r . & M rs . Cooper
at Bath°–– She once described to me her return to Steventon one
fine summer evening. The Coopers had sent or conveyed her a
good part of the journey, but my Grandfather had to go, I think as
far as Andover to meet her–– He might have conveyed himself by
Coach, but he brought his Daughter home in a Hack chaise; &
almost home they were when they met Jane & Charles, the two
little ones of the family, who had got as far as New down to meet
the chaise, & have the pleasure of riding home in it; but who first
spied the chaise tradition does not say, whether such happiness