A Memoir of Jane Austen

More oxford books @ www.OxfordeBook.com
Fore more urdu books visit www.4Urdu.com
188
Appendix
certainly, and perhaps the Portals; it lies very harmless now, as
good as dead, but the enquiry of who the gentleman might have
been would probably bring it to life again, & so the story would go
the round of the neighbourhood. Now I should not like the Withers
to think that the Austen’s had been so proud of her suitor, as
to have handed down his name to all succeeding generations–– I
should not mind telling any body, at this distance of time–– but
printing and publishing seem to me very different from talking
about the past––
During the few years my Grandfather lived at Bath, he went in
the summer with his wife and daughters to some sea-side. They
were in Devonshire, & in Wales–– & in Devonshire an acquaintance
was made with some very charming man–– I never heard
Aunt Cass. speak of anyone else with such admiration–– she had
no doubt that a mutual attachment was in progress between him
and her sister. They parted–– but he made it plain that he should
seek them out again–– & shortly afterwards he died!–– My Aunt
told me this in the late years of her own life–– & it was quite new
to me then–– but all this, being nameless and dateless, cannot I
know serve any purpose of your’s–– and it brings no contradiction
to your theory that she ˆAunt Janeˆ never had any attachment that
overclouded her happiness, for long. This had not gone far
enough, to leave misery behind.
Mr. Wither’s offer was made after the family had left
Steventon–– tho’ I suppose his love had grown in previous years
of intimacy. My Aunts were on a visit to Steventon at the time.
Aunt Jane I suppose was then about seven & twenty–– If the
circumstance is alluded to could you not make the matter less
traceable by intimating that they had then left the
neighbourhood?