Page:Austen - Novels and Letters 12.djvu/155

LETTERS OF JAXE AUSTEN a " very pleasant " one made to Chawton by Henry Austen and Mr. Tilson, and informs us, writing on Thursday, June 6, that they " began peas on Sunday " exactly two days before the orthodox time, which from King George the Third's accession until his death was always held to be " the good King's Birthday " — namely, June 4 — so that the loyal inmates of Chawton Cottage should have restrained their appetites until the Tuesday. There is not much more- in this letter, and then we have unfortunately an- other gap of nearly two letterless years, there being none in my collection from June 6, 1811, until May 24, 1813. LV Sloane St.: Thursday (April 18). My dear Cassandra, I have so many little matters to tell you of, that I cannot wait any longer before I begin to put them down. I spent Tuesday in Bentinck Street. The Cookes called here and took me back, and it was quite a Cooke day, for the Miss Rolles paid a visit while I was there, and Sam Arnold dropped in to tea. The badness of the weather disconcerted an excellent plan of mine — that of calling on Miss Beckford again; but from the middle of the day [127]