LETTERS OF JANE AUSTEN
We shall be with you on Thursday to a very
late dinner — later, I suppose, than my father
will like for himself — but I give him leave to
eat one before. You must give us something
very nice, for we are used to live well.
Miss Austen, Steventon, Overton, Hants.
――――
1800, 1801
These are all addressed to Godmersham, where
Cassandra was staying with her brother Edward.
“Heathcote and Chute forever,” in the first letter
(No. 22), refers to the two Conservative
members, who again stood and were returned
without a contest in 1802. Mr. William Chute,
of the Vine, in the parish of Sherborn St. John,
Basingstoke, was a mighty fox-hunter, and the
founder of the celebrated pack which has since
been called by the name of his house. He was
elected M.P. for Hants in 1795. Camden mentions
this seat in the following laudatory words,
after the description of Basing House: —
“Neere unto this house, the Vine sheweth itselfe, a very faire place, and mansion house of the Baron Sands, so named of the vines there, which wee have had in Britaine, since Probus the emperour’s time, rather for shade than fruit.
For, hee permitted the Britaines to have vines.
