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Chawton May 22d*
Your kind Letter my dearest Anne found me in bed, for in spite of my hopes & promises when I wrote to you I have since been very ill indeed. An attack of my sad complaint seized me within a few days afterwards-the most severe I ever had-& coming upon me after weeks of indisposition, it reduced me very low. I have kept my bed since the 13. of April, with only removals to a Sopha. Now, I am getting well again, & indeed have been gradually tho' slowly recovering my strength for the last three weeks. I can sit up in my bed & employ myself, as I am proving to you at this present moment, & really am equal to being out of bed, but that the posture is thought good for me.-How to do justice to the kindness of all my family during this illness, is quite beyond me!-Every dear Brother so affectionate & so anxious!-and as for my Sister!-Words must fail me in any attempt to describe what a Nurse she has been to me. Thank God! she does not seem the worse for it yet, & as there was never any sitting-up necessary, I am willing to hope she has no after-fatigues to suffer from. I have so many alleviations & comforts to bless the Almighty for!-My head was always clear, & I had scarcely any pain; my cheif sufferings were from feverish nights, weakness and Languor.-This Discharge was on me for above a week, & as our Alton Apothy* did not pretend to be able to cope with it, better advice was called in. Our nearest very good, is at Winchester, where there is a Hospital & capital Surgeons, & one of them attended me, & his applications gradually removed the Evil.-The consequence is, that instead of going to Town to put myself into the hands of some Physician as I shd* otherwise have done, I am going to Winchester instead, for some weeks to see what Mr* Lyford can do farther towards re-establishing me in tolerable health.-On Saty* next, I am actually going thither-my dearest Cassandra with me I need hardly say-and as this is only two days off you will be convinced that I am now really a very genteel, portable sort of an Invalid.-The Journey is only 16 miles, we have comfortable Lodgings engaged for us by our kind friend Mrs** Heathcote who resides in W. & are to have the accomodation of my elder Brother's Carriage which will be sent over from Steventon on purpose. Now, that's a sort of thing which Mrs** J. Austen does in the kindest manner!-But still she is in the main not a liberal-minded Woman, & as to this reversionary Property's amending that part of her Character, expect it not my dear Anne;-too late, too late in the day;-& besides, the Property may not be theirs these ten years. My Aunt is very stout.-Mrs** F. A. has had a much shorter confinement than I have-with a Baby to produce into the bargain. We were put to bed nearly at the same time, & she has been quite recovered this great while.-I hope you have not been visited with more illness my dear Anne, either in your own person or your Eliza's.-I must not attempt the pleasure of addressing her again, till my hand is stronger, but I prize the invitation to do so.-Beleive me, I was interested in all you wrote, though with all the Egotism of an Invalid I write only of myself.-Your Charity to the poor Woman I trust fails no more in effect, than I am sure it does in exertion. What an interest it must be to you all! & how gladly shd* I contribute more than my good wishes, were it possible!-But how you are worried! Wherever distress falls, you are expected to supply Comfort. Ly P-writing to you even from Paris for advice!-It is the Influence of Strength over Weakness indeed.
-Galigai de Concini for ever & ever.-Adeiu.-Continue to direct to Chawton, the communication between the two places will be frequent.-I have not mentioned my dear Mother; she suffered much for me when I was at the worst, but is tolerably well.-Miss Lloyd too has been all kindness. In short, if I live to be an old Woman, I must expect to wish I had died now; blessed in the tenderness of such a Family, & before I had survived either them or their affection.-You would have held the memory of your friend Jane too in tender regret I am sure.-But the Providence of God has restored me-& may I be more fit to appear before him when I am summoned, than I shd* have been now!-Sick or Well, beleive me ever yr* attached friend
J. Austen
Mrs** Heathcote will be a great comfort, but we shall not have Miss Bigg, she being frisked off like half England, into Switzerland.
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