Jane in Letters
Jane Austen and her sister Cassandra maintained a lengthy written correspondence throughout their lives – not unlike the practice of the Dashwood sisters of Sense and Sensibility. These selected quotations from Jane’s letters to her sister provide a glimpse into the Austen world:

Jane on Flirtation

To Cassandra (1796)

“You scold me so much in the nice long letter which I have this moment received from you, that I am almost afraid to tell you how my Irish friend and I behaved. Imagine to yourself everything most profligate and shocking in the way of dancing and sitting down together. I can expose myself, however, only once more, because he leaves the country soon after next Friday, on which day we are to have a dance at Ashe after all. He is a very gentlemanlike, good-looking, pleasant young man, I assure you.”

Jane on Dances

To Cassandra (1798)

“There were twenty dances, and I danced them all, and without any fatigue. I was glad to find myself capable of dancing so much, and with so much satisfaction as I did; from my slender enjoyment of the Ashford balls (as assemblies for dancing) I had not thought myself equal to it, but in cold weather and with few couples I fancy I could just as well dance for a week together as for half an hour. My black cap was openly admired by Mrs. LeFroy, and secretly I imagine by everybody else in the room.”

Jane on Parties

To Cassandra (1801)

“She is not so pretty as I expected; her face has the same defect of baldness as her sister’s, & her features not so handsome; she was highly rouged, & looked rather quietly & contentedly silly than anything else. Mrs. Badcock & two young Women were of the same party, except when Mrs. Badcock thought herself obliged to leave them to run around the room after her drunken Husband. His avoidance, & her pursuit, with the probable intoxication of both, was an amusing scene.”

“Another stupid party last night; perhaps if larger they might be less intolerable, but here there were only just enough to make one card table, with six people to look on, & talk nonsense to each other…I cannot anyhow continue to find people agreeable; I respect Mrs. Chamberlayne for doing her hair well, but cannot feel a more tender sentiment. Miss Langley is like any other short girl with a broad nose & wide mouth, fashionable dress, & exposed bosom.”