tolerable night, and bids fair for a continuance
in the same brilliant course of action to-day. . . .

Mr. Lyford[87] was here yesterday; he came while
we were at dinner, and partook of our elegant
entertainment. I was not ashamed at asking him to
sit down to table, for we had some pease-soup, a
sparerib, and a pudding. He wants my mother to
look yellow and to throw out a rash, but she will
do neither.

We live entirely in the dressing-room now, which I
like very much; I always feel so much more elegant
in it than in the parlour.

I have made myself two or three caps to wear of
evenings since I came home, and they save me a
world of torment as to hair-dressing, which at
present gives me no trouble beyond washing and
brushing, for my long hair is always plaited up
out of sight, and my short hair curls well enough
to want no papering.

_Sunday._--My father is glad to hear so good an
account of Edward's pigs, and desires he may be
told, as encouragement to his taste for them, that
Lord Bolton is particularly curious in _his_ pigs,
has had pigstyes of a most elegant construction
built for them, and visits them every morning as
soon as he rises.

This and the following letter contain allusions to Jane's wearing caps.
Those intended for use at balls, &c. would be smart head-dresses, worn
at that period by younger as well as older women.[88] In later life, the
Miss Austens seem to have been rather indifferent to fashion and beauty
in their clothing, although always very neat.

Steventon: Tuesday [December 18, 1798].

I took the liberty a few days ago of asking your
black velvet bonnet to lend me its cawl, which it
very readily did, and by which I have been enabled
to give a considerable improvement of dignity to
my cap, which was before too _nidgetty_ to please
me. I shall wear it on Thursday, but I hope you
will not be offended with me for following your
advice as to its ornaments only in part. I still
venture to retain the narrow silver round it, put
twice round without any bow, and instead of the
black military feather sha