*

I am very much obliged to Fanny for her letter; it
made me laugh heartily, but I cannot pretend to
answer it. Even had I more time, I should not
feel at all sure of the sort of letter that Miss
D.[253] would write. I hope Miss Benn is got well
again, and will have a comfortable dinner with you
to-day.

_Monday Evening._--We have been both to the
exhibition and Sir J. Reynolds's, and I am
disappointed, for there was nothing like Mrs. D.
at either. I can only imagine that Mr. D. prizes
any picture of her too much to like it should be
exposed to the public eye. I can imagine he would
have that sort of feeling--that mixture of love,
pride, and delicacy.

Setting aside this disappointment, I had great
amusement among the pictures; and the driving
about, the carriage being open, was very pleasant.
I liked my solitary elegance very much, and was
ready to laugh all the time at my being where I
was. I could not but feel that I had naturally
small right to be parading about London in a
barouche.

* * * * *

I should not wonder if we got no farther than
Reading on Thursday evening, and so reach
Steventon only to a reasonable dinner hour the
next day; but whatever I may write or you may
imagine we know it will be something different. I
shall be quiet to-morrow morning; all my business
is done, and I shall only call again upon Mrs.
Hoblyn, &c.

Yours affectionately,
J. AUSTEN.
Miss Austen, Chawton.

A very happy summer awaited the cottage party. Godmersham wanted
painting, and its owner moved his family for some months to Chawton.
There were almost daily meetings between the two houses, and the
friendship between Fanny Knight and her Aunt Jane became still closer as
they spent 'delicious mornings' together.

Meanwhile, Frank, in command of the _Elephant_, was stationed in the
Baltic, and engaged sometimes in convoying small vessels backwards and
forwards, sometimes in protecting the transports which took Bernadotte's
Swedish troops to the seat of war.

The following letter f