Your brother Edward makes very honourable mention
of you, I assure you, in his letter to James, and
seems quite sorry to part with you. It is a great
comfort to me to think that my cares have not been
thrown away, and that you are respected in the
world. Perhaps you may be prevailed on to return
with him and Elizabeth into Kent, when they leave
us in April, and I rather suspect that your great
wish of keeping yourself disengaged has been with
that view. Do as you like; I have overcome my
desire of your going to Bath with my mother and
me. There is nothing which energy will not bring
one to.

On her way back from Godmersham, Cassandra spent some time with the
Henry Austens now in Upper Berkeley Street; and while she was there,
Jane sent her a letter, of which the following was a part. Information
respecting the sailor brothers on active service was always rare, and
proportionately valuable.

Manydown: Wednesday [February 11, 1801].[122]

MY DEAR CASSANDRA,-- . . . I should not have thought
it necessary to write to you so soon, but for the
arrival of a letter from Charles to myself. It was
written last Saturday from off the Start, and
conveyed to Popham Lane by Captain Boyle, on his
way to Midgham. He came from Lisbon in the
_Endymion_. I will copy Charles's account of his
conjectures about Frank: 'He has not seen my
brother lately, nor does he expect to find him
arrived, as he met Captain Inglis at Rhodes, going
up to take command of the _Peterel_ as he was
coming down; but supposes he will arrive in less
than a fortnight from this time, in some ship
which is expected to reach England about that time
with despatches from Sir Ralph Abercrombie.' The
event must show what sort of a conjuror Captain
Boyle is. The _Endymion_ has not been plagued with
any more prizes. Charles spent three pleasant days
in Lisbon.

They were very well satisfied with their royal
passenger[123] whom they found jolly, fat, and
affable, who talks of Lady Augusta as his wife,
and seems much attached to her.

When this letter was written the _Endymion_ was