Lady Cath. Brecknell, who is most
happily married, and Mr. Brecknell is very
religious, and has got black whiskers.

Yours very affectionately,
JANE.

Early in May, Jane left London; and, after paying a short visit to Mrs.
Hill (_nee_ Catherine Bigg) at Streatham, returned home to Chawton,
where she found only her mother and her niece Anna.

Chawton: Wednesday [May 29, 1811].

MY DEAR CASSANDRA,-- . . . You certainly must have
heard before I can tell you that Col. Orde has
married our cousin, Margt. Beckford,[229] the
Marchess. of Douglas's sister. The papers say
that her father disinherits her, but I think too
well of an Orde to suppose that she has not a
handsome independence of her own.

* * * * *

We sat upstairs [at the Digweeds'] and had thunder
and lightning as usual. I never knew such a spring
for thunderstorms as it has been. Thank God! we
have had no bad ones here. I thought myself in
luck to have my uncomfortable feelings shared by
the mistress of the house, as that procured blinds
and candles. It had been excessively hot the whole
day. Mrs. Harding is a good-looking woman, but not
much like Mrs. Toke, inasmuch as she is very brown
and has scarcely any teeth; she seems to have some
of Mrs. Toke's civility. Miss H. is an elegant,
pleasing, pretty-looking girl, about nineteen, I
suppose, or nineteen and a half, or nineteen and a
quarter, with flowers in her head and music at her
finger ends. She plays very well indeed. I have
seldom heard anybody with more pleasure.

Friday [May 31].

I have taken your hint, slight as it was, and have
written to Mrs. Knight, and most sincerely do I
hope it will not be in vain. I cannot endure the
idea of her giving away her own wheel, and have
told her no more than the truth, in saying that I
could never use it with comfort. I had a great
mind to add that, if she persisted in giving it, I
would spin nothing with it but a rope to hang
my