Jane Austen Society of Australia
Writing competition 2005 winners
Topic: Find a reason to send an Austen character out to the colony
of New South Wales, and from there to write a letter to another Austen
character.
1st prize
Miss Bates writes to Emma
by Paul Henningham
Some excerpts from a very long and wide-ranging letter
written by a visitor to Sydney Town in 1815.
My Dear Mrs Knightley,
Well, here we are in New South Wales and I am still so
excited that I hardly know where or how to begin but everybody is so
obliging, shewing my dear Husband and me the utmost kindness. Of course I
still cannot believe my good fortune for you know I was always very happy
to be ‘Miss Bates’ and thought myself already more blessed than I
deserved but then to be noticed and befriended by dear Dr Davies when he
came to Highbury after the sudden unhappy departure of Mr and Mrs Elton in
such unfortunate circumstances – and I really still cannot believe what
was said of them – but then to think that Dr Davies who has such a wide
acquaintance would ask me of all people to be his wife is so…;
and when we visited Mr Ferrars, the Rector at Delaford, he asked Dr Davies
why he had left his former Parish to come to Highbury and their friend,
Sir John Middleton of Barton, said that he feared a steel trap which I did
not understand but which made the Doctor and Mr Ferrars and Colonel
Brandon laugh most heartily and Mrs Brandon and Mrs Ferrars seemed quite
amused.
Oh! Now where was I? As you can see, Dear Mrs Knightley,
my thoughts still run away with me at times. Then for my dear Husband to
receive the wonderful offer to sail as Chaplain with Captain Wentworth and
to take me as companion to Mrs Wentworth, a Baronet’s daughter and a
most obliging and friendly lady making her first sea voyage, was so very
exciting and we are so grateful to dear Jane and Frank Churchill for
taking my Mother and Patty to Enscombe during our travels.
We have been made most welcome by the Ladies and
Gentlemen of the Colony and by His Excellency the Governor,
Colonel Macquarie who is not handsome but very kind and has a fine Manor
House at Paramata. We have been introduced to many officials including Mr
Greenway, the Civil Architect, a smallish gentleman who speaks very
quickly and is a great favourite with the Governor so imagine my surprise
when I heard that he was transported for forgery – but I cannot believe
it to be true. By a strange coincidence there is a Wentworth family in the
Colony, Dr D’Arcy Wentworth being the principal surgeon who took a
Convict wife, and their son who recently with Lieutenant Lawson and Mr
Blaxland crossed the Mountains to the west which do not look very lofty
but were thought to be impassable but they are a very beautiful deep blue
and the crossing will open up the interior of the Country for settlement
– but Captain Wentworth does not think they are related as these
Wentworths are connected to Earl Fitzwilliam of Wentworth-Woodhouse. Is
not that a strange coincidence? I do hope dear Mr Woodhouse is well.
Please convey our respects and assure him that his fears for our health
and safety and wholesome victuals on the voyage were quite unfounded and
we were distressed to have caused him so much anxiety; and our good wishes
to Mr and Mrs Weston and Mr Knightley of course and all our dear friends.
The Ladies here are very pleased to become acquainted,
especially with Mrs Wentworth, but Colonial society is not quite the same
as it is at home. Some of the most important Citizens were transported as
convicts including Mrs Reiby whose carriage is far superior to a
barouche-landau and Mr Simeon Lord and even the Assistant Surgeon Dr
Redfern but Captain Wentworth says he was wrongly convicted for being a
humanitarian which seems a strange reason to transport him for felony but
strange are the ways of the Law and dear Dr Davies says not to worry about
it.
Dr Davies called on Mr Marsden, the Chaplain, who is
also a Magistrate and owns extensive property but it is said that he and
the Governor are not on friendly terms because it seems that he and some
Officers and their Wives do not wish to associate with the people they
call ‘Emancipists’ and criticise the Governor for appointing them to public office
and receiving them at Government House. Dr Davies says that this is a fine
place to test one’s Christian Principles. He and Captain Wentworth get
on famously with His Excellency and they enjoy much good humour and
animated talk. Last night someone made a remark, which I could not hear,
but which caused some amusement in the company until the Governor said
quite loudly: ‘I assure you, Sir, that there is not one ounce of guile
or malice in her entire makeup and if her excellent husband were to
replace the present incumbent, I should count her conversation, which you
find so tiresome, as soothing as the gentle lapping of waves in Sydney
Cove.’ I don’t know whom he was speaking of, probably the emancipist
wife of some minor official whom he hopes to promote.
 Do you know that in this Colony they call the young
people who were born here Currency Lads and Lasses? Is not that a strange
name? But much is strange in this place. There are many trees, not
beautiful but all a dusty green colour and some of the birds are rather
pretty but the animals are strange indeed, especially the kanguru which
jumps in great leaps and the natives are quite unusual but very gentle and
harmless. Most convicts seem to be free to roam at will and many are
assigned servants but some work hard in supervised gangs.
We sail soon to visit the Far Eastern Station, then
home to England and dear Highbury to take up residence once again in the
old Vicarage in which I lived so happily as a young girl.
I am, Dear Mrs Knightley, most gratefully and
respectfully yours,
Henrietta Davies
2nd prize
Lydia Wickham writes to Kitty Bennet
by Shirley Byrne
Sydney Town
New South Wales
1 April, 1811
My dear Kitty,
What an age it has been since I last wrote to you, but so
much has happened over the last twelve months that I have been
scarcely able to catch my breath. I have not worried, as Mama would have
acquainted you with all the news. Now to bring you right up to date.
After poor Wickham got into that scrape in the North, a
hasty departure seemed advisable; he thought it best to go as a
supernumerary in the 73rd Regiment of Foot that was leaving for New South
Wales. No doubt Mr Collins would have related the story far and wide after
hearing some details from Colonel Fitzwilliam. Of course it was quite
untrue, dear Wickham would never do anything so dishonest as to try to
pass a counterfeit cheque, particularly for a Debt of Honour.
We arrived on New Year’s Eve 1809 after a most
uncomfortable voyage in HMS Hindostan that was only made bearable
by the company of Wickham’s fellow officers who did their utmost to help
me pass the lengthy days at sea. It was such a relief to step on shore
after 31 weeks!
Had I known what an awful place this is I doubt that I
would have come! The sun shines nearly every day; and there are the
most dreadful flies and dust. When it rains the place quickly turns to
mud, and Christmas comes in the middle of Summer! Although there
are not many people, blackfellows and convicts fill the unmade streets. I
cannot go out without an escort. How I look back to those carefree days at
Brighton!
Our room at the barracks is smaller than Hill’s room
at Longbourn. However, we settled in and as you know Wickham and I are always great
favourites; this has meant some gay times with both the Officers and the
free settlers.
Unfortunately a few weeks after our arrival, due to a
terrible misunderstanding, Wickham was falsely accused of cheating at
cards, that I am sure, was contrived by someone with a grudge against him.
The outcome was that the Colonel of the Regiment, who is also the
Governor, sent Wickham for a minimum six months to the Newcastle garrison,
which controls a Convict Settlement of 100 hardened criminals working
there. With only soldiers and convicts I could not go to such a place, but
by the greatest of good fortune we had become friendly with a charming
businessman, Mr Hardie, who came to the Colony with the first free
settlers in 1793. Mr Hardie undertook to look after me while I was
unprotected. He is so kind and generous, and indeed I do not know how I
should have managed without him. He is also quite wealthy having made a
large fortune by Import Substitution (Wickham has explained to me what
that is, but I find it all too difficult to understand).
So time passed rather agreeably while Wickham was away,
although I missed him dreadfully! When he returned after seven months I
had some wonderful news for him. He was astonished to learn that after ten
years of marriage we were to become parents! I could not help laughing
when I told him, and you would have laughed too had you seen his
expression.
Our little stranger arrived safely and is prospering. She has two
gallant protectors in Wickham and Mr Hardie; they both doat on her. Mr
Hardie had told me that his dear late Mother’s name was Jane and that
she was a great beauty, so when I said that I intended to name the baby
Jane (after our own dear Jane of course) he was most affected. The result
was that when Rev Marsden christened our baby Mr Hardie stood as Godfather
and to our great delight he has settled £10,000 on her. This is indeed
generous of him. Wickham suggested to Mr Hardie that if he would allow him
to handle Jane’s money he could double or triple its value in no time,
but Mr Hardie is quite determined to allow no-one but himself to handle
Jane’s inheritance until she becomes of age.
Our dear little offspring does not look at all like
Wickham or myself; indeed I cannot think whom she resembles, although at
times she reminds me of someone, but I imagine it must be our own Jane,
for she certainly is a beauteous babe.
Now Kitty Dear, comes something that I want to
seriously discuss with you. I know you spend a great deal of your time at
Pemberley. I should find it very difficult to bring little Jane to
womanhood in this primitive country. Do you not think that it would be a
capital idea for her to live at Pemberley? She would have the company of
her cousins, and one extra child would be no trouble to Lizzie as she
already has several of her own. As Mr Darcy and Wickham were such boyhood
friends I am sure Mr Darcy would not mind in the least if it were
suggested to him either by you, or by Lizzie; whomsoever you think best.
At Pemberley she should have a great chance of making a good match with
her dowry and fine looks, but if Mr Darcy is difficult perhaps you could
approach Mr Bingley and Jane. They are both softhearted and I am sure
little Jane would be quite as happy living with them as at Pemberley.
Mr Hardie will be returning to England in just over two
years and he has kindly offered to escort little Jane and her nursemaid to
England and on to her future home. He assures me that Jane’s welfare
will be uppermost in his mind at all times, and he will keep a constant
watch over her. Jane’s nursemaid, Lily, was assigned to us as a convict
servant and has served her sentence for some minor crime. She is a good
reliable gentle girl, who is anxious to return to England.
Of course I cannot leave Wickham so I shall not be
going Home until the Regt. has finished its term (possibly seven years) in
the Colony.
So, Kitty I leave all the arrangements to you and Mr
Hardie and I trust that my little Jane will be well cared for when she
arrives. I am sure that she will not miss us when she is with all her
relations in Derbyshire. I shall be far too busy to miss her as despite
everything we do have some most enjoyable gatherings here.
Goodbye dearest Kitty and give my love to everybody.
Yr. affectionate sister,
Lydia Wickham
3rd prize
Sir Walter Elliot wites to Lady Russel
by Julia Emert
Sydney Town
Jany 19th 1818
My dear Lady Russell
I take up my pen (the pens here are vile) to acquaint
you with the doings of my last several months. I trust this will be my
only letter as I hope to conclude with details of my speedy return home.
Even now, undertaking such a journey once again is hardly to be thought of
… But I suffer unspeakable privations in this far-flung and barely
civilised Country.
You will of course recall the poor state of Health that
necessitated this most rigorous of treatments. A sea voyage is often, I
collect, suggested for sufferers of melancholia, but I would hardly have
ventured upon such a distance if I had not been so resolutely urged to it
by my esteemed relations, Lady Dalrymple and Miss Carteret. Their
knowledge of the Captain assured me of the most assiduous attentions to my
comfort, and I suppose, in their way, these were forthcoming.
I felt it somewhat undignified to submit to being
hoisted aboard by the Bosun’s Chair but was soothed by being allotted
the best Cabin — at the Stern, beneath the raised Poop, with glazed
windows, red turkey carpets and much mahogany and brass. The Cabin was
much deficient as to mirrors but I had the foresight to bring a large one
of my own. Otherwise I was limited with regard to luggage. I was unable to
bring enough Clothes even to allow of a tolerable range of changes for
dinner each night, so felt myself obliged to chuse to take my evening meal
in my cabin often enough. The good captain allowed me to partake of his
finest clarets, and these, with the help of the one Book I could find
space to bring, solaced my interminable waking hours until I could retire
to my ‘cot’, as beds are known to us seafarers.
I need hardly recount to you, my good friend, the
vicissitudes that forced me to take this cure so far from home. To think
that my eldest daughter should marry to disoblige me! Should flee to the
continent with a so-called Marquis (rich enough but monkey-like in the
extreme, and at least some years older than I) and should take with her
the investments I trusted her to make for our mutual Benefit! They say
Madame la Marquise is all the rage now in Paris, and never a thought for
her father’s ruined prospects although they have partially enriched
themselves at his expense! And my youngest daughter little better than
farmer’s wife; poor Mary, she is grown quite coarse.
If it were not for my dearest second daughter, I do not
know how I would hold up. To be able to put Kellynch into the capable
hands of Rear-Admiral Sir Frederick Wentworth and Lady Wentworth has been
a great balm to my soul. He is as fine a fellow as ever lived, with looks
quite unaffected by Sea-life, and indeed, if the peace had not come so
soon, I am sure he would have risen even further in his profession and
come home with even richer prizes. As for my dearest Anne, you will
remember, dear Lady Russell, that I always thought her quite the prettiest
of my three daughters. A lucky chance indeed, the entail’s expiring with
that scoundrel who was once my heir when he crossed Milsom Street so
unwarily.
You will want to know some details of my long voyage.
As the peace had been made there was no danger of being attacked by French
privateers; my dear son-in-law assured me of that. The sea air played
havoc with my complexion, in spite of liberal applications of Gowland’s,
so I did not go ashore often. But I was importuned by the Capt (quite a young man and not ill-looking
for a seaman – but lately entered into Hymen’s holy pale, he tells me)
to go ashore at Rio (as we voyagers call it) and it seemed that nolens
volens I must go or cause offence. So I was much conciliated by the
murmurs of Sta bon Ingles! that I heard as we traversed those mean
if colourful Streets.
Of my fellow Passengers I have very little to say.
Below decks are nought but felons and slip-gibbets and above there
are but one or two I care to know. The rest are vastly disagreeable, the
men indulging regularly in the filthy habit of smoking, and the women are
a very poor set indeed.
Of the life in Sydney Town I have even less to say.
Social life centres around Govt House and would you believe, dear Lady Russell, that there they practise
that vulgar dance, the valse? As for the vaunted beauties of the
wildlife here, there is much exhibiting of collections of skinned and
stuffed birds, but I find little but Flies, Fleas, Bugs and
Mosq-uitoes. The much talked-of Kangarus and Waumbats are monstrous ugly.
But let other pens dwell on guilt and misery. (That,
Lady Russell, is a line from a great bore of a novel, but newly released,
that one of my hostesses insisted on reading aloud.) I will now go to the
office to check sailings so that I may send this letter and hope to follow
it myself by a subsequent vessel. I wish nothing better than to be
restored to the tender love of my dear ones at Kellynch Hall, and doubt
not that they feel the same.
Ever affect'ately yours
Walt. Elliot, Bart.
Pardon me, my dear Lady Russell, for taking up my ill-mended pen again
and crossing my lines to inform you of a most amazing occurrence! While
down at the offices, I came upon the Passengers from a Vessel just arrived
(and which will take this missive to you). You will imagine my surprise,
and – dare I say it – my joy in regarding amongst them one well-known
to both of us: Mrs Clay! Unlike my poor self, she was much the better for
the voyage – indeed, in quite blooming looks, and there must have been a
fine surgeon aboard, as not only were her freckles quite carried away, but
that unfortunate protruding tooth was no longer in evidence! She tells me
that the rumours regarding her and the late unlamented Mr Elliot were but
spiteful make-ups. Pardon me, dear Lady Russell, if I end here, as there
is much to say to this dear friend!
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20 January 2008
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