It’s crazy to think that in the Regency time period, people would not only write letters (an almost lost art) but they would also write daily in some cases. For us it’s not such a big deal; we also write daily, in the form of tweets, statuses, texts, and emails. Sometimes even blogs.
But imagine a world where a 17 mile journey takes a day, where letter writing is the only form of communication you have with your loved ones. You can’t just pick up a phone and call an old friend, much less facebook stalk them to see what they’re up to. If you want to know how someone is, if you want to share some news, you have to find a quill, find some ink, paper, an ink blotter, sit down, and actually write. Would you say more or less in your letters? Would you choose your words more carefully?
Jane wrote thousands of letters in her lifetime, most of which were burned by her sister Cassandra upon Jane’s death. We can only speculate why. But the letters that remain are a great view into life of the Regency time period, by a woman who was more than candid in her opinions. Here are a few excerpts from a letter to her sister Cassandra.
MY DEAREST CASSANDRA,
I have borne the arrival of your letter to-day extremely well; anybody might have thought it was giving me pleasure. I am very glad you find so much to be satisfied with at Cheltenham. While the waters agree, everything else is trifling...A letter arrived for you from Charles last Thursday. They are all safe and pretty well in Keppel St., the children decidedly better for Broadstairs; and he writes principally to ask when it will be convenient to us to receive Miss P., the little girls, and himself. They would be ready to set off in ten days from the time of his writing, to pay their visits in Hampshire and Berkshire, and he would prefer coming to Chawton first...I have answered him, and said that we hoped it might suit them to wait till the last week in Septr., as we could not ask them sooner, either on your account or the want of room. I mentioned the 23rd as the probable day of your return. When you have once left Cheltenham I shall grudge every half-day wasted on the road. If there were but a coach from Hungerford to Chawton! I have desired him to let me hear again soon...He does not include a maid in the list to be accommodated, but if they bring one, as I suppose they will, we shall have no bed in the house even then for Charles himself -- let alone Henry. But what can we do?…Thank you, my back has given me scarcely any pain for many days. I have an idea that agitation does it as much harm as fatigue, and that I was ill at the time of your going from the very circumstance of your going. I am nursing myself up now into as beautiful a state as I can, because I hear that Dr. White means to call on me before he leaves the country…Sir Tho. Miller is dead. I treat you with a dead baronet in almost every letter...So you have C. Craven among you, as well as the Duke of Orleans and Mr. Pocock. But it mortifies me that you have not added one to the stock of common acquaintance. Do pray meet with somebody belonging to yourself. I am quite weary of your knowing nobody...Mrs. Digweed parts with both Hannah and old cook; the former will not give up her lover, who is a man of bad character; the latter is guilty only of being unequal to anything…Success to the pianoforte! I trust it will drive you away. We hear now that there is to be no honey this year. Bad news for us. We must husband our present stock of mead, and I am sorry to perceive that our twenty gallons is very nearly out. I cannot comprehend how the fourteen gallons could last so long...We do not much like Mr. Cooper's new sermons. They are fuller of regeneration and conversion than ever, with the addition of his zeal in the cause of the Bible Society...Martha's love to Mary and Caroline, and she is extremely glad to find they like the pelisse. The Debarys are indeed odious! We are to see my brother to-morrow, but for only one night. I had no idea that he would care for the races without Edward. Remember me to all.
Yours very affectionately,
J. AUSTEN.
The rest of this letter, as well as many others, can be found here.
If you want to write letters like Jane, or letter writing period (it really is wonderful to get real mail instead of just bills, and to keep letters from friends) here are a few things that I like to have on hand:
1. Good quality paper. I usually get a package of cream colored paper from Wal-mart or Target, the kind with no lines. One package will last you a while. Pick up some nice envelopes while you’re there.
2. A good pen. I actually do have a feather pen and ink well, which I use occasionally but a good writing pen works just as well.
3. A wax seal (and wax). It’s a little nerdy but a lot awesome to have your own wax seal to use when you’re writing. I have two, one has my first initial* and one was a wedding present with our last initial. Wax comes in all different colors, mine is a shimmery brown.
In Jane’s time they didn’t have envelopes, instead they folded the letters themselves (hence the need for a wax seal). Check out this website for some letter folding techniques.
If you’ve never written a letter to anyone (or you haven’t in a while) I encourage you to do so. You’ll find it quite agreeable.
* The above picture is from a post by a girl who discusses her newfound love for Austen, letter writing, Regency manners, and Persuasion. Lovely pictures.
**I recommend getting a seal with your first initial as last initials are more likely to change. They also have some seals that are symbols like flowers, hearts, Chinese symbols, celtic symbols, etc.
Happy Reading!
