Tom Lefroy visiting Ashe in October 1800

I would like to thank Arnie Perlstein for tipping the existence of an excellent book titled ‘The Letters of Mrs. Lefroy: Jane Austen’s Beloved Friend’. And of course, to dearest Rachel for sending one copy to me across the Atlantic and Indian Ocean! And now, whilst I have the rare opportunity to make a post (actually, am rather fed up with daily works… a good alibi!), let me give verbatim citation of the first letter in the book, dated 29 September 1800 from Madam Lefroy to Reverend Edward Lefroy in Warfied Bracknell, Berks. Edward was one of Anne Lefroy’s sons (the other one was Benjamin). The interesting thing is that the letter mentioned a visit plan of Colonel Anthony Peter Lefroy (Tom Lefroy’s father) and a Thomas to Ashe. Arnie and I are very sure that this Thomas was Thomas Langlois Lefroy. The letter, extracted from page 29, is quoted below. It’s better to read it hand in hand with the Jane Austen/Tom Lefroy timeline that I wrote August last year to understand its significance, as it corroborates Arnie’s and my suspicion that Tom Lefroy might still had a contact with Jane on early October 1800. Oh, and mind you, Mrs. Lefroy does not like to use dots. She had only one dot for the full stop in her letter!

Letter 1 [September 29 1800]

My dearest Edward,

Your letter of Friday last gave me great pleasure I feel the separation my beloved Boy as severely as it is possible for you to do but whilst I can reflect upon your disposition & conduct with as much comfort as I now derive from it I will endeavour to bear the unavoidable absences & look forward to the time when we shall meet again with delight you have I trust from your conduct at school [laid up] for yourself a source of comfort thro’ life & I pray to God that you may always pursue in the same manner & that little Ben: may follow your example – we expect your Uncle John on Tuesday I am greatly disappointed at finding he cannot continue to call at Warfield Col:nl Lefroy & Thomas are to come here on Thursday or Friday I believe George will go to Cork St he is not much delighted with the scheme as you may suppose

I must intreat you to accept of the enclosed half guinea I cannot bear your affection for me should so impoverish you & be assured I have derived more pleasure from your kindness than 50 times the sum could have purchased for me in any other we all join in love to you, Ben: & Tom – tell Ben: I hope he will write to me I will send him a letter very soon.

My dearest Boy your affect:te Mother AL

Ashe Sunday Sept:r 29

The ‘Thomas’ in the letter was obviously Thomas Langlois Lefroy, for it was paired up with Colonel Lefroy. The ‘Tom’ in the last paragraph was Ben Lefroy’s cousin, Tom Brydges. The bold sentences are my own emphasise.

I am uncertain of the Cork Street scheme George (was this Mr. George Lefroy? Then why not saying ‘your father’?) had to attend to… but it might not be Jane Austen-related, for Tom Lefroy had married Mary Paul by this date.

However, the probable visit of Tom Lefroy in Ashe in October 1800 might lead to the drama in Mansfield Park where Edmund Bertram asked Fanny Price to give her consent on his involvement in the silly drama. Put it in Jane/Tom perspective, it is plausible that Tom still tried to explain to Jane his behaviours of leaving her for Mary Paul, and it’s possible that the time was on October 1800, in Ashe Hampshire. Otherwise, how would Jane reached an understanding about Tom, albeit belatedly? For to me, Jane clearly effused her comprehension of Tom’s situation in the Wentworth/Anne Elliot interaction in Persuasion where Jane as the narrator clearly understood the reason why Anne left Captain Wentworth; i.e. for her family’s sake.

I still have to double check where Jane was on early October 1800; I hope other Team Jane can help me with this. If she was in Hampshire that month, it was very likely that Jane and Tom truly met again, even just for an explanatory chat. However, on Sunday, 25 October 1800 Jane (in Hampshire) wrote this to Cassandra (in Godmersham)(Faye, 1997):

‘I am not yet able to acknowledge the receipt of any parcel from London, which I suppose will not occasion you much surprise. – I was a little disappointed today, but not more than is perfectly agreable; & I hope to be disappointed again tomorrow, as only one coach comes down on sundays.’

Arnie suggested that Jane’s disappointment might be Tom-related, and I second his opinion. Hence, it is plausible that Jane was in Hampshire in early October 1800, and she met Tom again there, presumably having the long-delayed explanatory talk.

Reference:

Faye, D. L. 1997, Jane Austen's Letters, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Lefroy, A., Lefroy, H. & Turner, G. 2007, The Letters of Mrs Lefroy: Jane Austen's Beloved Friend, The Jane Austen Society, Winchester.