From: "Jill L. Spriggs" August 24, 1998
Lady Honoria seemed to derive considerable amusement from the fussing of the
Delviles over their ailing son. One must suspect that it took all his
forbearance to avoid snapping at them, "Just leave me alone," especially as,
in his state of mind, solitude was probably his greatest desire. Cecilia
joined the family group when Mortimer made his first appearance upon leaving
his sickbed, and noticed, to her surprise, that he somehow seemed to be less
melancholy. Mortimer left with Lord Ernolf to go riding, and his father and
Lord Ernolf went to survey some proposed improvements to be made to the
property. Lady Honoria left in pursuit of amusement, leaving Cecilia alone
with Mrs. Delvile for the first time in weeks. They comfortably worked and
conversed all the morning until Lady Honoria made a noisy entrance, eager to
drop a bombshell. It was that Mortimer had his mistress, " ' ... brought ...
down here; he sent for her about three weeks ago, and he has boarded her at a
cottage, about half a mile from the Park-gate.' " (Oxford Cecilia, edd.
MADoody and PSabor, p. 490) Cecilia, thinking of Henrietta Belfield, ill
concealed her distress. "She forced herself, however, to continue her work,
though she knew so little of what she was about, that she put her needle in
and out of the same place without ceasing." Mrs. Delvile was furious, and
Lady Honoria defensively responded, " ' ... since you are so angry, I'll tell
you the whole affair, for this is but half of it. He has a child here, too,
-- I vow I long to see it! -- and he is so fond of it that he spends half his
time in nursing it; -- and that, I suppose, is the thing that takes him out so
much; and I fancy, too, that's what has made him grow so grave, for may be he
thinks it would not be pretty to be very frisky, now he's a papa.' " Cecilia
and Mrs. Delvile both were stuck dumb, and Lady Honoria helpfully observed, "
' Bless me, Miss Beverley, what are you about! why that flower is the most
ridiculous thing I ever saw! you have spoilt your whole work!' " When Lady
Honoria further commented upon Cecilia's pallor, Mrs. Delvile noticed the
alternate blushes with paleness, and, no doubt, drew her own conclusions. She
mercifully took the teasing Lady Honoria out of Cecilia's presence, allowing
Cecilia time to try to recover herself. Wouldn't you know that it was just
then that she was surprised with the sudden arrival of Mortimer. Cecilia
dropped her work in her haste to quit the room, and when Mortimer tried to
help her gather it, and asking, " ' Miss Beverley, for three minutes only.' '
The outraged Miss Beverley responded, " ' No, Sir, ... not for an instant!' "
(p. 492) and fled for the shelter of her own room.
Repentance quickly was felt; Cecilia was conscious that Lady Honoria could
scarcely be relied upon as an impeccable source of intelligence, and she could
well have wronged Mortimer. She was painfully conscious, at dinner, that
Mortimer " ... seemed greatly hurt, yet it was proudly, not sorrowfully ...".
(p. 493)
Lord Orville would never have suspected Evelina in a similar situation.
Mrs. Delvile, now aware of Cecilia's secret, " .. was more soft, kind, and
gentle with Cecilia than ever, looking at her with the utmost tenderness,
often taking her hand, and speaking to her with even unusual sweetness."
Mortimer was offended, and confined his conversation to the men of the
company.
At bedtime, Mrs. Delvile followed Cecilia to her room, and dismissed her maid
so they could be alone. She then told Cecilia that she had sifted to the
bottom of Lady Honoria's accusations, and found that Mortimer had about two
weeks earlier, found a "gipsey [woman], sitting by the side of the high road,
who seemed extremely ill, and who had a very beautiful child tied to her
back." (p. 494) He had arranged for her shelter and medical care at a nearby
cottage, and had gone to check on her and the child twice. It was from that
basis that Lady Honoria had concocted her fanciful tale. Mrs. Delvile did her
best to humiliate Lady Honoria into a mending of her ways, but the outcome
would be as doubtful as one might expect.
Cecilia then " ... forgot all her cares and apprehensions, her quarrel, her
suspicions, and the approaching separation, and recompensed for every thing by
this refutation of his guilt, she hastened to bed, and composed herself to
rest." (p. 495)
But she still had to make up with the offended Mortimer ...
Jill Spriggs
From Jill Spriggs The unrepentant Lady Honoria told Cecilia her own version of the "mistress"
story the next day. " ' ... for, after all, ... what did the whole matter
signify? and how could I possibly help the mistake? when I heard of his
paying for a woman's board, what was so natural as to suppose she must be his
mistress? especially as there was a child in the case.' " (Oxford
Cecilia,edd. MADoody and PSabor, p. 495) Even after Cecilia remonstrated with
her obtuse friend, she nattered on, " ' I looked hard at the baby, to see if it
was like Mortimer, but I could not make it out; those young things are like
nothing. I tried if it would talk, for I wanted sadly to make it call Mrs.
Delvile grandmamma; however the little urchin could say nothing to be
understood. O what a rage would Mrs. Delvile have been in!' " (p. 496)
Poor Mrs. Delvile. As though it were not enough to be married to such a
blockhead as her husband, to be saddled with such annoying houseguests!
Cecilia longed to make peace with Mortimer, but the opportunity did not
present itself. If the newly begun watchfulness on the part of Mrs. Delvile
did not prevent her, the "coldness and pride" of Mortimer did. Lady Honoria,
noting a more sedate breakfast gathering that she liked, asked Mrs. Delvile
why she was sending Mortimer to Bristol. Mrs. Delvile replied that she hoped
Lady Honoria would never need to go on a trip for a similar reason. Lady H
then resumed her teasing of Cecilia by proposing that they all accompany
Mortimer on his trip, targeting Cecilia by adding, " ' Miss Beverley, would
you like to join it? I am afraid it would be vastly disagreeable to you.'
"(p. 496) Mrs. Delvile sympathetically took Cecilia off to her own rooms for
a chat, one Cecilia had looked forward to with trepidation.
Mrs. Delvile, seeing Cecilia's disturbance of mind, conversed on neutral
subjects until she saw she had calmed herself. She complained of the
heedless Lady Honoria. Mrs. Delvile introduced the contemplation of marriage as a
subject which had concerned her much of late:
'The time,' she continued, ' is now arrived when reflections of this sort
cannot too seriously occupy me; the errors I have observed in others I would
fain avoid committing; yet such is the blindness of self-love, that perhaps,
even at the moment I censure them,, I am falling without consciousness, into
the same! nothing, however, through negligence be wrong; for where is the
son who merits care and attention, if Mortimer from his parents deserves not
to meet them?' " (p. 498) Sounded pretty promising.
Mrs. Delvile then began to speak of her concern to see Mortimer well
established in marriage. Cecilia apprehensively suspected that Mrs. Delvile
was about to offer her services in persuading Mortimer to a match. Not
exactly. She went through a long list of desirable attributes of a
prospective bride for her son. Mrs. Delvile mentioned that she and her
husband had considered Lady Honoria (horrors!) then Lady Euphrasia for their
son, but Mortimer was not drawn to either one.
Cecilia heard Mrs. Delvile with steadily mounting emotion, which Mrs. Delvile
could see. Mrs. Delvile concluded her talk with, " ' I will torment you no
more, my sweet young friend, with perplexities which you cannot relieve:
this only I will say, and then drop the subject forever: when my solicitude for
Mortimer is removed, and he is established to the satisfaction of us all, no
care will remain in the heart of his mother, half so fervent, so anxious and
so sincere as the disposal of my amiable Cecilia, for whose welfare and
happiness my wishes are even maternal.' " ( p. 501)
Shot down! The hopes of Cecilia were punctured through with this last
speech, and Mrs. Delvile, seeing Cecilia's speechless emotion, left her without
another word.
Cecilia saw that she could not rely on Mrs. Delvile as an ally in a proposed
>marital union with Mortimer.
This conclusion soothed Cecilia, but the knowledge that her partiality was so
generally known, and that Mrs. Delvile had seen fit to stop any hopes she
might cherish, without any possibility of realization, was mortifying. She
was then heartily regretting the change of residence in which she had once
placed such hopes. Cecilia resolved to spend every moment before Mortimer's
departure in the company of Lady Honoria, which would allow her not a moment
in which to indulge in painful thoughts.
Jill Spriggs
From Ellen Moody I can't but think that if Burney had more power to invoke a presences on the
page the modern reader could believe in, we would loathe Honoria. She
is malicious. Probably in her own time people who read the book simply
filled out the outline offered with their own imagination.
In the next chapter I was startled by Cecilia's
angry coldness towards Mortimer when he tried to explain his
motives. I have an idea Burney wants me to understand she is
proud and has strong self-esteem; instead it came off as strangely
out of touch.
Mortimer himself is in conception a young man of sensibility. He is
overwrought, emotional, and, again were Burney to be able to pour
forth emotions like Sterne can, could fit in a Sterne novel.
One problem we might have is the importance people attached to
names. But if it had become common to leave estates to a female
only if the male would change his name upon marrying her, we must
concede to the 18th century it was important. Austen's third brother
changed his last name; others were coerced into putting a Leigh
in front and hyphenating a name and so on.
I have been thinking that ultimately to most readers to read any book
before the 20th century is to read something which comes across
as a historical novel. If in Burney's time, she was writing of the
contemporary world, that is not so for us. We cannot but read
her book as a mirror of an earlier historical time. This too is true
of Austen's books. Of course that makes of novels written as
historical at the time, two removes from our present imaginative
reality.
Ellen Moody
From Ellen Moody
Re: Burney, Cecilia:III:6:7: The Starving Gypsy and Her Baby
Again Burney compares favorably with Austen on the depiction of
the gypsies. I know I am picking out this strand and emphasising
it while in the book what is emphasised is Honoria's suspicion,
Cecilia's appalled fear, the mother's awkwardness, the mortification
of Mortimer, but in this chapter we get a reasonable sense of
the gypsy as a woman, not an ogre or just rabble. We hear of
how she's starving; of how she has a baby to feed. Again we
are in the literature of sensibility and sentimentality because
Mortimer's first impulse is to help, to provide, not to alert the
nearest version of a police officer to be had in order to get them
away from "respectable" people.
Ellen Moody
Re: Burney and Austen's new kind of heroes: heroes of sensibility
This is to say I am now reading Moreland Perkins's book-long
study of S&S. Among other very interesting things he talks
about is how Austen in her S&S is trying to present less
stereotyped versions of male and female personalities and
explore the stereotypes too. In Marianne and Willoughby
she explores the anima (the masochistic emotional
female) and the animus (the rake, the dark villain, the
cool distanced type who abandons the lady). I take my
terms from Jung. But in Elinor we have a woman who
is intellectual; she takes the man's position in the household.
She is strong and can control her passion. Even more
interesting is an analysis of Edward which suggests
Austen is getting beyond a stereotype to show us a
sensitive melancholy male who is hurt by his family, who
doesn't want to compete for the Biggest Prize Around.
I am typing quickly and not doing justice to the analysis,
but it's persuasive in its argument that even if Edward
is not sufficiently dramatised the conception is
good and touching and even radical still today..
I'd like to say a "however" to this book: Mr Perkins seems to
think Austen is highly original in this. I am not so sure.
It seems to me this type is first found in StPreux in
Rousseau's La Nouvelle Heloise and then in hundreds
of variations in the literature of sensiblity of the period.
Hence Mortimer's personality. On the other hand, I
agree that Elinor is an unusual conception in some ways.
Though again I am not sure she is that different from
Cecilia. She is certainly more believable; she's a lived
in felt presence that is poignant and intelligent in a
way Burney fails to convey.
I have thought of a joke behind Mortimer's name. Burney
so curiously contains in herself sensibility and Restoration
impulses. He is endlessly continually mortified. Mortified
Mortimer. So too is Edward mortified when Marianne
discovers him wearing a ring with a lock of hair in it on
his finger. I thought perhaps the word "death" was hinted
at; I now think not. It's a joke. Still I'll stay with "vile"
for Delvile. He has a vile pride.
Ellen Moody
Re: Burney, Cecilia The Style
One final post for now. The real problem with Cecilia is
the style. Lascelles quotes a passage from _Camilla_
in which the young Camilla is described at home as a
child. It's grandiloquent and stilted. A bit absurd. For
some reason when Burney turns away from epistolary
narrative which its reliance on dramatic dialogue as
the main way of conveying all events, she loses her
grip on the pulse of the heart through words.
There are some good comments by Lascelles on Burney's
style vis-a-vis Austen's in this week's chapter.
It must be said one might wish Lascelles were as
forthrightly critical of Austen as she is of Burney.
Ellen Moody
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 Mortimer's journey, which to begin the next day, was the exclusive subject of
tea time discourses. He was to travel in the early morning, not at all in the
heat of the day. Lady Honoria took advantage of this information to inform
Cecilia facetiously that she had heard that early rising was very good for the
health. Cecilia solemnly stated that she intended to keep her usual hours.
Lady Honoria's teasing of both Cecilia and Mortimer reminds me of the grade
school chant, "Cissy and Mortie, up in the tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g," and the
reactions of both must have gratified her. Lady H likened Cecilia and
Mortimer to Romeo and Juliet, with Lord Derford acting Paris. IMHO, Lady H
would have suited the part of Mercutio to a T. She moaned about her lack of
success in spurring Lord Derford to challenge Mortimer to a duel. Cecilia
tried to tell Lord Derford that Lady Honoria was only teasing, but Lady H
threatened to tell Mortimer of Cecilia's tender regard for him, if she
persisted in spoiling her fun. Encouraged by Cecilia's look of alarm, she
called to Mortimer, asking him to " ' ...come hither...' " (Oxford Cecilia,
edd. MADoody and PSabor, p. 504). Cecilia finally wised up enough to realized
that resistance was sure to increase Lady Honoria's pleasure in her game,
which took a turn that amused even me.
' O certainly!' cried he; ; to doubt that would disgrace us all round.'
' Well, then, -- Miss Beverley, have you any objection to my proceeding?'
' None at all!' answered Cecilia, who had the understanding to know that the
greatest excitement to ridicule is opposition.
Well then, I must tell you, ' she continued, it is the advice of us all,
that as soon as you come to the possession of your estate, you make some
capital alterations in this ancient castle'
Cecilia, greatly relieved, could with gratitude have embraced her: and
Mortimer, very certain that such rattle was all her own, promised the utmost
submission to her orders, and begged her further directions, declaring that he
could not, at least desire a fairer architect.
' What we mean, said she, 'may be effected with the utmost ease; it is only
to take out these old windows, and fix some thick iron grates in their place,
and so turn the castle into a gaol for the county.' " Mortimer thought her proposition pretty amusing, but even funnier was Mr.
Delvile's reaction upon inadvertently overhearing this idea.
' Dear sir,' cried Lady Honoria, ' how would his ancestors ever know it?' "
(p. 505) Blasphemy!
Lady Honoria continued upon this theme until she drew even Mrs. Delvile into
the discussion. Seeing she had gone too far, she hustled Cecilia out into the
park, Cecilia scolding all the way. Lady H was a being so utterly beyond
Cecilia's comprehension, reading about the two of them at odds was almost as
much fun for me as it was for Lady H.
I know, I know, it is only a book.
When Cecilia realized Lady Honoria's intention of making Lord Derford
"prostrate himself at [her] feet" ( p. 508) Cecilia about faced and headed
back to the house. When she reentered the drawing room, whom should she find
alone but Mortimer, who was in the process of composing a letter. Cecilia was
about to leave him when " ... he called out in a reproachful tone, ' Will you
not even enter the same room with me? ' " (p. 509) Cecilia, realizing her
moment of trial had come, returned.
This scene brought recollections of Darcy's proposal to Elizabeth Bennet. The
proud man, telling of irresistible passion, against duty, pride, all logic.
The indignant woman, rejecting the offer so unattractively made.
Mortimer began ill. He first closed all doors, almost as though he wished to
take no chances of anyone overhearing his shameful tale. At least he did not
begin in the haughty manner used by Darcy; " ' This indulgence, madam,
deserves my most grateful acknowledgments; it is indeed, what I had little
right, and still less reason, after the severity I have met with from you, to
expect.' ' His pride reasserted itself, however, and his initial tone
resumed. He took a full page just to tell her that he had decided to tell her
what was bothering him.
Finally he got to it. He had heard of Cecilia from an unsuccessful suitor,
before her uncle had died. When he found that this " ' ... lady, so adored,
and so cruel ... ' " was to attend a masked ball at Mr. Harrel's, he decided
to get a gander at her, safely anonymous in a disguise. The obstacle to a
marriage between the two was summarized in the sentence; " ' I will only say
that something warned me instantly to avoid you, since the clause in your
uncle's will was already well known to me.' " ( p. 511)
Cecilia's reaction was predictable; " Now, then, at last ... all perplexity is
over! -- the change of name is the obstacle; he inherits all the pride of his
family, -- and therefore to that family will I unrepining leave him!" ( p.
511)
Mortimer continued that when he found that Cecilia was, as he thought, engaged
to be married to Sir Robert Floyer, he could pursue his taste to learn more of
her in safety. He did acknowledge himself to be in a state of " '
...restlessness about your affairs that kept me in eternal perturbation; but
I flattered myself that it was mere curiosity, and only excited by the
perpetual change of opinion to which occasion gave rise, concerning which was
the happy man.' "
Cecilia was not impressed.
Mortimer then told Cecilia of his feelings upon finding that she was not
engaged to either Sir Robert or Belfield. " ' O what was the agitation of my
whole soul at that instant! -- to know you disengaged, -- to see you before
me, -- by the disorder of my whole frame to discover the mistake I had
cherished -- ' " ( p. 512)
Cecilia did not like this, but she liked what was to come even less.
Mortimer then told Cecilia how difficult it had been for him to hide his
feelings, but Cecilia finally burst forth: " ' Why Sir,' cried Cecilia
angrily, ' and for what purpose all this?' " (p. 513)
Mortimer told her that he intended to explain what must have seemed
mysterious, and then to fly her presence forever. Cecilia, not exactly
flattered by this tale, was not encouraging. She walked out with all the
outraged dignity she could muster. At least she no longed need dread their
coming separation. She desired it as much as he seemed to.
Jill Spriggs
August 28, 1998
Re: Burney: Cecilia, III:6:9: Mortimer's and Darcy's Unforgivable Proposals
I had not noticed the close similarity of Mortimer's ultimately arrogant
stance towards Cecilia and Cecilia's cold repulsion of him to that of
Darcy's shameless pride and disgust with what he's doing and Elizabeth's
raging indignation. Jill's right; here's the source of the later scene.
The differences between the two scenes show how hard it is to connect
what is genius with what makes for a good scene, for in fact Austen's
scene is cruder, harsher. Mortimer is all abject apology; he practically
weeps over his inability to ask Cecilia to marry him. He tactfully alludes
to the clause which would deprive him of his name were he to take
Cecilia's wealth with Cecilia. This is probably just as probable
psychologically, but it makes for a ludicrous scene. We loathe
Darcy; we laugh at Mortimer. Cecilia's cold repulsion is hard to
understand because Mortimer weeps; it's only when we think about
the values Mortimer is following without even being forced to we
understand why she behaves the way she does. We are with
Elizabeth all the way; we too want to get back for the humiliation
and snub Darcy subjected Elizabeth to when they first met;
we know how she feels mortified by her family and how she
would like to assert she is not them. How could he define
her thus? We enjoy her thrusts and repartees. She is passionate
where Cecilia is cool. Again both portraits are probable, but
Elizabeth's works better as a scene in a novel.
Another place where Austen is superior is in the plot. We cannot
take all that seriously this business of names; I can't quite believe
people in the 18th century would have not seen this "barrier"
as anything but superficial and artificial if only because so many
of them changed their names to inherit property without blinking.
And aristocrats too. Austen mocked the artificial barriers we will
find in Camilla. No one can mock Darcy's appalled discomfort
with Mrs Bennet or Collins. In fact what drives Elizabeth's
passion is her sense he's right in part. Therefore (such is
the involuted way human nature works) she gets all the more
angry at him.
Finally there is simply the reality that Darcy has left himself
vulnerable, open to this. He has condescended to ask the
lady to marry him. Mortimer has not lent himself to outright
insult. Possibly this too makes Cecilia so angry; she cannot
rage at him because he has not offered to love her. Here too
we enter into Austen's scene in a way we cannot into Burney
for we also identify with Darcy -- eventually (let's say the third
reread).
People reading along in Cecilia will say, but wait the dialogue
in Burney is much more unreal or stilted. Go back and look at
Darcy's language; as Lascelles notes, Austen learned to write
more flexible realistic language in her later 3 novels. Darcy
and Elizabeth's language is on fire with Austen's anger and
genius and desire to get her own, but it is not really any more
probable than the lines Jill quoted.
Very interesting Jill.
Ellen Moody
From: "Jill L. Spriggs" As the last chapter was "an attack", we now have "a retreat".
Cecilia rose late the next day, hoping to avoid both Lady Honoria's teasing
and the sight of the departure of Mortimer. Not late enough, though; the
household was in an uproar because, as Lady Honoria put it, " ' ... our great
statesman intends to leave us; he can't trust his baby out of his sight, so
he is going to nurse him upon the road himself. Poor pretty Mortimer! what a
puppet they do make of him!' " (Oxford Cecilia, ed. M. A. Doody and P.
Sabor, p. 515)
I know that Lady Honoria was not happy unless she were teasing someone, but I
really do not understand the point of giving Mortimer such a hard time because
his parents were so overprotective. Her rigging a bib for him, wrapping it as
a parcel with the note, " ' A pin-a-fore for Master Mortimer Delvile, lest he
should daub his pappy when he is feeding him, ' " seems to me to be a rather
cruel bit of play.
Mr. Delvile made numerous apologies to his guests, the Lords Derford and
Ernolf, for leaving them, but since they were really there to see Cecilia,
they did not much regret his departure. When Cecilia, Lady Honoria and the
two lords breakfasted together, the two men decided to accompany the Delviles
on horseback on the first stage. They left to make preparations, Lady Honoria
also, to deliver the package with the bib, leaving Cecilia alone when Mortimer
entered, " ... booted, and equipped for his journey." (p. 516)
The pride which had sustained Mortimer the previous day was gone, and
depression had taken its place. " ' Miss Beverley here! and alone! ... and
does she not fly as I approach her? can she patiently bear in her sight one
so strange, so fiery, so inconsistent? But she is too wise to resent the
ravings of a madman; -- and who, under the influence of a passion at once
hopeless and violent, can boast, but at intervals, full possession of his
reason? ' " (p. 516)
Cecilia was disarmed by his melancholy, and saddened by his referrals to his
"madness". She tried to distract him by asking if he was leaving soon, and he
responded, " ' I believe so; I only wait for my father. But why is Miss
Beverley so impatient? I shall not soon return; that, at least, is certain,
and, for a few instants delay, may surely offer some palliation; -- see! if I
am not ready to again accuse you of severity! -- I must run, I find, or all my
boasted reformation will end but in fresh offence, fresh disgrace, and fresh
contrition! Adieu, madam! -- and may all prosperity attend you! That will be
ever my darling wish, however long my absence, however distant the climates
which may part us!' "
Cecilia did not realize that Mortimer intended to leave England, but he
intended to get as far from danger as he could.
He began to rush out, but Cecilia emotionally pleaded for " ' Two moments,
Sir! ' "
It seems to me that only Cecilia's perceived coldness to him prevented
Mortimer from daring all to "cast himself at her feet". His response to her
involuntary cry was, " ' Two thousand! two million! ... What is it Miss
Beverley will condescend to command?' "
Getting a grip, Cecilia responded, " ' ...[I wish] to beg you will by no
means, upon my account, quit your country and your friends, since another
asylum can be found for myself, and since I would much sooner part from Mrs.
Delvile, greatly and sincerely as I reverence her, than be instrumental to
robbing her, even for a month, of her son. ' "
With renewed anguish, Mortimer cried,
Cecilia, pulling her hand away, fled the room. In depression she mused on the
scene just past, when Lady Honoria noisily entered. She immediately noticed
the struggle Cecilia was having to resist collapsing in tears, and pertly
offered, " ' I believe, my dear, I must find another napkin for you! not,
however, for your mouth, but for your eyes! Has Mortimer taken leave of you?
' " ( p. 519) When Lady Honoria ran off to get Mortimer to "console" Cecilia,
she decided then was a propitious time to take a stroll in the Park. She got
safely away, and in an isolated grove, sat and bemoaned the loss of her lover
to her friend, Mortimer's dog Fidel, " weeping without caution or restraint".
(p. 520) Her confidential discourses with her lover's dog would be the means
for a resolution of this problem of a lover who fights his passion.
Jill Spriggs
From: "Jill L. Spriggs" The evidence of Cecilia's recent tearful activities was obvious when she
entered the dining room, having been summoned from her solitude by the dinner
bell. Lady Honoria proceeded to tease Cecilia about her "cold" which cue Mrs.
Delvile took up, to urge her friend to " ' ... shade your eyes with your hat,
and after dinner you shall bathe them in rose water ... ' " (Oxford Cecilia,
ed. M. A. Doody and P. Sabor, p. 521)
Lady Honoria enlarged upon her theme by pronouncing, " ' This cold is a
judgment upon you for leaving me alone all this morning; but I suppose you
chose a tete a tete with your favourite, without the intrusion of any third
person.' " Cecilia insisted that she had been alone, but Lady H pointed out,
" ' Is it possible that you could so forget yourself? ... Had you not your
dearly beloved with you?' " (p. 522) She really had everyone going until she
solved the mystery with, " ' Miss Beverley has two companions, and I am one,
and Fidel is the other; but Fidel was with her all this morning, and she
would not admit me to the conference. I suppose she had something private to
say to him of his master's journey.' "
Mrs. Delvile was surprised that Mortimer had not taken Fidel with him, but
seeing the unease the subject gave Cecilia, changed it.
The next two days Cecilia spent always in company, fearing another torrent of
tears if she indulged herself with solitude. The third brought letters from
Mortimer and his father. Mortimer wrote "gaily", but his father had feelings
of foreboding about his son's health taking a turn for the worse. Mrs.
Delvile struggled to perform her duties as hostess, but as the letters became
more serious, both she and Cecilia had difficulty in "appearing chearful and
unconcerned". Lady Honoria's visit was shortly to come to an end, and Mrs.
Delvile " ... proposed, half laughing and half seriously, that the whole party
should accompany her. [to Bristol]" (p. 523) The two lords insisted on
escorting her, but Cecilia noticed that the general invitation did not
encompass her. She, wishing to relieve Mrs. Delvile, asked permission to
visit her old friend Mrs. Charlton. Mrs. Delvile, seeing Cecilia's reason for
visiting Suffolk as avoiding her dangerous proximity to Mortimer, responded, "
' ... sweet Cecilia! ... yes, you are all that I thought you! good, wise,
discreet, tender, and noble at once! -- how to part with you, indeed, I know
not, -- but you shall do as you please, for that I am sure will be right, and
therefore I will make no opposition.' "
Mr. Delvile gave his permission, and Mortimer, in the same post, asked his
mother to send Fidel on. Lady Honoria urged Cecilia to secrete him "slyly
into Suffolk" but Cecilia indignantly responded, " ' I would as soon ... take
with me the side-board of plate, for I should scarcely think it more a
robbery. ' " (pp. 524 - 525)
Lord Ernolf was dismayed when he heard that Cecilia would not be accompanying
Mrs. Delvile to Bristol (remember it in Evelina?). Shortly, she asked
Cecilia how she would receive marital overtures from Lord Ernolf. Cecilia
firmly said she would not be interested. Mrs. Delvile promised to see that no
more would come from that quarter, and commented that one thing only would
make such an alliance attractive; his title. Cecilia told her titles did not
matter to her, and Mrs. Delvile, smiling, replied, " ' I mean not by way of
gratification to your pride, but to his; since a title, by taking place of a
family name, would obviate the only objection that any man could form to an
alliance with Miss Beverley. ' "
Point taken.
Cecilia took one day to ready herself for departure, and left with Mrs.
Delvile's professions of love ringing in her ears. Her last words to Cecilia
left a rather sour taste, however, " ' ... you carry with you my highest
approbation, my love, my esteem, my fondest wishes! -- and shall I -- yes,
generous girl! I will add my warmest gratitude!' " ( p. 527)
Cecilia felt that if Delvile knew how she really felt, he would " ... double
his vigilance to avoid and forget me ..." (p. 528) . She did not sleep well
that long night.
The reflections of the next morning, thinking of Mortimer's exile, his ill
health, the fact that she would probably never see him again, made her self
control difficult. " ... compelled therefore to hasten to the chaise; she
flung herself in, and, leaning back, drew her hat over her eyes, and thought,
as the carriage drove off, her last hope of earthly happiness extinguished.
Heavy thoughts for a twenty-one year old!
Jill Spriggs
To Austen-l
August 30, 1998
Re: Burney: Cecilia and P&P
I thought I might just make a practice of jotting down all the close
echoes in Cecilia to the title of Austen's first written if second
published novel, Pride and Prejudice. In this past week's chapters,
there was the following about Mortimer's choice to leave Cecilia:
Again and again Mr and Mrs Delvile are connected with the word
"pride".
Ellen Moody
To Austen-l
August 30, 1998
Re: Burney: Cecilia: Northanger Abbey & S&S
Before we embarked on our present reading of Burney's novels
chronologically, I said one of the reasons I wanted to read the
novels after Evelina was even a cursory or fast reading through
Cecilia had persuaded me that in this novel I found a tone
and attitudes towards life closer to Austen's than anything
I had ever read. None of her contemporaries seemed to me to
have the tune of Austen in the same way. I have come across
more recent writers who remind me of Austen, e.g., Laura
Talbot [Lady Ursula Chetwynd-Talbot] in her Governess,
and a number of British women authors who wrote just before
and after WWI. But these women exist across a great divide
of a century and their attitudes are different even if they
look inward and share attitudes towards social life similar
to Austen's.
Those who were here when we began will also remember the
group sprung up towards the end of our reading of _Northanger
Abbey_ partly as a result of Austen's many allusions to
Camilla and Cecilia in that novel. In general situation
Evelina reminds me of Northanger Abbey: innocent
and ignorant young girl makes her entrance into the
world. But beyond that outline, which many books of
the time and since have shared (in the opening of his
Vanity Fair Thackeray says of Becky and Amelia
he presents two heroines making their entrance onto
the world's stage), I found little similarity in tone. Tone
is everything in a book -- the tone of an author's mind.
I also saw no close parallels in incidents.
I have noticed a number between Northanger Abbey
and Cecilia but have been too busy or lazy to
keep track. I thought as well as trying to jot down
all the echoes of one of Austen's central theme in
P&P, I would see if I could from now on try to jot
down hints towards her other books too.
Today I have two. One comes from the ending of
last week's chapters. Jill talked about the medieval
and gothic quality of the Delvile mansion; we have
had Cecilia walking in the park alone with Delvile's
dog, Fidele. Now he is gone and she finds herself
forced out. It may be Mrs Delvile is polite about it,
but this is hypocrisy and pressure as Cecilia
realises, and I think the final paragraph of Cecilia's
leave-taking looks forward in detail and tone to
the final paragraphs of Catherine Morland's leave-
taking from Northanger. Here is the passage:
To use Lascelles's striking phrase, this is written in the
"tongue" of the chapters of NA at Northanger and
immediately following. Little details are also the
same: Catherine cannot sleep ("heavily passed
the night"), she is up before five, packed by six,
she is desperate. Part of Austen's tact is not to
make explicit the kind of overloaded sentence
at the close of Burney's piece: we may half-feel
all our happiness is extinguished at a given moment,
but tomorrow the sun shines again and we find
contentment in many moments. However, if
Austen does not go in for the overstretch of
explicitness, the feel of Catherine's mind is
that of Cecilia. Catherine wonders if she will ever
see Northanger again; she throws herself into the
carriage, burrows herself away into it.
The second comes at the opening of this week's
chapters. Mrs Charlton who Cecilia is so glad to
return to (despite that extinguishing of all
happiness) recalls Mrs Dashwood sharply. She
is loving and intelligent, but like Mrs Dashwood --
I'll just quote the piece:
Burney calls this a "generous if dangerous foible".
The above portrait is Mrs Dashwood to the life,
and it's not just a matter of the details but the
turn of the mind given to the consideration of
such a person. At the opening of the paragraph
we have the source of Mrs Dashwood's behaviour
to Marianne; in the middle we see why she can
respond to Elinor; towards the end we see
the roots of her ability to feel for Edward and
make him laugh too lead to the same mistaken
trust in Willoughby who on the surface resembles
Edward closely.
More anon.
Ellen Moody
The following reference to the text is a bit out of place, but the argument is nott:
Re: Burney, Cecilia, III:3:5: A Gothic Place & Lonely Woman AUSTEN-L@VM1.MCGILL.CA, Oldbuks@aol.com Ellen, your post today illustrates why your idea to read Burney's books on
this list was such a sound one. I thought the comparison of Walter Elliot
with Mr. Delvile was apt, but the likeness of Mrs. Delvile to Mrs. Elliot and
Mrs. Tilney was even more striking. Especially when one considers the
isolation of Northanger Abbey vs. the isolation of Delvile Castle.
Once on Bronte-L we discussed storms as harbingers of emotional storms to
come, in novels; the one in Chapter V reminds me of the one in _Jane Eyre_.
Jane and Rochester were caught in the storm as were Cecilia and Mortimer.
Both couples were torn apart in the storms' aftermath. But they did get
together in the end ...
Jill Spriggs
From: Marilyn Nulman I haven't been able to read much in Cecilia, but have been following the
story through Jill's wonderful posts (thank you, Jill, I'm so grateful).
I was struck by a likeness between Mrs. Smith of Persuasion and Cecilia's
Mrs. Harrell--both are flighty women married to men who couldn't hang onto
their fortunes, men who were exploited to death by unfaithful friends.
If Jane Austen had been able to revise Persuasion, she would have
improved Mrs. Smith's episode. I have no trouble with her disdain for Mr.
Eliot's mercenary marriage--class was and is important to many people. I
have no problem with her friendship with Nurse Rook, a goodhearted woman and
her only constant visitor. If Mrs. Smith were well enough and rich enough
to attend parties and balls, no doubt she'd have other friends of higher
station, but except for visits to the baths, she's confined to her rooms.
I can even believe that she'd let Anne marry Mr. Eliot without warning her
about his character. As she explains, he might have changed, and anyway,
then Anne could wheedle him into helping her with her estate problems.
Selfish, but believable.
My caveat is that Anne doesn't react to much of this. She listens, accepts.
No outrage, no sorrow, no thoughts about friendship versus self-interest.
In an improved version, Mrs. Smith's part might have changed a bit, or Anne
might have reacted more.
Still, even with its flaws, Persuasion moves me more than any of JA's other
books.
Marilyn
Subject: Cecilia. Vol. III, Bk. VI, Ch. VII, An Anecdote
To: AUSTEN-L@VM1.MCGILL.CA
Subject: Cecilia, Vol. III, Bk. VI, Ch. VIII, A Conference
" ' How few are there, how very few, who marry at once upon principles
rational, and feelings pleasant! interest and inclination are eternally at
strife, and where either is wholly sacrificed, the other is inadequate to
happiness. Yet how rarely do they divide the attention! the young are rash,
and the aged are mercenary; their deliberations are never in concert, their
views are scarce ever blended; one vanquishes, and the other submits;
neither party temporizes, and commonly each is unhappy.
" ' Yet why, ... oh why, is it deemed so!
that she loves me, she is ever eager to proclaim, that my fortune would be
>eculiarly useful, she makes not a secret, and that I, at least, should start
>o insuperable objections, she has, alas! but too obviously discovered! Has
>he doubts of her son? -- no, she has too much discernment; the father,
then, the haughty, impracticable father, has destined him for some woman of rank,
and will listen to no other alliance.' " (p. 502)
Subject: Cecilia, Vol. III, Bk. VI, Ch. VIII, A Conference
Reply-To: Jane Austen List
From: "Jill L. Spriggs"
Subject: Cecilia, Vol. III, Bk. VI, Ch. IX, An Attack
" ' I have something,' continued her ladyship, ' of the utmost consequence to
communicate to you. We have been settling an admirable plan for you; will
you promise to be guided by us if I tell it you? '
" ' If I thought my son capable of putting such an insult upon his
ancestors, whatever may be the value I feel for him, I would banish him from
my presence for ever.'
" ' From the hour that my ill-destined passion was fully known to myself, I
weighed all the consequences of indulging it, and found, added to the extreme
hazard of success, an impropriety even in the attempt. My honour in the
honour of my family is bound; what to that would seem wrong, in me would be
unjustifiable: yet where inducements so numerous were opposed by one single
objection! -- where virtue, beauty, education and family were all
unexceptionable, -- O cruel clause! barbarous and repulsive clause! that
forbids my aspiring to the first of women, by an action that with my own
family would degrade me forever!' " (p. 513)
Subject: Cecilia, Vol. III, Bk. VI, Ch. X, A Retreat
To: AUSTEN-L@VM1.MCGILL.CA
" ' ... why should I remain in it? a few weeks only could I fill up in any
tour so near home, and hither in a few weeks to return would be folly and
madness: in an absence so brief, what thought but that of the approaching
meeting would occupy me? and what, at that meeting, should I feel, but joy
the most dangerous, and delight which I dare not think of! -- every conflict
renewed, ever struggle re-felt, again all this scene would require to be
acted, again I must tear myself away, and every tumultuous passion now beating
in my heart would be revived, and, if possible, be revived with added misery!
-- No! -- neither my temper nor my constitution will endure such another
shock, one parting shall suffice, and the fortitude with which I will lengthen
my self-exile, shall atone to myself for the weakness which makes it
requisite.' " (pp. 517-518)
" ' Generous and humane is the
consideration ... but who half so generous, so humane as Miss Beverley? so
soft to all others, so noble in herself? Can my mother have a wish, when I
leave her with you? [possibly for her son's return to good health, and
attachment to a more appropriate object] No, she is sensible of your worth,
she adores you, almost as I adore you myself! you are now under her
protection, you seem, indeed, born for each other; let me not, then deprive
her of so honourable a charge: -- Oh, why must he, who sees in such colours
the excellencies of both, who admires with such fervour the perfections you
unite, be torn with this violence from the objects he reveres, even though
half his life he would sacrifice, to spend in their society what remained!
... [taking her hand] Oh too lovely Miss Beverley! -- why, why must I quit
you!' " (pp. 518- 519)
Subject: _Cecilia_, Vol. III, Bk. VI, Ch. XI, A Worry
To: AUSTEN-L@VM1.MCGILL.CA
" [Cecilia] saw throughout the whole behavior of Mrs. Delvile, a warmth of
regard which, though thoroughly opposed by family pride, made her almost
miserable to promote the very union she thought necessary to discountenance;
she saw, too, that it was with the utmost difficulty she preserved the
steadiness of her opposition, and that she had a conflict perpetual with
herself, to forbear openly acknowledging the contrariety of her wishes, and
perplexity of her distress; but chiefly she was struck with the expressive
use of the word gratitude." (p. 527)
"Oh strange infatuation of unconquerable prejudice!" (Oxford
ed Cecilia, PSabor and MADoody, p. 528).
These reflections, and the uncertainty if
she should ever in Delvile castle sleep again, disturbed
her the hwole night and made all calling in the morning
unnecessary: She arose at five o'clock, dressed
herself with the utmost heaviness of heart, and in
going through a long gallery which led to the stair-
case, as she passed the door of Mortimer's chamber,
the thought of his ill health, his intended long journey,
and the probability that she might never see him more,
so deeply impressed and saddened her, that scarcely
could she force herself to proced, without stopping
to weep and to rpay for him; she was surrounded,
however, by servants, and compelled therefore to hasten
to the chaise; she flung herself in, and leaning back,
drew her hat over her eyes, and thought, as the
carriage drove off, her last hope of earthly happiness
extinguished (Cecilia, ed PSabor and MADoody,
p. 528).
"Mrs Charlton, though old and infirm,
preserved an understanding, which, whenever
unbiassed by her affections, was sure to direct
her unerringly; but hte extreme softness of her
temper frequently misled her judgment, by making
it, at the pleasure either of misforune or of
artifice, always yield to compassion, and pliant
to entreaty. Where her cousnel and opinion were
demanded, they were certain to reflect honour
on her capaicty and discernment; but where her
assistance and pity were supplicated, her purse
and her tears were immediately bestowed, and
in her zeal to alleviate distress she forgot if the
object were deserving her solicitude, and stopt
not to consider popriety or discretion, if happiness,
hwoever momentary, were in her power to grant"
(p. 530).
Subject: Echoes of Burney in Austen
To: Jane Austen List
Ellen Moody.
Pagemaster: Jim
Moody.
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