A Memoir of Jane Austen

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A very old Letter
‘MY DEARES POLL,
‘Y r letters by Cousin Robbert Serle arrived here not before the
27 th of Aprill, yett were they hartily wellcome to us, bringing y e
joyful news which a great while we had longed for of my most
dear Mother & all other relations & friends good health which I
beseech God continue to you all, & as I observe in y rs to y r Sister
Betty y e extraordinary kindness of (as I may truly say) the best
Moth r & G nd Moth r in the world in pinching herself to make you
fine, so I cannot but admire her great good Housewifry in affording
you so very plentifull an allowance, & yett to increase her
Stock at the rate I find she hath done; & think I can never
sufficiently mind you how very much it is y r duty on all occasions
to pay her y r gratitude in all humble submission & obedience
to all her commands soe long as you live. I must tell you ’tis
to her bounty & care in y e greatest measure you are like to owe y r
well living in this world, & as you cannot but be very sensible
you are an extraordinary charge to her so it behoves you to take
particular heed th t in y e whole course of y r life, you render her a
proportionable comfort, especially since ’tis y e best way you can
ever hope to make her such amends as God requires of y r hands.
but Poll! it grieves me a little & y t I am forced to take notice of &
reprove you for some vaine expressions in y r lett rs to y r Sister––
you say concerning y r allowance “you aime to bring y r bread &
cheese even”° in this I do not discommend you, for a foule
shame indeed it would be should you out run the Constable°
having soe liberall a provision made you for y r maintenance–– but
y e reason you give for y r resolution I cannot at all approve for
you say “to spend more you can’t” thats because you have it not
to spend, otherwise it seems you would. So y t ’tis y r Grandmoth
rs discretion & not yours th t keeps you from extravagancy,
which plainly appears in y e close of y r sentence, saying y t you
think it simple covetousness to save out of y rs but ’tis my opinion
if you lay all on y r back ’tis ten tymes a greater sin & shame th n
to save some what out of soe large an allowance in y r purse to
help you at a dead lift.° Child, we all know our beginning, but
who knows his end?° Y e best use th t can be made of fair weath r is
to provide against foule & ’tis great discretion & of noe small
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