Perhaps some apology may be expected on behalf of a book about Jane Austen, having regard to the number which have already been put before the public in past years. My own membership of the family is my excuse for printing a book which contains little original matter, and which might be described as “a thing of shreds and patches,” if that phrase were not already over-worked. To me it seems improbable that others will take a wholly adverse view of what is so much inwoven with all the traditions of my life. When I recollect my childhood, spent chiefly in the house of my grandfather, Sir Francis, and all the interests which accompanied those early days, I find myself once more amongst those deep and tender distances. Surrounded by reminiscences of the opening years of the century, the Admiral always cherished the most affectionate remembrance of the sister who had so soon passed away, leaving those six precious volumes to be a store of household words among the family.

How often I call to mind some question or answer, expressed quite naturally in terms of the novels; sometimes even a conversation would be carried on entirely appropriate to the matter under discussion, but the actual phrases were “Aunt Jane’s.” So well, too, do I recollect the sad news of the death of Admiral Charles Austen, after the capture, under his command, of Martaban and Rangoon, and while he was leading his squadron to further successes, fifty-six years having elapsed since his first sea-fight.

My daughter and I have made free use of the Letters of Jane Austen, published in 1884, by the late Lord Brabourne, and wish to acknowledge with gratitude the kind permission to quote these letters, given to us by their present possessor. In a letter of 1813, she speaks of two nephews who “amuse themselves very comfortably in the evening by netting; they are each about a rabbit-net, and sit as deedily to it, side by side, as any two Uncle Franks could do.” In his octogenarian days Sir Francis was still much interested in this same occupation of netting, to protect his Morello cherries or currants. It was, in fact, only laid aside long after his grandsons had been taught to carry it on.

My most hearty thanks are also due to my cousins, who have helped to provide materials for our work; to Miss M. L. Austen for the loan of miniatures and silhouettes; to Miss Jane Austen for various letters and for illustrations; to Commander E. L. Austen for access to logs, and to official and other letters in large numbers; also to Miss Mary Austen for the picture of the Peterel in action, and to Mrs. Herbert Austen, and Captain and Mrs. Willan for excellent portraits of the Admirals, and to all these, and other members of the family, for much encouragement in our enterprise.

JOHN H. HUBBACK.

July 1905.

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE
I.BROTHERS AND SISTERS[1]
II.TWO MIDSHIPMEN[15]
III.CHANGES AND CHANCES IN THE NAVY[28]
IV.PROMOTIONS[41]
V.THE “PETEREL” SLOOP[56]
VI.THE PATROL OF THE MEDITERRANEAN[78]
VII.AT HOME AND ABROAD[94]
VIII.BLOCKADING BOULOGNE[111]
IX.THE PURSUIT OF VILLENEUVE[130]
X.“A MELANCHOLY SITUATION”[147]
XI.ST. DOMINGO[164]
XII.THE CAPE AND ST. HELENA[180]
XIII.STARS AND STRIPES[196]
XIV.CHINESE MANDARINS[212]
XV.A LETTER FROM JANE[227]
XVI.ANOTHER LETTER FROM JANE[243]
XVII.THE END OF THE WAR[260]
XVIII. TWO ADMIRALS[274]
INDEX[287]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE
Vice-Admiral Sir Francis Austen, K.C.B. (From a painting in the possession of Mrs. Herbert Austen) [Frontispiece]
The Reverend George Austen, Rector of Steventon (From a miniature in the possession of Miss M. L. Austen) [8]
Action between the English frigate Unicorn and the French frigate La Tribune, June 8, 1796 (From a painting in the possession of Captain Willan, R.N., and Mrs. Willan). By kind permission of Miss Hill [22]
Francis Austen as Lieutenant (From a miniature)[44]
Sloop of War and Frigate (From a pencil sketch by Captain Herbert Austen, R.N.) [64]
Peterel in action with the French brig La Ligurienne after driving two others on the rocks near Marseilles, on March 21, 1800 (From a sketch by Captain Herbert Austen, R.N., in the possession of Miss Mary Austen) [84]
Topaz Crosses given to Cassandra and Jane by Charles Austen (In the possession of Miss Jane Austen) [92]
The Way to Church from Portsdown Lodge (From a pencil sketch by Catherine A. Austen) [108]
Mrs. Austen (From a silhouette in the possession of Miss M. L. Austen) [124]
Order of Battle and of Sailing, signed Nelson and Bronté, dated March 26, 1805 [132]
Order of Battle and of Sailing, signed Nelson and Bronté, dated June 5, 1805 [138]
Captain Francis William Austen (From a miniature of 1806, in the possession of Miss M. L. Austen. The Order of the C.B. has been painted in at a later date, probably when conferred in 1815) [156]
“Vice-Admiral Sir Francis Austen, K.C.B.’s writing-desk” (From a caricature sketch by his daughter Cassandra, about 1840) [174]
Cassandra Austen (From a silhouette in the possession of Miss M. L. Austen) [184]
Portchester Castle. The French prisoners were interned in the neighbouring buildings after the Battle of Vimiera (From a sketch by Captain Herbert Austen, R.N.) [200]
Captain Charles Austen (From a painting of 1809, in the possession of Miss Jane Austen) [210]
Jane Austen, from a sketch by her sister Cassandra (In the possession of Miss Jane Austen) [226]
Mrs. Charles Austen, née Fanny Palmer, daughter of the Attorney-General of Bermuda (From a painting in the possession of Miss Jane Austen) [252]
Captain Charles Austen, C.B. (From a painting in the possession of Captain Willan, R.N., and Mrs. Willan) [266]
Jane Austen’s work-box, with her last piece of work (In the possession of Miss Jane Austen) [270]
Memorandum, dated May 12, 1838, signed by Charles Austen on taking command of the Bellerophon [274]
Rear-Admiral Charles Austen, C.B. (From a miniature painted at Malta in 1846, in the possession of Miss Jane Austen) [278]
Sir Francis Austen, G.C.B., Admiral of the Fleet, at the age of ninety [284]