Have you nothing to say of your little namesake? We join in love and many happy returns.
Yours affectionately, J. Austen.
The Manydown ball was a smaller thing than I expected, but it seems to have made Anna very happy. At her age it would not have done for me.
Miss Austen, Edward Austen's, Esq.,
Godmersham Park, Faversham, Kent.
XXXII.
Castle Square, Tuesday (January 17).
My dear Cassandra,—I am happy to say that we had no second letter from Bookham last week. Yours has brought its usual measure of satisfaction and amusement, and I beg your acceptance of all the thanks due on the occasion. Your offer of cravats is very kind, and happens to be particularly adapted to my wants, but it was an odd thing to occur to you.
Yes, we have got another fall of snow, and are very dreadful; everything seems to turn to snow this winter.
I hope you have had no more illness among you, and that William will be soon as well as ever. His working a footstool for Chawton is a most agreeable surprise to me, and I am sure his grandmamma will value it very much as a proof of his affection and industry, but we shall never have the heart to put our feet upon it. I believe I must work a muslin cover in satin stitch to keep it from the dirt. I long to know what his colors are. I guess greens and purples.