Page:A memoir of Jane Austen (Fourth Edition).pdf/71

 will amount to at least five hundred pounds a yeare, a sum y poor ffather can ill spare, besides doe but bethink yself what a ridiculous sight it will be when yr grandmoth & you come to us to have noe less th seven waiting gentlewomen in one house, for what reason can you give why every one of y Sist should not have every one of y a Maide as well as you, & though you may spare to pay y maide's wages out of y allowance yett you take no care of ye unnecessary charge you put y ffath to in y increase of his family, whereas if it were not a piece of pride to have y name of keeping y maide she y waits on y good Grandmother might easily doe as formerly you know she hath done, all y business you have for a maide unless as you grow old you grow a veryer Foole which God forbid!

'Poll, you live in a place where you see great plenty & splendour but let not ye allurements of earthly pleasures tempt you to forget or neglect ye duty of a good Christian in dressing yr bettr part which is y soule, as will best please God. I am not against yr going decent & neate as becomes yr ffathers daughter but to clothe y'self rich & be running into every gaudy fashion can never become y circumstances & instead of doing you creditt & getting you a good prefernt it is y readiest way you can take to fright all sober men from ever thinking of matching thmselves with women that live above thyr fortune, & if this be a wisc way of spending money judge you!& besides, doe but reflect what an od