Page:Austen Lady Susan Watson Letters.djvu/306

LETTERS OF JANE AUSTEN is my unhappy fate seldom to treat people so well as they deserve God bless you!

Yours affectionately,

Wednesday.—The snow came to nothing yesterday, so I did go to Deane, and returned home at nine o'clock at night in the little carriage, and without being very cold.

Frank is made. He was yesterday raised to the rank of Commander, and appointed to the “Petterel” sloop, now at Gibraltar. A letter from Daysh has just announced this, and as it is confirmed by a very friendly one from Mr. Mathew to the same effect, transcribing one from Admiral Gambier to the General, we have no reason to suspect the truth of it.

As soon as you have cried a little for joy, you may go on, and learn farther that the India House have taken Captain Austen’s petition into consideration—this comes from Daysh—and likewise that Lieutenant Charles John Austen &emsp;&emsp;[270]