Block #36: Modern Envelope by Becky Brown for Anne Sharp
This is the last block in our series of 36 Austen Family Album blocks.
One of Jane Austen's last surviving letters was to her friend, "My dearest Anne" Sharp. They met about 1805 when both women were approaching 30 years of age. Jane was visiting her wealthy brother Edward's estate where Miss Sharp served as governess to Edward's eldest daughter Fanny for two years or so.
Rebecca Solomon painted a portrait of
"The Governess"in the 1850s.
The women had much in common: age, taste, intelligence and the position of single women. Both perched on a curious step in the social ladder. In the midst of affluence and titles at a country manor, Miss Jane was a poor relation, Miss Sharp an employee, not quite a servant, certainly not an equal to her student's social position.
The elegant hall at Godmersham today
After Anne moved on to teach in another stately home the two remained fast friends through their letters. Anne visted Jane at Chawton at least once, in 1815.
Fashion Plate, 1803
Modern Envelope by Georgann Eglinski
Jane sent copies of her books and welcomed Anne's comments. In 1816 Jane asked the publisher to forward a set of the first edition of Emma, which Anne honestly reviewed. She did not like it so much as Pride and Prejudice.
Anne Sharp's 3-volume set of
Emma recently sold for well over £100,000.
Anne signed her name
above the publishing house clerk's notation:
"From the author."
In summer, 1817, Anne was teaching in Doncaster and Jane was very ill indeed. She wrote to Anne about the ups and downs of her chronic and mysterious disease and her treatment in Chawton. She announced she was going to a larger city to see the family's doctor.
"I am going to Winchester instead, for some weeks to see what Mr Lyford can do farther towards re-establishing me in tolerable health. — On Saturday next, I am actually going thither — My dearest Cassandra with me I need hardly say — And as this is only two days off you will be convinced that I am now really a very genteel, portable sort of an Invalid."
She closed with:
"Sick or Well, beleive me ever yr attached friend
J. Austen"
The Winchester house where Jane died at the age of 41,
soon after her letter to Anne, drawing by Constance Hill
8 College Street, Winchester
Entries from Jane's sister-in-law Mary Lloyd Austen's diary,
Modern Envelope by Bettina Havig
We who love the past and Jane Austen's novels are so fortunate to have Jane's letters available to tell us more about the Austens and their times.
Letter to Cassandra Austen from her sister
In Jane Austen's England, letters were not inserted into envelopes. The writer left space on the sheet for the address and folded the paper to make a self-envelope, an old-fashioned skill. The recipient rather than the writer paid the postage and postage increased with each sheet. Jane was an economical writer, fitting a good deal of eloquence into a single sheet of paper.
When folded and sealed the letter was ready to be posted.
For our last block in the
Austen Family Album, "Modern Envelope" can remind us of those Austen letters in their old-fashioned, hand-folded envelopes.This pattern, published in the
Kansas City Star in 1945, echoes paper folding.
Modern Envelope is BlockBase # 1266d
Cutting a 12" Block
A - Cut 2 squares 6-7/8”. Cut each in half with a diagonal cut to make 2 triangles.
You need 4 large triangles.
B - Cut 2 squares 7-1/4”. Cut each into 4 triangles with 2 diagonal cuts.
You need 8 triangles.
Sewing:
Jane's obituary
Modern Envelope by Becky Brown
Read more about the friendship here:
http://austenprose.com/2008/06/07/jane-austens-dearest-friendship-with-miss-sharp-still-resonates-today/
And while you stitch your sampler blocks together, listen to Eileen Horne's novel/play told from Miss Sharp's perspective in
The Mysterious Death of Jane Austen.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/writersroom/posts/The-Mysterious-Death-of-Jane-Austen
