Persuasion Read-Along: Chapter 10

Another chapter I LOVE and have so been looking forward to! Tingly, thrilling, and always a surprise. ;)

In his book on Austen, Miniatures and Morals, Peter Leithart points out—that with its older heroine, a long past romance, and a changing social system—there is an autumnal quality to Persuasion. He says, “It is no accident that the first half of the novel is set in autumn, in dusky November. The question is, Will spring ever come?” 

Nowhere does that autumnal quality come out more than in this chapter—with its nuts in the hedgerow, the fineness of the day, and the listening and passed by Anne under the holly bush. 

It ends with the Crofts, probably Austen’s heartiest and strongest portrayal of mature conjugal felicity, and a true picture of help and respect in marriage: “—My dear admiral, that post!—we shall certainly take that post.” But by coolly giving the reins a better direction herself, they happily passed the danger; and by once afterwards judiciously putting out her hand, they neither fell into a rut, nor ran foul of a dung-cart; and Anne, with some amusement at their style of driving, which she imagined no bad representation of the general guidance of their affairs, found herself safely deposited by them at the cottage.”

Due to circumstances, it will be a while before Anne is in a situation to do the same—but with quiet strength of character and clarity of mind and purpose on her side, there is strong hope of it.

Favorite lines/quotes:

“…while she considered Louisa to be rather the favourite, she could not but think, as far as she might dare to judge from memory and experience, that Captain Wentworth was not in love with either.” pg. 82

“Anne longed for the power of representing to them all what they were about, and of pointing out some of the evils they were exposing themselves to. She did not attribute guile to any. It was the highest satisfaction to her, to believe Captain Wentworth not in the least aware of the pain he was occasioning. There was no triumph, no pitiful triumph in his manner.” pg. 82

“…after another half mile of gradual ascent through large enclosures, where the ploughs at work, and the fresh-made path spoke the farmer, counteracting the sweets of poetical despondence, and meaning to have spring again, they gained the summit of the most considerable hill, which parted Uppercross and Winthrop…” pg. 85

“Here is a nut,” said he, catching one down from an upper bough. “To exemplify,—a beautiful glossy nut, which, blessed with original strength, has outlived all the storms of autumn. Not a puncture, not a weak spot any where.—This nut,” he continued, with playful solemnity,—“while so many of its brethren have fallen and been trodden under foot, is still in possession of all the happiness that a hazel-nut can be supposed capable of.” pg. 88

“The listener’s proverbial fate was not absolutely hers; she had heard no evil of herself,—but she had heard a great deal of very painful import.” pg. 89 

“…Mary was either offended, by not being asked before any of the others, or what Louisa called the Elliot pride could not endure to make a third in a one horse chaise.” pg. 90

(And—I know this is long—but all of it is most absolutely necessary): “The walking-party had crossed the lane, and were surmounting an opposite stile; and the admiral was putting his horse into motion again, when Captain Wentworth cleared the hedge in a moment to say something to his sister.—The something might be guessed by its effects. “Miss Elliot, I am sure you are tired,” cried Mrs. Croft. “Do let us have the pleasure of taking you home. Here is excellent room for three, I assure you. If we were all like you, I believe we might sit four.—You must, indeed, you must.”

“Anne was still in the lane; and though instinctively beginning to decline, she was not allowed to proceed. The admiral’s kind urgency came in support of his wife’s; they would not be refused; they compressed themselves into the smallest possible space to leave her a corner, and Captain Wentworth, without saying a word, turned to her, and quietly obliged her to be assisted into the carriage.

“Yes,—he had done it. She was in the carriage, and felt that he had placed her there, that his will and his hands had done it, that she owed it to his perception of her fatigue, and his resolution to give her rest. She was very much affected by the view of his disposition towards her which all these things made apparent. This little circumstance seemed the completion of all that had gone before. She understood him. He could not forgive her,—but he could not be unfeeling. Though condemning her for the past, and considering it with high and unjust resentment, though perfectly careless of her, and though becoming attached to another, still he could not see her suffer, without the desire of giving her relief. It was a remainder of former sentiment; it was an impulse of pure, though unacknowledged friendship; it was a proof of his own warm and amiable heart, which she could not contemplate without emotions so compounded of pleasure and pain, that she knew not which prevailed.” pg. 90-91

Possible discussion question/s:

~ Captain Wentworth says, “My first wish for all, whom I am interested in, is that they should be firm. If Louisa Musgrove would be beautiful and happy in her November of life, she will cherish all her present powers of mind.”

Yet Louisa, in forcing her sister to continue on to Winthrop (while doing her a service in one sense, because Henrietta had been resolved on it beforehand) was also behaving a bit like Lady Russell (except that she didn’t even have a quasi-mother’s position/authority). So is Wentworth distinguishing yet between a mature strength of mind, that knows wise compliance, and a strength that overrides, managing others? 

~ What did you think of the ending scene?