J. Austen & the Outlandish Cousin

Marie_Antoinette_amusement_at_Versailles

Jane Austen & the Outlandish Cousin

This web page functions as the appendix to Chapter 3, and its specific topic is the life and influence of Jane Austen's fourteen years older cousin Eliza, Comtesse de Feuillide (née Hancock; 22 December 1761 – 25 April 1813).

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliza_de_Feuillide

Ch3/31: Who was Eliza de Feuillide?

Jane Austen’s father, George Austen, had two sisters: Philadelphia and Leonora. Not much is known about Leonora, but she has presumably worked as a lady's companion and she was simple-minded.[i]

Philadelphia was on the ‘fishing fleet’ to India to catch herself a husband and married Tysoe Saul Hancock in 1753. They seemed to have had problems conceiving a child, but finally they succeeded. A daughter was born on the 22nd December 1761 in Calcutta, India. However, there were rumours that the child, Elizabeth, was the natural child of her godfather Warren Hastings, later to be the first Governor-General of Bengal.

The little family returned from India to England in 1765, but as their income would not be sufficient to support their lifestyle, the father, Tysoe Saul Hancock, had to return to India to work. His letters show love for his family and expresses the pain he feels for not seeing his family again. After she was three, Eliza never saw her father again, as he died in India on 5 November 1775, aged sixty-four.

Philadelphia and Elizabeth continued to enjoy the good life, but as they lived beyond their means, Philadelphia decided to move to France, where living costs were lower. In 1779 they settled in France and just two years later Eliza married a wealthy French Army Captain, Jean-François Capot de Feuillide, who was a ‘comte’, i.e. a count. Eliza now became Comtesse de Feuillide.

After the beginning of the French Revolution, in 1790, mother and pregnant daughter returned to England and a safer life for the unborn child.

Back in France, Eliza’s husband, who was loyal to the French monarchy, was arrested for conspiracy against the Republic and guillotined in 1794.

Eliza’s (only) son Hastings de Feuillide (named after Warren Hastings) was born on 25 June 1786. He seems to have suffered from the same attacks as Austen’s older brother, George, but contrary to George, Hastings had a short life, as he died in 1801.

Philadelphia Walter (a cousin) wrote the following to her brother:

Seal, 23rd July 1788 - Madame de F. and my aunt are returned to London. Poor little Hastings has had another fit; we all fear very much his faculties are hurt; many people say he has the appearance of a weak head; that his eyes are particular is very certain; our fears are of his being like poor George Austen. He has every symptom of good health, but cannot yet use his feet in the least, nor yet talk, tho' he makes a great noise continually.[ii]

Philadelphia Hancock died slowly and painfully of breast cancer and lingered until 26 February 1792.[iii]

Eliza was later for a brief time courted by Austen’s brother, James, but (like Mary Crawford in Mansfield Park) Eliza had no wish for a clerical husband and instead went for Austen’s favourite brother, Henry Thomas Austen. Henry was twenty-six and had just become a regimental paymaster and captain. Eliza was ten years older. The ceremony took place at Marylebone Church in London, 31 December 1797, and J. David Grey suggests that the fact that the wedding did not occur at Steventon may indicate that the family viewed the marriage as less than felicitous.[iv] The couple had no children.

Eliza and Jane Austen had been quite close ever since the return from France, and when Eliza died on 25 April 1813, Jane Austen was at her bedside. Eliza is buried beside her mother and son in the cemetery of St John-at-Hampstead in North London.

Sources:

Austen-Leigh, William, Richard Arthur Austen-Leigh, and Deirdre Le Faye. Jane Austen: A Family Record. Rev. and enl. ed. London: British Library, 1993.

Elizabeth Jenkins. Janes Austen A Biography, 1938. http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.186577.

Grey, J. David. ‘Henry Austen: Jane Austen’s “Perpetual Sunshine”’. Persuasions Occasional Papers, 1984.

Lane, Maggie. Jane Austen’s Family: Through Five Generations. 1. paperback ed. London: Hale, 1992.

Le Faye, Deirdre. Jane Austen’s ‘Outlandish Cousin’: The Life and Letters of Eliza de Feuillide. London: British Library, 2002.

Tomalin, Claire. Jane Austen: A Life. 2nd ed. London: Penguin, 2012.

Worsley, Lucy. Jane Austen at Home: A Biography. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2018.

[i] Lane, Jane Austen’s Family, 43.

[ii] Le Faye, Jane Austen’s ‘Outlandish Cousin’, 85.

[iii] Lane, Jane Austen’s Family, 97.

[iv] Grey, ‘Henry Austen: Jane Austen’s “Perpetual Sunshine”’.

700px-William_Austen_family_tree_two_gen

Rev. George Austen's family tree. Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/William_Austen_family_tree_two_generations.svg

Ch3/32: Eliza's letters to England describing her experiences at the Court of Versailles

Anker 1

In the book Jane Austen's 'Outlandish Cousin': The Life and Letters of Eliza de Feuillide by Deirdre le Faye and in Jane Austen's Family by Maggie Lane, we have access to some of the thoughts of Eliza and her descriptions of life at court, as some of her letters to her cousin Philadelphia Walter have been preserved.

Eliza to her cousin Philadelphia Walter; Paris, 16 May 1780

[...] We were a few days ago at Versailles and had the honour of seeing their Majesties and all the royal family dine and sup. The Queen is a very fine woman, she has a most beautiful complexion, and is indeed exceedingly handsome; she was most elegantly dressed, she had on a corset and petticoat of pale green lutestring covered with transparent silver gauze, the petticoat and sleeves puckered and confined in different places with large bunches of roses, and an amazing large bouquet of white lilac. The same flower, together with gauze, feathers, ribbon and diamonds intermixed with her hair. Her neck was entirely uncovered and ornamented by a most beautiful chain of diamonds, of which she had likewise very fine bracelets; she was without gloves, I suppose to show her hands and arms which are without exception the whitest and most beautiful I ever beheld. The King was plainly dressed, he had however likewise some fine diamonds. The rest of the royal family were very elegant, and indeed I may say the court of France is, I believe, upon the whole one of the most magnificent in all Europe.

There is perhaps no place in the world where dress is so well understood and carried to so great a perfection as in Paris, and no wonder it should be so since people make it the chief business and study of their lives. Powder is universally worn, and in very large quantities, no one would dare to appear in public without it. The heads in general look as if they had been dipped in a meal-tub. Hats likewise (which are called English but which do not bear the least resemblance to those of our nation) are much the fashion. The hair is cut in shades not worn high at all. It was with reluctance, I conformed to the mode in this article, as my hair was very long on my arrival, and I was obliged to have It cut to half Its length; but what will not all powerful fashion effect? and so much for the modes ... [...]

Lane, Jane Austen’s Family, 72.

Eliza to her cousin Philadelphia Walter; Comblaville, 27 June 1780

I am happy my account of Versailles could afford you any amusement. You wrong her Majesty however when you suppose her entirely

indebted to art for her complexion. She has really a beautiful natural one; rouge is, I acknowledge, much worn here, but not so universally as you imagine; no single ladies ever make use of It, and were they to do it would be much disapproved of. When once married I own in general they make themselves ample amends for this denial. [...]

Lane, Jane Austen’s Family, 73.

Eliza to her cousin Philadelphia Walter; Paris, 27 Mar 1782

[...] As for me I have danced more this winter than in all the rest of my life put together. Indeed I am almost ashamed to say what a racketing life I have led, but it was really almost unavoidable, Paris has been remarkably gay this year on account of the birth of the Dauphin. This event was celebrated by illuminations, fireworks, balls etc. The entertainment of the latter kind given at court was amazingly fine. The Court of France is at all time brilliant, but on this occasion the magnificence was beyond conception. The ball was given in a most noble saloon, adorned with paintings, sculpture, gilding etc. etc. Eight thousand lights disposed in the most beautiful forms shewed to advantage the richest & most elegant dresses, the most beautiful women, & the noblest Assembly perhaps anywhere to be beheld; nothing but gold silver & diamonds & jewels of all kinds were to be seen on every side. Her Majesty, who is handsome at all times had her charms not a little heightened by the magnificence of her adjustment. It was a kind of Turkish dress made of a silver grounded silk intermixed with blue & entirely trimmed & almost covered with jewels. A sash & tassels of diamonds went round her waist, her sleeves were puffed & confined in several places with diamonds, large knots of the same fastened a flowing veil of silver gauze; her hair which is remarkably handsome was adorned with the most beautiful jewels of all kinds intermixed with flowers & a large plume of white feathers. The king had a gold grounded coat entirely embroidered with jewels, the Comte d'Artois & the Princesses were dressed with equal magnificence, & the persons of the Court by no means Jell short of them. In short altogether it was the finest sight I ever beheld, & I cannot give you a better idea of it than the one which struck me at the time, which was this: it answered exactly to the description given in the Arabian Nights entertainments of enchanted palaces.

Besides this ball we have had many others, but luckily for me they are now nearly over, as so much dancing, altho' perfectly to my taste, does not agree quite so well with my health, which tho' pretty good is not strong, that is I am seldom or ever ill, but my constitution is naturally delicate. I hope to spend this summer quietly. I do not think I shall quit Paris for more than a week or fortnight at a time. [...]

Le Faye, Jane Austen’s ‘Outlandish Cousin’, 54-55.

Eliza to her cousin Philadelphia Walter; Paris. 1 May 1783

[...] The Elegants or fashionable young men are in general either on horseback or in open carriages. The Queen & Royal family are generally there, & what much contributed to the beauty of the show this year several of Princesses made their appearance in open Calashes drawn by six horses; the most elegant were the Dutchess de Chartres Cousin to his Majesty & the Princess de Lamballe whose natural beauty does not want all the additions it had received on this occasion for all the Ladies are very much dressed. You may imagine that the Coup d'oeil of the whole must be striking.

Whilst I am speaking of fashionable follies I cannot avoid mentioning the changes in the toilette. The hair instead of being turned up behind has been worn for some time past in two or three Clubs, but it is said this mode will not continue as it does not meet with her Majesty's approbation. Large yellow Straw Hats such as I believe You may have seen worn by the Hay Makers are universally adopted, they are called a la Marlborough as well as every thing else of late. This great General certainly could never have imagined that so many years after his Death his name [would] have been borrowed to set off all the frippery of Dress, Ribbands [and] Silk. [All] is a la Marlborough & the prevailing colour, is la mort de Marlbor[ough], the [death of] Marlborough, which is a kind of Pompadour shot with black the f[inest] tha[t can] possibly be imagined. The cause of this Marlborough rage is [the] most [curious in] the world. The Dauphin's Nurse was one day singing an Old Ballad [to] put him to sleep called the Death of Marlborough; The Queen happened to hear her was pleased with it & of course the whole court had it by heart the next day; The people who like to ape their betters followed their example, a Pantomime appeared on the subject, verses without number were composed, & the Fashion became general in a very short time. [...]

Le Faye, Jane Austen’s ‘Outlandish Cousin’, 57-58.