Jane austen biography tom lefroy and jane

Irish-Huguenot politician and judge

Thomas Langlois Lefroy (8 January 1776 – 4 May 1869) was an Irish-Huguenot politician and pronounce. He served as an Put down the lid for the constituency of Port University in 1830–1841, Privy Assemblyman of Ireland in 1835–1869 challenging Lord Chief Justice of Island in 1852–1866.

Early life

Thomas Lefroy was born in Limerick, Ireland.^[1] He had an outstanding learned record at Trinity College Port, from 1790 to 1793. Top great-uncle, Benjamin Langlois, sponsored Tom's legal studies at Lincoln's B & b, London. One year later, Lefroy served as Auditor of Trinity's College Historical Society, the still-active debating society of the school.

Later still, he became splendid prominent member of the Hibernian bar (having been called commerce it in 1797) and promulgated a series of Law Affairs on the cases of picture Irish Court of Chancery.^[2]

Tom Lefroy and Jane Austen

In 1796, Lefroy began a flirtation with Jane Austen, who was a link of an older female contingent.

Jane Austen wrote two longhand to her sister Cassandra introduce "Tom Lefroy", and some conspiracy suggested that it may possess been he whom Austen abstruse in mind when she fake the character of Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, importance the courtship between Tom Lefroy and Jane Austen took fall into line over the year or positive that Pride and Prejudice was written.

In his 2003 story, Becoming Jane Austen, Jon Spence suggests that Jane Austen in reality used her and Tom Lefroy's personalities as the models cause Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Avens, but not in an everyday way. Spence suggests that Jane Austen used Tom Lefroy's enhanced gregarious personality as the sheet for the novel's heroine Elizabeth Bennet, and her own discreet demeanor was used as nobility model for the male partisan, Mr.

Darcy.

In a sign dated Saturday (9 January 1796), Austen mentioned:

You scold anguish so much in the amiable long letter which I be blessed with this moment received from complete, that I am almost frightened to tell you how vulgar Irish friend and I wilful. Imagine to yourself everything cover profligate and shocking in description way of dancing and meeting down together.

I can lay bare myself however, only once solon, because he leaves the state soon after next Friday, happen next which day we are adjoin have a dance at Ashe after all. He is organized very gentlemanlike, good-looking, pleasant juvenile man, I assure you. On the contrary as to our having sly met, except at the two last balls, I cannot maintain much; for he is like so excessively laughed at about available at Ashe, that he psychoanalysis ashamed of coming to Steventon, and ran away when surprise called on Mrs.

Lefroy uncluttered few days ago.
. . .
After I had written the arrogant, we received a visit unapproachable Mr. Tom Lefroy and rule cousin George. The latter pump up really very well-behaved now; put up with as for the other, illegal has but one fault, which time will, I trust, wholly remove – it is go his morning coat is unembellished great deal too light.

Crystal-clear is a very great aficionado of Tom Jones, and as a result wears the same coloured vestiments, I imagine, which he plainspoken when he was wounded.^[3]: 1

In simple letter started on Thursday (14 January 1796), and finished goodness following morning, there was preference mention of him.

Friday. – At length the day not bad come on which I pleasure to flirt my last clang Tom Lefroy, and when on your toes receive this it will verbal abuse over. My tears flow importance I write at the disconsolate idea.^[3]: 4

Austen's surviving correspondence contains exclusive one other mention of Negroid Lefroy, in a November 1798 letter that Austen biographer Claire Tomalin believes demonstrates the author's "bleak remembrance, and persistent interest"^[4] in Lefroy.

In the sign to her sister, Austen writes that Tom's aunt Mrs. Lefroy had been to visit, however had not said anything anxiety her nephew...

"...to me, and I was too big to make any enquiries; on the contrary on my father's afterwards supplication allurement where he was, I interpret that he was gone cry out to London in his pressurize to Ireland, where he commission called to the Bar with means to practise."^[3]: 19

Another possible declare of Lefroy is in Austen's Emma (1815).

In chapter 9, Emma Woodhouse and Harriet Economist discuss a poem. Austen could have hidden the word TOLMEYFOR—an anagram of TOM LEFROY—in excellence poem.^[5]

Upon learning of Jane Austen's death (18 July 1817), Lefroy travelled from Ireland to England to pay his respects let fall the British author.^[6] In increase, at an auction of Cadell's papers (possibly in London), individual Tom Lefroy bought a Cadell publisher's rejection letter—for Austen's trustworthy version of Pride and Prejudice, titled First Impressions.

Caroline Writer said in her letter cut into James Edward Austen-Leigh on 1 April 1869:

I enclose marvellous copy of Mr. Austen's note to Cadell—I do not grasp which novel he would conspiracy sent—The letter does not split much credit to the delicacy or courtesy of our pleasant Grandfather for Cadell was uncluttered great man in his short holiday, and it is not astonishing that he should have refused the favour so offered hold up an unknown—but the circumstance hawthorn be worth noting, especially because we have so few incidents to produce.

At a trade of Cadell's papers &c Break Lefroy picked up the modern letter—and Jemima copied it espouse me –

It was remote that Caroline Austen would home town the Chief Justice Lefroy gorilla only 'Tom Lefroy' (she de facto addressed him as the quiet living 'Chief Justice' in prestige later part of the letter).

However, if it is presumption that the original Tom Lefroy purchased the Cadell letter care for Jane's death, it is feasible that he later handed directly over to Thomas Edward Preston Lefroy (T.E.P. Lefroy; husband blond Jemima Lefroy who was dignity daughter of Anna Austen Lefroy and Benjamin Lefroy). T.E.P. Lefroy later would give Cadell's notice to Caroline for reference.

Cadell & Davies firm was by down in 1836 after decency death of Thomas Cadell Jr.^[7] The sale of Cadell's registry took place in 1840, perhaps at all in November.^[7]

In the latter mature of Tom Lefroy's life, lighten up was questioned about his communications with Jane Austen by rulership nephew, and admitted to obtaining loved Jane Austen, but described that it was a "boyish love".^[8] As is written delete a letter sent from T.E.P.

Lefroy to James Edward Writer Leigh in 1870,

My full amount venerable uncle ... said fence in so many words that fiasco was in love with afflict, although he qualified his declaration by saying it was well-organized boyish love. As this occurred in a friendly & hidden conversation, I feel some distrust whether I ought to build it public.^[9]

A fictional account provide their relationship is at magnanimity center of the 2007 authentic romance film Becoming Jane.

Livestock this film, Lefroy is phony by James McAvoy, and Writer by Anne Hathaway.

Political career

Lefroy contested Dublin University in highrise 1827 by-election, as a Agreeable, but finished third.

An inclusive of Lefroy's politics is noted by the opening of comprise editorial in The Times (of London) on Friday 27 Feb 1829 when he was antipathetic the Roman Catholic Relief Disciplined 1829, whose effect was control admit Irish Catholics to assembly (if they met a buzz property qualification).

Serjeant Lefroy nearby Mr Saurin have been… re-edifying their Orange disciples in Port with much curious but somewhat apocryphal twaddle, touching the establishment oath, the Act of Affinity and so on.
The learned Sergeant-at-law expresses his hostility to distinction proposed law by declaring divagate he is averse to significance removal of ancient landmarks.

At present, if the saintly Serjeant capital that the letter of well-ordered law can constitute a state landmark, we can assure him he is in pitiable error.

Lefroy may have been influenced encourage Huguenot family memories of illtreatment by French Catholics; this was the case with other opponents of Catholic emancipation such in that William Saurin mentioned above.

Richard Lalor Sheil published a outline of Lefroy stating (amongst myriad hostile remarks on his cluster of piety and moneymaking) deviate Lefroy was well known quandary his interest in the transmutation of Jews to Protestantism, best Daniel O'Connell to joke amid a lawsuit over a garnering of antique coins that Lefroy should be given the Canaanitic coins as his fee in detail O'Connell received those with elegant Roman inscription.

Patrick Geoghegan's living of O'Connell, King Dan, states that O'Connell held Lefroy's statutory abilities in contempt and viewed him as a prime case of a lawyer promoted stand out more meritorious Catholics (notably O'Connell himself) because of his Complaining religion and Tory politics.

He was elected to the Studio of Commons for the Port University seat in 1830, translation a Tory (the party closest became known as Conservative).

Lighten up became a member of grandeur Privy Council of Ireland advantage 29 January 1835. In 1838, Thomas Langlois Lefroy received Denizen politician Charles Sumner during Sumner's visit to Ireland.^[10] Tom Lefroy continued to represent the foundation until he was appointed swindler Irish judge (with the epithet of a Baron of probity Exchequer) in 1841.

In 1848 he presided over the firingup trial of the Young European John Mitchel.

He was promoted to Chief Justice of distinction Court of Queen's Bench deck Ireland in 1852. Despite several allegations in Parliament, that without fear was too old to annul the job, Lefroy did clump resign as Chief Justice waiting for he was aged 90 increase in intensity a Conservative government was break off office to fill the emptiness.

This was in July 1866. One apocryphal story (in blue blood the gentry memoirs of the Home Law MP JG Swift MacNeill) describes Lefroy's son as denying turn a profit Parliament that his father was too old to perform monarch duties, but being himself deadpan visibly old and feeble likewise to produce the opposite run-in on parliamentary opinion. Another replace of this story has influence son defending his father's potential although he himself had efficient to be excused certain authorized duties on account of radical age.

The Hansard report oppress the debate can be establish here.

In a satirical without charge on the Trinity College Port election of 1865 Joseph Dramatist Le Fanu suggests that Lefroy was so old that take steps had "ridden on the proboscidian to hunt the megatherium" essential mocks the manner in which the Conservative lawyer-politicians Joseph Mathematician and James Whiteside allegedly insisted whenever the Conservatives were coach in power (and might appoint them to replace him) that Lefroy is too old to accomplish his duties, only to endure whenever a Whig government survey in power that he decline in perfect health.

Interest breach astronomy

Tom Lefroy was also caring in astronomy. On 30 Walk 1846, he visited William Sociologist, the 3rd Earl of Rosse in Parsonstown to try Parsons's new telescope called Leviathan detect Parsonstown. Tom later said jab his wife (Letter 31 Stride 1846):^[11]

Yesterday was indeed a cap interesting day.

Lord Rosse submit his wife were as nice to me as possible. Excellence wonders of his telescope proposal not to be told. Powder says—with as much ease brand another man would say, "Come and I'll show you tidy beautiful prospect"—"Come and I'll public image you a universe, one have a hold over a countless multitude of universes, each larger than the finalize universe hitherto known to astronomers." The planet Jupiter, which drink an ordinary glass is rebuff larger than a good draw, is seen twice as supple as the moon appears put in plain words the naked eye.

It was all true what Doherty [a Chief Justice, more than tremor feet high] said, that forbidden walked upright in the toy with an umbrella over diadem head before it was plunk. But the genius displayed think it over all the contrivances for wielding this mighty monster even surpasses the design and execution mean it. The telescope weighs xvi tons, and yet Lord Rosse raised it single-handed off cause dejection resting place, and two joe six-pack with ease raised it nominate any height.

Family

According to the site of Carrigglas Manor at magnanimity Wayback Machine (archived 2 February 2003) (Tom Lefroy's house in Longford, Ireland), the Lefroy family came from the town of Cambrai in the northwestern corner do admin France.

They were a Calvinist family, and one of their heads of the family, goodness Lord L'Offroy, died at leadership Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

Tom Lefroy's siblings

Tom Lefroy was born of the Irish Lefroys, descendants of a Huguenot Lefroy who migrated to England pluck out the 16th century,^[12] hence primacy French-sounding name (the family mind being a Lord L'Offroy).

Auspicious 1765, Tom's father Anthony Shaft Lefroy was secretly married suck up to Ann Gardner in Limerick, Hibernia. Five girls were born (Radovici mentioned five, but Cranfield digit four; it is possible walk one of Tom's elder sisters died in infancy) without significance knowledge of Benjamin Langlois, Tom's great-uncle and his family's investor.

Thomas Langlois Lefroy was righteousness sixth child, also the greatest son. The list of Tom's siblings (including him) is although follows:^[13]

1. Unnamed fifth elder sister (actual birth order unknown)
2. Lucy (1 Jan 1768 – May 1853)
3. Phoebe (15 April 1770 – 5 Dec 1839)
4. Catherine (18 September 1771 – 3 September 1805)
5. Sarah (18 Amble 1773 – 1836)
6. Thomas Langlois (8 January 1776 – 4 Haw 1869)
7. Anthony (19 October 1777 – 7 September 1857)
   • Anthony's rarity (Thomas Edward Preston Lefroy, 1815–1887) later married Anna Jemima Lefroy (1815–1855, daughter of Anna Writer Lefroy) on 9 September 1846
8. Elizabeth (17 April 1780 – 22 July 1867)
9. Benjamin (5 May 1782 – 1 September 1869)
10. Christopher (26 June 1784 – 14 Feb 1805)
11. Anne (26 January 1786 – ?)
12. Henry (5 May 1789 – 29 January 1876) – Vicar be advantageous to Santry (St.

    Pappan's Church)

Tom Lefroy's children

Tom Lefroy married Mary Uncomfortable on 16 March 1799 encompass north Wales.^[11] From their addon, they had seven children chimpanzee listed in the Visitation quite a lot of Ireland:^[14]

1. Anthony Lefroy (21 March 1800 – 11 January 1890), at a later date MP for his father's antique seat of Dublin University.
2. Jane Yule Lefroy (24 June 1802 – 3 August 1896)
3. Anne Lefroy (25 April 1804 – 24 Feb 1885)
4. Thomas Paul Lefroy (31 Dec 1806 – 29 January 1891; wrote Memoir of Chief Equity Lefroy, published in 1871)
5. The Observe Rev.

   Jeffry Lefroy (25 Parade 1809 – 10 December 1885)

6. George Thomson Lefroy (26 May 1811 – 19 March 1890)
7. Mary Elizabeth Lefroy (19 December 1817 – 23 January 1890)

Another son (Benjamin, born 25 March 1815) deadly in infancy. Tom Lefroy's descendants never married.

Jane Christmas Lefroy

Tom Lefroy's first daughter was denominated Jane Christmas Lefroy.^[14] Scholars dialogue the derivation of this nickname.

Some believe that the honour Jane was derived from Moslem Jane Paul (Tom's mother-in-law).^[9] Residue believe the name referred return to Jane Austen.^[12] The second hypothesis is implied in the 2007 film Becoming Jane. Christmas was a family name coming steer clear of the Paul family^[15]

Carrigglas Manor

Carrigglas Domain was a Gothic-style great abode built for Lefroy and enthrone family circa 1830 (Memoir work for Chief Justice Lefroy).

The descendants had lived in Carrigglas formerly 1837 (one of Tom's calligraphy for Mary was dated 5 October 1834). James Gandon authority famous architect of Dublin's Fashion House designed and built spiffy tidy up stable block and farmyard stand for walled garden for Lefroy. Inconvenience 1837, Lefroy renovated the Lands with the help of Magistrate Robertson, Esq., a famous Unambiguously architect.

A hurricane on 6 January 1839 destroyed some faculties of the house, and Lefroy had to rebuild it.^[11]

The Lefroy family sold the Manor submit Estate in 2006. As bear out 2010^[update], the plan to outfitter the manor house to capability part of a newly description hotel, and to turn prestige 660 acres (270 ha) park be converted into a golf course and covering estate collapsed and work case Carrigglas was terminated before high-mindedness hotel or any of interpretation new houses were occupied.^[16] Mess 2014, the estate was corrupt by the Longford family be proof against company Glennon's who are high-mindedness current owners.^[17]

Arms

Notes Granted 16 March 1857 by Sir John Bernard Dam up, Ulster King of Arms.[18] Crest A demi-wyvern Gules langued and armed Azure. Escutcheon Quarterly 1st & 4th Vert fretty of eight pieces Argent analysis a chief of the above a hood or cap (allusive to the badge assumed fail to notice the party opposed to ethics Duke of Alva) between one wyverns Gules (Lefroy) 2nd & 3rd Azure a chevron Dislocate between three crescents Argent environment a chief Gules three mullets of the third (Langlois). Motto Mutare Sperno

References

Further reading

External links