May 13th, 1799. The captain of a Royal Navy sloop writes an urgent letter to his admiral. But this isn’t any captain. This captain is the sailor brother of writer Jane Austen. And the admiral is Horatio Nelson, currently residing in Sicily with the love of his life, Emma Hamilton. This single letter from the archives opens a window onto a moment in time for four remarkable people from the Age of Revolution and Napoleon. The names of three of these people are immortal. The fourth person, Francis Austen, is the thread that links their fascinating stories.

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Resources:

Francis Austen’s 13th May 1799 letter to Admiral Horatio Nelson is from item AUS/7, Francis Austen’s Letter Book. Held at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London.

https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/archive/rmgc-object-492597 

Any infringement of copyright is unintended.

Jane Austen’s letters quoted in this episode were written to Cassandra Austen on the 28th December 1798 (https://pemberley.com/janeinfo/brablet2.html#letter15) and the 17th May 1799 (https://pemberley.com/janeinfo/brablet3.html#letter18). 

Music includes:

Waltz of Treachery by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4606-waltz-of-treachery 

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Sonatina in C Minor by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4393-sonatina-in-c-minor 

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

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