“but I must tell you that he is utterly misinformed.”
Why it's great
The blame stays on the information, not on the man who carried it.
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Formal
Use it yourself
Please tell him he is utterly misinformed.
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Denying the Engagement Rumour, Explained
Persuasion · 2007
Chapter 7 of 7 · 3'20"
On the surface, people trade greetings, a wedding dress, and a party list. Underneath, a captain brings word that a marriage to Mr Elliot is settled and the Kellynch lease can be cancelled. The answer is blunt: "he is utterly misinformed."
Key moments
Start here, then watch the full scene- 1:46–3:03
The Kellynch Rumour Denied
77s
Denying the Engagement Rumour, explained
What happens
At a spa, visitors trade greetings and wedding-dress plans, then bristle over who belongs at a party. A captain, introduced as a relation of the Crofts, brings Admiral Croft's message: a marriage to Mr Elliot is said to be settled, and the Kellynch lease can be cancelled. The reply is that the Admiral is utterly misinformed, with no truth in any part of it.
What's really going on
Rank shows first. A match with "a mere country curate" gets "Who?", and so does Louisa's naval captain. Someone is "loathe to introduce" the Musgroves to Lady Dalrymple; someone else must, "at all costs", meet Mr Elliot. A captain is then presented as "related to our tenants, the Crofts," though they are already "acquainted." He brings an errand. Admiral Croft has been "confidently informed" of a union with Mr Elliot, a return to Kellynch, and a lease that "shall be cancelled." Asked "What answer shall I give?", the reply thanks the Admiral, then cuts: "he is utterly misinformed." "Utterly?" "None." A request for the source of "such fanciful rumours" dies when Lady Russell appears. "How could I forget?" admits the past and explains nothing. The marriage report arrives with a plan to empty a house, and leaves with the messenger still holding the question.
Key lines & what they mean
- “but I must tell you that he is utterly misinformed.”
- A polite, total denial. The Admiral's report of a settled match with Mr Elliot, and of a return to Kellynch, is not partly wrong; none of it is true.
- “his lease at Kellynch shall be cancelled and he and my sister will provide themselves with another home. That is all.”
- The offer inside the rumour: if the family wants the match, the Admiral will give up the Kellynch lease, and he and the speaker's sister will find another house. "That is all" closes the errand.
Theme
- Class — A curate, a naval captain, and the Musgroves are all treated as people one is loathe to present, while a tenant's relative must still be formally introduced.
- Lies — A marriage and a move to Kellynch are reported as settled, then denied in full: "utterly misinformed," "quite mistaken," and "None."
What this chapter teaches
Teaching points
Review right after watchingMy level1/6
A1–C2 is the CEFR scale. Cards above the level you pick fade, and playback will not auto-pause on them.
Language points
Click a card to jump to its moment in the videoGolden lines
A great line in its own right — why and how to use it“his lease at Kellynch shall be cancelled and he and my sister will provide themselves with another home. That is all.”
Why it's great
The lease is offered up as a finished consequence, then the message stops.
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Formal
Use it yourself
If that is the wish, the lease shall be cancelled. That is all.
People also search
Questions, then the linesWhy does Admiral Croft offer to cancel the Kellynch lease?
He has been "confidently informed" that a union with Mr Elliot is settled and that the couple will live at Kellynch. If that is the family's wish, his lease "shall be cancelled," and he and the speaker's sister will find another home. The message ends with "That is all."
Is the story of a marriage to Mr Elliot accepted?
No. The reply thanks the Admiral, then says "he is utterly misinformed." Pressed further, it becomes "Quite mistaken" and, asked if any part is true, "None."
Why is someone loathe to introduce the Musgroves?
A party is already in view, and someone adds that the Musgroves will have to be invited too. The answer is "I shall be loathe to introduce them to Lady Dalrymple." The same room has already met "a mere country curate" and "the naval captain" with "Who?"
What does "take the waters" mean here?
Here it means coming to a spa in hopes of getting well. The speaker has been "most dreadfully unwell" and calls the trip "my last hope."