In person Jane Austen seems to have borne considerable resemblance to
her two favourite heroines, Elizabeth Bennet and Emma Woodhouse. Jane,
too, was tall and slender, a brunette, with a rich colour--altogether
“the picture of health” which Emma Woodhouse was said to be. In minor
points, Jane Austen had a well-formed though somewhat small nose and
mouth, round as well as rosy cheeks, bright hazel eyes, and brown hair,
falling in natural curls about her face.
With regard to her knowledge and accomplishments, Jane Austen was well
acquainted with the English history and literature of her day. When
very young she was an ardent partisan of Mary, Queen of Scots, and
Charles I., though one may be tolerably sure she modified her views in
later years. She read the Queen Anne essayists and their followers.
She was a warm admirer of the works of Johnson, Crabbe, and Cowper. Of
Crabbe she said jestingly, in reference to the author--not the man,
whom she had not seen--that if she ever married at all she could fancy
herself Mrs. Crabbe. She knew Richardson’s novels almost by heart. She
had great pleasure in Sir Walter Scott’s poetry. Of his novels, only
“Waverley,” “Guy Mannering,” and “The Antiquary” had come out before
her death. She has expressed more than once in her tales her lively
appreciation of the novels of Mrs. Radcliffe, Madame d’Arblay, and Miss
Edgeworth.
As to foreign languages and literature, Jane Austen had a considerable
knowledge of French, and a slight acquaintance with Italian. In music
she could play and sing pleasantly, with much the same degree of
proficiency that she attributed to Elizabeth Bennet and Emma Woodhouse.
Jane was accustomed to practise her music before breakfast, with the
laudable purpose of not disturbing other members of the family less
musically inclined. She would sing of an evening, when required,
simple old songs to her own accompaniment. She was fond of dancing,
and danced very well, like several of her own heroines, and like her
sister-author, Anna Maria Porter.
Jane Austen was exceedingly neat-handed, with a quick eye and a firm
grasp. Her handwriting was at once strong and fine, as well as very
legible,[2] I should say, in broad contrast to what may be called the
Italian hand--an overflow of characterless elegance which belonged to
the generation. She sewed and embroidered, as she did everything else,
with exquisite finish. She was great in satin-stitch. She spent much of
her time in sewing--not being above making her own clothes, as well as
those of the poor. She was an adept in any of the old-fashioned games
founded on dexterity of hand, such as spillikins, and cup and ball.
She liked to play at such games when unable to read and write long at
a time, from weakness and weariness in those bright, searching eyes of
hers.
The great novelist was very fond of children, and much beloved by them,
like Anna Maria Porter again. She could tell no end of fairy stories,
was the make-believe visitor in the children’s make-believe houses, and
readily improvised for her young listeners’ benefit.
Jane Austen was not without suitors, whom her independent spirit,
absorption in her family, and quiet reserve could not repel. Her
descendants were aware of addresses paid to her by one gentleman who
had every recommendation of character, connections, and position,
to whom nothing was wanting save the lady’s favour. There is also
the lingering recollection of a sorrowful little romance, bearing a
resemblance to that of her sister Cassandra, in connection with the
brilliant, witty, successful author. It was told by Cassandra Austen
to her young relatives long after Jane’s death. The two girls, while
spending some weeks during their youth at a seaside place, became
acquainted with a gentleman whose attractions of person, mind, and
manners made even Cassandra think him worthy of Jane, and likely to
win her. When the young people parted, the new friend expressed his
intention of soon seeing the sisters again, and Cassandra at least had
no doubt of his motives; but the second meeting never took place. The
sisters heard, not long afterwards, of the gentleman’s sudden death,
and with him perished, in Cassandra Austen’s opinion, her sister Jane’s
solitary, short love-dream.