[1] My readers may remember the old church at Kellynch, which was
mentioned by Charles Musgrove as an apology to Captain Benwick for
visiting the village.
[2] We are reminded of the discussion on handwriting, and the praise of
Emma Woodhouse’s handwriting in “Emma.”
[3] The members of the Austen and Leigh families seem to have been
much given to changing their names--sometimes acquiring estates in the
process. Thus we have Mr. Leigh Perrot, Mr. Knight (who was originally
Edward Austen), and at last Mr. Austen Leigh.
[4] There was a wise and really dignified moderation about people’s
ideas then. Is it to our honour to have departed so far from the
contented minds and simple habits of our predecessors?
[5] At the same time many popular lady novelists, including Miss
Edgeworth, Lady Morgan, the Miss Porters, and Mrs. Brunton, were
already in the field, and it was not immediately recognised, except
perhaps, by a few great men, that a queen of novelists had appeared
among them.
[6] It appears, however, to have been to her new publisher, Mr. Murray,
that Jane Austen was indebted for an early sight of the books of the
season, including “Paul’s Letters to his Kinsfolk.”
[7] Mr. Clarke’s tall language recalls the phrases of Mr. Collins in
“Pride and Prejudice.”
[8] We have a single hint of Jane Austen’s delight in “a good play.”
She alludes with eager expectation, in one of her letters, to her
brother’s strenuous efforts to get tickets to hear Kean.
[9] “Persuasion” was published, together with “Northanger Abbey,” by
Mr. Murray, in 1818, the year after Jane Austen’s death. The proceeds
of her books which had fallen to her share in her lifetime were seven
hundred pounds, but how the sum was apportioned to each novel we are
not told. If contemporary favour is rarely a test of a book’s merit,
still less is the sum of money which it fetches to begin with. Among
the lady novelists of her day--none of whom, not even Maria Edgeworth
or Susan Ferrier, deserves to be mentioned in the same breath with Jane
Austen--there were several whose pecuniary gains must have been double
and treble hers.
[10] _The_ novel of the year.
[11] In addition, there is now a monument which was erected to Jane
Austen’s memory by her nephew, the writer of the memoir.
[Illustration]