Jane Austen, Her Life and Letters Part 42

[304] _A narrative of the events which have lately taken place in France_, by Helen Maria Williams. London, 1815.

[305] These included a set to Miss Edgeworth (_Life and Letters of Maria Edgeworth_, edited by A. J. C. Hare (1894), vol. i. p. 235), and another to Lady Morley, a clever woman, to whom _Sense and Sensibility_ and _Pride and Prejudice_ had at one time been ascribed (_Life of M. R.

Mitford_, by the Rev. A. G. L'Estrange, vol. i. p. 241).

[306] Unfortunately, most of the worst misprints remained in the new edition, while certain new ones were added.

[307] _Memoir_, pp. 122-4.

[308] _Life of King James II, from the Stuart MSS. in Carlton House_, published 1816.

[309] At Brighton.

[310] Published, 1804.

CHAPTER XVIII

_PERSUASION_

1815-1816

So far as we know, Jane went to London in 1815 perfectly sound in health. Her remark to Ca.s.sandra on her enjoyment of the muggy, unwholesome weather is written with the security of a person accustomed to be free from bodily ailments, and expecting that condition of things to continue. But, alas! we must look upon this visit, which seemed to mark the highest point in her modest fame, as marking also a downward stage in her career as regards both prosperity and health. Perhaps the excitement of the publication of _Emma_, and probably the close attention on the sick-bed of her brother which coincided with it--possibly even the muggy weather which she praised so highly--combined to diminish her vigour, and to sow the seeds of a disease, the exact nature of which no one seems ever to have been able to determine. These, however, were not the only disquieting circ.u.mstances which surrounded her. In the following March her favourite brother, Henry, was declared a bankrupt; and there are one or two indications of her being aware that all was not well with the firm in the autumn. The months which intervened while this catastrophe was impending must have been very trying to one already weakened by all that she had gone through. More agreeable a.s.sociations, however, arose from the success of _Emma_. There was, for instance, a pleasant exchange of letters with the Countess of Morley, a lady of some literary capacity, to whom Jane had sent a copy of _Emma_, and who expressed her thanks and admiration in very warm terms. The author in her turn, speaking of Lady Morley's approval, says: 'It encourages me to depend on the same share of general good opinion which _Emma's_ predecessors have experienced, and to believe that I have not yet, as almost every writer of fancy does sooner or later, overwritten myself.'

The end of March brought a still more flattering tribute to Jane's growing fame, in the shape of an article on _Emma_ in the _Quarterly Review_. The _Review_, though dated October 1815, did not appear till March of the following year,[311] and the writer of the article was none other than Sir Walter Scott.[312]

The honour of an article in the _Quarterly_ was no doubt mainly due to the fact that Jane had published her latest book with Mr. Murray, its owner. Though the praise contained in the article would scarcely satisfy an enthusiastic admirer of her works,[313] Miss Austen felt she had no cause to complain. In thanking Mr. Murray for lending her a copy of the _Review_, she writes:--

The auth.o.r.ess of _Emma_ has no reason, I think, to complain of her treatment in it, except in the total omission of _Mansfield Park_. I cannot but be sorry that so clever a man as the Reviewer of _Emma_ should consider it as unworthy of being noticed. You will be pleased to hear that I have received the Prince's thanks for the _handsome_ copy I sent him of _Emma_. Whatever he may think of _my_ share of the work, yours seems to have been quite right.

The fact that she was honoured with a notice in the _Quarterly_ did not prevent the author from collecting and leaving on record the more domestic criticisms of her family and friends.

OPINIONS OF _Emma_.

_Captain F. Austen_ liked it extremely, observing that though there might be more wit in _P. and P._ and an higher morality in _M. P._, yet altogether, on account of its peculiar air of Nature throughout, he preferred it to either.

_Mrs. Frank Austen_ liked and admired it very much indeed, but must still prefer _P. and P._

_Mrs. J. Bridges_ preferred it to all the others.

_Miss Sharp._--Better than _M. P._, but not so well as _P. and P._ Pleased with the heroine for her originality, delighted with Mr. K., and called Mrs. Elton beyond praise--dissatisfied with Jane Fairfax.

_Ca.s.sandra._--Better than _P. and P._ but not so well as _M. P._

_f.a.n.n.y K._--Not so well as either _P. and P._ or _M. P._ Could not bear Emma herself. Mr. Knightley delightful. Should like J. F. if she knew more of her.

_Mr. and Mrs. James Austen_ did not like it so well as either of the three others. Language different from the others; not so easily read.

_Edward_ preferred it to _M. P._ only. Mr. K.

liked by everybody.

_Miss Bigg._--Not equal to either _P. and P._ or _M. P._ Objected to the sameness of the subject (Matchmaking) all through. Too much of Mrs. Elton and H. Smith. Language superior to the others.

_My Mother_ thought it more entertaining than _M.

P._, but not so interesting as _P. and P._ No characters in it equal to Lady Catherine or Mr.

Collins.

_Miss Lloyd_ thought it as clever as either of the others, but did not receive so much pleasure from it as from _P. and P._ and _M. P._

_f.a.n.n.y Cage_ liked it very much indeed, and cla.s.sed it between _P. and P._ and _M. P._

_Mrs. and Miss Craven_ liked it very much, but not so much as the others.

_Mr. Sherer_ did not think it equal to either _M.

P._ (which he liked the best of all) or _P. and P._ Displeased with my pictures of clergymen.

_Miss Bigg_, on reading it a second time, liked Miss Bates much better than at first, and expressed herself as liking all the people of Highbury in general, except Harriet Smith, but could not help still thinking _her_ too silly in her loves.

_The Family at Upton Gray_ all very much amused with it. Miss Bates a great favourite with Mrs.

Beaufoy.

_Mr. and Mrs. Leigh Perrot_ saw many beauties in it, but could not think it equal to _P. and P._ Darcy and Elizabeth had spoilt them for anything else. Mr. K., however, an excellent character; Emma better luck than a matchmaker often has; pitied Jane Fairfax; thought Frank Churchill better treated than he deserved.

_Countess Craven_ admired it very much, but did not think it equal to _P. and P._ which she ranked as the very first of its sort.

_Mrs. Guiton_ thought it too natural to be interesting.

_Mrs. Digweed_ did not like it so well as the others: in fact if she had not known the author would hardly have got through it.

_Miss Terry_ admired it very much, particularly Mrs. Elton.

_Henry Sanford_--very much pleased with it--delighted with Miss Bates, but thought Mrs.

Elton the best-drawn character in the book.

_Mansfield Park_, however, still his favourite.

_Mr. Haden_--_quite_ delighted with it. Admired the character of Emma.

_Miss Isabella Herries_ did not like it. Objected to my exposing the s.e.x in the character of the heroine. Convinced that I had meant Mrs. and Miss Bates for some acquaintance of theirs. People whom I never heard of before.

_Mrs. Harriet Moore_ admired it very much, but _M.

P._ still her favourite of all.

_Countess of Morley_ delighted with it.

_Mr. c.o.c.kerell_ liked it so little that f.a.n.n.y would not send me his opinion.