Memoir of Jane Austen by James Edward Austen-Leigh
by Loyal Books
January 2, 2020 11:00 am
“The Memoir of my Aunt, Jane Austen, has been received with more favour than I had ventured to expect. The notices taken of it in the periodical press, as well as letters addressed to me by many with whom I am not personally acquainted, show that an unabated interest is still taken in every particular that can be told about her. I am thus encouraged not only to offer a Second Edition of the Memoir, but also to enlarge it with some additional matter which I might have scrupled to intrude on the public if they had not thus seemed to call for it. In the present Edition, the narrative is somewhat enlarged, and a few more letters are added; with a short specimen of her childish stories. The cancelled chapter of ‘Persuasion’ is given, in compliance with wishes both publicly and privately expressed. A fragment of a story entitled ‘The Watsons’ is printed; and extracts are given from a novel which she had begun a few months before her death; but the chief addition is a short tale never before published, called ‘Lady Susan.’ I regret that the little which I have been able to add could not appear in my First Edition; as much of it was either unknown to me, or not at my command, when I first published; and I hope that I may claim some indulgent allowance for the difficulty of recovering little facts and feelings which had been merged half a century deep in oblivion.” – James Edward Austen-Leigh in the Preface to Memoir of Jane Austen More great books at LoyalBooks.com
Recent Episodes
01 – Preface and Chapter 1: Introductory Remarks–Birth of Jane Austen–Her Family
4 years ago02 – Description of Steventon–Life at Steventon–Changes of Habits and Customs in the last Century
4 years ago03 – Early Compositions–Friends at Ashe–A very Old Letter–Lines on the Death of Mrs. Lefroy–Observations on Jane Austen’s Letter-writing–Letters
4 years ago04 – Removal from Steventon–Residence at Bath and at Southampton–Settling at Chawton
4 years ago05 – Description of Jane Austen’s person, character, and tastes
4 years ago06 – Habits of Composition resumed after a long interval–First publication–The interest taken by the Author in the success of her Works
4 years ago07 – Seclusion from the literary world–Notice from the Prince Regent–Correspondence with Mr. Clarke–Suggestions to alter her style of writing
4 years ago08 – Slow growth of her fame–Ill success of first attempts at publication–Two Reviews of her works contrasted
4 years ago09 – Opinions expressed by eminent persons–Opinions of others of less eminence–Opinion of American readers
4 years ago10 – Observations on the Novels
4 years ago