Memoir of Jane Austen by James Edward Austen-Leigh (beginner reading books for adults .TXT) 📖

superiority of original compositions over portrait painting.  Reynolds was exercising a higher faculty when he designed Comedy and Tragedy contending for Garrick, than when he merely took a likeness of that actor.  The same difference exists in writings between the original conceptions of Shakspeare and some other creative geniuses, and such full-length likenesses of individual persons, ‘The Talking Gentleman’ for instance, as are admirably drawn by Miss Mitford.  Jane Austen’s powers, whatever may be the degree in which she possessed them, were certainly of that higher order.  She did not copy individuals, but she invested her own creations with individuality of character.  A reviewer in the ‘Quarterly’ speaks of an acquaintance who, ever since the publication of ‘Pride and Prejudice,’ had been called by his friends Mr. Bennet, but the author did not know him.  Her own relations never recognised any individual in her characters; and I can call to mind several of her acquaintance whose peculiarities were very tempting and easy to be caricatured of whom there are no traces in her pages.  She herself, when questioned on the subject by a friend, expressed a dread of what she called such an ‘invasion of social proprieties.’  She said that she thought it quite fair to note peculiarities and weaknesses, but that it was her desire to create, not to reproduce; ‘besides,’ she added, ‘I am too proud of my gentlemen to admit that they were only Mr. A. or Colonel B.’  She did not, however, suppose that her imaginary characters were of a higher order than are to be found in nature; for she said, when speaking of two of her great favourites, Edmund Bertram and Mr. Knightley: ‘They are very far from being what I know English gentlemen often are.’

She certainly took a kind of parental interest in the beings whom she had created, and did not dismiss them from her thoughts when she had finished her last chapter.  We have seen, in one of her letters, her personal affection for Darcy and Elizabeth; and when sending a copy of ‘Emma’ to a friend whose daughter had been lately born, she wrote thus: ‘I trust you will be as glad to see my “Emma,” as I shall be to see your Jemima.’  She was very fond of Emma, but did not reckon on her being a general favourite; for, when commencing that work, she said, ‘I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like.’  She would, if asked, tell us many little particulars about the subsequent career of some of her people.  In this traditionary way we learned that Miss Steele never succeeded in catching the Doctor; that Kitty Bennet was satisfactorily married to a clergyman near Pemberley, while Mary obtained nothing higher than one of her uncle Philip’s clerks, and was content to be considered a star in the society of Meriton; that the ‘considerable sum’ given by Mrs. Norris to William Price was one pound; that Mr. Woodhouse survived his daughter’s marriage, and kept her and Mr. Knightley from settling at Donwell, about two years; and that the letters placed by Frank Churchill before Jane Fairfax, which she swept away unread, contained the word ‘pardon.’  Of the good people in ‘Northanger Abbey’ and ‘Persuasion’ we know nothing more than what is written: for before those works were published their author had been taken away from us, and all such amusing communications had ceased for ever.

CHAPTER XI.

Declining health of Jane Austen—Elasticity of her spirits—Her resignation and humility—Her death.

Early in the year 1816 some family troubles disturbed the usually tranquil course of Jane Austen’s life; and it is probable that the inward malady, which was to prove ultimately fatal, was already felt by her; for some distant friends, {159} whom she visited in the spring of that year, thought that her health was somewhat impaired, and observed that she went about her old haunts, and recalled old recollections connected with them in a particular manner, as if she did not expect ever to see them again.  It is not surprising that, under these circumstances, some of her letters were of a graver tone than had been customary with her, and expressed resignation rather than cheerfulness.  In reference to these troubles in a letter to her brother Charles, after mentioning that she had been laid up with an attack of bilious fever, she says: ‘I live up stairs for the present and am coddled.  I am the only one of the party who has been so silly, but a weak body must excuse weak nerves.’  And again, to another correspondent: ‘But I am getting too near complaint; it has been the appointment of God, however secondary causes may have operated.’  But the elasticity of her spirits soon recovered their tone.  It was in the latter half of that year that she addressed the two following lively letters to a nephew, one while he was at Winchester School, the other soon after he had left it:—

‘Chawton, July 9, 1816.

‘My Dear E.—Many thanks.  A thank for every line, and as many to Mr. W. Digweed for coming.  We have been wanting very much to hear of your mother, and are happy to find she continues to mend, but her illness must have been a very serious one indeed.  When she is really recovered, she ought to try change of air, and come over to us.  Tell your father that I am very much obliged to him for his share of your letter, and most sincerely join in the hope of her being eventually much the better for her present discipline.  She has the comfort moreover of being confined in such weather as gives one little temptation to be out.  It is really too bad, and has been too bad for a long time, much worse than any one can bear, and I begin to think it will never be fine again.  This is a finesse of mine, for I have often observed that if one writes about the weather, it is generally completely changed before the letter is read.  I wish it may prove so now, and that when Mr. W. Digweed reaches Steventon to-morrow, he may find you have had a long series of hot dry weather.  We are a small party at present, only grandmamma, Mary Jane, and myself.  Yalden’s coach cleared off the rest yesterday.  I am glad you recollected to mention your being come home. {161a}  My heart began to sink within me when I had got so far through your letter without its being mentioned.  I was dreadfully afraid that you might be detained at Winchester by severe illness, confined to your bed perhaps, and quite unable to hold a pen, and only dating from Steventon in order, with a mistaken sort of tenderness, to deceive me.  But now I have no doubt of your being at home.  I am sure you would not say it so seriously unless it actually were so.  We saw a countless number of post-chaises full of boys pass by yesterday morning {161b}—full of future heroes, legislators, fools, and villains.  You have never thanked me for my last letter, which went by the cheese.  I cannot bear not to be thanked.  You will not pay us a visit yet of course; we must not think of it.  Your mother must get well first, and you must go to Oxford and not be elected; after that a little change of scene may be good for you, and your physicians I hope will order you to the sea, or to a house by the side of a very considerable pond. {161c}  Oh! it rains again.  It beats against the window.  Mary Jane and I have been wet through once already to-day; we set off in the donkey-carriage for Farringdon, as I wanted to see the improvement Mr. Woolls is making, but we were obliged to turn back before we got there, but not soon enough to avoid a pelter all the way home.  We met Mr. Woolls.  I talked of its being bad weather for the hay, and he returned me the comfort of its being much worse for the wheat.  We hear that Mrs. S. does not quit Tangier: why and wherefore?  Do you know that our Browning is gone?  You must prepare for a William when you come, a good-looking lad, civil and quiet, and seeming likely to do.  Good bye.  I am sure Mr. W. D. {162} will be astonished at my writing so much, for the paper is so thin that he will be able to count the lines if not to read them.

Yours affecly,
‘Jane Austen.’

In the next letter will be found her description of her own style of composition, which has already appeared in the notice prefixed to ‘Northanger Abbey’ and ‘Persuasion’:—

‘Chawton, Monday, Dec. 16th (1816).

‘My Dear E.,—One reason for my writing to you now is, that I may have the pleasure of directing to you Esqre.  I give you joy of having left Winchester.  Now you may own how miserable you were there; now it will gradually all come out, your crimes and your miseries—how often you went up by the Mail to London and threw away fifty guineas at a tavern, and how often you were on the point of hanging yourself, restrained only, as some ill-natured aspersion upon poor old Winton has it, by the want of a tree within some miles of the city.  Charles Knight and his companions passed through Chawton about 9 this morning; later than it used to be.  Uncle Henry and I had a glimpse of his handsome face, looking all health and good humour.  I wonder when you will come and see us.  I know what I rather speculate upon, but shall say nothing.  We think uncle Henry in excellent looks.  Look at him this moment, and think so too, if you have not done it before; and we have the great comfort of seeing decided improvement in uncle Charles, both as to health, spirits, and appearance.  And they are each of them so agreeable in their different way, and harmonise so well, that their visit is thorough enjoyment.  Uncle Henry writes very superior sermons.  You and I must try to get hold of one or two, and put them into our novels: it would be a fine help to a volume; and we could make our heroine read it aloud on a Sunday evening, just as well as Isabella Wardour, in the “Antiquary,” is made to read the “History of the Hartz Demon” in the ruins of St. Ruth, though I believe, on recollection, Lovell is the reader.  By the bye, my dear E., I am quite concerned for the loss your mother mentions in her letter.  Two chapters and a half to be missing is monstrous!  It is well that I have not been at Steventon lately, and therefore cannot be suspected of purloining them: two strong twigs and a half towards a nest of my own would have been something.  I do not think, however, that any theft of that sort would be really very useful to me.  What should I do with your strong, manly, vigorous sketches, full of variety and glow?  How could I possibly join them on to the little bit (two inches wide) of ivory on which I work with so fine a brush, as produces little effect after much labour?

‘You will hear from uncle Henry how well Anna is.  She seems perfectly recovered.  Ben was