Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was a British novelist whose realism, biting social commentary, and masterful use of free indirect speech, burlesque, and irony have earned her a place as one of the most widely-read and best-loved writers in British literature.
Easton Press Jane Austen books
Persuasion - The Collector's Library of Famous Editions - 1977
Pride and Prejudice - 100 Greatest Books Ever Written - 1977
Emma - The Collector's Library of Famous Editions - 1983
Sense and Sensibility - The Collector's Library of Famous Editions - 1985
1996 six volume set including:
Pride and Prejudice
Mansfield Park
Northanger Abbey
Sense and Sensibility
Emma
Persuasion
Franklin Library Jane Austen books
Pride and prejudice - 100 Greatest Books of All Time - 1980
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Author Jane Austen
Austen lived her entire life as part of a large and close-knit family located on the lower fringes of English gentry. She was educated primarily by her father and older brothers as well as through her own reading. The steadfast support of her family was critical to Austen's development as a professional writer. Austen's artistic apprenticeship lasted from her teenage years until she was about thirty-five years old. During this period, she wrote three major novels and began a fourth. From 1811 until 1815, with the release of Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1815), she achieved success as a published writer. She wrote two additional novels, Northanger Abbey (written in 1798 and 1799 and revised later) and Persuasion, both published after her death in 1817, and began a third (eventually titled Sanditon), but died before it could be completed.
Austen's works critique the novels of sensibility of the second half of the eighteenth century and are part of the transition to nineteenth-century realism. Austen's plots, although fundamentally comic, highlight the dependence of women on marriage to secure social standing and economic security. Like Samuel Johnson, one of the strongest influences on her writing, her works are concerned with moral issues.
During her own lifetime, Austen's works brought her little fame and only a few positive reviews. Through the mid-nineteenth century, her novels were admired only by a literary elite. However, the publication of her nephew's A Memoir of the Life of Jane Austen in 1870 made her life and her works visible to a wider public. By the 1940s, Austen was firmly ensconced in academia as a "great English writer" and the second half of the twentieth century saw a proliferation of Austen scholarship, exploring many aspects of her works: artistic, ideological, and historical. Currently, Austen's works are one of the most written-about and debated oeuvres in the academy.[citation needed] In popular culture, a Janeite fan culture has grown up centred on Austen's life, her works, and the various adaptations of them.
Biographical information concerning Jane Austen is "famously scarce", according to one biographer. Only some personal and family letters remain (by one estimate only 160 out of Austen's 3,000 letters are extant), and her sister Cassandra (to whom most of the letters were originally addressed) censored those she retained. Other letters were destroyed by the heirs of Admiral Francis Austen, Jane's brother. Most of the biographical material produced for fifty years after Austen's death was written by her relatives and reflects the family's biases in favour of "good quiet Aunt Jane". Scholars have unearthed little more since.
Early life and education
Austen was born on 16 December 1775 at Steventon rectory. After a few months at home, Mrs. Austen placed her daughter with a woman living in a nearby village who wetnursed and raised Austen for a year or eighteen months. Following this, Austen was educated at home, largely by her father, until leaving for boarding school with her sister Cassandra early in 1783. The school curriculum probably included some French, spelling, needlework, dancing and music and, perhaps, drama. By December 1786, Jane and Cassandra had returned home. Austen acquired the remainder of her education by reading books, guided by her father and her brothers James and Henry. George Austen apparently gave his daughters unfettered access to his large and varied library, was tolerant of Austen's sometimes risqué experiments in writing, and provided both sisters with expensive paper and other materials for their writing and drawing.[26] According to Park Honan, a biographer of Austen, life in the Austen home was lived in "an open, amused, easy intellectual atmosphere" where the ideas of those with whom the Austens might disagree politically or socially were considered and discussed.
Private theatricals were also a part of Austen's education. From when she was seven until she was thirteen, the family and close friends staged a series of plays, including Richard Sheridan's The Rivals (1775) and David Garrick's Bon Ton. While the details are unknown, Austen would certainly have joined in these activities, as a spectator at first and as a participant when she was older. Most of the plays were comedies, which suggests to critics one way in which Austen's comedic and satirical gifts were cultivated.
Family
Jane Austen's father, George Austen, and his wife, Cassandra, were members of substantial gentry families. George was descended from a family of woollen manufacturers which had risen through the professions to the lower ranks of the landed gentry. Cassandra was a member of the prominent Leigh family. For much of Jane's life, from 1765 until 1801, George Austen served as the rector of the Anglican parishes at Steventon, Hampshire and a nearby village. From 1773 until 1796, he supplemented this income by farming and by teaching three or four boys at a time who boarded at his home.
Austen's immediate family was large and close-knit: six brothers—James, George, Charles, Francis, Henry, and Edward—and a beloved older sister, Cassandra. All survived to be adults. Cassandra was Austen's closest friend and confidante throughout her life. Of her brothers, Austen felt closest to Henry, who became a banker and, after his bank failed, an Anglican clergyman. Henry was also his sister's literary agent. His large circle of friends and acquaintances in London included bankers, merchants, publishers, painters, and actors: he provided Austen with a view of social worlds not normally visible from a small parish in rural Hampshire.
Life
As Austen grew into adulthood, she continued to live at her parents' home, carrying out those activities normal for women of her age and social standing: she practised the pianoforte, assisted her sister and mother with supervising servants, and attended female relatives during childbirth and older relatives on their deathbeds. Austen was particularly proud of her accomplishments as a seamstress. She also attended church regularly, socialized frequently with friends and neighbours, and read novels (often of her own composition) aloud with her family in the evenings. Socializing with the neighbours often meant dancing, either impromptu in someone's home after supper or at the balls held regularly at the assembly rooms in the town hall. Her brother Henry later said that "Jane was fond of dancing, and excelled in it".
In 1793, Austen began and then abandoned a short play, later entitled Sir Charles Grandison or the happy Man, a comedy in 6 acts, which she returned to and completed around 1800. This was a short parody of various school textbook abridgments of Austen's favourite contemporary novel, The History of Sir Charles Grandison (1753), by Samuel Richardson. Honan speculates that at some point not long after writing Love and Freindship in 1789, Austen decided to "write for profit, to make stories her central effort", that is, to become a professional writer. Whenever she made that decision, beginning in about 1793, Austen began to write longer, more sophisticated works.
During the period between 1793 and 1795, Austen wrote Lady Susan, a short epistolary novel, usually described as her most ambitious and sophisticated early work. It is unlike any of Austen's other works. Austen biographer Claire Tomalin describes the heroine of the novella as a sexual predator who uses her intelligence and charm to manipulate, betray, and abuse her victims, whether lovers, friends or family. Tomalin writes: "Told in letters, it is as neatly plotted as a play, and as cynical in tone as any of the most outrageous of the Restoration dramatists who may have provided some of her inspiration....It stands alone in Austen's work as a study of an adult woman whose intelligence and force of character are greater than those of anyone she encounters."
Juvenilia
At some point, perhaps as early as 1787, Austen began to write poems, stories, and plays for her own and her family's amusement. Austen later compiled "fair copies" of 29 of these early works into three bound notebooks, now referred to as the Juvenilia, containing pieces originally written between 1787 and 1793. There is manuscript evidence that Austen continued to work on these pieces as late as the period 1809-1811, and that her niece and nephew, Anna and James Edward Austen, made further additions as late as 1814. Among these works are a satirical black comedy entitled Love and Freindship [sic], in which she mocked popular novels of sensibility, and a History of England, a manuscript of 34 pages accompanied by 13 watercolour miniatures by her sister Cassandra. Austen's "History" parodied popular historical writing, particularly Oliver Goldsmith's History of England (1764). Austen wrote, for example: "Henry the 4th ascended the throne of England much to his own satisfaction in the year 1399, after having prevailed on his cousin & predecessor Richard the 2nd, to resign it to him, & to retire for the rest of his Life to Pomfret Castle, where he happened to be murdered." Austen's Juvenilia are often, according to scholar Richard Jenkyns, "boisterous" and "anarchic". He compares them to the work of eighteenth-century novelist Laurence Sterne and the twentieth-century comedy group Monty Python.
Early novels
After finishing Lady Susan, Austen attempted her first full-length novel—Elinor and Marianne. Her sister Cassandra later remembered that it was read to the family "before 1796" and was told through a series of letters. Without surviving original manuscripts, there is no way to know how much of the original draft survived in the novel published in 1811 as Sense and Sensibility.
In her twenty-first year, Austen fell in love. Tom Lefroy, a nephew of neighbours, visited Steventon from December 1795 to January 1796. He had just finished a university degree and was moving to London to train as a barrister. Lefroy and Austen would have been introduced at a ball or other neighbourhood social gathering, and it is clear from Austen's letters to Cassandra that they spent considerable time together. Their feelings for each other were strong and visible to their friends and neighbours. The Lefroy family intervened and sent him away at the end of January. Marriage was impractical, as both Lefroy and Austen must have known. Neither had any money, and he was dependent on a great-uncle in Ireland to finance his education and establish his legal career. If Tom Lefroy later visited Hampshire, he was carefully kept away from the Austens, and Jane Austen never saw him again.
Austen began work on a second novel, First Impressions, in 1796 and completed the initial draft in August 1797 (it would later become Pride and Prejudice). At this time, her father made the first attempt to publish one of her novels. In November 1797, George Austen wrote to Thomas Cadell, an established publisher in London, to ask if he would consider publishing "a Manuscript Novel, comprised in three Vols. about the length of Miss Burney's Evelina" at the author's financial risk. Cadell quickly returned Mr. Austen's letter, marked "Declined by Return of Post". Austen may not have known of her father's efforts. Following the completion of First Impressions, Austen returned to Elinor and Marianne and from November 1797 until mid-1798, revised it heavily; she eliminated the epistolary format in favour of third-person narration and produced something close to Sense and Sensibility.
During the middle of 1798, after finishing revisions of Elinor and Marianne, Austen began writing a third novel with the working title Susan (later Northanger Abbey), a satire on the popular Gothic novel (epitomized by Ann Radcliffe's The Mysteries of Udolpho [1794]). Austen completed her work about a year later. In early 1803, Henry Austen offered Susan to Benjamin Crosby, a London publisher, who paid £10 for the copyright. Crosby promised early publication and went so far as to advertise the book publicly as being "in the press", but did nothing more. The manuscript remained in Crosby's hands, unpublished, until Austen repurchased the copyright from him in 1816.
Bath and Southampton
In December 1800, Rev. Austen unexpectedly announced his decision to retire from the ministry, leave Steventon, and move the family to Bath. While retirement and travel were good for the elder Austens, there is evidence that Jane Austen was greatly upset by the loss of the only home she had ever known.[citation needed] Perhaps one indication of Austen's state of mind is her lack of productivity as a writer during the time she lived at Bath. She was able to make some revisions to Susan, and she began and then abandoned a new novel, The Watsons, but there was nothing like the productivity of the years 1795-1799. Tomalin suggests that this reflected a deep depression that disabled her as a writer, but Honan disagrees, arguing that Austen wrote or revised her manuscripts throughout her creative life, except for a few months after her father died.
In December 1802, Austen received her only proposal of marriage. She and her sister visited Alethea and Catherine Bigg, old friends who lived near Basingstoke. Their younger brother, Harris Bigg-Wither, had recently finished his education at Oxford and was also at home. Bigg-Wither proposed and Austen accepted. As described by Caroline Austen, Jane's niece, and Reginald Bigg-Wither, a descendant, Harris was not attractive—he was a large, plain-looking man who spoke little, stuttered when he did speak, was aggressive in conversation, and almost completely tactless. However, Austen had known him since both were young and the marriage offered many practical advantages to Austen and her family. He was the heir to extensive family estates located in the area where the sisters had grown up. With these resources, Austen could provide her parents a comfortable old age, give Cassandra a permanent home and, perhaps, assist her brothers in their careers. By the next morning, Austen realized she had made a mistake and withdrew her acceptance. No contemporary letters or diaries describe how Austen felt about this proposal. In 1814, Austen wrote a letter to her niece, Fanny Knight, who had asked for advice about a serious relationship, telling her that "having written so much on one side of the question, I shall now turn around & entreat you not to commit yourself farther, & not to think of accepting him unless you really do like him. Anything is to be preferred or endured rather than marrying without Affection".
In 1804, while living in Bath, Austen started but did not complete a new novel, The Watsons. The story centres on an invalid clergyman with little money whose four unmarried daughters are desperately seeking husbands, and the economic security that goes with marriage, before their father dies. Sutherland describes the novel as "a study in the harsh economic realities of dependent women's lives". Honan suggests, and Tomalin agrees, that Austen chose to stop work on the novel after her father died on 21 January 1805 and her personal circumstances resembled those of her characters too closely for her comfort.
Rev. Austen's final illness had struck suddenly, leaving him (as Austen reported to her brother Francis) "quite insensible of his own state", and he died quickly. Jane, Cassandra, and their mother were left in a precarious financial situation. Edward, James, Henry, and Francis Austen pledged to make annual contributions to support their mother and sisters. For the next four years, the family's living arrangements reflected their financial insecurity. They lived part of the time in rented quarters in Bath and then, beginning in 1806, in Southampton, where they shared a house with Frank Austen and his new wife. A large part of this time they spent visiting various branches of the family.
On 5 April 1809, about three months before the family's move to Chawton, Austen wrote an angry letter to Richard Crosby, offering him a new manuscript of Susan if that was needed to secure immediate publication of the novel, and otherwise requesting the return of the original so that she could find another publisher. Crosby replied that he had not agreed to publish the book by any particular time, or at all, and that Austen could repurchase the manuscript for the £10 he had paid her and find another publisher. However, Austen did not have the resources to repurchase the book.
Chawton
Late in 1808 or early in 1809, Austen's brother Edward offered his mother and sisters a more settled life—the use of a large "cottage" in Chawton village that was part of Edward's nearby estate, Chawton House. Jane, Cassandra, and their mother moved into Chawton cottage on 7 July 1809. In Chawton, life was quieter than it had been since the family's move to Bath in 1800. The Austens did not socialize with the neighbouring gentry and entertained only when family visited. Austen's niece Anna described the Austen family's life in Chawton: "It was a very quiet life, according to our ideas, but they were great readers, and besides the housekeeping our aunts occupied themselves in working with the poor and in teaching some girl or boy to read or write." Austen wrote almost daily, but privately, and seems to have been relieved of some household responsibilities to give her more opportunity to write. In this setting, she was able to be productive as a writer once more.
Publication
During her time at Chawton, Jane Austen successfully published four novels, which were generally well-received. Through her brother Henry, the publisher Thomas Egerton agreed to publish Sense and Sensibility, which appeared in October 1811. Reviews were favourable and the novel became fashionable among opinion-makers; the edition sold out by mid-1813. Austen's earnings from Sense and Sensibility provided her with some financial and psychological independence. Egerton then published Pride and Prejudice (a revision of First Impressions) in January 1813. He advertised the book widely and it was an immediate success, garnering three favourable reviews and selling well. By October 1813, Egerton was able to begin selling a second edition. Mansfield Park was published by Egerton in May 1814. While Mansfield Park was ignored by reviewers, it was a great success with the public. All copies were sold within six months, and Austen's earnings on this novel were larger than for any of her other novels.
Austen learned that the Prince Regent admired her novels and kept a set at each of his residences. In November 1815, the Prince Regent's librarian invited Austen to visit the Prince's London residence and hinted that Austen should dedicate the forthcoming Emma to the Prince. Although Austen disliked the Prince, she could scarcely refuse the request. She later wrote Plan of a Novel, according to hints from various quarters, a satiric outline of the "perfect novel" based on the librarian's many suggestions for a future Austen novel.
In mid-1815, Austen left Egerton for John Murray, a better known London publisher, who published Emma in December 1815 and a second edition of Mansfield Park in February 1816. Emma sold well but the new edition of Mansfield Park did not, and this failure offset most of the profits Austen earned on Emma. These were the last of Austen's novels to be published during her lifetime.
While Murray prepared Emma for publication, Austen began to write a new novel she titled The Elliots (later published as Persuasion). She completed her first draft in July 1816. In addition, shortly after the publication of Emma, Henry Austen repurchased the copyright for Susan from Crosby. Austen was forced to postpone publishing either of these completed novels by family financial troubles. Henry Austen's bank failed in March 1816, depriving him of all of his assets, leaving him deeply in debt and losing Edward, James, and Frank Austen large sums. Henry and Frank could no longer afford the contributions they had made to support their mother and sisters.
How did Jane Austen die?
Early in 1816, Jane Austen began to feel unwell, showing the first signs of what may have been Addison's disease. Austen ignored her illness at first and continued to work and to participate in the usual round of family activities. By the middle of that year, her decline was unmistakable to Austen and to her family, and Austen's physical condition began a long, slow, and irregular deterioration culminating in her death the following year.
Austen continued to work in spite of her illness. She became dissatisfied with the ending of The Elliots and rewrote the final two chapters, finishing them on 6 August 1816. In January 1817, Austen began work on a new novel she called The Brothers (later titled Sanditon upon its first publication in 1925) and completed twelve chapters before stopping work in mid-March 1817, probably because her illness prevented her from continuing. Austen made light of her condition to others, describing it as "Bile" and rheumatism, but as her disease progressed she experienced increasing difficulty walking or finding the energy for other activities. By mid-April, Austen was confined to her bed. In May, their brother Henry escorted Jane and Cassandra to Winchester for medical treatment. Jane Austen died in Winchester on 18 July 1817. Through his clerical connections, Henry arranged for his sister to be buried in the north aisle of the nave of Winchester Cathedral. The epitaph composed by her brother James praises Austen's personal qualities, expresses hope for her salvation, mentions the "extraordinary endowments of her mind", but does not explicitly mention her achievements as a writer.
Pride and Prejudice
Pride
and Prejudice stands as a timeless masterpiece of English literature
published in 1813. Set against the backdrop of Regency-era England, this
beloved novel intertwines themes of love, marriage, social class, and
morality with wit, charm, and keen observation. At the heart of Pride
and Prejudice are the enduring characters of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr.
Fitzwilliam Darcy. Elizabeth, the second eldest daughter of the Bennet
family, is a spirited and intelligent young woman whose independent
spirit sets her apart from the societal norms of her time. Mr. Darcy, a
wealthy and aloof gentleman, initially comes across as proud and
arrogant, but beneath his reserved exterior lies a man of depth and
integrity.
The novel unfolds as a series of intricate social
machinations and romantic entanglements, as Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy
navigate the pitfalls of misunderstandings, pride, and societal
expectations on their journey to self-discovery and eventual love.
Austen's prose is marked by its wit, irony, and astute social
commentary, as she deftly skewers the hypocrisies and absurdities of
Regency-era society. Through the lens of the Bennet family and their
interactions with the various members of the landed gentry, Austen
offers readers a window into the intricacies of class, gender, and
marriage in early 19th-century England.
Pride and Prejudice
transcends its time and place to resonate with readers across
generations and cultures. Its timeless themes and universally relatable
characters have ensured its enduring popularity, with countless
adaptations, spin-offs, and homages paying tribute to Austen's enduring
legacy.
As a testament to Austen's literary genius, Pride and
Prejudice continues to captivate readers with its wit, charm, and
insight into the human condition. Through its pages, Austen invites
readers to ponder the complexities of love, the nature of prejudice, and
the enduring power of hope in the face of societal expectations and
personal obstacles.
Sense and Sensibility
Sense
and Sensibility is a classic novel by Jane Austen, published in 1811.
It follows the lives of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, as
they navigate the challenges of love, societal expectations, and
personal growth in early 19th-century England. Elinor embodies the
"sense" of the title, displaying practicality, restraint, and emotional
resilience, while Marianne represents "sensibility," exhibiting passion,
idealism, and vulnerability. The sisters face heartbreak and
disappointment as they encounter various suitors and social obstacles,
ultimately learning valuable lessons about the complexities of
relationships, the importance of self-awareness, and the balance between
rationality and emotion. Austen's wit, social commentary, and
insightful characterizations make Sense and Sensibility a classic
exploration of human nature and the pursuit of happiness amidst the
constraints of societal norms and personal desires.
Emma
Emma,
first published in 1815, centers around the titular character, Emma
Woodhouse, a young and wealthy woman living in the small village of
Highbury. Emma is intelligent, charming, and confident, but she also
possesses a penchant for meddling in the romantic affairs of others.
Despite her good intentions, her matchmaking efforts often lead to
misunderstandings and complications. As Emma navigates the intricacies
of social life in Highbury, she becomes entangled in a web of romantic
entanglements, including her own. She befriends Harriet Smith, a sweet
and naive young woman of lower social standing, and sets out to find her
a suitable match. Along the way, Emma must confront her own biases,
shortcomings, and misconceptions about love and relationships.
Through
Austen's keen observations and sparkling wit, Emma offers a humorous
and insightful exploration of social conventions, class dynamics, and
the complexities of human nature. The novel's enduring appeal lies in
its vivid characters, clever dialogue, and timeless themes of
self-discovery, humility, and the transformative power of love. Emma
remains one of Austen's most beloved works, cherished for its wit,
charm, and enduring relevance. Its protagonist's journey from
self-assured matchmaker to self-aware woman is a testament to Austen's
mastery of character development and her ability to capture the nuances
of human behavior with warmth and wit.
Mansfield Park
Mansfield
Park is a captivating novel that takes readers into the world of Fanny
Price, a young girl from a poor family who is sent to live with her
wealthy relatives at the grand estate of Mansfield Park. As Fanny
navigates the complexities of her new environment, she finds herself
caught between the rigid social expectations of her adoptive family and
her own sense of morality and integrity. With its richly drawn
characters, intricate plot twists, and sharp social commentary,
Mansfield Park is a timeless exploration of class, morality, and the
pursuit of happiness in Regency-era England. Austen's wit and insight
shine brightly in this masterful work, making it a must-read for fans of
classic literature.
Northanger Abbey
Northanger
Abbey is a delightful coming-of-age tale that follows the adventures of
Catherine Morland, a young and imaginative heroine who finds herself
navigating the complexities of love and society in Regency-era England.
As Catherine is introduced to the world of Bath society, she becomes
enamored with the mysterious Henry Tilney and finds herself drawn into a
web of intrigue and romance. Filled with Austen's trademark wit, charm,
and social satire, Northanger Abbey is a delightful romp through the
conventions of Gothic literature and the social mores of Austen's time.
With its endearing characters, sparkling dialogue, and clever narrative
twists, this classic novel continues to captivate readers of all ages.
Executed with high-spirited gusto, Northanger Abbey is a lighthearted, yet unsentimental commentary on love and marriage.
Persuasion
Persuasion
is a poignant and insightful novel that explores the themes of love,
regret, and second chances. Set in early 19th-century England, the story
follows Anne Elliot, a woman of quiet strength and intelligence, who
finds herself reunited with Captain Frederick Wentworth, a man she was
once engaged to but persuaded to break off the engagement due to his
lack of social standing and prospects. As Anne navigates the
complexities of her family's financial struggles and the societal
pressures of her class, she grapples with her lingering feelings for
Wentworth and the consequences of her past decisions. Through Austen's
keen observations and subtle wit, "Persuasion" offers a nuanced
portrayal of love, marriage, and the passage of time.
With its
richly drawn characters, elegant prose, and timeless themes, Persuasion
stands as one of Austen's most beloved works. It is a tale of
resilience, forgiveness, and the enduring power of love to triumph over
adversity. Austen's masterpiece continues to captivate readers with its
depth of emotion, keen social commentary, and timeless relevance.
Posthumous publication
After Austen's death, Cassandra and Henry Austen arranged with Murray for the publication of Persuasion and Northanger Abbey as a set in December 1817. Henry Austen contributed a Biographical Note which for the first time identified his sister as the author of the novels. Tomalin describes it as "a loving and polished eulogy".[86] Sales were good for a year—only 321 copies remained unsold at the end of 1818—and then declined. Murray disposed of the remaining copies in 1820, and Austen's novels remained out of print for twelve years. In 1832, Richard Bentley purchased the remaining copyrights to all of Austen's novels and, beginning in either December 1832 or January 1833, published them in five illustrated volumes as part of his Standard Novels series. In October 1833, Bentley published the first collected edition of Austen's works. From that time until today, Austen's novels have been continuously in print.
Jane Austen books
NovelsSense and Sensibility (1811)
Pride and Prejudice (1813)
Mansfield Park (1814)
Emma (1815)
Persuasion (1817) (posthumous)
Northanger Abbey (1817) (posthumous)
Unfinished books
The Watsons (1804)
Sanditon (1817)
Juvenilia
Frederic & Elfrida
Jack & Alice
Edgar & Emma
Henry and Eliza
The Adventures of Mr. Harley
Sir William Mountague
Memoirs of Mr. Clifford
The Beautifull Cassandra
Amelia Webster
The Visit
The Mystery
The Three Sisters
A Fragment
A beautiful description
The generous Curate
Ode to Pity
Love and Freindship
Lesley Castle
The History of England
A Collection of Letters
The female philosopher
The first Act of a Comedy
A Letter from a Young Lady
A Tour through Wales
A Tale
Evelyn
Catharine, or The Bower
Plan of a Novel (1815)
Poems (1796–1817)
Prayers (1796–1817)
Letters (1796–1817)
Jane Austen quotes
"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid."
"I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book!"
"There
is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have
no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature."
"A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment."
"Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings."
"Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love."
"To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love."
"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship."
"It is such a happiness when good people get together—and they always do."
Source and additional information: Jane Austen