Part 29 (1/2)

[197] _Women, or Ida of Athens_, by Sydney Owenson (afterwards Lady Morgan), published in 1809

[198] _The Wild Irish Girl_, published in 1806

[199] Mrs Charles Austen, whose daughter Cassandra was born on Decehter of Jane's brother Edward

[201] This proved to be Hannah More's _Coelebs in Search of a Wife_, published in 1808 See next letter

[202] Messrs Crosby & Co of Stationers' Hall Court, London

[203] Mr Austin Dobson, in his introduction to _Northanger Abbey_ (Mac that the 'advertisement'

of the first edition of 1818 tells us that the MS was disposed of to 'a Bath bookseller'

[204] _Memoir_, p 129

[205] This ier Abbey_ were the saement was concluded in 1809 Indeed, it does not appear that the author contemplated a re-purchase at that tihts on any other terms

[206] Later writers have not even been content to accept the 'publisher in Bath,' but have found a name and habitation for him Mr Peach, in his _Historic Houses in Bath_, published in 1883 (p 150 _note_), says: 'The publisher (who purchased _Northanger Abbey_), we believe, was Bull' Mr Oscar Fay Ada in 1891 (_Story of Jane Austen's Life_, p 93), beco of hers (Jane Austen's) had yet been published; for although Bull, a publisher in Old Bond Street [sc in Bath], had purchased in 1802 [_sic_] the er Abbey_ for the su untouched--and possibly unread--a Bath'

It is true that Mr Dobson, unable to find the authority for Bull's naly writes, in 1897:--

'Even at this distance of tienuine devotee of Jane Austen must be conscious of a futile but irresistible desire to ”feel the buht the er Abbey_ for the base price of ten pounds, refrained fro it before the worldOnly two suppositions are possible: one, that Mr Bull of the Circulating Library at Bath (if Mr Bull it were) was constitutionally insensible to the char”; the other, that he was an impenitent and irreclaimable adherent of the author of _The Mysteries of Udolpho_'

Mr Meehan, in his _Famous Houses of Bath and District_ (1901), is theon p 197:--

'Her novel _Northanger Abbey_, which is full of Bath, was finished in 1798, and in 1803 she sold the manuscript for ten pounds to Lewis Bull, a bookseller in the ”Lower Walks” (now ”Terrace Walk”) Bull had in 1785 succeeded James Leake, and he in turn was succeeded by John Upham Bull was the founder of the well-known library in Bond Street, London--for many years known as Bull's Library'

CHAPTER XIV

_SENSE AND SENSIBILITY_

1809-1811

We are now bringing Jane Austen to the hoht years of her life--the home from which she went to lie on her deathbed at Winchester Into this period were to be crowded a large proportion of her nition which she was destined to enjoy The first six of these years ularly happy So far as we know, she was in good health, she was a member of a cheerful family party, and she was under the protection of brothers ould see that she and her mother and sister suffered no discomfort The eldest, James, Rector of Steventon, could reach his h pleasant country lanes; Edward, the Squire, occasionally occupied the 'Great House' at Chawton, and often lent it to one of his naval brothers; while Henry in London was only too happy to receive his sisters, show thehts of the metropolis, and transact Jane's literary business At ho friend Martha, and above all her 'other self'--Cassandra--froree objects of interest, Jane also had her own separate and peculiar world, peopled by the creations of her own bright irees beca and ad with diffidence, after her previous experience; but the sense of progress, and the success which attended her venture in publishi+ng _Sense and Sensibility_ would by degrees make ample amends for past disappointments She was no doubt aided by the quiet of her hos In this tranquil spot, where the past and present even now join peaceful hands, she found happy leisure, repose of mind, and absence of distraction, such as any sustained creative effort dee, about a h two main roads from Gosport and Winchester respectively joined on their way towards London just in front of the Austens' cottage Indeed, the place still refuses to berailways, and a necessary but civil notice in the corner requesting e'

The venerable manor-house (then always called the 'Great House') is on the slope of a hill above the Church, surrounded by garden,valley to a hill opposite, croith a beech wood and known as 'Chawton Park' The cottage is in the centre of the village, and, as it actually abuts on the road, the Austens could easily see or be seen by travellers It is supposed to have been built as a posting inn, but it had lately been occupied by Edward Austen's steward The author of the _Memoir_ describes his uncle's i words[207]:--

A good-sized entrance and two sitting-rooinally to look upon the road; but the large drawing-room as blocked up and turned into a book-case, and another opened at the side which gave to view only turf and trees, as a high wooden fence and hornbeae shut out the Winchester road, which skirted the whole length of the little doarden laid out at the sareat interest to the party of ladies, and in which old Mrs

Austen worked vigorously, alreen round smock like a labourer's: a costume which must have been nearly as remarkable as the red habit of her early married life