imagine her life to have been altogether very happy because she was all the time with her own people occupied i mm letters of jane os lu health was evidently in the latter part of the year and in may of the following year tlie two went to from jane was never to return tliey took lodgings in corner house of college street of which jane writes that are very comfortable we a neat little with a bow window overlooking dr s during the next two months nursed her beloved sister with and she was assisted from time to time by her sister in law mrs james tlie mary of the letters and her brothers james and henry were able to be frequently with her s letters tell all that is to be told of jane s last days on earth and tell it in language at once simple and on july th she died and on the th she was buried in cathedral near the centre of the north aisle almost opposite to the beautiful tomb of william of the place of burial being marked by a large of black marble in tlie pavement bearing the following inscription � in memory of jane youngest daughter of the late george formerly � i iii and of in tliis county oh july a patience q ic of a of of cr and of the i c of who knew love of grief ie in proportion to their know their loss to be but in their they are consoled by a firm though that her charity devotion faith and purity have rendered her acceptable in the sight of mr the writer of inserted a brass in the north wall near the grave with an inscription that b letters of jane on ni been created by her own hand it is something to be able to say of any author or that their works may be read without fear of harm it is more to be able to say as we can truly say in this case that whilst in jane s books instruction and amusement are happily blended the innate purity of her soul shines throughout each story and upon every page and the mind of the reader is led to a love of all that is moral and virtuous and a for anything that is the reverse jane did not live to enjoy the full knowledge of the popularity which was destined to be hers but of it and of her it may be permitted to ber relatives to be proud and proud they are to believe that wherever the english language is read and spoken her works stand and will remain an everlasting memorial of genius turned to good account and talents exercised for the benefit and improvement of mankind � � � i iv the i was going to devote nest chapter entirely to jane s novels when i recollected that such a chapter could by no means be made complete without referring to other novels and at tlie same time such a chapter may be at once discarded by who do not care for the subject or are satisfied to read and enjoy novels without being troubled with letters of jane ob tlie other would be satisfactory if with of a more substantial character i think it b immensely interesting to read side by side and compare the different of the novels which have charmed successive generations and in discussing jane s works to contrast of other writers who wrote practically for the same generation several passages in our letters show us that jane was well acquainted with some at least of s novels of the general popularity of these works at the time of their publication i imagine there can be no doubt and indeed this need cause one no surprise if one the british to have accepted as an accurate estimate of them all that which their author gives of in his preface to the edition of which is so modest that i cannot forbear to it � if to divert and entertain and at ihe same time to instruct and improve the minds of the youth of both sexes if to and morality in so easy and agreeable a manner as shall render them equally delightful and profitable � � � i � � � oh it the novels if to set forth iu the most lights the parental the filial and tlie social duties if to paint vice in its proper colours to make it odious and to set virtue in its own amiable and to make it look lovely if to draw with and to support them distinctly and after a few more of the same sort � if to effect all these good ends in so probable so natural so lively a manner as shall engage the passions of every sensible and attach regard to the story if these be or the editor of the following letters to assert that these ends are obtained here letters of jane oh it nevertheless whatever attractions english society once found in and sir i fancy that in the present day there are few people who would not find them dull and still fewer who would not raise more serious objections both to the matters of which they treat and to the manner of their treatment certainly there is in these books a great deal of plain speaking a is called a and there is much from which that which we now call good taste and delicacy would one must make allowance i suppose for the advance of time and improvement of manners and as sir charles the last of the three was published some fifty years before jane wrote these works must be considered as belonging altogether to another generation moreover if we allow that their general tendency at least was to vice and virtue i am afraid that this is more than we can 