The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-09-03
TIL 81 PR e S s

JAKE AUsTEN.-A few pears ago, gentle ;
man visiting the beautiful cathedral OF VIM
chester, England, desired to be shown the
grave of Jane Austen. The verger, as ne
pointed it out, asked, spray, sir, can you TEL
Tue whether there was anything particular
about that lady; so many people want 10
know where she was buried?" We fancy the
ignorance of the honest verger is shared by
most American readers of the present day,
respecting the life and character OF lady
whose novels commanded the admiration of
Scott, OF Macintosh, and Macaulay, of Col
eridae, of Southey, and others of equal emf
nence IN the world of letters. Even during
her lifetime she was known only through her
novels. Unlike her gifted contemporary, Miss
Milford, she lived in entire seclusion from the
literary world; neither by correspondence nor
by personal intercourse was she known TO
any contemporary authors. 1t is probable
that she never was in company with any per-
son whose talents or whose celebrity equaled
her own; 50 that ner powers never could have
been sharpened by collision with superior in
tellects, nor her imagination aided by their
casual suggestions. Even during the last two
or three years OF her lite, when her works
were rising in the estimation of the public,
they did not enlarge the circle Of her acquaint-
ance. Few of her readers knew even her
name, and none knew more Of her than her
name. 1t would scarcely be possible to men-
ton any other author OF note, whose person.
al obscurity was so complete. Fanny Bur-
ney, aIterward Madame D'Arblay, was at
an early age petted by DIR. johnson,
and introduced to wits and scholars
of the day at the tables OF Mrs.
Thrale and Sir Joshua Reynolds. Anna
Seward, in her sell-constituted shrine at
Litchfield, would have been miserable, had
she not trusted that the eyes of all lovers OF
poetry were devouty fixed on her. Jaanna
Baltic and Maria Edgeworth were far from
counting publicity; they loved the privacy of
their own families, one with her brother and
sister in their Hamstead villa, the other in
her more distant retreat in Ireland but fame
pursued them, and they were the favorte cor
respondents of Sir Walter Scott The chief
part of Charlotte Bronte's lite was spent in a
wild solitude compared with which Steventon
and Chawton might be considered TO be in
the gay world; and yet she attained to per-
sonal distinction which never fell to Miss
Austen's lot. When she visited her kind pub
Usher in London, literary men and women
were invited purposely to meet her; Thacke-
ray bestowed upon her the honor of his no.
tice; and once in Wis's Rooms, she had to
walk shy and trembling through an avenue
of lords and ladies, drawn up for the purpose
OF gazing at the author of "Jane Eyre" Miss
Milford, too, lived quietly in "Our Village"
devoting her time and talents to the benefit
OF father scarcely worthy of her; but she
did not live there unknown. Her tragedies
gave her name in London. She numbered
Milman and Talfould among her correspond
ents; and her works were passport to the
society of many who would not otherwise
have sought her. Hundreds admired Miss
Milford on account OF her writings for one
who ever connected the idea of Miss Austen
with the press.
1t was not till the close OF her life, when the
last OF the works that she saw published was
in the press, that she received the only mark
OF distinction that was ever bestowed upon
her; and that it was remarkable for the high
quarter whence it emanated, rather than for
any actual increase of lame that it conferred.
1t happened thus. In the autumn of 1916 she
nursed her brother Henry through danger
Gus fever and slow convalescence, at his house
in Hans Place. He was attended by one of
the Prince Regents physicians. All attempts
to keep her name secret had at this time
ceased, and though it had never appeared on
t'tie-page, yet it was pretty well known
and the friendly physician was aware that his
patients nurse was the author of "Pride and
Prejudice" Accordingly he informed her
one day that the Prince was great admirer
OF her novels; that he read them often, and
kept q set in every one of his residences; that
he himself therefore had thought it right to
inform his Royal Hlghness that Miss Austen
was staying in London, and that the Prince
had desired Mr.. Clarke, the librarian of Carl
ton House, to wait upon her. The next day
Mr. Clarke made his appearance. and invited
her to Carlton House, saying that he had the
Princes instructions to show her the library
and other apartments, and to pay her every
possible attention. The invitation was OF
course accepted, and during the visit to Carl
ton H. use Mr.. Clarke declared himself com.
missioned to say that If Miss Austen had any
other novel forthcoming she was at liberty to
dedicate it to the Prince. Accordingly such a
dedication was Immediately prefxed to EN-
ma" which was at that time in the press
Harper's Magazine for July,