New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-27
THE NEW JANE AUSTEN.
OLD ILLUSIONS ABOUT HER DIssIPATED.

The purpose Of Mr.. Adams in writing this account
OF Jane Austen's life was to fsmarizc the reading
public with the individuality OF an author concerning
whom very erroneous notions have-it Is dihcgt "
say how-assumed the fixed character OF uaoi''o"'
To those Who while admirng Der books her Imaso
has presented Itself rs a pr1m, sun on n'"u, uo
portrait serving frontspiece to this volume VIII Do
distinct surprise IL only the first OF many for IL
Is the portrait of very pretty may almost say Vi
beautiful young woman, the intellectually Oh "ho'o
expression in no way diminishes the charm oi her
winning face. The Jane Austen OF this picture Is III
deed decidedly plump and pleasing pcrsoh IN"
though she cap there Is not tue falhst sus
gcstion OF frumpshness about her. NOT ihuec"' 40
Mr. Adams has shown by abundant evidence cou'a
there have been, for size lively, high spriteu
creature who heartily enjoyed all the annsementS open
to her-and they were not few; who was ehpha'''
cay sociable nsht-hearted and fond OF fun ana WHO
from first to last had In her character ana conuu''
nothing OF the buestockng The daughter OF CLERGY
man of the Established Church, she had been reared
I'm Hampshire rectory. The fnmily was hnso
one and almost all Of its members showed talent IN
after years. Two OF the boys went into the Navy ana
both rose TO be admiras. Two OF the girls married.
well, and why Jane never married Is mystery WHICH
Mr. Adams leaves unsoved. She appears ihdeeu' !"
have been hearfree all her life Perhaps her strong
literary bent occupied her too much TO leave room LOT
,he growth OF n serious passion. That size amused
herself by flirting she herself frankly admits, and she
was very fond Of dancing and OF all those socai
amusemen,s which afford opportunity for the assaults
| Of the archer god.
The large family Of boys and girls at Steventon MADE
little and cheerful society OF their own Both te'r
father and mother were healthy minded people, WHO
encouraged and directed the amusemens OF the young
folks Private thcatricals a favote pastlEe WIN
them and before she In her teens little Jane had
taken to scribbng scraps OF plays ana snort s'ocs
which were undstn guished from the ruck OF similar
experiments made by O great many clever Children.
As she grew older Jane became II possible, fonder OF
amusement and when arrived at the dignity OF young
adyhood she proved TO be qutc Unsuitable in regard 70
dancing Between her sixteenth and twentieth year. 1t
should be remembered, she wrote the first draft OF her
novel Sense and Scnsblty' Its earliest title having
been Ellnor and Marianne" As first composed IL
was wholly In the epls,oary form, md was marked by
an exravagance which she removed completely, al the
same time abandoning the narrative by letters In the
final revision OF the story In her twentieth year there
to have been some intimacy between Jane Austen
and young Irish gentleman named Tom LEROY, VINO
became Chief Justice OF Ireland. She writes OF him 10
her favore sister Cassandra in way which suggests
| that u the Young couple had been thrown together
more something might have resulted As it was, Jane
was evidently no the least bit in love. Had it been
otherwise she cOuld not have written she did, apro
pos Of q party TO which she was going: 81 look Tor
ward with great Impotence TO II, rather expect to
receive an offer from my friend In the course OF the
evening. shall refuse MN. however, uliess lie pFoni
ses TO give away his white coat And little further
on in the letter she says: 4" mean TO conne myself
| in the future to Mr.. Tom LEROY for whom don't
| care sxpence.n
In 1896 Jane Austen went 10 work In earnest.
she was not yet twentyone when she began to write
| the novel which afterward appeared as Pride and
Prejudice but which she at first meant To call First
| Impressions II occupied her during ten months.
Her family thought highly Of it, and her father, the
| Arcta Wrotp IN he h
Usher inviting propositions for It's publication Cadet,
however probably discouraged by the swarmins mita-
| tons OF Madame DArbay and thinking that this was
another Of that kind declined 10 have anything to do
with II. Jane doubt disappointed, but the
proof that she was not discouraged be found In
the fact that she ut once TO work upon Sense and
sensbilty' recasting and putting 1t in the form IN
which II finally appeared. But her work at this time
was not confined to writing, for her mothers health
| was poor and the young author was calld upon 70
| assume the principal charge Of the household In
one OF her letters she sass: I carry about the Keys
| OF the wine closet; and twice since / BEGAN TINS
| letter have had orders to give in the Kitchen
| one is reminded here Of the distractions amid which
Mrs Stowe wrote "Unole Toms Cabin Her letters
to Cassanda at this time full Of housekeeping de-
tails: talk about tc washing, the servants the table,
as this for instance am very fond Of experimental
| housekeeping. such as having an oX-cheek now and
| then; shall have next week. and mean to have
| some little dumpllngs put into it, that may fancy
| myself at Godmcrsham." Thackeray once asked
| Who drinks Tenerire nOwl" in the same way one
might Inquire Who eats oxcheeks, Will or with
| out little dumpngs-?
IL IS certainly curious that In these letters there Is
no reference to literary matters, talk about books,
nothing to indicate that the writer was interested in
| other than matters of housekeeping, millinery and
drcssmahng Mr.. Adams tries to account for this by
mpposng that these matters she probably discussed
,,,,o., 10
TOPICS of her letters mainly to the incidents of every
| day lfe., 1t may be So but the suggestion does not
strike us as very probable. After all her writing and
housekeeping. the lively Jane ready ever for
amusement as will be from the following letter
about ball she had Just been TO: "Therc were
| twenty dnnces, and danced them oil, and without
| any fatigue. I glad to find myself capable OF
dancing and with much satisfaction / did from
my slender enjoyment Of the Ashford balls as
bles for dancing, had not thought myself equal to
IT, but In cold weather. and with few couples. fancy
| could Just a. well dance for week together for
| half an hour. My black cap was openly admired by
! Mrs. LEROY, and secretly imagine by everybody
else in the room. That last IS delclonSly feminine
iouch and think OF the saltatory energy that could
| carry Jane Austen through twenty dances without
any fatigue" even. In 1890 she went TO another ball.
OF which she writes amusing things TO her sister.
| She saws 81 DO not think ] was very much In
request. People rather apt not to ask me III
they could not help It ones consequence, you know.
varies SO much at times without any particular
There was ore gentleman, officer OF the Cheshire.
a very good-lookng young man, who was told, wanted
very much TO be introduced to me; but as lie did not
want II quite enough to take much trouble In effect
| Ing It, we never could bring II about, These gny and
laughing letters speak for themselves, aud it be
said that the spirit they exhibit distinguished their
| writer almost to the eEd OF her too brief life.
| The Austcns a very united and loving family.
| and continued so always. For many years Jane ard
Cassandrs appear to have passed most Of their time
in visiting their relatives james six novels upon
which her fame rests produced in a few years.
and as her powers at their height when she died
IT the early age Of forty two. there be little doubt
that the world lost many charming stories through her
| nremaIre linking off. Mr.. Admins has DELIBERATELY