New-York tribune., 1902-02-02

'A-SI1 ~ T.orstance Hin illustrations by Ellen q.
Hin and Reproductions IN PhotograVure. SHo,
DIP Z9 John Lane
This volume is in some sort a rambling story
=, K,ieq Austen's life in some sort an agreea BILE
,ide 20 the places in which she lived. the scenes
1eares+ and most familiar to her or most useful
IN the framing Of her novels. A week two of
law summer days could hardly be more pleas
.rtl, spent than in following Miss Hills foot
,tens through this still quaint and rustically old
fashioned region. She has been admitted to the
bo,ses wherein Miss Austen lived or visited
and she has had access to various family MSS,
hut while her record is entertaining it cannot
he said to offer much that is new concerning
tbe life work and character of the author of
Emma" a source Of considerable WEAKNESS
N the reader is her habit of striking mental
attitude before some scene or object associated
nth Miss Austen and wondering" if it sug-
~asted this that or the other passage in this
mat or the other novel. Enough of this bust
ness is too much.
But what bright being do her easy gossip
tngs and quotations reveal What a CHEEKY,
wholesome witty, sensible creature this
English Jane, How womanly wise and trusty
and merry is the face that looks out at us
from the frontispiece, Humor is written all
over IT, in the large soft eyes in the dainty
c,,rye Of the corners of the firm lips; and the
II is the face Of a woman for whom life held
.ucb thing as boredom who could always find
interest ana happiness in the quietest country
sido given the few people who were dear TO her
and her own busy brain. There We're many days
,n the rural parsonage at Steventon when there
was no greater excitement than the reading of
Cowuer by Father Austen in the evening. or the
arrival Of a letter from the midshipman broth
ers Sometimes there was county ball in the
assembly rooms Of some neighboring town-then
Who more Joyous and neater dancer than Miss
lane in her white muslin gown, her curly hair
tied up with its green ribbon? All the nice
people Of the region went to those balls, and
sometimes the adventure needed courage. We
know those very Hampshire lanes winding
crookedly between their hedgerows so gloriously
blossornv in May In q dark winter night, hun
srad years ago in storm and mud, the coseyest
vahc1e could have been none too comfortable.
lanes high spirits surmounted every difficulty.
"1 had d very pleasant evening she wrote to
her sister concerning one of these county balls
vbereat her partners were neither many nor
sneciallv agreeable though you will probably
find out that there was no particular reason for
II. but l do not think il worth While TO wait for
eniox-rrent until there is some real opportunity
for it
The county gentry and her various modest
sufficient chances 10 study Hfe-if, indeed, she
oeeded TO see in order to write And always the
work was done bithely. Miss Hill quotes the
recolIections Of James little niece, Marianne
knight. who only lately passed away at a great
age.
remember that when Aunt Jane came to Us
at Godmersham she used TO bring the Ms. of
whatever novel she was writing with her, ana
would shut herself UP with my elder sisters IN
one of the bedrooms TO read them aloud l and
the Younger ones used to hear pealS of laughter
through the door, and thought II very hard tat
We should be shut out from what was 50 de-
lghtfuL I also remember how Aunt Jane would
sill quietly working beside the fire in the library,
saying nothing for 4 good While, and then Wouid
suddenly burst out laughing, jump up ana run
across the room 10 table where pens ana paper
were lying write something down, and then
come back 10 the fire and go quietly working
before.
One OF the burlesque tales written by Jane
when she vas a girl between fourteen and six
teen years Of age, and still preserved in MS. by
her family. has been read by Miss Hill. She
SAYS Of il: Its fun is spontaneous and 50
irresistibly comic that, whilst reading it, one
seems almost 10 hear the merry laugh of the
young girl over her performance No author
ever wrote who took more pleasure in the gift
Of literary creation, or was so absolutely with
out vanity.
Jane Austen. sunniest of women, was also one
of the most reserved as regarded her own deep
est feelings and her biographers have known
little Of the one Slight romantic episode Of her
life; and knowing little, they have told even