New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-22
The Jane Austen Centenary
In the pavement of the north aisle of
Winchester Cathedral there is slab Of
black marble inscribed, in part:

black marble inscribed, in part:
In memory of Jane Austen, youngest
daughter of the late Revd George Austen,
formerly Rector of Steventon in this Coun-
ty. She departed this life on July IS, 1917,
aged Al, after long illness, supported with
the patience and the hope of Christian.
The benevolence of her heart the sweet
ness Of her temper and the extraordinary
endowments of her mind obtained the re-
gard of all who knew her, and the warmest
love Of her immediate connexions.
Were the facts recorded on her tomb
stone in the venerable cathedral an ade-
quate presentation of the life of Jane
Austen, no further notice of her would be
required in this year which marks the CEN
tenary of her passing. Stated as they are,
it is not surprising that the memorial for
many years drew few pilgrims to this lit
erary shrine. But it has happened to Jane
Austen's fame, much as it happened in her
life, that recognition of her genius, at least
on the part of general readers, came late.
Though pride and Prejudice" and "Sense
and Sensibility" and "Northanger Abbey"
were written at the age of twenty-three in
the year 1797-'98, they had to wait fifteen
years for publisher, pride and Preju-
dice" one of her greatest stories, not
being published until 1913; Mansfield
Park" in 1914, and Emma" generally re-
garded as her greatest work, in 1916, just
a year before her death. And by way of
f,,r ct 70 Tho lacrior &c ctc
of the present day, no book of Jane Aus
tens published in her lifetime bore her
name.
She seems to have been one who wrote
for the love of writing and if she dreamed
Of fame, she appeared to be willing to leave
it, as Lord Bacon left his name and men,
DRY, to "the next ages" To some extent
this may have been the result of the low
estimation in which novel writing was held
in her day, as indicated in the memorable
opening chapter of "Northanger Abbey"
She may also not have been conscious of
her own fine powers and that talent for
describing the inducements, and feelings
and characters of ordinary life" which Sir
Walter Scott deemed the most wonderful
he ever met with. However it may have
been, Jane Austen never tasted the de-
lights of fame, except perhaps, by way Of
anticipation. She did her work, too, with
out the golden lure held out to-day to the
successful novelist and without the spur
that appreciation by wide circle of read
ers gives to literary ambition.
In this respect she differed widely from
Miss Burney, the author of "Evelina, u
in the preceding generation. Miss Burney
was praised and admired by Johnson, Glib
bon, Burke, and others whose praise meant
fame. And yet to-day there are probably
a thousand English and American readers
Of pride and Prejudice" Emma" and
Mansfield Park" to one Of "Evelina."
Miss Austen's fame has had revival in
comparatively recent years, revival
which may be said to continue; for there
are few readers of to-day Of any preten.
SONS TO culture and literature who have
rot read and admired the novels Of Jane
Aus..en. She has become q classic, but q