Jane Austen's LettersJane Austen's letters afford a unique insight into the daily life of the novelist: intimate and gossipy, observant and informative--they read much like the novels themselves. They bring alive her family and friends, her surroundings and contemporary events, all with a freshness unparalleled in modern biographies. Most important, we recognize the unmistakable voice of the author of such novels as Pride and Prejudice and Emma. We see the shift in her writing from witty and amusing descriptions of the social life of town and country, to a thoughtful and constructive tone while writing about the business of literary composition. R.W. Chapman's ground-breaking edition of the collected letters first appeared in 1932, and a second edition followed twenty years later. A third edition, edited Deirdre Le Faye in 1997 added new material, re-ordered the letters into their correct chronological sequence, and provided discreet and full annotation to each letter, including its provenance, and information on the watermarks, postmarks, and other physical details of the manuscripts. This new fourth edition incorporates the findings of recent scholarship to further enrich our understanding of Austen and give us the fullest and most revealing view yet of her life and family. In addition, Le Faye has written a new preface, has amended and updated the biographical and topographical indexes, has introduced a new subject index, and had added the contents of the notes to the general index. Teachers, students, and fans of Jane Austen, at all levels, will find in these letters remarkable insight into one of the most popular novelists ever. |
Contents
JANE AUSTENS LETTERS | 1 |
Abbreviations and Citations | 365 |
Notes | 368 |
General Notes on the Letters | 469 |
Select Bibliography | 471 |
Biographical Index | 482 |
Topographical Index | 589 |
621 | |
649 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
address panel Adlestrop Alton Anna Lefroy Aunt Austen My dear Basingstoke Bath beleive Bequeathed by CEA Bookham brother Canterbury Captn Cassandra Austen CEA to Fanny Chapman 1st Charles Chawton Collected Reports cousin daughter Deane dear Cassandra Description device Heawood died Digweed dine Edward Elizabeth Emma Faversham Francis Austen Friday George glad Godmersham Goodnestone Hampshire Hans Place Hants hear Henry hope House Ibthorpe inherited by Lord inserted superscript J. P. Morgan JA's James Jane Austen John June Kent Kintbury Lady Knatchbull leaves quarto lived London Lord Brabourne Love married Martha Martha Lloyd Mary miles Miss Austen Modert Monday Morgan Lib&Mus Mother Oxford perhaps Postmark probably Provenance Puttick & Simpson rector Saturday Simpson sale sister Sotheby's Southampton St John's College Steventon Street Sunday Thomas Thursday Tilson Tuesday Uncle wafer watermark device Wednesday wife William Winchester wish write wrote yesterday