JANE AUSTEN'S CENTENARY

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 205, 1 September 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

JANE AUSTEN'S CENTENARY

Jane Austen will, in July of next year, have been dead a century, and her admirers are considering how most fitlv to celebrate the centenary of her death. She was born in 1775, at Steventon Rectory, Hampshire (England,) died -n 1817, aged 42, and was buried in Winchester Cathedral. The youngest butone of five sons and two daughters, her fanvly life was a particularly happy one. When about 17 she began her first literary attempt. It took the form of t story in letters, entitled "Elinor and Marianne." "Pride and Prejudice,' - which vies with "Emma,"' was her next effort. This was followed by "Northanger Abbey," a travesty of a certain type of sensational and melodramatic, love-story then in vogue, for which Miss Austen had notliing but contempt. Her aim was to show how really interesting were, tli£ common events of everyday life. She is said to have founded* the school of analysis and introspection. With her, style and simplicity and truthfulness came first, and she studously avoided romance. The merit of her work lies in hei admirable style, her penetrative insight into the foibles of human nature, and a strong sense of the ludicrous. The real drawback, if any, to enjoying he.work, is its monotony. " Northanger Abbev" wasJirst sold to a Bath bookseller for £lO in 1803, but was not then published. Probably in no writer was the force of environment more paramount. In Miss Austen's day a woman was required to be, above all e'se, "lady-like." This is indicated in the simple, unpretentious, high-waisted, short-sleeved, and low-necked dress of the period, with nothing more startling by way of adornment than the little gathered chemisette. In childhood and youth the chief topic of conversation with 18th centurv women was men, and in niaturer years the men of whom their jinuors were talking. M.iss Austen only wrote of very young lovers, and very young married people; but she certainly portrays girls and women more faithfully then men. Her characters all move in a circumscribed circle, and are onlf saved from dullness by her dainty and charming style of delineating them. Though she lived in the eventful time of the French Revolution —time as rich in incident as our own she never touched on any of the lurid events connected with one of the most dramatic periods of history. Nor did she make any use of tlw stirring stories two of her brothers, who were Bivtish admirals, must have told. The fact of the matter is that she never wrote about anything she did not understand and cou'd not sef. When it is remembered .that she never saw a railway train, the narrow compass in wlroh she moved can bi easily imagined. The abiding interest of her writings is the contrast between them and now; the observation of what went to mako correct behaviour, correct manners, and correct speech 100 years ago in contrast vr.'th the speech and manners of to-day.