On Friday the 18th inst. died,
in this city,
Miss Jane Austen,
youngest(sic) daughter of the late Rev. George Austen, Rector of Steventon, in this county,
and the Authoress of Emma, Mansfield Park, Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.
Her manners were most gentle, her affections ardent,
her candour was not to be surpassed,
and she lived and died as became a humble Christian.
Notice of Jane Austen’s death that appeared in the Salisbury and Winchester Journal on the 28th July, 1817
written by Henry Austen her brother.
17 comments
July 18, 2010 at 1:18 pm
imogen88
This is a lovely simple piece of writing from JA’s brother. Thanks for the reminder of her anniversary coming up. What an incredible life she had, and all she shared, and continues to share.
July 18, 2010 at 1:58 pm
jfwakefield
Interesting when you compare it with the rather more well known words on her grave in the Cathedral:
In Memory of
JANE AUSTEN,
youngest daughter of the late
Revd GEORGE AUSTEN,
formerly Rector of Steventon in this County She departed this Life on the 18th of July1817, aged 41, after a long illness supported with the patience and hopes of a Christian.
The benevolence of her heart,
the sweetness of her temper, and
the extraordinary endowments of her mind obtained the regard of all who knew her and the warmest love of her intimate connections.
Their grief is in proportion to their affection they know their loss to be irreparable,
but in their deepest affliction they are consoled by a firm though humble hope that her charity, devotion, faith and purity have rendered
her soul acceptable in the sight of her REDEEMER.
The lack of reference here to her life as a professional writer is intriguing.
July 18, 2010 at 10:42 pm
Cathy Allen
Thank you, Julie. I had never read the two together like this. The lack is intriguing, as you said…one MUST wonder… words are inadequate.
Cathy
July 19, 2010 at 2:04 am
imogen88
Goodness me, you are an excellent history detective. I am stunned there is nothing about the writing.
July 18, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Tweets that mention Jane Austen 16th December 1775-18th July 1817 « austenonly -- Topsy.com
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by bookishnyc, Julie Wakefield. Julie Wakefield said: Herny Austen's Noitcie of Jane Austen's death from the Salisbury and Winchester Journal, 28th July 1817 http://wp.me/pGJsu-Oq [...]
July 20, 2010 at 12:26 am
Karen
So moving, Julie! Thanks for sharing.
July 20, 2010 at 1:32 pm
jfwakefield
My pleasure,Karen.
July 20, 2010 at 12:55 am
Karen
I wonder if because the one announcement was in the paper and the other in a cathedral that would explain the disparity? Perhaps becing a woman novelist was just not “the thing” to put on a church plaque? I hadn’t read the paper notice so am excited to know that she was at least acknowledged to the public in that way.
July 20, 2010 at 1:33 pm
jfwakefield
Yes, I think that played a big part in the omission. it is interesting to see the wording thought , isn’t it?
July 20, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Julie
Back in 1969, my parents took the family (I was 10, my brother was 6) to Winchester Cathedral and I got to see the marker. There weren’t nearly as many tourists in those days as there are now, but there were still enough people around for us to notice that people were walking over the marker and not paying attention to what it was. My mother got very upset by this and she explained to me who Austen was and what made her so special. When we got home to NY a few weeks later, I read P&P and then Emma. And the rest is history.
-Julie P.
July 20, 2010 at 1:34 pm
jfwakefield
In their defence its quite easy to miss, even now….
July 21, 2010 at 3:58 pm
Richard Heaton
Many thanks – I actually have the newspaper in my collection so it was great to be reminded
July 22, 2010 at 6:30 am
jfwakefield
Lucky you! I’d look after that one very carefully…..
July 21, 2010 at 9:44 pm
Lizzy
Well I have convinced myself that the line about ‘the extraordinary endowments of her mind’ makes an indirect reference to her works. Wasn’t the plaque added during the Victorian years?
Thanks for the quotes, Julie. You have given me a treasure!
July 22, 2010 at 6:18 am
jfwakefield
Do you mean this brass plague that you can see here? Even that doesn’t list the works like Henry’s ‘press” notice. I think the differences in the wordings illiterate the differnes in the Austen brothers characters. Henry ,quick off the mark, unable to be discreet and keep a secret, versus the more sober and “correct” James. Just my opinon of course, so please dont beat me.
July 22, 2010 at 7:21 am
Lizzy
No, you are right of course Julie. The plaque in Winchester makes no mention of her works, I just like the line about her extraordinary mind, and even though the writer didn’t mention her books, I know what he meant and I feel I share his secret, if that makes sense at all.
I like Henry, and I know that Jane did too. I only wish he had been a better businessman because I think Jane the writer might have made more than just seven hundred pounds or so from her novels had she had a more assertive agent. And I think she lost much of her earnings when Henry’s bank collapsed, so I always feel sorry about that. Jane’s struggles with money are a very sore spot for me, that someone so worthy and talented should have been deprived of comfort and peace of mind is a terrible injustice in my view.
Anyway, thanks for this wonderful blog. It’s my favorite Jane place on the web now.
July 22, 2010 at 7:30 am
jfwakefield
Ah!-I understand.
Of course, Jane Austen’s problem was …he was her only hope! The other male members of the family were no businessmen. She would assume, I think, that the worldly Henry with all his contacts would advise her aright. Sadly that didn’t work in the tortuous world of early19th century publishing, as she managed to sell the copyrights of the most profitable books, while retaining them on those that didn’t initially proposer,and the second edition of MP was ill advised. Oh What A Henry..…. indeed.
And thank you for the compliment. That means an awful lot to me ;-)