JANE AUSTEN (1775-1817)

She was born in Chawton, where her father, George Austen, was the minister. She had six brother and one sister. James was a clergyman, Francis and Charles joined the Royal Navy, Henry was a soldier, a banker, and a clergyman..and also a lady's man! Edward lived with their uncle who had no sons and inherited his entire livelihood. George was mentally handicapped and was taken care of by an uncle with a similar handicap. The sister was named after their mother, Cassandra. Jane and Cassandra (the sister) were very close. Cassandra was engaged, but her fiance died overseas trying to win his fortune for their marriage.

Jane had a cousin named Eliza! Eliza's husband was beheaded by the guillotine. She only had one son by him, named Hastings, like the bookstore. She was then courted by Jane's brother James after the death of his wife, but eventually married Henry. Cousin Eliza was a huge influence on Jane's life.

Anne Lefroy and Martha Lloyd were her closest friends. Anne Lefroy's cousin was Tom Lefroy who came to visit and there was romantically involved with Jane for the two months they knew each other. Many thought they were going to get married, but he could not because his livelihood depended on his uncle who would not permit the marriage because she was poor.

Harris Bigg-Wither was a very wealthy man inheriting everything from his aunt. He courted Jane for a time and proposed. She accepted this proposal and the next morning went to him and revoked the marriage.

The family went to Bath for several years. She stopped writing while she was there. Her father went there specifically to retire. She moved back to Chawton and lived with her brother where she resumed her writing, and edited different parts of her works.

Her works include:
-Sense and Sensibility (originally Eleanor and Marianne)
-Pride and Prejudice (First Impressions)
-Northanger Abbey (Lady Susan)
-Emma
-Mansfield Park
-Persuasion
-Juvenilia
-The Watsons
-Sanditon

Most of her works were originally written in letter form, but she later changed them with the renaming of the books. The Watsons and Sanditon were never finished. Juvenilia was written when she was very young (from 11-17 years old).

She passed away on July 18, 1817 at Winchester. It was assumed that Addison's Disease was the cause of her death. Her burial stone in Winchester Cathedral says:

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.

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Sources: http://www.jasa.net.au/index.html
http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/janelife.html

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