Jane Austen - The Complete Works of Jane Austen

A moral Tale, setting forth the Advantages of being Generous and a Curate.

In a part little known of the County of Warwick, a very worthy Clergyman lately resided. The income of his living which amounted to about two hundred pound, and the interest of his Wife's fortune which was nothing at all, was entirely sufficient for the Wants and Wishes of a Family who neither wanted or wished for anything beyond what their income afforded them. Mr Williams had been in possession of his living above twenty Years, when this history commences, and his Marriage which had taken place soon after his presentation to it, had made him the father of six very fine Children. The eldest had been placed at the Royal Academy for Seamen at Portsmouth when about thirteen years old, and from thence had been discharged on board of one of the Vessels of a small fleet destined for Newfoundland, where his promising and amiable disposition had procured him many friends among the Natives, and from whence he regularly sent home a large Newfoundland Dog every Month to his family. The second, who was also a Son, had been adopted by a neighbouring Clergyman with the intention of educating him at his own expence, which would have been a very desirable Circumstance had the Gentleman's fortune been equal to his generosity, but as he had nothing to support himself and a very large family but a Curacy of fifty pound a year, Young Williams knew nothing more at the age of 18 than what a twopenny Dame's School in the village could teach him. His Character however was perfectly amiable though his genius might be cramped, and he was addicted to no vice, or ever guilty of any fault beyond what his age and situation rendered perfectly excusable. He had indeed; sometimes been detected in flinging Stones at a Duck or putting brickbats into his Benefactor's bed; but these innocent efforts of wit were considered by that good Man rather as the effects of a lively imagination, than of anything bad in his Nature, and if any punishment were decreed for the offence it was in general no greater than that the Culprit should pick up the Stones or take the brickbats away.

Finis

To Miss Austen

The following Ode to Pity is dedicated, from a thorough knowledge of her pitiful Nature, by her obedt humle Servt.

The Author

Ever musing I delight to tread

The Paths of honour and the Myrtle Grove

Whilst the pale Moon her beams doth shed

On disappointed Love.

While Philomel on airy hawthorn Bush

Sings sweet and Melancholy, And the thrush

Converses with the Dove.

Gently brawling down the turnpike road,

Sweetly noisy falls the Silent Stream—

The Moon emerges from behind a Cloud

And darts upon the Myrtle Grove her beam.

Ah! then what Lovely Scenes appear,

The hut, the Cot, the Grot, and Chapel queer,

And eke the Abbey too a mouldering heap,

Cnceal'd by aged pines her head doth rear

And quite invisible doth take a peep.

June 3d 1793

Table of Contents

Juvenilia – Volume II

Jane Austen

Part 1 Love and Freindship

Dedication

Letter the 1st, Isabel to Laura

Letter the 2nd, Laura to Isabel

Letter the 3rd, Laura to Marianne

Letter the 4th, Laura to Marianne

Letter the 5th, Laura to Marianne

Letter the 6th, Laura to Marianne

Letter the 7th, Laura to Marianne

Letter the 8th, Laura to Marianne in continuation

Letter the 9th, From the same to the same

Letter the 10th, Laura in continuation

Letter the 11th, Laura in continuation

Letter the 12th, Laura in continuation

Letter the 13th, Laura in continuation

Letter the 14th, Laura in continuation

Letter the 15th, Laura in continuation

Part 2 Lesley Castle

Dedication

Letter the 1st, from Miss Margaret Lesley to Miss Charlotte Lutterell

Letter the 2nd, from Miss C. Lutterell to Miss M. Lesley in answer

Letter the 3rd, from Miss Margaret Lesley to Miss C. Lutterell

Letter the 4th, from Miss C. Lutterell to Miss M. Lesley

Letter the 5th, from Miss Margaret Lesley to Miss Charlotte Lutterell

Letter the 6th, from Lady Lesley to Miss Charlotte Lutterell

Letter the 7th, from Miss C. Lutterell to Miss M. Lesley

Letter the 8th, from Miss Lutterell to Mrs. Marlowe

Letter the 9th, from Mrs. Marlowe to Miss Lutterell

Letter the 10th, from Miss Margaret Lesley to Miss Charlotte Lutterell

Part 3 The History of England

Part 4 A Collection of Letters

Dedication

Letter the 1st, from a Mother to her Freind

Letter the 2nd, from a Young Lady crossed in Love to her Freind

Letter the 3rd, from a Young Lady in distressed Circumstances to her Freind

Letter the 4th, from a Young Lady rather impertinent to her freind

Letter the 5th, from a Young Lady very much in love to her Freind

Part 5 Scraps

Dedication

The Female Philosopher—a letter

The First Act of a Comedy

A Letter from a Young Lady, whose feelings being too strong for her Judgement led her into the commission of Errors which her Heart disapproved

A Tour Through Wales in a letter from a Young Lady

A Tale

Published:1790 Categorie(s):Non-Fiction, Fiction, Humorous, Romance, Short Stories

Love and Freindship

Deceived in Freindship and Betrayed in Love

To Madame La Comtesse de Feuillde

This novel is inscribed by her obliged and humble servant.

The Author

How often, in answer to my repeated intreaties that you would give my Daughter a regular detail of the Misfortunes and Adventures of your Life, have you said "No, my freind never will I comply with your request till I may be no longer in Danger of again experiencing such dreadful ones."

Surely that time is now at hand. You are this day 55. If a woman may ever be said to be in safety from the determined Perseverance of disagreeable Lovers and the cruel Persecutions of obstinate Fathers, surely it must be at such a time of Life.

Isabel

Altho' I cannot agree with you in supposing that I shall never again be exposed to Misfortunes as unmerited as those I have already experienced, yet to avoid the imputation of Obstinacy or ill-nature, I will gratify the curiosity of your daughter; and may the fortitude with which I have suffered the many afflictions of my past Life, prove to her a useful lesson for the support of those which may befall her in her own.

Laura

As the Daughter of my most intimate freind I think you entitled to that knowledge of my unhappy story, which your Mother has so often solicited me to give you.

My Father was a native of Ireland and an inhabitant of Wales; my Mother was the natural Daughter of a Scotch Peer by an italian Opera-girl—I was born in Spain and received my Education at a Convent in France.

When I had reached my eighteenth Year I was recalled by my Parents to my paternal roof in Wales. Our mansion was situated in one of the most romantic parts of the Vale of Uske. Tho' my Charms are now considerably softened and somewhat impaired by the Misfortunes I have undergone, I was once beautiful. But lovely as I was the Graces of my Person were the least of my Perfections. Of every accomplishment accustomary to my sex, I was Mistress. When in the Convent, my progress had always exceeded my instructions, my Acquirements had been wonderfull for my age, and I had shortly surpassed my Masters.