Enough with the movie stuff; it’s time for some real good chewy Janeite news! We received an e-mail from Nat Edwards, Programme Manager of the John Murray Archive at the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh. Mr. Edwards read our wistful speculation that something nifty be found in the Murray archive and was kind enough to write to tell us of the goodies they’ve uncovered so far.

2 als (4pp) from Jane Austen to John Murray, Ham Place, 23 Nov and 11 Dec 1815. In the first, Austen declares she is ’so very much disappointed & vexed by the delays of the Printers’ and suggests that their speed might improve if they knew ‘the work is to be dedicated to the Prince Regent’. ‘As I find that Emma is advertised for publication as early as Saturday next, I think it best to lose no time in settling all that remains to be settled’, she writes in the second, before discussing trade terms, the title-page dedication, and the allocation of free copies. She also returns ‘Mansfield Park, as ready for a 2nd Edit: I believe, as I can make it’.

These are Nos. 126 and 130, respectively, in the third edition of the Letters, edited by Deirdre Le Faye. It’s very interesting, as a working author, to read these letters in which Jane attends, very closely, to the business of publication. (One of our favorite of her quotes is, “I have now, therefore, written myself into £250, which only makes me long for more.”)

But wait! There’s more! (*squee!*)

A cheque for £38 18 1 dated October 21 1816 made out to ‘Miss Jane Austin’ and endorsed by her ‘Jane Austin’; 4 cheques to Reverend H.T. and Cassandra Austen; two letters from Cassandra about her sister’s books (’I am not disposed to part with the copy-right of my late Sister’s works, but I feel inclined to accept your proposal for the publishing of another Edition’; ‘I have received your account of the sale of Northanger Abbey & Persuasion … by which you acknowledge a balance in my favour …’).

There are also a number of related entries in the business papers, letterbooks etc of the firm dealing with aspects of the production and sale of Jane Austen’s books.

Our Gentle Readers will remember that Cassandra was Jane’s literary executor and the main beneficiary of her will. (And obviously Jane didn’t get too worked up by a misspelling of her surname.) Check out the images online of ledgers related to the sale of Emma. If you are feeling particularly wonky, poke around the online catalogue.

As to the discussion in the comments of the first post about whether Jane Austen was one of Murray’s “Four O’Clock Friends,” Mr. Edwards says:

I don’t expect that Miss Austen was a regular visitor to Albemarle Street, by any means. I think that a certain amount of journalistic license was used by the Scotsman’s subs when editing Vanessa Collingridge’s excellent article (in the famous picture of the 4 o’clock friends, the company is rather obviously exclusively male)

…which is pretty much what we all thought.

Of course, we do not yet know the full extent of the archive and who knows what may yet be discovered.

Oh, treasures! And really, even if they find nothing else related to Jane, a poke around the exhibition Web site reveals some pretty amazing stuff. Do check it out. Mr. Edwards writes that the Library plans to open an exhibition this summer. If you would like a closer look, you can apply to the Library for admission via a reader’s ticket.

We received notice of a fantastic tour being offered by the Jane Austen Society of North America–and you must be a member to take advantage of the tour. The itinerary includes stops in London, Winchester, Portsmouth, Lyme Regis, Bath, and of course Chawton (including the annual meeting of THE Jane Austen Society) and Steventon. It’s not just Austen sites, but a real Austen experience, including lectures, admission to private homes associated with Jane Austen, private viewings of Austen memorabilia owned by collateral descendants–really just a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

It’s not inexpensive, but we think worth the dosh. If the Editrix (a newly-minted JASNA life member, thankyouverymuch) wins the lottery in the next couple of months, she’s going; if it doesn’t sell out in the meantime, that is!

We knew that, of course, but it’s still always nice to see it in the press.

You see, Jane Austen’s novels are set in late 1700s / early 1800s England and are sometimes mistaken for simple romances in more Victorian times. But that is not their entire story.

Austen makes certain that her readers (and consequently those who watch movies based upon her books) understand how important it was for’ genteel’ women during this time to ‘make a match’ or find a husband. Their very welfare depended upon it.

Under English laws at the time, the first-born son of a family inherited most and sometimes all of the wealth. Women had no rights at all and received absolutely nothing from the family estate.

Weeeeelllll…that’s about three-quarters right. In a family with no sons, and no entailment (see also: Miss Anne de Bourgh, heiress of Rosings Park), the widow and daughters divided the husband’s estate. That’s why they had entailments, to prevent estates from being broken up and given away to the daughters’ husbands.

Mark Twain, who lived to the age of 75, was born in 1835, 18 years after the death of the 42-year old Jane Austen.

He was a rascal who dished out the criticism but apparently did not take too kindly to being on the receiving end of it. He quipped in his autobiography: “I like criticism, but it must be my way.”

Austen was no shrinking violet, herself, and - given the opportunity in time - would probably have met Twain’s comments about her books with a humorous and stinging retort of her own.

Oh how we Jane Austen fans would have loved that!

Oh, indeed!