Page:Jane Austen (Sarah Fanny Malden 1889).djvu/91

 praise than to have one of her novels considered equal to anything of Madame D'Arblay's, but, as the new novel in question was the Wanderer, we may fairly believe that Dr. Isham really did prefer Elizabeth Bennet to the rather dreary adventures of Miss Ellis. Finally, Jane Austen heard that she was "read and admired in Ireland, too," and adds, in her usual tone of persiflage, 'I do not despair of having my portrait in the Exhibition at last—all white and red, with my head on one side; or, perhaps, I may marry young Mr. D'Arblay. I suppose in the meantime I shall owe dear Henry a great deal of money for printing, &c."

One cannot help regretting that Jane Austen, who accepted all praise so gratefully, should not have known what would be the opinions of more eminent people on Pride and Prejudice, especially the often-quoted entry in Sir Walter Scott's journal: "Read again, for the third time at least, Miss Austen's finely-written novel of Pride and Prejudice. That young lady had a talent for describing the involvements and feelings and characters of ordinary life, which is, to me, the most wonderful I ever met with. The big Bow-Wow strain I can do myself like any now going; but the exquisite touch which renders ordinary common-place things and characters interesting from the truth of the description, and the sentiment, is denied to me. What a pity such a gifted creature died so early."

There are various comments of Jane Austen at this time on her own writings, which are amusing, and show how life-like her own creations were to her; they would not otherwise have been so life-like to her readers. In May, 1813, while she was on a visit in London, she writes: "Henry and I went to the exhibition in Spring Gardens. It is not thought a good collection, but I was