Jane Austen, Her Life and Letters | Page 3

John's).
1782 Jane and Cassandra at Oxford under care of Mrs. Cawley (sister
of Dr. Cooper).
1783 Mrs. Cawley having moved to Southampton, Jane nearly died
there of a fever. Mrs. Cooper (her aunt) took the infection and died
(October).
1784 The Rivals acted at Steventon.
1784 or 1785 Jane and Cassandra left Mrs. Latournelle's school at
Reading, and returned home.
1786 Eliza Comtesse de Feuillide came to England. Birth of her son.

1787 James Austen in France.
1788, July Henry Austen matriculated at Oxford (St. John's). Francis
Austen went to sea.
1791 Edward Austen married Elizabeth Bridges.
1792, March James Austen married Anne Mathew.
1794, Feb. Comte de Feuillide guillotined.
1795 (?) Cassandra engaged to Thomas Fowle. May Mrs. James Austen
died.
1795-6 Mr. Tom Lefroy at Ashe.
1796 First Impressions (Pride and Prejudice) begun. Jane subscribed
to Camilla.
1797, Jan. James Austen married Mary Lloyd.
Feb. Thomas Fowle died of fever in the W. Indies.
Nov. Jane, with mother and sister, went to Bath. First Impressions
refused by Cadell. Sense and Sensibility (already sketched in Elinor
and Marianne) begun.
Dec. enry Austen married Eliza de Feuillide.
1798, Aug. Lady Williams (Jane Cooper) killed in a carriage accident.
Mrs. Knight gave up Godmersham to the Edward Austens. Jane's first
visit there.
1798, Aug. First draft of Northanger Abbey begun.
1799, May Jane at Bath with the Edward Austens. Aug. Mrs. Leigh
Perrot's trouble at Bath.
1801, May Family move from Steventon to Bath. Visit to Sidmouth.

Possible date of Jane's romance in the west of England.
1802 Austens at Dawlish and Teignmouth. Visit of sisters to Steventon
and Manydown. Jane received an offer of marriage from an old friend.
1803 Northanger Abbey (called Susan) revised, and sold to Crosby of
London.
1804 Probable date of The Watsons. Sept. Austens at Lyme. Dec. Mrs.
Lefroy of Ashe killed by a fall from her horse.
1805, Jan. Death of Jane's father at Bath.
1806, July Austens left Bath for Clifton, Adlestrop, and Stoneleigh.
1806-7 Austens settled at Southampton.
1807, March Took possession of house in Castle Square.
1808, Sept. Cassandra at Godmersham. Oct. Mrs. Edward Austen died
there after the birth of her eleventh child (John).
1809, April Jane attempted to secure publication of Susan (Northanger
Abbey). Austens left Southampton. July Austens took possession of
Chawton (having been at Godmersham). Jane's authorship resumed.
1811, April Jane with Henry in London (Sloane Street) bringing out
Sense and Sensibility. Oct. Sense and Sensibility published.
1812 Death of Mrs. T. Knight. Edward Austen took the name of
'Knight.'
1813, Jan. Publication of Pride and Prejudice. April Death of Mrs.
Henry Austen (Eliza). Sept. Jane's last visit to Godmersham. Second
edition of Sense and Sensibility.
1814, Jan. Emma begun. March Jane went to London with Henry
(reading Mansfield Park by the way). May Mansfield Park published.
Threat of lawsuit for Chawton. Nov. Marriage of Anna Austen to Ben

Lefroy.
1815, March Emma finished. Oct. Illness of Henry. Nov. Jane shown
over Carlton House by Dr. Clarke. Dec. Publication of Emma.
1816, March Bankruptcy of Henry Austen (Jane's health began to break
about this time). May Jane and Cassandra at Kintbury and Cheltenham.
July Persuasion finished. Aug End of Persuasion re-written. Henry
took Orders.
1817, Jan. Jane began new work. March Ceased to write. Death of Mr.
Leigh Perrot. Jane made her will. May 24 Jane moved to Winchester,
and revived somewhat. June 16 Cassandra sent a hopeless account to
Fanny Knight. July 18 Death. July 24 Burial in Winchester Cathedral.

JANE AUSTEN
CHAPTER I
AUSTENS AND LEIGHS
1600-1764
At the end of the sixteenth century there was living at Horsmonden--a
small village in the Weald of Kent--a certain John Austen. From his
will it is evident that he was a man of considerable means, owning
property in Kent and Sussex and elsewhere; he also held a lease of
certain lands from Sir Henry Whetenhall, including in all probability
the manor house of Broadford in Horsmonden. What wealth he had was
doubtless derived from the clothing trade; for Hasted[4] instances the
Austens, together with the Bathursts, Courthopes, and others, as some
of the ancient families of that part 'now of large estate and genteel rank
in life,' but sprung from ancestors who had used the great staple
manufacture of clothing. He adds that these clothiers 'were usually
called the Gray Coats of Kent, and were a body so numerous that at
County Elections whoever had their vote and interest was almost

certain of being elected.'
John Austen died in 1620, leaving a large family.[5] Of these, the fifth
son, Francis, who died in 1687, describes himself in his will as a
clothier, of Grovehurst; this place being, like Broadford, a pretty
timbered house of moderate size near the picturesque old village of
Horsmonden. Both houses still belong to the