|
124 pages, 1997
$18.00 paper 0-87745-580-5, 978-0-87745-580-6
“In all, Selwyn's collection of the Austen family poetry is an enjoyable read; the notes that he makes are well-documented and clearly stated; the opportunity to flip back and forth and not only get a taste for the literary abilities of many family members, but to be able to compare them on one's own provides a chance for understanding not previously readily available. I think that this book is a 'must have' for any serious student of Austen, both for the biographical and literary conclusions that can be drawn, as well as for the sheer enjoyment of the reading.”—JASNA News
As in many households in the late eighteenth century, writing verse was a pastime with the Austen family, and the composition of ingenious riddles and charades provided a source of lively entertainment. This volume of verses by Jane Austen and her family contains all the known poems by Jane herself as well as a selection of work by her mother, her sister Cassandra, four of her brothers, her uncle James, her nieces Anna and Fanny, her nephew James Edward, and other relatives.
David Selwyn provides an introduction and full explanatory notes; his transcriptions, taken from autograph manuscripts or from the earliest copies, are precise in terms of spelling, punctuation, and layout. Textual notes draw attention to significant variants. Jane Austen's verses reveal the mastery of style and tone familiar to us from her prose; skilled and witty, they will give pleasure to general readers and provide scholars with insight into a largely neglected, essentially private aspect of her writing.
|
 |
