TRAVELLERS ARRIVING AT EAGLE TAVERN, STRAND „ „ 159 From an Old Engraving. DOMESTIC HAPPINESS „ „ 170 From a Painting by GEORGE MORLAND. COWPER „ „ 192 From a Painting by GEORGE ROMNEY, in the possession of B. Vaughan Johnson, Esq. VICTORY OF LORD DUNCAN (CAMPERDOWN), 1797 „ „ 208 From a Painting by J. S. COPLEY. FAÇADE OF THE PUMP ROOM, BATH, IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY „ „ 220 From a Contemporary Engraving. DRESSING TO GO OUT „ „ 230 From a Drawing by P. W. TOMKINS. INIGO JONES, HON. H. FANE, AND C. BLAIR „ „ 246 From a Painting by Sir JOSHUA REYNOLDS. A PLATE FROM THE GALLERY OF FASHION „ „ 260 CHARING CROSS, 1795 „ „ 285 From an Engraving in the Crace Collection. THE LITTLE THEATRE, HAYMARKET „ „ 291 From an Engraving by WILKINSON in _Londina Illustrata_. THE REV. GEORGE CRABBE „ „ 293 From a Drawing by Sir F. CHANTREY, in the National Portrait Gallery. THE GARDEN OF CARLTON HOUSE „ „ 304 From a Painting by BUNBURY. JANE AUSTEN AND HER TIMES CHAPTER I PRELIMINARY AND DISCURSIVE Of Jane Austen’s life there is little to tell, and that little has been told more than once by writers whose relationship to her made them competent to do so. It is impossible to make even microscopic additions to the sum-total of the facts already known of that simple biography, and if by chance a few more original letters were discovered they could hardly alter the case, for in truth of her it may be said, “Story there is none to tell, sir.” To the very pertinent question which naturally follows, reply may thus be given. Jane Austen stands absolutely alone, unapproached, in a quality in which women are usually supposed to be deficient, a humorous and brilliant insight into the foibles of human nature, and a strong sense of the ludicrous. As a writer in _The Times_ (November 25, 1904) neatly puts it, “Of its kind the comedy of Jane Austen is incomparable. It is utterly merciless. Prancing victims of their illusions, her men and women are utterly bare to our understanding, and their gyrations are irresistibly comic.” Therefore as a personality, as a central figure, too much cannot be written about her, and however much is said or written the mystery of her genius will still always baffle conjecture, always lure men on to fresh attempts to analyse and understand her.