the "Iliad" or from Shakspeare's plays everything (we are far from saying
that either might not lose some parts with advantage, but let him reject
everything) which is absolutely devoid of importance and interest _in_
_itself_; and he will find that what is left will have lost more than
half its charms. We are convinced that some writers have diminished the
effect of their works by being scrupulous to admit nothing into them
which had not some absolute and independent merit. They have acted like
those who strip off the leaves of a fruit tree, as being of themselves
good for nothing, with the view of securing more nourishment to the
fruit, which in fact cannot attain its full maturity and flavour without
them.'

The world, I think, has endorsed the opinion of the later writer; but it
would not be fair to set down the discrepancy between the two entirely to
the discredit of the former. The fact is that, in the course of the
intervening five years, these works had been read and reread by many
leaders in the literary world. The public taste was forming itself all
this time, and 'grew by what it fed on.' These novels belong to a class
which gain rather than lose by frequent perusals, and it is probable that
each Reviewer represented fairly enough the prevailing opinions of
readers in the year when each wrote.

Since that time, the testimonies in favour of Jane Austen's works have
been continual and almost unanimous. They are frequently referred to as
models; nor have they lost their first distinction of being especially
acceptable to minds of the highest order. I shall indulge myself by
collecting into the next chapter instances of the homage paid to her by
such persons.