It may be amusing to contrast with these testimonies from the great, the
opinions expressed by other readers of more ordinary intellect. The
author herself has left a list of criticisms which it had been her
amusement to collect, through means of her friends. This list contains
much of warm-hearted sympathising praise, interspersed with some opinions
which may be considered surprising.

One lady could say nothing better of 'Mansfield Park,' than that it was
'a mere novel.'

Another owned that she thought 'Sense and Sensibility' and 'Pride and
Prejudice' downright nonsense; but expected to like 'Mansfield Park'
better, and having finished the first volume, hoped that she had got
through the worst.

Another did not like 'Mansfield Park.' Nothing interesting in the
characters. Language poor.

One gentleman read the first and last chapters of 'Emma,' but did not
look at the rest because he had been told that it was not interesting.

The opinions of another gentleman about 'Emma' were so bad that they
could not be reported to the author.

'Quot homines, tot sententiae.'

Thirty-five years after her death there came also a voice of praise from
across the Atlantic. In 1852 the following letter was received by her
brother Sir Francis Austen:--