resolutions and in acting on them, she had little time to reconcile
herself to the change.

* * * * *

A wish has sometimes been expressed that some of Jane Austen's letters
should be published. Some entire letters, and many extracts, will be
given in this memoir; but the reader must be warned not to expect too
much from them. With regard to accuracy of language indeed every word of
them might be printed without correction. The style is always clear, and
generally animated, while a vein of humour continually gleams through the
whole; but the materials may be thought inferior to the execution, for
they treat only of the details of domestic life. There is in them no
notice of politics or public events; scarcely any discussions on
literature, or other subjects of general interest. They may be said to
resemble the nest which some little bird builds of the materials nearest
at hand, of the twigs and mosses supplied by the tree in which it is
placed; curiously constructed out of the simplest matters.

Her letters have very seldom the date of the year, or the signature of
her christian name at full length; but it has been easy to ascertain
their dates, either from the post-mark, or from their contents.

* * * * *

The two following letters are the earliest that I have seen. They were
both written in November 1800; before the family removed from Steventon.
Some of the same circumstances are referred to in both.

The first is to her sister Cassandra, who was then staying with their