repair, and it was altogether a comfortable and ladylike establishment,
though the means which supported it were not large.

I give this description because some interest is generally taken in the
residence of a popular writer. Cowper's unattractive house in the street
of Olney has been pointed out to visitors, and has even attained the
honour of an engraving in Southey's edition of his works: but I cannot
recommend any admirer of Jane Austen to undertake a pilgrimage to this
spot. The building indeed still stands, but it has lost all that gave it
its character. After the death of Mrs. Cassandra Austen, in 1845, it was
divided into tenements for labourers, and the grounds reverted to
ordinary uses.

CHAPTER V.

_Description of Jane Austen's person, character, and tastes_.

As my memoir has now reached the period when I saw a great deal of my
aunt, and was old enough to understand something of her value, I will
here attempt a description of her person, mind, and habits. In person
she was very attractive; her figure was rather tall and slender, her step
light and firm, and her whole appearance expressive of health and
animation. In complexion she was a clear brunette with a rich colour;
she had full round cheeks, with mouth and nose small and well formed,
bright hazel eyes, and brown hair forming natural curls close round her
face. If not so regularly handsome as her sister, yet her countenance
had a peculiar charm of its own to the eyes of most beholders. At the
time of which I am now writing, she never was seen, either morning or
evening, without a cap; I believe that she and her sister were generally
thought to have taken to the garb of middle age earlier than their years