The manuscripts that survive from Jane Austen's maturity offer a unique insight into her life as a creative writer. This volume collects together, for the first time, all the literary manuscripts from Austen's adult years (with the exception of the cancelled chapters of Persuasion, in this edition printed with the finished novel), together with letters discussing the art of fiction, and her record of responses to her novels. Included here are the novella 'Lady Susan', the novel fragments of 'The Watsons' and 'Sanditon', poems and charades, and the comic 'Plan of a Novel'. In an Appendix are collected other works ascribed to Austen, including the play 'Sir Charles Grandison' and three prayers. The introduction offers a history of the manuscripts and a full account of the current state of scholarship on them, and the texts are accompanied by explanatory notes and contextual information.

Table of Contents

Chronology; Introduction; Note on the text; The Fiction: Lady Susan; The Watsons; Sanditon; Poems and Charades: Poems; Charades; Austen on Fiction: To Mrs. Hunter of Norwich; Letters on Fiction; Plan of a Novel; Opinions of Mansfield Park; Opinions of Emma; Appendices: A. Transcription of The Watsons; B. Transcription of Sanditon; C. Sir Charles Grandison; D. Prayers; E. Family poems; F. Attributed poems; Corrections and emendations; Explanatory notes.

Author Biography

Janet Todd is Professor of English Literature at the University of Aberdeen. Linda Bree is Publisher for Literature at Cambridge University Press.