Jane Austen was born on Saturday, 16 December 1775, in Steventon, England. She was the daughter of Cassandra and George Austen. Her siblings were: James Austen, George Austen, Charles Austen, Francis Austen, Henry Austen, Edward Austen and Cassandra Austen. In 1783, Jane Austen and her sister, Cassandra Austen attended Mrs. Crawley's Boarding School, in Oxford. According to Jane Austen; "Give a girl an education and introduce her properly into the world, and ten to one but she has the means of settling well, without further expense to anybody." In 1786, they completed their formal education and returned home. Around 1787, Jane Austen began to write short stories and poems, later referred to as the Juvenilia.
"A mind lively and at ease, can do with seeing nothing, and can see nothing that does not answer."
In 1790, Jane Austen wrote Love and Friendship. About this time, she made the decision to become a professional writer.
"Every man is surrounded by a neighborhood of voluntary spies."
In 1793, she began to write a short play entitled Sir Charles Grandison or the Happy Man and the novel, Lady Susan. She wrote the poem Ode to Pity for her Juvenilia on Monday, 3 June 1793. In December 1793, Tom Lefroy visited Steventon. According to the letters Jane wrote to her sister, Cassandra it seems like Jane fell in love with Tom. Tom Lefroy was studying become a barrister in London.
"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of."
In January 1796, Tom Lefroy left as the marriage arrangement was deemed highly impractical. In August 1796, Jane Austen began to write First Impressions. Later called, Pride and Prejudice.
"Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love."
In 1797, Jane Austen completed the first draft of First Impressions. Her father, George Austen attempted to have one of Jane's works published for the first time on Wednesday, 1 November 1797. The request was denied by the publisher Thomas Cadell. In November 1797, Jane revised Elinor and Marianne. Also in November 1797, Jane and Cassandra made a visit to their brother James and his wife in Bath. In 1798, Jane completed her revisions of Elinor and Marianne. She began to work on Northanger Abbey, though it was initially known as Susan and later Catherine. In 1799, she eventually revised Northanger Abbey. In May 1799, Jane and her mother visited Bath. In 1800, Jane completed her short play Sir Charles Grandison or the Happy Man. In December 1800, George Austen announced his retirement from the ministry. In January 1801, Jane visited Catherine and Alethea Bigg at Manydown Park, in Hampshire. In May 1801, the Austen family moved to Bath. In September 1802, Charles, Jane and Cassandra left for Godmersham. In October 1802, they returned from Godmersham. Jane and Cassandra visited Catherine and Alethea Bigg on Thursday, 25 November 1802, at Manydown Park. Jane Austen received a proposal of marriage from Harris Bigg-Wither on Thursday, 2 December 1802. Jane accepted the proposal, but the next day she withdrew her acceptance, feeling it to be a mistake. In 1803, her brother, Henry Austen submitted Susan to publisher Benjamin Crosby of Crosby & Company, in London. Benjamin Crosby bought the copyright for the work. In September 1803, Jane and her family visited Godmersham. In October 1803, they returned to Bath.
"A woman, especially, if she have the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can."
In 1804, Jane Austen began to work on the novel The Watsons. Jane and her family spent the summer months of 1804, in Lyme Regis. Her friend and mentor, Madam Lefroy was killed in a horse riding accident on Jane's 29th birthday, on Sunday, 16 December 1804. Her father, George Austen died on Monday, 21 January 1805. In March 1805, Mrs. Austen, Jane and Cassandra moved to 25 Gay Street. In October 1806, the Austen womans and Martha Lloyd, moved to Southampton. In March 1807, they moved to the Castle Square house. Jane Austen wrote about Caroline of Brunswick (1768-1821), "Poor woman, I shall support her as long as I can, because she is a Woman and because I hate her Husband." Her husband was George, Prince of Wales (1762-1830). Jane Austen wrote an angry letter on Wednesday, 5 April 1809, under the pseudonym Mrs. Ashley Dennis = M.A.D. to the publisher Benjamin Crosby, to force him to publish Susan or return it to her possession. Crosby claimed that no timeline was ever set for the books publication. In May 1809, the Austen women visited Edward in Godmersham. The Austen women moved on Friday, 7 July 1809, into Chawton House. In July 1810, Jane and Cassandra visited the Biggs in Manydown. Sense and Sensibility was accepted for publishing by Thomas Egerton. In February 1811, Jane Austen worked on Mansfield Park. In March 1811, she visited Henry and his wife Eliza, in London. Sense and Sensibility was published on Wednesday, 30 October 1811, by Thomas Egerton with Henry Austen as literary agent. In 1812, she revised First Impressions. In November 1812, the copyright to First Impressions was sold to Thomas Egerton for publication for 110 pounds.
"Business, you know, may bring you money, but friendship hardly ever does."
Pride and Prejudice was published on Thursday, 28 January 1813, by Thomas Egerton with Henry Austen as literary agent. Jane left on Thursday, 22 April 1813, for London. Her sister-in-law, Eliza died on 25 April 1813. Jane left her brother on Saturday, 1 May 1813. Around June 1813, Mansfield Park was completed. In September 1813, Jane visited Godmersham. In October 1813, a second edition of Pride and Prejudice was printed. Sense and Sensibility's first edition was sold out on Saturday, 2 October 1813.
"A person who can write a long letter with ease, cannot write ill."
In January 1816, Henry Austen repurchased the copyright to Susan back from Benjamin Crosby. The title was changed to Catherine. In February 1816, John Murray published a second edition of Mansfield Park. Jane started feeling ill, but continued her works on The Elliots. In May 1816, Cassandra followed Jane to Cheltenham to seek medical care. In June 1816, Cassandra and Jane returned from Cheltenham. Jane completed a first draft on Thursday, 18 July 1816, of The Elliots.
"An artist cannot do anything slovenly."
In January 1817, Jane Austen began to work on The Brothers. After completing some chapters of The Brothers, on Tuesday, 18 March 1817, she was forced to stop due to her illness. In April 1817, she was confined to bed. Jane Austen wrote her will on Sunday, 27 April 1817. Cassandra took Jane on Saturday, 24 May 1817, to Winchester for treatment. Jane Austen died on Friday, 18 July 1817, in Winchester. She was buried on Thursday, 24 July 1817, in Winchester Cathedral. In December 1817, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were published through John Murray. Henry Austen wrote a biographical note identifying for the first time that Jane Austen was the author.
"We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be." Jane Austen
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