Jane Austen's World

The script from Miss Austen Regrets uses language from Jane’s letters and writing, and scenes from events that actually occurred in her life. For these reasons, the film is worth watching and rewatching – in addition to Olivia Williams’ complex and mature performance. I wish the tone of the movie had been less somber (read my review here), and had concentrated more on Jane’s sparkling wit and amazing publishing success, but many months after viewing the film, I am still left with a strong and positive impression.

One of the film’s historically significant scenes shows Jane’s meeting at Carlton House in 1815 with Rev. James Stanier Clarke, the Prince Regent’s librarian. Jane’s favorite brother, Henry (right in movie), lived in London at the time, where he worked as a banker and acted as Jane’s agent. At this prolific juncture of her life, Jane’s writing career had taken off and her books were selling well. Several of the Austen brothers were experiencing financial setbacks, and Jane’s added income must have relieved them from no small amount of anxiety.During Jane’s visits to London in 1815 to revise proof-sheets (of Emma, one supposes), Henry fell seriously ill and Jane spent her time nursing him (Top left). The doctor who attended Henry was also one of the Prince Regent’s physicians. Edward Austen-Leigh writes about his encounter with Jane in A Memoir of Jane Austen:

In the autumn of 1815 [Jane] nursed her brother Henry through a dangerous fever and slow convalescence at his house in Hans Place. He was attended by one of the Prince Regent’s physicians. All attempts to keep her name secret had at this time ceased, and though it had never appeared on a title-page, all who cared to know might easily learn it: and the friendly physician was aware that his patient’s nurse was the author of `Pride and Prejudice.‘ Accordingly he informed her one day that the Prince was a great admirer of her novels; that he read them often, and kept a set in every one of his residences; that he himself therefore had thought it right to inform his Royal Highness that Miss Austen was staying in London, and that the Prince had desired Mr. Clarke, the librarian of Carlton House, to wait upon her. The next day Mr. Clarke made his appearance, and invited her to Carlton House, saying that he had the Prince’s instructions to show her the library and other apartments, and to pay her every possible attention.

In the film, Jane is shown as feeling some apprehension and awkwardness as she walks through the grand house accompanied by footmen in livery to meet Rev. James Stanier Clarke (left in movie). Although no record of the meeting survives, Jane’s correspondence with Mr. Clarke is well known. Jospehine Ross reveals in Jane Austen: A Companion that Mr. Clarke was slightly smitten with the author (p 38). A recent exciting find of Mr. Clarke’s Friendship Book contains a small watercolour likeness of a woman that many experts believe to be one of Jane. (See image at right.)

During this meeting, Mr. Clarke revealed the Prince Regent’s request to have her next novel dedicated to him. The prince was a great admirer of Jane’s novels and he kept editions of her works in all his houses. The “honour” of the Prince’s request might have induced mixed feelings in Jane, who reveals in this letter:

“I suppose all the World is sitting in Judgement upon the Princess of Wales’s Letter. Poor woman, I shall support her as long as I can, because she is a Woman, & because I hate her Husband…” – February 16, 1813

After Jane returned to Hans Place, she was not quite sure of the exact nature of Mr. Clarke’s request, and wrote this letter to clarify her confusion:

Sir, I must take the liberty of asking you a question. Among the many flattering attentions which I received from you at Carlton House on Monday last was the information of my being at liberty to dedicate any future work to His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, without the necessity of any solicitation on my part. Such, at least, I believed to be your words; but as I am very anxious to be quite certain of what was intended, I entreat you to have the goodness to inform me how such a permission is to be understood, and whether it is incumbent on me to show my sense of the honour by inscribing the work now in the press to His Royal Highness; I should be equally concerned to appear either presumptuous or ungrateful. – November 15, 1815

When Emma was printed in March of 1816, Jane wrote this dedication to the Prince:

TO
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS
THE PRINCE REGENT,
THIS WORK IS,
BY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS’S PERMISSION,
MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED,
BY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS’S
DUTIFUL
AND OBEDIENT
HUMBLE SERVANT,
THE AUTHOR

Read more on this topic at these links:

• Colleen A. Sheenan, Jane Austen’s “Tribute” to the Prince Regent: A Gentleman Riddled with Difficulty, JASNA, 2006

• Republic of Pemberley, Letters Brabourne Edition

• James Stanier Clarke

• The Unique Friendship Book of Reverend James Stanier Clarke

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