JANE AUSTEN, (1765-1817,) AND MARIA EDGEWORTH. (1767-1849.) SIR WALTER SCOTT was the Homer of modern novel writers, but great as he was, he was always glad to acknowledge his obligations to two women of genius, who pointed out the way for him. It was Miss Edgeworth's sketches of Irish character that first led him to think that he might do for Scotland what she had done for Ireland; and it was Miss Austen's novels of English life and manners that further challenged him to exertion in the same field. Of both these famous writers he was a lifelong admirer, and he often admitted that he could not equal them in the finer touches that portray character. Of course that was his modest way of putting the matter, for time has placed the seal of fame on all his works, and has been disposed to slight theirs. Nevertheless, in the development of modern literature, Maria Edgeworth and Jane Austen are entitled to a high and honorable place. In one place Scott says: "Edgeworth, Ferrier, Austen, have all given portraits of real society far superior to anything man—vain man-has produced of a like nature.' In his diary, under date of March 14, 1826, he writes: " Read again, for the third time at least, Miss Austen's finely written novel of "Pride and Prejudice." That young lady had a talent for describing the involvements, and feelings, and characters of ordinary life, which is to me the most wonderful I ever met with. The big wow wow strain I can do myself, like any now going; but the exquisite touch which renders ordinary, commonplace things and characters interesting, from the truth of the description and the sentiment, is denied me. What a pity such a gifted creature died so early! Macaulay has an entry in his diary also: I have now read once again all Miss Austen's novelscharming they are. There are in the world no compositions which approach nearer to perfection." "Pride and Prej Jane Austen's first novel, udice," was written in 1796, in her twenty-first year, and considerable intervals by "Sense and Sensibil when she was was followed at ity," "Northanger Abbey," Mansfield Park,” "Emma," and "Persuasion." The last appeared in 1816, one year before the author's death. She wrote also one or two shorter tales. This comprises her literary work during a space of twenty years. The word of culture at the present moment is Jane Austen-the "Divine Jane." Somewhat recently two prominent publishing houses have vied with each other in producing handsome editions of the novels, and in the last decade three or four biographies of her have appeared. But there was a time when her name and works were in eclipse. The generation that was brought up on the novels of Thackeray, Dickens, Bulwer, Charlotte Bronté, and their contemporaries, had no time to read the favorite novels of their fathers, and so Miss Austen passed out of fashion. From 1840 well down into the eighties, it was only the omnivorous readers that searched out the famous stories of the early part of the century. But now they are in fashion once more, and a very good and happy fashion it is. Miss Austen was the daughter of an English country clergyman, and the greater part of her life was passed at the rectory of Steventon. She spent a few seasons at Bath, the famous English water ing place, where she obtained that knowledge of fashionable life so admirably portrayed in the novels. Her life was uneventful, and she does not appear to have had any love affair to vary its monotony. She died in 1817 in her forty-third year. As a novelist, Miss Austen's power is dramatic. The adventures she relates are not particularly ex-citing, and if a reader is in search of sensations he will yawn many times over these pages. Her heroes are clergymen and her heroines rather sentimental girls, and the scenes such as English country life afforded a hundred years ago. And yet few writers, perhaps none save the one master of all, have ever held the mirror up to nature as she does. Her range of observation was necessarily narrow, but her art is perfect, and her literary workmanship unexcelled. She was the mistress of genteel comedy, but never indulged in caricature. She tells a story of human life, and we follow the actions of her characters as we follow those of our friends and neighbors. We see a picture of human life not exaggerated, not unduly moralized upon, but precisely what we might see any day if we were good observers. Vice, folly, meanness, pomposity, egotism and selfishness, as well as virtue and goodness, are all visible, but are not made texts for sermons. Miss Austen never preaches. She indulges in no colloquies with her readers, or calls attention in stage asides to her meaning. She leaves us to point a moral if we choose, or we may look upon an exquisite portrayal of human life, and be content. Such is Shakespeare's art, and such is Jane Austen's. Miss Edgeworth has not been quite so fortunate in winning modern attention. "Castle Rackrent,' and "The Absentee," "Patronage," "Belinda" and "Ormond," are the names of novels once familiar to every household, but now rarely opened even by the most insatiable of novel readers. They contain a great variety of characters, abound with humor, and are a most accurate study of the life and manners of Ireland in the beginning of the nineteenth century. They were great favorites with Macaulay, whose diary contains many references to them. One of the scenes in " The Absentee" he declares to be one of the finest of its kind in all fiction. King Corny is one of the principal characters in “Ormond,” and in a note to a passage in his history, where he describes the habits of the old native Irish landlords of the seventeenth century, Macaulay says, "Miss Edgeworth's King Corny belongs to a later and much more civilized generation, but whoever has studied that |