interrupted
or weakened; they lived in the same home, and shared the same bedroom,
till separated by death. They were not exactly alike. Cassandra's was
the colder and calmer disposition; she was always prudent and
well-judging, but with less outward demonstration of feeling and less
sunniness of temper than Jane possessed. It was remarked in the family
that "Cassandra had the _merit_ of having her temper always under
command, but that Jane had the _happiness_ of a temper which never
required to be commanded."'

Such was the family party at Steventon; and 'there was so much that was
agreeable in it that its members may be excused if they were inclined to
live somewhat too exclusively within it.[36] They might see in each
other much to love and esteem, and something to admire. The family talk
had abundance of spirit and vivacity, and was never troubled by
disagreements even in little matters, for it was not their habit to
dispute or argue with each other; above all, there was strong family
affection and firm union, never to be broken but by death. It cannot be
doubted that all this had its influence with the author in the
construction of her stories,' in which family life often plays a large
part.

The party which we have described was for many years 'unbroken[37] by
death and seldom visited by sorrow. Their situation had some peculiar
advantages beyond those of ordinary rectories. Steventon was a family
living. Mr. Knight, the patron, was also proprietor of nearly the whole
parish. He never resided there, and, consequently, the Rector and his
children came to be regarded in the neighbourhood as representatives of
the family. They shared with the principal tenant the command of an
excellent manor, and enjoyed, in this reflected way, some of the
consideration usually awarded to landed proprietors. They were not rich,
but, aided by Mr. Austen's power of teaching, they had enough to afford
a good education to their sons and daughters, to mix in the best society
of the neighbourhood, and to exercise a liberal hospitality to their own
relations and friends.' 'A carriage and pair of horses were kept'; but
this could be done more cheaply in the eighteenth century than in the
nineteenth. 'There were then no assessed taxes; the carriage, once
bought, entailed little further expense; and the horses, probably, like
Mr. Bennet's (in _Pride and Prejudice_), were often employed on farm
work. Moreover, it should be remembered that a