ul Cassandra_ and _The History of England_,
which, through your generous support, have
obtained a place in every library in the Kingdom,
and run through four score editions, I take the
liberty of begging the same Exertions in favour of
the following novel, which I humbly flatter myself
possesses Merit beyond any already published, or
any that will ever in future appear, except such
as may proceed from the pen of your most grateful

Humble Servant,
THE AUTHOR.

The tale begins in characteristic style, which suggests the later
_Northanger Abbey_.

Catharine had the misfortune, as many heroines
have had before her, of losing her parents when
she was very young, and of being brought up under
the care of a maiden aunt, who, while she tenderly
loved her, watched her conduct with so
scrutinizing a severity as to make it very
doubtful to many people, and to Catharine among
the rest, whether she loved her or not.

Catharine lives with this aunt in Devonshire, five miles from Exeter.
Some friends of her aunt, a Mr. Stanley, M.P., his wife and daughter
(very foolish, and suggestive of Isabella Thorpe) come to visit them.
Mr. Stanley's son turns up unexpectedly and pays great attention to
Catharine, much to the disgust of the aunt, who has a detestation of all
young men. The tale comes to an abrupt conclusion with the departure of
the guests. The story is at times amusing, but obviously immature, and
we need not regret that it was never finished.

Other early sketches are _Henry and Eliza_, dedicated to Miss Cooper,
which must have been written before the latter's marriage at the end of
1792; _The Visit_, dedicated to the Rev. James Austen; _Jack and Alice_,
and _Adventures of Mr. Harley_, dedicated to Francis William Austen,
Esq., midshipman on board H.M.S. _Perseverance_ (soon after 1788), and
other pieces dedicated to Charles John Austen, Esq.

_Evelyn_ and _Kitty_ seem to mark a second stage in her literary
education: when she was hesitating between burlesque and immature
story-telling, and when indeed it seemed as if she were first taking
note of all the faults to be avoided, and curiously considering how she
ought _not_ to write before she attempted to put forth her streng