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Deirdre Le Faye, The Memoir of Jane Austen and the Cheney Brothers, Notes and Queries, Volume 56, Issue 3, September 2009, Pages 374–376, https://doi.org/10.1093/notesj/gjp108
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Extract
AFTER the publication of the first edition of his Memoir of Jane Austen in December 1869, the Revd James Edward Austen-Leigh received a number of letters from his readers, some of whom were family connections or old friends. These letters, and also others relating to the second edition, were placed in a large album given to Mr Austen-Leigh by his children for this purpose.1 This album was seen by Dr R. W. Chapman in the 1920s, but unfortunately has now disappeared, probably being destroyed during the blitz on London in World War II.2 The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin luckily possesses one letter—not from the original enquirer, but JEAL's reply to him—which gives an interesting sidelight upon the changes made by him for the second edition of the Memoir and his reasons for so doing.
The letter is written on the usual late-Victorian octavo paper, but no envelope was preserved with it and at first sight the recipient would appear to be unknown; however, the comments made by JEAL enable his correspondent to be identified as Edward Cheney (1803–84), younger brother of Robert Henry Cheney (1799–1866). The text of the letter is as follows:
Edward and Robert Henry Cheney were the sons of General Robert Cheney (died 1820), who owned an estate at Badger, a small village in Shropshire between Shifnal and Wolverhampton.Page 1: Very small pencil annotation in top left-hand corner, in an unknown hand:
Austen Leigh / Long & important letter / on his Aunt's work (Jane / Austen) mentioning Persuasion / & / the suppressed chapter
Bray Vicarage
Maidenhead
April 14th 1870
Dear Mr. Cheney
I thank you for your kind letter of approbation about my Memoir of my Aunt. In treating of a subject so mixed up with private matters, I have been chiefly anxious, by no means to offend, and, if possible, to satisfy my own family, & those old personal friends whom, next to my
page 2: own family, I care most for. Their approbation is more valuable to me than that of the public. I need scarcely say how much I should have liked to have shewn my work to your brother, as I might safely have relied on his interest in my subject: & on his indulgent acceptance of a work of his old Schoolfellow.
If any second edition should be called for, I hope that it will
page 3: be in a shape uniform with Bentley's new Edition of the Novels. I should have little to add, & none of her own letters: for though there are a few letters of my Aunt in two quarters, yet obstacles which I can not overcome prevent my having access to them. If I should have to reconsider the question whether the suppressed Chapter in Persuasion should be printed, I can only say that your opinion in the affirmative
page 4: would have much weight with me. I think I might also allow myself a foot note, saying that the friend whom I referred to was Harry Cheney of Badger.
My wife begs me to present her kind remembrances, and I remain
very truly yours
J. Edwd. Austen Leigh
