Seven chapters on what Austen actually does: her equipment and method, her contact with life, the absence of passion in her books, her impartiality as a satirist, and the country houses that supply nearly all her ground. Helm wrote in 1909, when the reputation was settled but the criticism was not, and he argues with Balzac and Charlotte Brontë in the margins throughout. Sixty plates of Constable and Turner, from East Bergholt cottage to Hadleigh Castle, catch the landscape and light that ...

Three books in one: the letters selected by Lord Brabourne, a study of the world she wrote about, and a critical account of the comedy. Assembled here as a single companion for readers who want the life alongside the novels. This edition adds 59 plates of paintings by Constable, Turner, Hoppner and others, and 19 in-text illustrations restored and coloured.

Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun (1755-1842) was not only the rare woman of her time who integrated herself into the French Royal Academy of Painting, but also beloved portraitist to the aristocracy. Her paintings are testament to a key period of history: she was appointed painter and friend to Marie Antoinette before the French Revolution, and took flight across Europe before returning under the reign of Napoleon, all the while continuing to paint. Self-taught, Vigée-Lebrun knew how to get the best...

W. H. Helm's study examines how Jane Austen masterfully uses the setting of the English country house to create a comedic, yet insightful, exploration of social manners, relationships, and human nature. Helm argues that Austen’s novels, though often light and humorous on the surface, offer a deep critique of the social structures and gender roles of her time.The book delves into the significance of the country house as a symbol of stability, tradition, and the class system in England. Helm...

W. H. Helm's study presents Jane Austen as a writer of enduring freshness: a master of quiet brilliance, social comedy, and the calm precision of the domestic world. Rather than spectacle or melodrama, her fiction offers wit, order, and humane observation, making her a restorative presence beside more sensational novelists. Helm traces her methods, moral outlook, satire, and influence while comparing her temperament with Balzac, Charlotte Brontë, and Dorothy Osborne to show how fully her a...

In "Jane Austen and Her Country-house Comedy," W. H. Helm masterfully explores the intricate interplay between social commentary and humor in Austen's oeuvre. Helm articulates how Austen's country-house settings serve not merely as backdrops, but as crucial arenas where the mores and follies of the gentry are satirized. Employing a blend of close readings and contextual analysis, Helm situates Austen within the broader literary tradition of comedy, illuminating her deft manipulation of iro...

DOMINANT QUALITIES Jane Austen's abiding freshness—Why she has not more readers—Characteristics of her work—Absence of passion—Balzac, Jane Austen, and Charlotte Brontë—Jane in her home circle—Her tranquil nature—Her unselfishness—Compared with Dorothy Osborne—Prudent heroines—Thoughtless admiration EQUIPMENT AND METHOD Literary influences—Jane Austen's defence of novelists—The old essayists—Her favourite authors—Some novels of her time—Criticism of her niece's novel—Sense of her own limit...

Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun (1755-1842) was not only the rare woman of her time who integrated herself into the French Royal Academy of Painting, but also beloved portraitist to the aristocracy. Her paintings are testament to a key period of history: she was appointed painter and friend to Marie Antoinette before the French Revolution, and took flight across Europe before returning under the reign of Napoleon, all the while continuing to paint. Self-taught, Vigée-Lebrun knew how to get the best...

The epic tale of wrongful imprisonment, adventure and revenge, in its definitive translationThrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantès is confined to the grim fortress of If. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo and he becomes determined not only to escape, but also to use the treasure to plot the destruction of the three men responsible for his incarceration. Dumas' epic tale of suffering and retribu...

Jane Austen (1775–1817) was a major English novelist whose classic works of romantic fiction, notable for their wit, keen social observations and insight into the lives of early nineteenth-century women, remain widely read and loved today. This complete collection of her seven great novels – ‘Sense and Sensibility’, ‘Pride and Prejudice’, ‘Mansfield Park’, ‘Emma’, ‘Northanger Abbey’, ‘Persuasion’ and ‘Lady Susan’ – presented in a single volume is an essential edition for collectors, studen...

The true story of the woman who befriended the last queen of France—and the price she paid for her devotion.Perhaps no one knew Marie Antoinette better than one of her closest confidantes, Marie Thérèse, the Princess de Lamballe. The princess became superintendent of the queen's household in 1774, and through her relationship with Marie Antoinette, she gained a unique perspective of the lavishness and daily intrigue at Versailles.Born into the famous House ...

The leading e-book for Jane Austen and bestseller, featuring more than 83 titles and extras, annotated, illustrated and designed specifically for your e-reader.In this carefully put together e-book, you will find:– All of Jane’s timeless novels and minor works as well as her earlier Juvenilia pieces– The letters and prayers– Introductions to the novels and other books– Dozens of biographical and criticism extras so that you can discover more of her p...