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using the British Newspaper Archive
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#4
Jane
Austen imitated by PD James
All
images © The British Library Board
Recently reading PD James Death comes to Pemberley, I wondered how
reviews of this novel compared to those of Pride
and Prejudice. Jane Austen had sold the copyright of the novel to Thomas
Egerton, and he published the first edition in January 1813 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_and_Prejudice ). Perhaps it was
Egerton who placed the advertisement in the Morning
Post on 9 February 1813 (p.2 col.2):
‘This day published, in 3 vols. price 18s. in boards, Pride and Prejudice; a
Novel, by a Lady, Author of “sense and Sensibility”…’
The Morning Post 9 February 1813
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RIGHTS RESERVED.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000174/18130209/002/0002
Pride and
Prejudice
sold well. By October 1813, Mackay’s Circulating Library was advertising the
novel in its list of new books, in the Caledonian Mercury - Saturday 9 October
1813 (p.3 col.5)
The Caledonian
Mercury - Saturday 9 October 1813
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RIGHTS RESERVED.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000045/18131009/012/0003?_=1350670811367
J. Bottrill, a Printer and Bookseller in
Lutterworth, stated that he added the novel to his circulating library in the Northampton Mercury -
Saturday 23 October 1813 (p.3 col.2); and on the 5 November in the Leicester Journal (p.3. col. 1).
Northampton
Mercury - Saturday 23 October 1813
Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000317/18131023/030/0003
The second edition Pride and Prejudice was advertised in
the Morning Post - Saturday 20
November 1813 (p.2 col.2)
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000174/18131120/002/0002
In 1818, a year after
Jane Austen died, the issue by John Murray of Northanger Abbey and Persuasion,
“…together with a biographical note of the Author”, in four volumes, prompted a
lengthy, favourable review of Jane Austen’s works in The Scots Magazine - Friday 01 May 1818 ( p.57 col.2; p. 58). The
review begins, as below:
The
Scots Magazine - Friday 01 May 1818
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RIGHTS RESERVED.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000547/18180501/016/0057
The review continues: …“When
this period arrives, we have no hesitation in saying, that the delightful
writer of the works now before us [i.e. Northanger
Abbey and Persuasion], will be
one of the most popular of English novelists, and if, indeed, we could point
out the individual who, within a certain limited range, has attained the
highest perfection of the art of novel writing, we should have little scruple
in fixing upon her. She has confined herself, no doubt, to a narrow walk. She
never operates among deep interests, uncommon characters, or vehement passions.
The singular merit of her writings is, that we could conceive, with the
slightest strain imagination, any one of her fictions to be realized in any
town or village in England…She has much observation, - much fine sense, - much
delicate humour, - many pathetic touches, - and throughout all her works, a
most charitable view of human nature, and a tone of gentleness and purity, that
are almost unequalled. …As stories they are nothing in themselves, though
beautiful and simple in their combination with the characters. … such is the
facility and the seemingly exhaustless invention of this lady, that, we think,
like a complete mistress of a musical instrument, she could have gone on in the
same strain for ever…”
The
Scots Magazine - Friday 01 May 1818
Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000547/18180501/016/0057
If Jane Austen’s
qualities attracted such praise only a year after her death, the reception by
reviewers of Death comes to Pemberley
has been more mixed. The Guardian review is mocking and starts: “It is a truth not
universally acknowledged that a classic novel is not in want of a sequel.” (http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/oct/31/death-comes-to-pemberley-pd-james )
The
Historical Novel Review is also negative: “…I'm sorry Ms James, I normally love
your work, but I’m afraid I won’t even be keeping this one on my e-reader.” (http://historicalnovelreview.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/death-comes-to-pemberley-by-p-d-james.html)
The New York Times Sunday Book Review is
far more complimentary: “Not infrequently, while reading “Death Comes to
Pemberley,” one succumbs to the impression that it is Austen herself at the
keyboard.” (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/books/review/death-comes-to-pemberley-by-p-d-james-book-review.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1& )
The Independent also gushes: “It's a great
joint achievement, and a joyous read.” (
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/death-comes-to-pemberley-by-pd-james-6256572.html )
For my own part, Death comes to Pemberley is
erudite, well-plotted, picking up very well on the characters and situations of
the earlier work. Perhaps PD James was knowingly constrained by the plot and
characters of Pride and Prejudice, in
which Jane Austen so clearly displays the goodness, fallibilities and follies
of mankind, with a restrained, yet occasionally barbed, language that will
never be equalled.
Ed King
December 2012
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