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Criticism/Interpretation I, Sir Walter Scott

Read again, and for the third time at least. Miss

Austen's very finely written novel of "Pride and

Prejudice." That young lady has a talent for

describing the involvements and feelings and characters of

ordinary life which is to me the most wonderful I ever

met with. The big bow-wow strain I can do myself like

any now going; but the exquisite touch, which renders

ordinary commonplace things and characters interesting,

from the truth of the description and the sentiment, is

denied to me. -- From "The Journal of Sir Walter Scott,"

March, 1826.

We bestow no mean compliment upon the author of

"Emma" when we say that keeping close to common inci-

dents, and to such characters as occupy the ordinary walks

of life, she has produced sketches of such spirit and

originality that we never miss the excitation which depends

upon a narrative of uncommon events, arising from the

consideration of minds, manners, and sentiments, greatly

above our own. In this class she stands almost alone; for

the scenes of Miss Edgeworth are laid in higher life, varied

by more romantic incident, and by her remarkable power

of embodying and illustrating national character. But the

author of "Emma" confines herself chiefly to the middling

classes of society; her most distinguished characters do not

rise greatly above well-bred country gentlemen and ladies;

and those which are sketched with most originality and

precision, belong to a class rather below that standard. The

narrative of all her novels is composed of such common

occurrences as may have fallen under the observation of

most folks; and her dramatis personae conduct themselves

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