1870 engraving of Jane Austen, based on a portrait drawn by her sister CassandraSynopsis from Amazon Canada:
Aficionados of Jane Austen and of historical satire will delight in this spoof on the history of the British monarchy from 1399 to 1649. Austen's note that this history is "By a partial, prejudiced & ignorant Historian (Note: There will be very few Dates in this History)" hints at the tone of the work. What follows are brief, opinionated pieces, ranging from two sentences on Edward V "who lived so little a while that nobody had time to draw his picture" to 19 sentences on Elizabeth, of whom "It was the peculiar Misfortune... to have had bad Ministers -- Since wicked as she herself was, she could not have committed such extensive Mischief, had not these vile & abandoned Men connived at, and encouraged her in her Crimes." This publication contains a transcription as well as a full-color facsimile of the handwritten journal of 16-year-old Austen and small cameo paintings of the royals by her older sister, Cassandra, showing the early developed talent and wit of both sisters.
My rating: 5 stars
No comments:
Post a Comment