Jane Austen's Favourite Brother, Henry

Henry Austen, Jane Austen's witty and loyal brother, led a colorful and turbulent life that influenced her work and reflected Regency society's complexities.Henry Austen, Jane Austenfavourite brother, was born into a large and lively clergy family in Hampshire. Of her seven siblings, Henry most shared Janemischievous wit and facility with words and his support enabled the publication of her novels.Henryown life was much more incident-packed than his sister s. By turns he was an academic, magazine editor, soldier, financier and banker, bankrupt, and finally, clergyman. His career hit the heights of Regency society, becoming linked with the Prince Regentset, before plummeting to the social disgrace and economic disaster of bankruptcy. Many of his activities hovered on the brink of illegality and his marriage to the enigmatic French countess, Eliza de Feuillide, also raised questions and eyebrows. Nevertheless, his kindness, charm and his loyalty to Jane never wavered. He ensured her burial in Winchester

Cathedral, and he ended his days as a hard-working curate in a Surrey market town and in Hampshire villages.His life sheds a fascinating light on the vagaries of early nineteenth century society and this new and important study examines both his relationships within the Austen family and the many social milieux in which he worked, which, through his recounting of his experiences, may have provided inspiration for some of Janeplots and characters. As Jane herself wrote to Cassandra, 'Oh, what a Henry!' [Publisher's Text]