Jane Austen autograph manuscript: 'The Watsons'
'The Watsons' unbound autograph manuscript first draft, was written by Jane Austen between 1804 and 1807 (possibly at Bath) and left unfinished. With autograph corrections and inserts.
The manuscript consists of ten quires, numbered 3 to 11 [quire 2 is missing]. Quires 3 to 10 consist of four leaves each and quire 11 of two leaves. Three 'patches' were originally attached by pins [one pin remaining]. A handwritten note by R.W. Chapman is included, stating he removed the pins for the purpose of transcribing and did not re-attach for long-term conservation purposes.
Dates
- Creation: c.1804-1807
Extent
1 box
Language of Materials
- English
Conditions Governing Access
To ensure its availability to future readers, access to this item is restricted, and readers are asked to work from reproductions and published descriptions as far as possible. To apply to see the original, please send a message to specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk, outlining the subject of your research, the importance of this item to that research, and the resources you have already consulted. Please also tell us about the timeframe for your project, if any, and when you hope to visit.
Preferred Citation
Oxford, Bodleian Libraries [followed by shelfmark and folio or page reference, e.g. MS. Eng. e. 3764, booklet 3, pp. 1-2].
Shelfmark:
MS. Eng. e. 3764
Collection ID (for staff)
CMD ID 7757
Abstract
Jane Austen (1775-1817) autograph manuscript of 'The Watsons', c.1804-1807.
Biographical / Historical
For a full biography of Jane Austen, see entry for Austen, Jane (1775-1817), novelist, in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
Custodial History
The manuscript of Jane Austen's 'The Watsons' descended from Jane Austen's sister Cassandra (1773-1845) to their niece, Caroline Mary Craven Austen (1805-1880). Her brother James Edward Austen-Leigh (1798-1874) first published the manuscript in 1870. The manuscript passed to Caroline's nephew, William Austen-Leigh. On 26 April 1915, William presented the first six leaves of the manuscript for a charity sale by Christie, Manson and Woods to raise money for the Red Cross. The remainder of the manuscript remained in the family's possession, descending to the nephew and nieces of William Austen-Leigh, though they placed the manuscript for some time on deposit at the British Museum. The manuscript was then sold at Sotherby's London in 1978 to the British Rail Pension Fund for £38,000. It was auctioned again in 1988 at Sotherby's, reaching a sale price of £90,000 and was bought by Sir Peter Michael, who placed the manuscript on deposit at Queen Mary University of London. On 14 July 2011, the manuscript was once again sold at Sotherby's and was bought by the Bodleian Library for almost £1 million.
The first six leaves of the manuscript were purchased in the Red Cross sale of 1915 by Lady Alice Wernher (later Lady Ludlow). Shortly after 1924, when R.W. Chapman examined the entire manuscript, they were in the possession of the London dealer C.J. Sawyer. The Morgan Library & Museum, New York, bought the first six leaves of the manuscript in 1925 from Sawyer and these six leaves remain at the Morgan Library (shelf mark MS. MA 1034).
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Bought by the Bodleian Library at auction from Sotherby's London in July 2011 with funds raised from a grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) and donations from the Friends of the National Libraries, the Friends of the Bodleian and Jane Austen's House Museum (Jane Austen Memorial Trust).
Existence and Location of Copies
A digitised edition, including transcript, is available at http://www.janeausten.ac.uk/ and should be used in place of the original.
Bibliography
- First published in James Edward Austen Leigh, A memoir of Jane Austen (London, 2nd edition, 1871).
Subject
- Austen | Jane | 1775-1817 | Novelist (Person)
- Title
- Jane Austen autograph manuscript: 'The Watsons' [c.1805]
- Status
- Published
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Rachael Marsay
- Date
- 2020
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom
specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk