28 Jan On This Day 28th january
On the 28th January in 1813 Pride and Prejudice was published by Thomas Egerton. Jane Austen was paid the sum of £110 for her novel.
This outright payment was a different arrangement than she had made with the publisher for Sense and Sensibility and Egerton would end up making more money from Pride and Prejudice.
While Austen would have been better to work on the commission basis what she had agreed for her first novel, still with two published novels under her belt, surely Austen was still happy with her literary success.
First Impressions
When Jane Austen first wrote Pride and Prejudice she actually called it “First Impressions”. Austen’s most famous novel was written between October 1796 and August 1797. Although it would take a long time for the world to read it.
Her father wrote to a London publisher to see if they would be interested in publishing it in 1797 and it was declined.
So even Jane Austen got rejection letters!
Jane Austen was only 20 years old when she wrote Pride and Prejudice, arguably one of the most famous romance novels of all time. She would rework the novel over the next few years, including changing its name, before it was again put up for sale and publication.
Source: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jane-Austen
Her second novel
Pride and Prejudice was the second of Jane Austen’s novels to be published. Sense and Sensibility was her first novel to go to print in 1811 and it was followed by Pride and Prejudice two years later in 1813 on the 28th January.
Jane Austen would go on to have four more of her works published. Although Persuasion and Northanger Abbey were both published after her death.
She finished 6 complete novels in her lifetime and had several other unfinished works including Sanditon and Love and Friendship. Both made famous in recent years by tv and film adaptions.
Jane Austen’s completed works
Her novels in order of publication were
Mansfield Park 1814
Although it should be noted that this is not necessarily the order they were written in.
Read more about Jane Austen on The British Library website
I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! — When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.
– Pride And Prejudice
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