Today’s quote is from James Austen’s The Loiterer, a journal he edited and published while he was at Oxford. Many thanks to the Chawton House Library for allowing me to do research there when I was in England. Great to have a chance to read some of James’s stuff. It seems he considered himself the writer in the family, though his sister Jane would eventually outstrip him.
“The world will forgive an author’s being a little dull, provided he does not pretend to be very witty.”
James Austen
The Loiterer, number 1
Saturday, January 31, 1789
I have been thinking along these lines as I edit my book — I am officially not pretending to be very witty, so forgive me if I am occasionally dull. 😉
The Jane Austen Guide to Life: Thoughtful Lessons for the Modern Woman (May, 2012)
A Walk with Jane Austen: A Journey into Adventure, Love, and Faith