THIS little work was finished in the year 1803, and intended for immediate publication. It was disposed of to a bookseller, it was even advertised, and why the business proceeded no farther, the author has never been able to learn. That any bookseller should think it worth-while to purchase what he did not think it worth-while to publish seems extraordinary. But with this, neither the author nor the public have any other concern than as some observation is necessary upon those parts of the work which thirteen years have made comparatively obsolete.

The family of Dashwood had long been settled in Sussex. Their estate was large, and their residence was at Norland Park, in the centre of their property, where, for many generations, they had lived in so respectable a manner as to engage the general good opinion of their surrounding acquaintance. The late owner of this estate was a single man, who lived to a very advanced age, and who for many years of his life, had a constant companion and housekeeper in his sister. But her death, which happened ten years before his own, produced a great alteration in his home; for to supply her loss, he...

'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' Blessed with five daughters, Mr and Mrs Bennet face the task of finding good husbands for each of their girls, a task made more difficult by the fiery relationship between independently-minded daughter Elizabeth and her wealthy would-be suitor, the cool and aristocratic Mr Darcy. One of the most famous and best-loved novels of all time, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice remains as captivating as ever.

From Thompson, that- -It is a delightful task -To teach the young idea how to shoot.- And from Shakespeare she gained a great store of information-amongst the rest, that- -Trifles light as air, -Are, to the jealous, confirmation strong, -As proofs of Holy Writ.

'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' Blessed with five daughters, Mr and Mrs Bennet face the task of finding good husbands for each of their girls, a task made more difficult by the fiery relationship between independently-minded daughter Elizabeth and her wealthy would-be suitor, the cool and aristocratic Mr Darcy. One of the most famous and best-loved novels of all time, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice remains as captivating as ever.

-Oh single, my dear, to be sure A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls - -How so? how can it affect them?- -My dear Mr. Bennet, - replied his wife, -how can you be so tiresome You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.- -Is that his design in settling here?- -Design nonsense, how can you talk so But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.- -I see no occasion for that.

-Always resignation and acceptance. Always prudence and honour and duty. Elinor, where is your heart?- Upon the death of their father, the Dashwood sisters Elinor and Marianne find themselves in reduced circumstances and subject to the rules and restrictions of class and social situation as they seek to find their place in the world and the men worthy of their hearts. Jane Austen's classic comedy of manners remains as fresh and vibrant today as the day it was written and continues to gather new admirers.

Austen's masterpiece and classic tale of life, love and social mistakes in England, during the eighteenth century. The story unfolds with the introduction of the Bennet family and their concern for their unwed daughters. Through the Bennet family's actions, Austen introduces us to Victorian society and the challenges a young unwed women faces within it. The beautiful and charming characters of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy reign supreme in this timeless tale of true love.