A
classical education, or at any rate a very extensive acquaintance with
English literature, ancient and modern, appears to me quite
indispensable for the person who would do any justice to your
clergyman; and I think I may boast myself to be, with all possible
vanity, the most unlearned and uninformed female who ever dared to be
an authoress.
'Believe me, dear Sir,
'Your obliged and faithful humbl Sert.
'JANE AUSTEN.' {122}
Mr. Clarke, however, was not to be discouraged from proposing another
subject. He had recently been appointed chaplain and private English
secretary to Prince Leopold, who was then about to be united to the
Princess Charlotte; and when he again wrote to express the gracious
thanks of the Prince Regent for the copy of 'Emma' which had been
presented, he suggests that 'an historical romance illustrative of the
august House of Cobourg would just now be very interesting,' and might
very properly be dedicated to Prince Leopold. This was much as if Sir
William Ross had been set to paint a great battle-piece; and it is
amusing to see with what grave civility she declined a proposal which
must have struck her as ludicrous, in the following letter:--
'MY DEAR SIR,--I am honoured by the Prince's thanks and very much
obliged to yourself for the kind manner in which you mention the work.
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