A Memoir of Jane Austen

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Chawton 69
some additions to the house, and some judicious planting and
skreening, it was made a pleasant and commodious abode. Mr.
Knight was experienced and adroit at such arrangements, and
this was a labour of love to him. A good-sized entrance and two
sitting-rooms made the length of the house, all intended originally
to look upon the road, but the large drawing-room window
was blocked up and turned into a book-case, and another opened
at the side which gave to view only turf and trees, as a high
wooden fence and hornbeam hedge shut out the Winchester road,
which skirted the whole length of the little domain. Trees were
planted each side to form a shrubbery walk, carried round the
enclosure, which gave a sufficient space for ladies’ exercise. There
was a pleasant irregular mixture of hedgerow, and gravel walk,
and orchard, and long grass for mowing, arising from two or three
little enclosures having been thrown together. The house itself
was quite as good as the generality of parsonage-houses then
were, and much in the same style; and was capable of receiving
other members of the family as frequent visitors. It was sufficiently
well furnished; everything inside and out was kept in
good repair, and it was altogether a comfortable and ladylike
establishment, though the means which supported it were not
large.°
I give this description because some interest is generally taken
in the residence of a popular writer. Cowper’s unattractive house
in the street of Olney has been pointed out to visitors, and has
even attained the honour of an engraving in Southey’s edition of
his works:° but I cannot recommend any admirer of Jane Austen to
undertake a pilgrimage to this spot. The building indeed still
stands,° but it has lost all that gave it its character. After the death
of Mrs. Cassandra Austen, in 1845, it was divided into tenements
for labourers, and the grounds reverted to ordinary uses.