I don't love reading histories as much as I used to, but this was a hilarious read. It's so opinionated and pointed and done in the way only Jane could, thumbing her nose and complimenting in the same breath of truly gorgeous words. ( )

In one of her early works, Austen offers short biographical sketches of the English monarchs from Henry IV to Charles I. These are not objective sketches. Indeed, Austen warns readers that the work is written by “a partial, prejudiced, and ignorant historian.” She concludes that “my principal reason for undertaking the History of England being to Prove the innocence of the Queen of Scotland, which I flatter myself to having effectually done, and to abuse Elizabeth, tho’ I am rather fearful of having fallen short in the latter part of my scheme.” The author reveals herself as a Yorkist with a partiality for the Roman Catholic religion. Readers with any familiarity with English history will learn more about Austen than they will about England’s kings and queens. ( )

An amusing short history of recent kings of England by a highly opinionated young Jane Austen. One can see a glimpse of future writings in the ramblings displayed in this volume. Recommended for lovers of this author, and the curious. ( )

Written at age sixteen to entertain her family, Jane Austen provides a rather unorthodox account of England's rulers from Henry IV to Charles I. The edition I read contained facsimiles of her handwritten work plus a transcription of it and illustrations by her sister Cassandra. It also contained an introduction written by A. S. Byatt and a note on the text by Deirdre Le Faye. I found Jane's writing quite legible and could read it nearly as fast as the transcription. ( )

Jane Austen’s “History of England” is a delightful little work that reveals the wit, intelligence, and strong opinions of its young author. Miss Austen wrote it in 1791 at the age of 16, for the amusement of her sister and immediate family. Consisting of just 24 pages, it was never meant to be “published” but survived in notebook form along with many of Miss Jane’s other early writings.

The title page reveals its amusing tone: “A History of England from the reign of Henry the 4th to Charles the first, by a partial, prejudiced, & ignorant historian, with illustrations by her sister Cassandra.” A note warns the reader “There will be very few dates in this history.”

A few excerpts will reveal Miss Austen’s flippant, opinionated, and irreverent approach to her subject. Of Henry IV: “it is to be supposed that [he] was married, since he certainly had four sons, but it is not in my power to inform the reader as to who was his wife.” Of Edward IV: “One of Edward’s mistresses was Jane Shore, who has had a play written about her, but it is a tragedy, and therefore not worth reading.” Of Henry VIII: “The crimes and cruelties of this prince are too numerous to be mentioned… but his abolishing [of] religious houses and leaving them to the ruinous depredations of time has been of infinite use to the landscape of England in general, which probably was a principal motive for his doing it…” Of James I: “Though this king had some faults, among which and as the most principal, was his allowing his mother’s death, yet considered on the whole I cannot help liking him.”

Elizabeth arouses Miss Jane's particular dislike, for her execution of her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots: “wicked as she herself was, she could not have committed such extensive mischief had not these vile and abandoned men [her advisors]... connived at and encouraged her in her crimes.” And then “Elizabeth died so miserable that, were it not an injury to the memory of Mary, I should pity her.” Cassandra’s sketches are caricatures that reflect Jane’s opinions. Thus Elizabeth is represented as a hook- nosed shrew and Henry VIII as an unkempt ruffian, while Mary appears a rosy- cheeked beauty.

Readers interested in Jane Austen’s life and work have a wonderful opportunity to gain insight into her early development through this and other pieces of her juvenilia. All are available in a single, small volume published by the Collector’s Library, a book that bears the title “Sanditon, Lady Susan, & The History of England”. ( )