Jane Austen probably commenced writing The Watsons in 1803 and discontinued it after her father’s death in 1805. The original text contains no chapter divisions. It was first published in 1871 as an appendix to A Memoir of Jane Austen, by the novelist’s nephew, James Edward Austen-Leigh.
The story concerns the young and vivacious Emma Watson, one of six children of a widowed clergyman. Emma has spent most of her life under the care of a wealthy aunt of liberal views, and has received a good education. However, when her aunt enters into a second marriage, Emma is forced to return to the family home, where she is affronted by the crass hunting for husbands undertaken her sisters, Penelope and Margaret.
Emma herself attracts the notice of local nobleman, Lord Osborne, and also of Mr. Howard, vicar of the nearby parish church.
The sisters are invited to visit the home of their brother, Robert, an attorney in Croydon, but Emma refuses to join them. The original text concludes at this point.
Several completions of the novel have been composed after the author’s death. The first appeared in 1850, and was written by her niece, Catherine Hubback, who expanded the story into a three volume novel entitled, The Younger Sister. In 1923, the completion by L. Oulton was published. And in 1928, another completion appeared, this time written the granddaughter of Catherine Hubback, Emily Brown, and her husband Francis Brown.
In the version completed by Oulton, the narrative concludes with a resolution fairly typical of an Austen novel. However, the full text is considerably shorter than any of the novels completed by the Austen.
There has been much speculation as to why Austen discontinued writing the novel. One surmise is that the author may have felt the narrative was uncomfortably close to the events of her own life.
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“Elizabeth Watson is my special joy. Her sister Emma is not so brilliant or endearing as some of Jane’s heroines, but she is a very agreeable, sensible young woman, and it is pleasant to follow her fortunes.”
—
Emily Brown, introduction to The Watsons