Foreword to the Austi Classics edition

In an age when – on the view of some commentators – women in England were little more than slaves, Jane Austen managed to point out the foibles of the more 'senior' men at middle and upper levels of society. Like a faithful copyist, Austen describes the orientations of her chosen representatives without comment and with little judgement. As a result, Austen is recognises to virtues and gives credit where due. As a result, Persuasion is a classic in placing 19th Century social norms and appearances on the page. It is in this faithfulness to the officially endorsed mindset of her age that Austen is useful to the social historian.

Dan Abramson
Sydney Australia
May 2016