There is a year and seven months between Letter #7 and Letter #8. During this time, in October 1796, soon after she returns home from the visit with Edward and his family in Rowling that we have just been reading about, Jane starts writing First Impressions, which would become Pride and Prejudice. She finishes First Impressions in August 1797.
Her father, Reverend George Austen, tried to have First Impressions published by sending it to Thomas Cadell, a very successful publisher at the time. Mr. Cadell refused the offer of the manuscript without ever reading First Impressions; big mistake Mr. Cadell.
Info about Mr. Cadell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cadell_(publisher)
This is what the letter said,
Sir,
I have in my possession a manuscript novel, comprising 3 vols., about the length of Miss Burney's Evelina. As I am well aware of what consequence it is that a work of this sort should make its first appearance under a respectable name, I apply to you. I shall be much obliged, therefore, if you will inform me whether you choose to be concerned in it, what will be the expense of publishing it at the author's risk, and what you will venture to advance for the property of it, if on perusal it is approved of. Should you give any encouragement, I will send you the work.
I am, Sir, your humble servant,
GEORGE AUSTEN
Steventon, near Overton, Hants.:
November 1, 1797
Thomas Cadell died in 1836 and the firm closed. In 1840 the remains of the company were sold and among the papers was the letter George Austen sent to Mr. Cadell. The person who purchased this letter was... Tom Lefroy.
But, this is where it gets tricky, there were now two Tom Lefroy's. The senior Tom Langlois Lefroy, Jane's Tom, was then Privy Councillor of Ireland. The younger Tom, Thomas Edward Preston Lefroy, was the husband to Jemima Lefroy, the daughter of Anna Austen Lefroy and Benjamin Lefroy. (Anna Austen Lefroy was the daughter of James Austen and Anna Mathew, Jane's eldest brother and his first wife.)
Anna Austen Lefroy's youngest sister, Caroline Austen sent a letter to James Edward Austen-Leigh (James Edward Austen Leigh was James Austen and Mary Lloyd Austen's son, Anna Austen Lefroy and Caroline's brother), when they were compiling information about Jane Austen in 1869 which said, "I enclose a copy of Mr. Austen's letter to Cadell-I do not know which novel he would have sent-The letter does not do much credit to the tact or courtesy of our good Grandfather for Cadell was a great man in his day, and it is not surprising that he should have refused the favour so offered from an unknown-but the circumstance may be worth noting, especially as we have so few incidents to produce. At a sale of Cadell's papers & Tom Lefroy picked up the original letter-and Jemima copied it for me -"
Thomas Edward Preston Lefroy later gave the letter to Caroline Austen for reference, so it had been in his possession; but Thomas Langlois Lefroy had passed away 4 May 1869, so maybe it had been passed down to Thomas Edward Preston Lefroy, especially because of the family connection.
In 1870 Thomas Edward Preston Lefroy wrote in a letter to James Edward Austen Leigh about a conversation he had with his uncle, the senior Tom Lefroy, concerning Jane Austen saying, "My late venerable uncle ... said in so many words that he was in love with her, although he qualified his confession by saying it was a boyish love. As this occurred in a friendly & private conversation, I feel some doubt whether I ought to make it public."
What is not clear is if Thomas Edward Preston Lefroy purchased the letter or if he picked it up from his uncle Tom Lefroy. The romantic in me wants Thomas Langlois Lefroy to have purchased it and then passed it down to Thomas Edward Preston Lefroy.
I hope you have a great day!
Terrie
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