Correspondence, Journals, and Memoirs:

Letter from Jane Austen to Cassandra Austen.
29 Jan 1813.
[Letter primarily concerns the recent publication of Pride and Prejudice (EN2 1813: 7).] Now I will try to write of something else; it shall be a complete change of subject—Ordination.
Source: Le Faye, p. 202.
Notes: Letter is addressed from Chawton. Le Faye notes that the reference to ordination pertains to enquiries Austen was making for Mansfield Park about the length of time involved in the ordination process (p. 411, n. 7).

Letter from Jane Austen to Francis Austen.
6 July 1813.
[Austen reports that all the copies of Sense and Sensibility (EN2 1811: 16) have been sold, resulting in a profit of £140, in addition to the Copyright. She mentions a new work, ‘which I hope on the credit of P. & P. will sell well, tho’ not half so entertaining’. This new work is Mansfield Park].
Source: Le Faye, p. 217.
Notes: Letter is addressed from Chawton. P & P is Pride and Prejudice.

Letter from Jane Austen to Francis Austen.
25 Sept 1813.
[A small section of this letter concerns Jane Austen’s request to use the names of Francis Austen’s old ships in Mansfield Park (Le Faye, p. 422 n. 3). Austen also intimates that with the publication of Mansfield Park she will not attempt to protect her anonymity to the same degree as she has done in the past].
Source: Le Faye, p. 231.
Notes: A letter from Jane Austen to Cassandra Austen of 24 Jan 1813 also indicates that Austen was engaged in research for Mansfield Park: in this case, checking details on Gibraltar (Le Faye, p. 198 and pp. 409–10, notes 1 & 6). See also the letter from Jane Austen to Cassandra Austen of 29 Jan 1813 (Le Faye, p. 202); and the letter from Austen to Martha Lloyd of 16 Feb 1813 (Le Faye, p. 208).

Letter from Jane Austen to [?Francis Austen].
21 Mar 1814.
[In a postscript, Austen states that she hopes Mansfield Park will be published by the end of Apr].
Source: Le Faye, p. 262.
Notes: The question mark before the name of the addressee is given as it appears in the printed source. Letter is addressed from Henrietta Street.

Letter from Jane Austen to Martha Lloyd.
2 Sept 1814.
[…] I am in some hope of getting Egerton’s account before I go away […].
Source: Le Faye, p. 274.
Notes: Letter is addressed from 23 Hans Place, London. Egerton was the publisher of the 1st edn of the novel.

Letter from Jane Austen to Fanny Knight.
18 Nov 1814.
[Austen reports that the first edition of Mansfield Park has sold out, and that Henry Austen wishes her to make terms for a 2nd edn].
Source: Le Faye, p. 281.
Notes: Letter is addressed from Chawton.

Letter from Jane Austen to Fanny Knight.
30 Nov 1814.
[…] it is not settled yet whether I do hazard a 2d Edition. We are to see Egerton today, when it will probably be determined.—People are more ready to borrow & praise, than to buy […].
Source: Le Faye, p. 287.
Notes: Refers to the 2nd edn of Mansfield Park. Letter is addressed from Hans Place, London.

Letter from Lady Caroline Lamb to John Murray II.
[1814].
Will you send me Waverley. You know the copy with which I was favoured is with Mansfield Park placed in my Mama’s list of Books—therefore send me a new Waverley on[?] the Instant.
Source: MS letter, Murray Archives, Byron Box 4A, Folder 1.
Notes: Waverley is EN2 1814: 52.

Letter from Jane Austen to Cassandra Austen.
17 Oct 1815.
Mr Murray’s Letter is come; he is a Rogue of course, but a civil one. He offers £450— but wants to have the Copyright of MP. & S&S included. It will end in my publishing for myself I dare say.—He sends more praise however than I expected. It is an amusing Letter. You shall see it.
Source: Le Faye, p. 291.
Notes: Austen is writing from Hans Place, London.

Letter from Henry Austen to John Murray II.
[20 or 21?] Oct 1815.
[…] Documents in my possession appear to prove that the Sum offered by you for the Copyright of Sense & Sensibility, Mansfield Park & Emma, is not equal to [293/294] the Money which my Sister has actually cleared by one very moderate Edition of Mansfield Park—(You Yourself expressed astonishment that so small an Edit. Of such a work should have been sent into the World) & a still smaller one of Sense & Sensibility.—
Source: Le Faye, pp. 293–94.

Letter from Jane Austen to John Murray II.
11 Dec 1815.
I return also, Mansfield Park, as ready for a 2d Edit: I believe, as I can make it.
Source: Le Faye, p. 305.

Letter from William Blackwood to John Murray II.
24 Feb 1816.
Mansfield Park & Rimini are just arrived & will be subscribed on Monday.
Source: MS letter, Murray Archives, Blackwood Box 2.
Notes: Leigh Hunt’s poem The Story of Rimini was published by Murray, Blackwood, and J. Cumming (of Dublin) in 1816. The 2nd edn of Mansfield Park, published by Murray, also appeared in 1816.

Ledger Entries:

Ledger Entry, John Murray II.
[2nd edn].
Feb 1816. The impression consisted of 750 copies.
[Feb] 1816–31 Dec 1817. Total outlay (paper, printing and misc. expenses): 215. 11. 3.
Oct 1816. Advertising to this date: 15. 10. 0.
[Oct 1816]. By this date, 94 copies had been sold for a total of 54. 1. 0; after deducting a ten percent commission of 5. 8. 0, the total from the sale was 48. 13. 0.
[Oct 1816]. ‘By present loss charged to Miss Austen per GDB 119’: 182. 8. 3.
9 Sept 1817. To advertising in Mr Murray’s catalogues: 5. 5. 0; to further advertising in same, 31 Dec 1817, 5. 5. 0.
31 Dec 1817. A further 68 copies had been sold by this date at 0. 10. 6 each (46 of which sold at an 1816 Coffee House Sale), for a total of 35. 14. 0; after deducting a ten per cent commission of 3. 11. 8, the total from the sale was 32. 2. 4.
[Dec 1817]. Balance carried to GDB fol. 223: 21. 12. 4.
[Account carried forward to NBB 1817, p. 29].
Source: Murray Archives, Commission Ledger BB, pp. 242–43.
Notes: Unless stated otherwise, copies of the work were accounted for at the trade price of 0. 11. 6 each.

Ledger Entry, John Murray II.
[2nd edn. Account carried forward from Commission Ledger BB, pp. 242–43].
[588 copies on hand as of 31 Dec 1817].
[Feb 1819]. To advertising in Mr Murray’s lists &c &c: 2. 2. 0.
[Feb 1819]. A further 47 copies had been sold by this date, for a total of 27. 0. 6; after deducting a ten per cent commission of 2. 14. 0, the total sum from the sale was 24. 6. 6.
26 Feb 1819. Balance to GDB 112: 22. 4. 6.
25 Jan 1820. To advertising in Mr Murray’s lists: 1. 11. 6.
25 Jan 1820. A further 43 copies had been sold by this date as follows: 7 sold at various times for a total of 4. 0. 6; 36 sold at a Coffee House sale at 0. 10. 6 each, for a total of 18. 18. 0. After deducting a ten percent commission of 2. 6. 0, the total sum from the sale was 20. 12. 6.
25 Jan 1820. Balance: 19. 1. 0.
25 Jan 1820. The remaining 498 copies were sold at a Coffee House Sale at 0. 2. 6 each, for a total of 62. 3. 0; after deducting a ten per cent commission of 6. 4. 6, the total sum from the sale was 56. 0. 6.
19 Jan 1821. To amount to GDB: 56. 0. 6.
Source: Murray Archives, Commission Ledger NBB 1817, p. 29.
Notes: Unless stated otherwise, copies of the work were accounted for at the trade price of 0. 11. 6 each.

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