The History of Literature, Episode 736

Jane Austen's Favorite Brother, Henry (with Christopher Herbert) | A Letter from the South of France | My Last Book with Nicholas Jenkins
September 29, 2025 | Host: Jacke Wilson

Episode Overview

In this wide-ranging literary episode, host Jacke Wilson embarks on a journey through the world of Jane Austen via her lesser-known but influential brother, Henry, with guest Dr. Christopher Herbert. The episode also features a heartfelt listener letter from France and an evocative reflection by Nicholas Jenkins on the book he’d choose as his last. It’s an episode rich with personal stories, deeper literary insight, and a celebration of the bonds formed through books and family.

Segments and Timestamps

• Listener Letter from France (03:09–12:37)
• Interview: Dr. Christopher Herbert on Henry Austen (12:37–53:27)
• The 'Last Book' Question with Nicholas Jenkins (54:53–60:44)

Listener Letter from the South of France

Starts at 03:09

Key Themes:

• Listener Kai, a 22-year-old from Melbourne, writes from the south of France, describing a transformative solo trip through Europe, accompanied by the podcast and great literature.
• Kai recounts literary pilgrimages to sites associated with Kafka, Joyce, E.M. Forster, Dante, and most of all, plans to visit Marcel Proust’s Combray.
• Jacke responds by reflecting on the comfort and companionship literature provides to travelers, sharing personal anecdotes about always needing a “big book” while on the road.

Notable Quote:

“I have been fortunate enough to make pilgrimages to Kafka in Prague, James Joyce in Trieste, E.M. Forster and Dante in Florence. Most exciting of all, I plan to stay in Illiers-Combray and pay homage to my favorite writer... Marcel Proust.” – Kai (04:49)

Memorable Host Reflection:

“I know that feeling well, all too well, of wanting big thick books while on a journey... Books that will last a long time. As if you're buying literature by the pound.” – Jacke (07:25)

Jane Austen's Favorite Brother, Henry — Interview with Dr. Christopher Herbert

Main segment: 12:37–53:27

Introduction

Dr. Christopher Herbert, author of Jane Austen’s Favorite Brother, Henry, joins Jacke to illuminate the life of Henry Austen and his crucial role in his sister’s story.

Why Jane Austen and Her Circle Matter

(13:06–17:12)

• Dr. Herbert, self-described as not a lifelong Austen scholar, notes he returned to her work later in life after encouragement from his wife, an English teacher.
• Both host and guest marvel at Austen’s “disarming,” seemingly effortless writing, her wit, and psychological insight.
• Jacke observes that Austen’s authorial intimacy leads readers to scrutinize her relationships and family, seeking parallels between real and fictional characters.

Notable Quotes:

“Her writing is so very, very clever. But on the surface, it looks easy, as though it’s just flowed from her pen and she hasn’t given it a thought. But actually... you’d give anything, wouldn’t you, to invent a phrase as good as ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged...’” – Christopher Herbert (14:31)

“Her novels... are small in the sense they don’t sprawl. We can identify with the characters, get to know them, and actually become fond of them or irritated by them. It’s that smallness which I think is attractive.” – Christopher Herbert (15:34)

Childhood and Family Dynamics

(18:21–25:18)

• The Austens were a family of eight children, raised in rural Hampshire, both physically and socially isolated but intellectually lively.
• Their mother taught them to read; their father provided a broad—if classical—education, and the home also functioned as an informal boarding school for other boys.
• Relationships among siblings often evolved through intermittent periods together or apart (due to schooling or other obligations), with letters providing continuity.

Notable Quote:

“David Cecil... referred to the Austens as having a kind of corporate personality. And I think it’s a beautiful idea.” – Christopher Herbert (23:53)

Henry’s Trajectory: Education, Militia, and Risk-taking

(27:19–32:54)

• Unlike his siblings, Henry’s path was not predetermined (older brothers claimed the family role in the church, and one was adopted by wealthy kin).
• Henry joined the Oxfordshire Militia, quickly rising to assistant paymaster, showcasing his charm, extroversion, and logistical skills.
• This led him into regimental agency and eventually banking—a field full of opportunity and peril during the era.

Notable Quote:

“If you wanted to be a major... you just go along to Henry and say, ‘I’ve got £500, I’d like to be a major.’... It was legitimate, but right on the edge—legitimacy, really.” – Christopher Herbert (31:16)

Why Henry Was Jane’s Favorite

(35:22–38:38)

• Henry was a risk-taker, charming, mischievous, always upbeat, and deeply loyal—strikingly different from older, more staid siblings like James.
• He was instrumental in getting Jane’s first novel published, leveraging his connections and persuasive abilities.

Notable Quotes:

“He was a risk-taker, and I think she probably enjoyed that... always coming up smiling.” – Christopher Herbert (35:40)

“Without Henry, Jane’s novels… might never have come down to us, which would be a terrible loss.” – Christopher Herbert (36:33)

• Their bond was strong and reciprocal: Jane was present to care for Henry during his wife’s illness; Henry, for Jane at her worst; Jane left Henry money in her will.

Notable Quotes:

"A kind of instance of that is that when she died, he was the only brother that she named in her will, I think I'm right in saying this, to whom she left money. ...It was a very affectionate and trusting and equitable relationship." – Christopher Herbert (38:38)

“Oh, What a Henry”: Henry Ascendant and Henry’s Fall

(40:03–46:53)

• The famous phrase stemmed from Henry’s dazzling high-society escapades, “knocking around with the crème de la crème of London society.”
• But Henry’s banking ambitions eventually led to financial disaster: bad loans (often to aristocrats), overextension, and unlucky timing left him bankrupt and stripped of his social standing.

Notable Quotes:

“You can almost hear her smiling in a kind of exasperated affection when she said it... Only Henry could get himself up there with the Prince Regent and all that lot.” – Christopher Herbert (41:43)

“He was slightly, I think, besotted with the aristocracy... He felt you could trust an English aristocrat. Well, you couldn’t, of course, and they didn’t always repay him.” – Christopher Herbert (42:35)

Resilience and Later Life

(46:53–53:03)

• After bankruptcy, Henry’s optimism prevailed: he was helped by his brother Edward, took on caring for nephews, and then, remarkably, became an industrious clergyman (“perpetual curate”) and schoolmaster.
• Henry remained energetic and fulfilled in this second career, and never simply played the “gentleman vicar.”

Notable Quotes:

“He was getting on with the job… not being a kind of elegant, gentlemanly vicar who would play whist with the ladies in the big house.” – Christopher Herbert (50:55)

“My kind of strapline really is: no Henry, no Jane. I think that's true.” – Christopher Herbert (52:54)

Host Reflection:

"Instead of being jealous of success and resentful...another path is to just be gracious and helpful and take some pride in other people's accomplishments...and we can come down in history as more of a hero than a villain." – Jacke (51:05)

The 'Last Book' Question with Nicholas Jenkins

Starts at 54:53

Key Highlights

• Nicholas Jenkins is asked what he wants his last book to be.
• He answers by reflecting on how every book might need to be treated as one’s last, emphasizing attention and gleaning meaning even from books we don’t initially love.
• Specifically, he selects Louise Glück’s final poetry collection, Winter Recipes from the Collective, especially the last poem “Song.”
• Reads the closing lines, connecting the endurance of “the fire” (imagination, inspiration) to the value of literature at life’s end.

Notable Quotes:

“I'm going to try and act in the spirit that every book I read is the last book that I might read. ...there’s always something inside a book to be gleaned.” – Nicholas Jenkins (55:33)

“Ah, he says, you are dreaming again. And I say, then I'm glad I dream. The fire is still alive. The fire is still alive.” – Louise Glück, read by Nicholas Jenkins (57:48)

“Sometimes we get into this lazy way of thinking about imagination as being opposed to truth or the real... In the imagination we can find the truth.” – Nicholas Jenkins (59:35)

Final Thoughts and Takeaways

• The episode is a celebration of the enduring bonds literature weaves—between siblings, between authors and readers, and among fellow enthusiasts.
• Henry Austen emerges as not just Jane’s enabler, but as a vivid, complex figure in his own right: a charming, risk-taking, resilient soul whose ups and downs provided Jane both material and moral support.
• Listeners are reminded that sometimes, being the enabler, the sidekick, the brother (or friend) who champions the artist, is a vital role.
• Both in life and in literature, to live in “the fire” of the imagination is to keep truth and hope alive, even at the end.

Selected Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• “Her writing is so very, very clever. But on the surface, it looks easy... But actually, when you analyze it, my goodness me.” – Christopher Herbert (14:31)
• “Without Henry, Jane's novels… might never have come down to us.” – Christopher Herbert (36:33)
• “No Henry, no Jane. I think that's true.” – Christopher Herbert (52:54)
• “I'm glad I dream. The fire is still alive.” – Louise Glück via Nicholas Jenkins (57:48)
• “In the imagination we can find the truth.” – Nicholas Jenkins (59:35)

Episode Recommendations

• For Austen fans: Discover the pivotal personal and professional support behind Jane’s literary legacy.
• For seekers of literary companionship: The listener letter highlights how literature can turn solitude into joyful exploration.
• For anyone wrestling with ambition and resilience: Draw inspiration from Henry Austen’s risk-taking, downfall, and return—with pride and humility.

Further Resources

• Christopher Herbert’s Book: Jane Austen’s Favorite Brother, Henry
• Nicholas Jenkins’ previous Auden episode: #657 in The History of Literature archive

Summary by History of Literature Podcast Summarizer – September 2025