What was Jane Austen’s family like?
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Jane Austen was the seventh of eight children. Her closest companion throughout her life was her elder sister, Cassandra. Their father, George Austen, was anAnglican rector and a scholar who encouraged the love of learning in his children. Their mother, Cassandra Austen (née Leigh), was a woman of ready wit, famed for her impromptu verses and stories. The great family amusement was acting.