The Visit is dedicated to her father and mentions two other "celebrated Comedies" by name. My footnote says that "Neither of the titles is known outside this context, so possibly they are two pieces of Jane Austen's own composition, "celebrated" by their performance or reading at Steventon, yet for some reason not transcribed into any of the three notebooks." It's too bad they were lost, but I love the idea of the plays being performed by the family.

There's not much to this, but I did laugh at several bits in the play. Like blaming the grandmother for the short beds, few chairs (though I love the solution to the chair shortage! "Bless me! there ought to be 8 Chairs & there are but 6. However, if your Ladyship will but take Sir Arthur in your Lap, & Sophy my Brother in hers, I beleive we shall do pretty well.") and the lack of a hothouse.

And did poor Sir Arthur not eat a thing? Was everything at the dinner deemed "too high" for him? And what does that mean? Too rich? I'm sure Mr. Woodhouse would know. And probably JulieW…

I also read Jane's other two short plays in the juvenilia:

• The Mystery, of which Jane says in the dedication to her father, "which tho' an unfinished one, is I flatter myself as complete a Mystery as any of its kind." And it is indeed mysterious, the secret almost being spilled many times, but never quite. ;-)

• The First Act of a Comedy (this is all the title there is), which is very odd indeed. But I loved the songs Chloe sings and the idea of her being backed up by a Chorus of
  Ploughboys. A sample of her music:

  I am going to have my dinner,
  After which I shan't be thinner,
  I wish I had here Strephon
  For he would carve the partridge if it should be a tough one.

  (Chorus)Tough one, tough one, tough one,
  For he would carve the partridge if it Should be a tough one.