] It's been said before. I think that Jane had her sense of humour from her mother....

I agree and can't thank you enough for that poetic proof, which I hadn't read before. It's a great example of Mrs Austen's wit as well as her literary skill. I've often thought that the image of Jane's mother as a demanding invalid was a little unfair.

Here's a bit more evidence of her ready wit.

Mrs Austen, Jane and Cassandra paid an unscheduled visit to Stoneleigh Abbey in August, 1806. They accompanied Mrs Austen's cousin Thomas Leigh, and stayed ten days. According to the Stonleigh website, the three women had been visiting Thomas at his home in Adlestrop, Gloucestershire, when he received news that he was to inherit Stoneleigh from his relative Mary Leigh who had died childless.

He was apparently advised to take possession at once, as there were other claimants to the property, so he upped and went, taking his three guests with him. Mrs Austen's letter home to her daughter-in-law Mary about the visit contains some amusingly dry passages.

Here's a selection, but I'll put a link to the entire letter below:

The house is larger than I could have supposed. We cannot find our way about it - I mean the best part; as to the offices, which were the Abbey. Mr. Leigh almost despairs of ever finding his way about them. I have proposed his setting up direction posts at the angles.

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On the left hand of the hall is the best drawing-room and within a smaller one. These rooms are rather gloomy with brown wainscot and dark crimson furniture, so we never use them except to walk through to the old picture gallery. Behind the smaller drawing-room is the state-bedchamber - an alarming apartment, with its high, dark crimson velvet bed, just fit for an heroine.

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Our visit has been a most pleasant one. We all seem in good humour, disposed to be pleased and endeavouring to be agreeable, and I hope we succeed. Poor Lady Saye and Sele, to be sure, is rather tormenting, though sometimes amusing, and affords Jane many a good laugh, but she fatigues me sadly on the whole.