Editing Sense and Sensibility (section)

===19th century responses===
Early reviews of ''Sense and Sensibility'' focused on the novel as providing lessons in conduct (which would be debated by later critics), as well as reviewing the characters. The [[W. W. Norton & Company|Norton Critical Edition]] of ''Sense and Sensibility'' contains a number of such responses in its supplementary material. An "Unsigned Review" in the February 1812 [[The Critical Review (newspaper)|''Critical Review'']] praises the novel as well-written and realistic, with well-drawn characters and a "highly pleasing" plot in which "the whole is just long enough to interest the reader without fatiguing".<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Sense and Sensibility: Authoritative Text, Contexts, Criticism|last=Anonymous|publisher=Norton|year=2002|location=New York|pages=313–324|chapter=Early Views}}</ref> Elinor and her mother are praised, while Marianne's extreme sensibility is seen as bringing unhappiness on herself.<ref name=":0" /> 

Another "Unsigned Review" from the May 1812 ''[[British Critic]]'' further emphasises the novel's function as a type of conduct book. In this author's opinion, Austen's favouring of Elinor's temperament over Marianne's provides the lesson.<ref name=":0" /> The reviewer claims that "the object of the work is to represent the effects on the conduct of life, of discreet quiet good sense on the one hand, and an overrefined and excessive susceptibility on the other."<ref name=":0" /> He goes on to state that the book contains "many sober and salutary maxims for the conduct of life" within a "very pleasing and entertaining narrative."<ref name=":0" /> 

W. F. Pollock's 1861 article for ''[[Fraser's Magazine|Frasier's Magazine]],'' on "British Novelists" is described as an "early example of what would become the customary view of ''Sense and Sensibility."''<ref name=":8">{{Cite book|title=Sense and Sensibility: Authoritative Text, Contexts, Criticism|url=https://archive.org/details/sensesensibility00aust_089|url-access=limited|last=Pollock|first=W.F.|publisher=Norton|year=2002|editor-last=Johnson|editor-first=Claudia|location=New York|pages=[https://archive.org/details/sensesensibility00aust_089/page/n332 313]–324|chapter="British Novelists"|isbn=9780393977516}}</ref> In addition to emphasising the novel's morality, Pollock reviews the characters in catalogue-like fashion, allotting praise and criticism on the assumption that Austen favours Elinor's point of view and temperament.<ref name=":8" /> and extending it to the minor characters. Mrs Palmer is silly, Sir John Dashwood is selfish, the behaviour of the Steele sisters is vulgar. <ref name=":8" /> However, an anonymous piece titled "Miss Austen" published in 1866 in ''[[The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine]]'' departs from other early criticism in sympathising with Marianne over Elinor, claiming that Elinor is "too good" a character.<ref name=":9">{{Cite book|title=Sense and Sensibility: Authoritative Text, Contexts, Criticism.|last=Anonymous|publisher=Norton|year=2002|location=New York|pages=318|chapter="Miss Austen"}}</ref> The article also differs from other reviews in its claim that the "prevailing merit" of the book is not in its sketch of the two sisters; rather, the book is effective because of its "excellent treatment of the subordinate characters."<ref name=":9" /> [[Alice Meynell]]'s 1894 article "The Classic Novelist" in the ''[[Pall Mall Gazette]]'' also concurs with Austen's attention to small things and minor characters and small matters since "that which makes life, art, and work trivial is a triviality of relations."<ref name=":10">{{Cite book|title=Sense and Sensibility: Authoritative Text, Contexts, Criticism|last=Meynell|first=Alice|publisher=Norton|year=2002|location=New York|pages=320–321|chapter="The Classic Novelist"}}</ref> Also discussed is the children's function in highlighting "the folly of their mothers", especially in Lady Middleton's case.<ref name=":10" />