* Sales figures were not meticulously recorded in their time.
* Authorship was often obscured, especially for women. Brontë published under the pseudonym Currer Bell, and Austen's works were often attributed to other writers or simply marketed without a specific author.
* Modern sales figures reflect a vast amount of reprints and adaptations. This makes comparing their original sales difficult.
However, we can make some educated guesses based on available information:
* Austen's novels enjoyed a slow but steady rise in popularity throughout the 19th century. She was considered a skilled writer, but her work was not widely acclaimed until the late 1800s.
* Brontë's novels, particularly *Jane Eyre*, were instant successes. This was likely due to their dramatic themes and gothic sensibilities, which resonated with Victorian audiences.
* Both authors' works were published in relatively small print runs compared to modern standards.
In conclusion: It's impossible to know for certain which author sold more novels during their lifetimes. However, based on the available evidence, it's likely that Charlotte Brontë's works, particularly *Jane Eyre*, initially achieved greater popularity than Jane Austen's novels.
However, it's important to note that both Austen and Brontë have endured as literary giants, with their works continuously reprinted and adapted for new generations of readers.