“I recognize that its heroine is a little prig and its hero a pompous ass, but I do not care.” About which novel of Jane Austen is this statement made by Somerset Maugham?

The correct option is Mansfield Park.

Explanation:
This famous literary observation was made by the British novelist and playwright W. Somerset Maugham in his book Ten Novels and Their Authors. While discussing Jane Austen's works, Maugham offered this candid assessment of the main characters of Mansfield Park.

Why the description fits:
1. The Heroine (Fanny Price): Fanny is often viewed by readers and critics as remarkably passive, meek, and intensely moralizing, which leads to Maugham's description of her as a "little prig."
2. The Hero (Edmund Bertram): Edmund, who is planning to be ordained as a clergyman, frequently lectures others on morality and propriety in a self-righteous manner, earning him the label of a "pompous ass."

Despite these critical views of the central couple, Maugham's comment ("but I do not care") highlights the enduring appeal and structural brilliance of the novel, showing that Austen's narrative mastery and the vividness of the supporting characters (such as the Crawfords) easily overcome the perceived flaws of the protagonists.