Join us in celebrating the 200th anniversary of Pride & Prejudice!

Lets have some fun….This book (The List Lover’s Guide to Jane Austen)  is unique in that it’s a series of quotes and quips from Jane’s life

Pet Peeve: Untidiness

“Mary does not manage matters in such a way as to make me want to lay in myself. She is not tidy enough in her appearance; she has no dressing–gown to sit up in; her curtains are all too thin, and things are not in that comfort and style about her which are necessary to make such a situation an enviable one. Elizabeth was really a pretty object with her nice clean cap put on so tidily and her dress so uniformly white and orderly.”

“”-Jane Austen to Cassandra, November 1798

*****

What Happened to the Characters?

“In this traditionary way we learned that Miss Steele never succeeded in catching the Doctor; that Kitty Bennet was satisfactorily married to a clergyman near Pemberley, while Mary obtained nothing higher than one other uncle Philip’s clerks, and was content to be considered a star in the society of Meriton; that the “considerable sum’ given by Mrs Norris to”‰ William Price was one pound; that Mr”‰ Woodhouse survived his daughter’s marriage, and kept her and Mr Knightley from settling at Donwell, about two years; and that the letters placed by Frank Churchill before Jane Fairfax, which she swept away unread, contained the word “pardon’.”

“”-James Edward Austen–Leigh and Anna Lefroy

*****

Who Broke Her Heart

Tom Lefroy

“You scold me so much in the nice long letter which I have this moment received from you, that I am almost afraid to tell you how my Irish friend and I behaved. Imagine to yourself everything most profligate and shocking in the way of dancing and sitting down together. I can expose myself however, only once more, because he leaves the country soon after next Friday, on which day we are to have a dance at Ashe after all. He is a very gentlemanlike, good–looking, pleasant young man, I assure you. But as to our having ever met, except at the three last balls, I cannot say much; for he is so excessively laughed at about me at Ashe, that he is ashamed of coming to Steventon, and ran away when we called on Mrs. Lefroy a few days ago.”

“”Jane to Cassandra, January 9, 1796

The next Friday:

“At length the Day is come on which I am to flirt my last with Tom Lefroy, & when you receive this it will be over-“”My tears flow as I write, at the melancholy idea.”

“”Jane to Cassandra, January 15, 1796

Three years later in a letter to Cassandra she confides:

“Mrs. Lefroy did come last”‰ Wednesday, and the Harwoods came likewise, but very considerately paid their visit before Mrs. Lefroy’s arrival, with whom, in spite of interruptions both from my father and James, I was enough alone to hear all that was interesting, which you will easily credit when I tell you that of her nephew she said nothing at all, and of her friend very little. She did not once mention the name of the former to me, and I was too proud to make any enquiries; but on my father’s afterwards asking where he was, I learnt that he was gone back to London in his way to Ireland, where he is called to the Bar and means to practise.”

“”Jane to Cassandra, November 17, 1798

*****

Possible Suitors

“To a question “which of your characters do you like best?’ she once answered “Edmund Bertram and Mr. Knightley; but they are very far from being what I know English gentlemen often are.”

“”-Mrs. Ann Barrett

Tom Lefroy (see Who Broke Her Heart)

“After I had written the above, we received a visit from Mr Tom Lefroy and his cousin George. The latter is very well–behaved now; and as for the other, he has but one fault, which time will, I trust, entirely remove””it is that his morning coat is a great deal too light. He is a very great admirer of Tom Jones, and therefore wears the same coloured clothes, I imagine, which he did when he was wounded.”

“”Jane to Cassandra, January 9, 1796

Charles Watkins

John Lyford

“I danced twice with”‰ Warren last night, and once with Mr. Charles”‰ Watkins, and, to my inexpressible astonishment, I entirely escaped John Lyford. I was forced to fight hard for it, however.”

“”Jane to Cassandra, January 9, 1796

Mr. Heartly

Charles Powlett

“Tell Mary that I make over Mr Heartley & all his estate to her for her sole use and Benefit in future, & not only him, but all my other Admirers into the bargain wherever she can find them, even the kiss which C. Powlett wanted to give me, as I mean to confine myself in future to Mr. Tom Lefroy, for whom I do not care sixpence.”

“”Jane to Cassandra, January 14, 1796

John Willing Warren

“Assure her also, as a last & indubitable proof of”‰ Warren’s indifference to me, that he actually drew that Gentleman’s picture for me, & delivered it to me without a Sigh.”

“”Jane to Cassandra, January 14, 1796

Edward Taylor

“We went by Bifrons, & I contemplated with a melancholy pleasure, the abode of Him on whom I once fondly doated.”

“”Jane to Cassandra, September 15, 1796

Benjamin Portal

“Benjamin Portal is here. How charming that is!””I do not exactly know why, but the phrase followed so naturally that I could not help putting it down.””My mother saw him the other day, but without making herself known to him.”

“”Jane to Cassandra, June 11, 1799

Harris Bigg–Wither (see The Hearts She Broke)

“Harris still seems in a poor way, from his bad habit of body; his hand bled again a little the other day, & Dr Littlehales has been with him lately.”

“”Jane to Cassandra, November 8, 1800

“An unnamed gentleman” from Devonshire

“When they were by the sea””I think she said in Devonshire; I don’t think she named the place, and I am sure she did not say Lyme, for that I should have remembered””that he seemed greatly attracted by my Aunt Jane””I suppose it was an intercourse of some weeks””and that when they had to part (I imagine he was a visitor also, but his family might have lived near) he was urgent to know where they would be the next summer, implying or perhaps saying that he should be there also, wherever it might be. I can only say that the impression left on Aunt Cassandra was that he had fallen in love with her sister, and was quite in earnest. Soon afterwards they heard of his death”¦.I am sure she thought he was worthy of her sister, from the way in which she recalled his memory, and also that she did not doubt, either, that he would have been a successful suitor.”

“”Niece Caroline Austen recording a reminiscence she
heard from Cassandra sometime between 1801 and 1804.

William Digweed

“On Friday I wound up my four days of dissipation by meeting William Digweed at Deane, and am pretty well, I thank you, after it.”

“”Jane to Cassandra, January 25, 1801

Mr. Crawford

Mr. Granville

An “odd looking man” in Lyme

“Nobody asked me the first two dances””the two next I danced with Mr Crawford””& had I chosen to stay longer might have danced with Mr Granville, Mrs Granville’s son””whom My dear friend Miss Armstrong offered to introduce to me””or with a new, odd looking man who had been eyeing me for some time, & at last without any introduction asked me if I meant to dance again.””I think he must be Irish by his ease, & because I imagine him to belong to the Honble Barnwalls, who are the son & son’s wife of an Irish”‰ Viscount””bold, queerlooking people, just fit to be Quality at Lyme.”

“”Jane to Cassandra, September 14, 1804

Edward Bridges (see The Hearts She Broke)

“We were agreeably surprised by Edward Bridges’s company to it. He had been, strange to tell, too late for the cricket match, too late at least to play himself, and, not being asked to dine with the players, came home. It is impossible to do justice to the hospitality of his attentions towards me; he made a point of ordering toasted cheese for supper entirely on my account.”

“”Jane to Cassandra, August 27, 1805

Mr. Papillon

“I am very much obliged to Mrs Knight for such a proof of the interest she takes in me””-& she may depend upon it that I will marry Mr Papillon, whatever may be his reluctance or my own.””I owe her much more than such a trifling sacrifice.”

“”Jane to Cassandra, December 9, 1808

Wyndham Knatchbull, Edward Knight’s brother–in–law

“I depended upon hearing something of the Eveng from Mr”‰ W.K.,””& am very well satisfied with his notice of me”””A pleasing looking young woman’;””that must do;””one cannot pretend to anything better now””thankful to have it continued a few years longer!”

“”Jane to Cassandra, April 30, 1811

Samuel Blackall

“He was a piece of Perfection, noisy Perfection himself which I always recollect with regard.”

“”Jane to Frank Austen, July 3, 1813

William Seymour, Henry Austen’s lawyer and agent for Jane’s books

“Henry is not quite well””a bilious attack with fever””he came back early from H. St yesterday & went to bed””the comical consequence of which was that Mr Seymour & I dined tete a tete.”

“”Jane to Cassandra, October 17, 1815

 *****

Possessions

Books She Owned

• From A Bibliography of Jane Austen by David Gilson
• The Spectator, Vol. 6, 1744
• Orlando furioso: Translated from the Italian; with Notes, John Hoole, Lodovico Ariosto, 1783
• Hermsprong; or, Man as He Is Not, Robert Bage, 1796
• Travels from Saint Petersburg in Russia, to Diverse Parts of Asia, John Bell, 1764
• L’ami des enfans, Arnaud Berquin, 1782″“-83
• L’ami de l’adolescence (suite de L’ami des enfans), Arnaud Berquin, 1784″“-85
• Camilla; or, A Picture of”‰ Youth, Fanny Burney, 1796
• Curiosities of Literature, Isaac D’Israeli, 1791
• Fables choisies, Anon., before 1783
• An History of the Earth, and Animated Nature, Oliver Goldsmith, 1774
• The History of England, from Earliest Times to the Death of George II, Oliver Goldsmith, 1771
• Poems and Plays, William Hayley, 1785
• The History of Goody Two–Shoes, Anon., ca. 1780
• The History of England, David Hume, 1759″“-62
• The Prince of Abissinia. A Tale, Samuel Johnson, 1759
• The Works of the Marchioness de Lambert. Carefully Translated from the French, Anne Thérèse Lambert, 1749
• The History of Sir Charles Grandison, Samuel Richardson, 1754
• The Works of James Thomson, with His Last Corrections and Improvements, James Thomson, 1773
• A Companion to the Altar: Shewing the Nature & Necessity of a Sacramental Preparation in Order to Our”‰ Worthy Receiving the Holy Communion, to”‰ Which Are Added Prayers and Meditations, William Vickers, 1793?
• Excursions from Bath, Richard Warner, 1801

Remaining artifacts

Items belonging to her on display at
Jane Austen’s House Museum, Chawton Cottage

• Eight music books, some copied out in Jane’s hand, some printed music
• Framed lock of her father’s hair
• Topaz cross, given to her by brother Charles
• Pinchbeck bracelet of small blue and ivory beads; pinchbeck is an alloy of copper and zinc invented by Christopher Pinchbeck in the 1700s; also known as false gold
• Pink glass muff chain
• Ivory cup and ball
• Mourning brooch with Jane’s hair, inscribed “JA December 16th 1775″“-July 1817″
• Lock of Jane’s hair
• Tripod writing table

“After we had been here a quarter of an hour it was discovered that my writing and dressing boxes had been by accident put into a chaise which was just packing off as we came in, and were driven away towards Gravesend in their way to the”‰ West Indies. No part of my property could have been such a prize before, for in my writing–box was all my worldly wealth, 7l., and my dear Harry’s deputation.”

“”-Jane to Cassandra, October 24, 1798,
from the Bull and George in Dartford

• Her Writing Desk
  • Portable writing desk owned by Jane AustenCurrently housed at the British Library

• Jane’s Pelisse
  • Pelisse, a coat worn over a dress or gown, owned by Jane Austen c. 1814
  • Currently housed at the Hampshire Museum
  • Silk
  • Twill weave
  • Small repeat pattern of oak leaves in gold on warm brown background
  • Oak–leaf motif was popular at the time and symbolized the strength of the navy and the nation as a whole
  • Long sleeves gathered at the top but close fitting at the elbow
  • Bright yellow cord along the front edge and around the wrists
  • High standing collar
  • Open front with no fastenings
  • Lined in white silk

“In around 1875 Jane’s niece Marianne Knight was visited by a family friend, Miss Eleanor Glubbe, later Mrs Steele. Marianne gave the pelisse to Miss Glubbe during the visit. In later years Mrs Steele wished to return the pelisse to the Austen family and sent it to Mrs”‰ Winifred Jenkyns, a great granddaughter of James Austen, Jane’s eldest brother, with a note that reads, “I missed the little coat for a long time but lately it turned up. I cannot remember if it was”‰ “Jane’s””‰”‰ but it seems probable.’

“This particular pelisse was presumably given to Edward by Cassandra then handed down to his daughter, Marianne. That she gave it to her friend, Miss Glubbe, who made sure that it was returned to the Austen/Knight family argues an acknowledged obligation on her part. The pelisse was then handed down through the family until 1993, when it was given to the Hampshire County Council Arts & Museums Service.”

“”-Hampshire Museums Service

• Jane Austen’s Ring

Turquoise ring

Purchased at auction
by American pop singer
Kelly Clarkson on July 10, 2012

Bought for £152,450, about $236,000

Sotheby’s
Catalogue
Notes & Provenance

PRINT LOT 59, AUSTEN, JANE. A GOLD AND GEM SET RING

152,450 GBP (Hammer Price with Buyer’s Premium)

Set with a cabochon blue stone, natural turquoise, size K½ with sizing band, once belonging to Jane Austen, in a contemporary jeweller’s box (“T.”‰ West | Goldsmith | Ludgate Street | near St Paul’s”)

With an autographed note signed by Eleanor Austen, to her niece Caroline Austen, “My dear Caroline. The enclosed Ring once belonged to your Aunt Jane. It was given to me by your Aunt Cassandra as soon as she knew that I was engaged to your Uncle. I bequeath it to you. God bless you!’, November 1863, with address panel on verso and remains of black wax seal impression, fold tears; also with three further notes by Mary Dorothy Austen–Leigh detailing the ring’s later provenance, 5 pages, 1935″“-1962.

PROVENANCE: Jane Austen (1775″“-1817); her sister Cassandra (1773″“-1845); given in 1820 to her sister–in–law Eleanor Austen (née Jackson), second wife of Rev. Henry Thomas Austen (d. 1864); given in 1863 to her niece Caroline Mary Craven Austen (1805″“-1880, the daughter of Rev. James Austen); her niece Mary A. Austen–Leigh (perhaps first to her mother Emma Austen–Leigh, née Smith); her niece Mary Dorothy Austen–Leigh; given to her sister”‰ Winifred Jenkyns on 27 March 1962; thence by descent.

CATALOGUE NOTE: An intimate personal possession of Jane Austen’s, hitherto unknown to scholars, that has remained with the author’s descendants until the present day. The stone has been identified as natural turquoise but was initially thought to be odontalite, a form of fossilised dentine that has been heated to give it a distinctive blue colour, which came into fashion in the early 19th century as a substitute for turquoise. It is an attractive but simply designed piece, befitting not only its owner’s modest income but also what is known of her taste in jewellery.

On Jane’s death her jewellery, along with other personal possessions, passed to Cassandra, and she appears to have given a number of pieces as mementos.”

Things She Made

Framed lock of her father’s hair

• Needle case inscribed “With Aunt Jane’s love”
• Embroidered lace collar
• Handkerchief embroidered with floral sprig and initials C.A.
• Indian muslin scarf embroidery
• Patchwork quilt made by Jane, Cassandra, and Mrs. Austen

“Have you remembered to collect pieces for the Patchwork?”

“”-Jane to Cassandra, May 31, 1811

Known Remaining Manuscripts and Letters

• Juvenilia, 1787″“1793
• Volume the First housed at the Bodleian Library, Oxford
• Volume the Second, British Library
• Volume the Third, British Library
• The History of England, 1791, British Library
• Sir Charles Grandison or The Happy Man, a Comedy, Chawton House Library
• Lady Susan, complete draft, paper watermark of 1805, Morgan Library
• Susan title page, Susan is the precursor to Northanger Abbey, 1803?, Morgan Library
• The “‰Watsons, about 1804, Morgan Library, Bodleian Library
• Plan of a Novel, about 1815, Morgan Library
• Poem on Captain Foote’s marriage to Miss Patten, in Jane’s hand, but composed by her uncle, Morgan Library
• Two chapters of Persuasion, 1816, British Library
• Sanditon, 1817, Cambridge University
• Opinions of Mansfield Park, British Library
• Opinions of Emma, British Library
• Profits of My Novels, a tally of her earnings, 1817,
  Morgan Library
• 161 letters 

****

 Readers….what is your favorite Jane Austen book?