Tom Lefroy Quote Week 2
For the second quote of Tom Lefroy this weekend, I chose the opening paragraph from a letter he wrote to his eldest daughter Jane Christmas Lefroy. From the Memoir of Chief Justice Lefroy p. 31, noting that Thomas Lefroy (TLL’s son) only disclosed the initial of Jane’s Christian name instead of her full name. The date was not clear either; but perhaps because I read the digital version. I shall peruse the print out copy tomorrow at the office and recheck the correct date. It must be around 1810 though, for Tom Lefroy alluded that Jane Christmas was still very young (she was born in 1802) and in the early stage of learning how to write a letter.
Limerick, Monday.
MY DARLING J---, Your letter gave me great pleasure; it was fairly written, well worded and no mistakes in the spelling; and I hope, by employing your time regularly between this and the next time I leave home, you’ll be able to correspond with me on subjects of more importance. Believe me, my darling girl, there is no progress to be made in anything without steady and continued application, which, besides the advantages it brings in the way of improvement, makes labour pleasant from habit instead of being irksome, as it always is to the idle and irresolute. A saunterer when young, continues a saunterer through life.
I particularly love the two last sentences, although I enjoyed the affection Tom Lefroy clearly had for his eldest daughter. A saunterer when young, continues a saunterer through life. He certainly knew how to motivate a child for the better…
Pic: 'Snow Child' by Hilda Boswell
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5 comments:
How interesting to read that Tom Lefroy named his daughter Jane! I wonder if it was a coincidence - and what people around him must have thought about this (having known about the flirtation).
Hi Anna, thanks for your comment.
Becoming Jane Fansite did a very extensive research on Jane Christmas Lefroy. We believe we were the first team to unearth that Jane Lefroy's middle name was 'Christmas'. However, Mary Paul's mother was named Jane as well, hence the official version would be that Jane Lefroy was named after her grandmother. 'Christmas' was the name of Mary's ancestor as well. But TLL also met Jane Austen in a Christmas holiday, so the coincidence is spooky.
Please read the posts in this category (Jane Christmas Lefroy) to see our journeys to understand her.
http://becomingjane.blogspot.com/search/label/Jane%20Christmas%20Lefroy
I just want to say that I have finished I remember love at last! Now I feel empty... But glad that it is done
feel free to check it out here; http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3906925/45/
Hugs and kisses from Maria in Sweden
OMG, you've finished it! AMAZING!!! Must be like giving birth to another child or something like that. I understand the emptiness too, but it's good. Now you can start something new!
Yes, I have a ton of unfinished stories on my computer, but don't know which one I shall continue with. I have a ton of Persuasion-stories in different sizes, one where Mr Darcy is thrown into our modern world, one where Lydia's elopement goes bad... And my modern PP which is up to 34 chapters now. I do have a modern BJ too, perhaps I can continue that now when the regency one is finished.
Hugs and kisses from Maria in Sweden
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