Jane Austen Quote of the Week 191

Here are my musings about our dear Jane, as I was pondering what to post.  I thought that she wrote some things other than her novels.    Then I remembered that I had on my shelf some Austen poetry books, namely:  "Jane Austen, Collected Poems and verse of the Austen Family", edited by David Selwyn and "Jane Austen, Poems and Favourite Poems" edited by Douglas Brooks-Davies.   Hm, there should be a list somewhere and wouldn't that be nice to have. Next I recollected that Henry Churchyard has a page at Pemberley which contains almost (if not all) all of her writings.  You can visit that site here:  http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/janeinfo.html

I will give you a sample of her verse by quoting this one titled "Song":

That Damon was in love with me

     I once thought & beleiv''d

But now that he is not I see,

     I fear I was deceiv'd.
 
Happy hunting among the aforementioned pages.  Another astounding fact I stumbled across is that I was amazed to see what a store house of quotes and information we have here at "Becoming Jane Fansite" since 2007.  We have covered a lot of subjects and had some adventures too.  Geez, how time flies when you are having fun.
 
Yrs aff'ly,
Linda the Librarian

Pix: Cover to 'The Poetry of Jane Austen and the Austen Family' from Amazon.com

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 190

I have been coughing since late February (!), on and off because of the weather and pollution where I live... so I've been irritating many people, and also am not happy with myself for not recovering quickly. So I can understand what Kitty Bennet would have gone through when her mother - dear old Mrs Bennet, that is - kept scolding her for coughing (Pride and Prejudice, Vol I Chapter 2):

"Don't keep coughing so, Kitty, for heaven's sake! Have a little compassion on my nerves. You tear them to pieces.''

"Kitty has no discretion in her coughs,'' said her father; ``she times them ill.''

"I do not cough for my own amusement,'' replied Kitty fretfully.

Poor girl. I feel her now, for I have been distributing some virus to my friends and partner for some time now...I wonder how she got rid of her cold. She must have, for Mrs Bennet did not scold her forever in PP. I might just need her medicine too now...

Pic: Carey Mulligan as Kitty Bennet of PP 2005

Tom Lefroy Quote of the Week 18

This week I have chosen the quote from Tom Lefroy's memoirs, part 8, page 345.

He is writing this in the context of the christian religion but I dont think that we need to read it solely from that perspective.

"but let it be our business to walk in the appointed path, and not to endeavour to find a new or better way."

The key word highlighted is "appointed" - he believes that God has chosen our destiny and we are abiding by the path set forth for us. Everyone has very different views regarding destiny, whether it be from a traditional religious stand or whether it be a more eastern, spiritual interpretation of what we are destined to become. Some may have no religion or spiritual inclination and believe that we decide our own destiny and path, with no planning from a higher being. Not one of us can know the truth in this but it is such an interesting area to ponder.

The reason I chose this quote was because I think it gives us some indication to what he felt about how the situation with Jane, i surmise that he would have considered it 'not meant to be' and not a part of his and her determined path. I like the reference to a "new or better way" as he is acknowledging that sometimes we have to curb our desires for what we consider better things and be happy with what is mapped out for us.

Comments welcome ...

Pic: old fashioned charm blog

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 189

My favorite novel is Persuasion, so I wanted to dwell on that this week. What I found is a "passionate passage" amongst those I helped gather in the "Male Voices in Praise of Jane Austen" web site. It is found where Anne Elliot and Captain and Wentworth had just renewed their engagement near the end of the novel:

"... they exchanged again those feelings and those promises which had once before seemed to secure everything, but which had been followed by so many, many years of division and estrangement. There they returned again into the past, more exquisitely happy, perhaps, in their re-union, than when it had been first projected; more tender, more tried, more fixed in a knowledge of each other's character, truth, and attachment; more equal to act, more justified in acting. And there, as they slowly paced the gradual ascent, heedless of every group around them, seeing neither sauntering politicians, bustling housekeepers, flirting girls, nor nursery-maids and children, they could indulge in those retrospections and acknowledgements, and especially in those explanations of what had directly preceded the present moment, which were so poignant and so ceaseless in interest. All the little variations of the last week were gone through, and of yesterday and today there could scarcely be an end."

What caught my attention is the description of their "new" feelings for each other. It is a clue that we should pick up on and put to use ourselves in our relationship with the opposite sex. My oh my, the things we can learn from Jane Austen, the spinster!

If you care to read the entire group of "passionate passages" you will find them here starting with Persuasion:

http://www.theloiterer.org/ashton/year00/passion2.html

Yours aff'ly,

Linda the Librarian

Pic: Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds for Persuasion 1995

Tom Lefroy Quote Week 17

Please forgive the late instalment of this weekend. I was trying to find something from the Memoir of Chief Justice Lefroy, and – with my busy mind – it has proven difficult. But then, there it was. Page 196 just popped out for me; a letter to his wife, Mary Paul in July 1833.

“I have now been five successive nights keeping watch for our Church till near daylight. All that could be done has been and will be done. The Duke has worked nobly and is the most devoted friend to Ireland that I have found here; he has constantly spent three or four hours over the Bill in the mornings, and afterwards worked in the House for several hours. I spent nearly four hours to-day, completing the amendments to which we got the Government to accede last week, as they are to be all introduced in form on Monday, and on Wednesday the Bill will pass, improved in a great many respects, but with many mischievous provisions still left.”
By no means I try to imitate a Chief Justice’s schedule, nor I shall be that busy. But last week was very busy as well for me. I had a full week’s ofmeetings (ones that ended after the sunset) and – since I will have another big meeting in a few days – I was hoping that I did not have to work this weekend. But apparently I did, a few hours of meeting last night and another couple of hours this afternoon.

Forgive me, my dear friends. I didn’t mean to complain… I’m certain many of you have had busier weeks than mine last week. But sometimes I wish that I could have a healthier working pattern. It’s fine to be busy sometime… but being busy all the time is not healthy for body, mind and soul.

But. My holiday is coming soon in less than two weeks. I’m so looking forward for that, and I hope it will be a rejuvenating holiday for me.

How was your week last week, my dear friends? Busy? Or healthily steady? Any holidays to look forward soon? God bless you all.

Pic: Tom Lefroy, circa 1855