Jane Austen Quote of the Week 218

The full moon tomorrow night is a great way to end 2012 and begin 2013

Dear friends, 


The year 2012 is finishing soon, only 26 hours to go. We have so many things we experienced in 2012, things we regret and things we are grateful for. Yet, I do believe that despite all the sadness, one thing remains: Hope. And to feel hope, one often have to alter their view of the world, or at least about a subject. Doesn't have to be a radical shift; a small one will do. But having a different perspective is important because we can then see things more objectively. Somehow, gratitude can emerge out of it, along with hope for a better tomorrow. 

For this reason, I choose this passage from Pride & Prejudice Chapter 50. What Lizzy Bennet had here captured what I meant by shifting our perception from a smaller view to a larger one.

[Elizabeth] began now to comprehend that he was exactly the man who, in disposition and talents, would most suit her. His understanding and temper, though unlike her own, would have answered all her wishes. It was an union that must have been to the advantage of both; by her ease and liveliness, his mind might have been softened, his manners improved, and from his judgment, information, and knowledge of the world, she must have received benefit of greater importance.

You see, to me a change of perception does not have to be big. A small change of perception will do, as long as it brings us closer to peace, understanding and liberation.

FYI, I have actually posted this quote before in 2008. However, four years have passed already (wow, that soon?!), and thus I think a reiteration of this quote is forgivable. 

Happy New Year everyone! May 2013 brings us more happiness, health, prosperity and peace for all of us, for all living beings on Earth. 

By the way, the full moon tomorrow night (31 Dec 2012) is a great way of ending one chapter and opening a new one. Be ready for beautiful things to happen! We don't know what's around the corner, so keep opening and being receptive. Blessings and love for all of you.

 

A lovely Jane/Tom YouTube from Mariana!

Dear friends, I hope you have/had enjoyable and peaceful Christmas. Our dear friend Mariana sent post before Christmas, but I'm sorry that I haven't got time to post it until now. 

Jane Austen ~ Once Upon a Christmas

This is what she said:

Hello dear friends, I'm sending a little video I've created to celebrate Jane/Tom youthful love, which is dedicated to you as a thank you for your kindness and support received during the last 4 years for my exceedingly enthusiastic theses. Also, to send my "Kind love & good wishes for a happy New Year to you all".

Thank you so much, Mariana! Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Christmas Quote of the Week 217

I want to firstly wish you all best wishes for this week and the whole of 2013, from Linda, Icha and myself.

I have found a quote written by George, Jane’s father, in a letter to his sister-in-law.
Cassandra (Jane's mother) was not at home as she had visited her sister to help her in childbirth.
The quote is taken from Deirdre Le Faye’s Jane Austen: A Family Record, p. 23.


“I don’t much like this lonely kind of Life.”

Talking about his family paying a visit, he said:

“I say we, for I certainly shall not let my Wife come alone, & I dare say she will not leave her children behind her.”

I think that this shows how much he cares for his wife and although this wasnt written at christmas time, I think it is such a wonderful representative of the importance of family time at christmas.


Pic: George Austen in Becoming Jane

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 216

Since December 16th is Jane's 237th birthday, it is appropriate to quote something Jane wrote that contains the date December 16.  This is from Chapter 1 of "Persuasion":

 

Amanda Root as Anne Elliot (1995)

Precisely such had the paragraph originally stood from the printer's hands; but Sir Walter had improved it by adding, for the information of himself and his family, these words, after the date of Mary's birth -- "Married, December 16, 1810, Charles, son and heir of Charles Musgrove, Esq. of Uppercross, in the county of Somerset," and by inserting most accurately the day of the month on which he had lost his wife.

 

I thought it rather quaint/lovely/remarkable that Jane would use the date of her own birth in her book.  And to add to that, our friend, Anielka (who admits to being born in December also) posted a genealogical list of Jane's relatives that were born in December.  You may read that HERE.

 

So Happy Birthday Jane and Anielka!

 

Yrs aff'ly,

Linda the Librarian

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 215

This week I had the fortune to visit the christmas market at Winchester. The market was located just behind Winchester cathedral, the site of Jane's burial. In 2007 I wrote a post with information regarding Cassandra's response to her death, read it here.

The market was beautiful and I kept thinking about Jane and how the cathedral was "a building she admired so much" (written in a letter from Cassandra Austen in 1817, XCV, Winchester: Sunday )

I have chosen to quote a poem Jane wrote three days before her death in Winchester:

When Winchester races

When Winchester races first took their beginning

It is said the good people forgot their old Saint

Not applying at all for the leave of Saint Swithin

And that William of Wykeham's approval was faint.

The races however were fixed and determined

The company came and the Weather was charming

The Lords and the Ladies were satine'd and ermined

And nobody saw any future alarming.--

But when the old Saint was informed of these doings

He made but one Spring from his Shrine to the Roof

Of the Palace which now lies so sadly in ruins

And then he addressed them all standing aloof.

'Oh! subjects rebellious! Oh Venta depraved

When once we are buried you think we are gone

But behold me immortal! By vice you're enslaved

You have sinned and must suffer, ten farther he said

 

These races and revels and dissolute measures

With which you're debasing a neighboring Plain

Let them stand--You shall meet with your curse in your pleasures

Set off for your course, I'll pursue with my rain.

Ye cannot but know my command o'er July

Henceforward I'll triumph in shewing my powers

Shift your race as you will it shall never be dry

The curse upon Venta is July in showers--'.

For your information the roman name for Winchester was Venta. St Swithin's Day is 15th July, the day this poem was written and always associated with rain. I find it so amazing that she was writing such inspiring poetry days before her death, and funny too - rain does not make the best conditions for a race!

Pic: Winchester Cathedral

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 214

This BJ scene is not about Anna Austen, but it reminds me of Jane's editing skill as Cassandra (Anna Maxwell Martin) examined a heavily-edited letter from Jane

This time, the quote is taken from Deidre le Faye’s ‘Jane Austen’s Letters’, p. 267. The quote popped up as an example to the relationship of Jane Austen and her niece Anna Austen (later AA Lefroy) who also aspired to be a writer. The letter was dated mid July 1814. Due to its funny abbreviations, I crossed check it with Pemberley’s Brabourne version to understand what is what (e.g., G.M. was actually Grandmama!). If she was like this in the non-mobile phone era, imagine how she would abbreviate her text in modern era, this Jane Austen!

My dear Anna – I am very much obliged to you for sending your MS. It has entertained me extremely, all of us indeed; I read it aloud to your G. M. [Grandmama] - & A^t C. (Aunt Cass), and we were all very much pleased. The spirit does not droop at all. Sir Tho:- Lady Helena and St. Julian are very well done, & Cecilia continues to be interesting in spite of her being so amiable. – It was very fit you should advance her age. I like the beginning of D. [Devereux] Forester very much, a great deal better than if he had been very Good or very Bad. A few verbal corrections are all that I felt tempted to make – the principal of them is a speech of St. Julian to Lady Helena – which you see I have presumed to alter. – As Lady H. is Cecilia's superior, it w^d not be correct to talk of her being introduced; Cecilia must be the person introduced – And I do not like a lover speaking in the 3rd person; - it is too much like the formal part of Lord Orville, & I think it not natural. If you think differently, however, you need not mind me. – I am impatient for more - & only wait for a safe conveyance to return this book.- Yours affect^ly, J.A.

Miss Austen

Steventon

I like the way Jane supervised her niece in the art of writing. I’d imagine Jane Austen would be a thorough (and I mean, thorough) supervisor for English literature!