Jane Austen Quote of the Week 278

Jane Bennet (Rosamund Pike) nursed by Lizzy (Keira Knightley) in PP 2005

 

Dearest Folks, Your Librarian has been "under the weather" some 2 week now, so of course, my thoughts turned to what Jane might call "sickness".   What is amazing is that she used the word "sick" just as we do, namely, meaning to "be sick of something" as in disgust, weariness etc.  She also uses it to mean "ill health".  Here are a couple of quotes from P&P to illustrate both uses.

In Chapter 20 Lizzie accuses Darcy thusly:

The fact is, that you were sick of civility, of deference, of officious attention. You were disgusted with the women who were always speaking and looking and thinking for your approbation alone.

In Chapter 8 where Jane Bennett is ill at the Bingley's, Jane is described thusly:

They solaced their wretchedness, however, by duets after supper, while he could find no better relief to his feelings than by giving his housekeeper directions that every possible attention might be paid to the sick lady and her sister.

So, I leave you with those thoughts and hoping to be completely "well" in just a few days.  Sigh.

Yrs aff'ly,

Linda the Librarian

Tom Lefroy Quote of the Week 42

We received a very interesting email a couple of weeks ago from a man who owns the former church of St. Oswalds in Fulford, York, England. His garden is the former grave yard and he emailed us to tell us that there were two mid 19th century burials in this graveyard, captain Anthony Lefroy and his wife Elizabeth.


We have touched on Anthony Lefroy, Tom Lefroy's younger brother, before in previous quotes but here are some details below. Anthony Lefroy was born on October 19 1777 –and became a Captain in the 65^th Regiment, the commission being purchased for him by his Langlois great-uncles. Anthony had a love match marriage in 1798 to Elizabeth Wilkin, she was considered undesirable due to her lack of fortune and the Langlois family refused to provide any further financial assistance. Tom Lefroy was eventually able to obtain for his brother the position of Barrack-Master, first in Arundel and later in York, where this branch of the family therefore remained. One of Anthony and Elizabeth's sons, Thomas Edward Preston Lefroy (1815-1887), married in 1846 his cousin Anna-Jemima Lefroy (daughter of Anna Austen and Benjamin Lefroy. Anthony Lefroy died on September 7th 1857. 


This story has always been interesting to us as the marriage between Anthony and Elizabeth was in 1798, this is the year that Tom Lefroy would have still had very strong feelings for Jane Austen. Given that his younger brother had married a woman of no fortune and gone against the families wishes, it would have been very difficult for Tom to also cut himself off from the family too, he would have felt a huge responsibility to "marry well" given that his second younger brother (Benjamin) was still 16 years old.




The email received recently stated:


"He was indeed the master of nearby Fulford cavalry barracks, but I have no more information regarding his tenure. The grave consists of a huge thick slab of stone
surrounded by railings. There is a full inscription of who he was and more
importantly, who his father was. It is said he married without the support of
his family, especially his rich uncle Benjamin and  subsequently lost the
support of his family. Perhaps this explains why he remained in obscurity as a
lowly captain when his brother achieved greatness. What is sure he remained true
to his wife and they stayed together until his death - she died only a few
months later."


We have asked whether a photograph can be sent with the inscription and we will be sure to post it if we do receive.


I think that this story demonstrates that true love and following your heart always wins in the end.

Pic: True Love

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 277

Hayley Atwell as Mary Crawford, Mansfield Park 2007

I received an email a few days ago that brought me disappointment. It was announcing the result of a long-awaited funding proposal result, which turned out to be negative. It was the second time I tried for this donor, and I still failed. I do see that their arguments in rejecting my proposal were valid, and I am determined to improve it for the next time. However, I am still disappointed.

Then I looked for Jane Austen's advice for disappointment, and I found this below, from Mansfield Park chapter 5. I think Rachel has posted this quote a while ago (spoken by Mary Crawford), but since it resonates with my heart at the moment, I choose to repost it here.

"...you see but half. You see the evil, but you do not see the consolation. There will be little rubs and disappointments everywhere, and we are all apt to expect too much; but then, if one scheme of happiness fails, human nature turns to another; if the first calculation is wrong, we make a second better: we find comfort somewhere."

I hope if you do encounter disappointments, you will find the silver lining and move on. Try again, or try another thing, and move on.

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 276

My partner and I just returned from a walk up the hill sort of behind our house, about 35 minutes up and 25 minutes down, with extra time to arrive there which took us in total two hours of a healthy walking regime.  My legs and ankles are very sore at the moment, but I enjoyed the walk (okay, I panted and struggled to breathe, but I still thought it was a good exercise). Then I thought about Austen heroines and characters who loved walking or doing any physical exercises, and my mind naturally wondered to Elizabeth Bennet and her walking three miles to Netherfield to visit her sister.

Keira Knightley as Lizzy Bennet (PP 2005) having a walk

Hence, here’s the excerpt from Pride and Prejudice Chapter 7. Elizabeth, upon learning that Jane was ill, set to Netherfield, accompanied by Catherine and Lydia until Meryton (the other two also loved walking, especially due to the prospect of meeting young, handsome officers in scarlet coats at the said destination). But of course, not before dear Mrs Bennet’s objection.

``How can you be so silly,'' cried her mother, ``as to think of such a thing, in all this dirt! You will not be fit to be seen when you get there.''

``I shall be very fit to see Jane -- which is all I want.''

``Is this a hint to me, Lizzy,'' said her father, ``to send for the horses?''

``No, indeed. I do not wish to avoid the walk. The distance is nothing, when one has a motive; only three miles. I shall be back by dinner.''

``I admire the activity of your benevolence,'' observed Mary, ``but every impulse of feeling should be guided by reason; and, in my opinion, exertion should always be in proportion to what is required.''

``We will go as far as Meryton with you,'' said Catherine and Lydia. -- Elizabeth accepted their company, and the three young ladies set off together.

``If we make haste,'' said Lydia, as they walked along, ``perhaps we may see something of Captain Carter before he goes.''

In Meryton they parted; the two youngest repaired to the lodgings of one of the officers' wives, and Elizabeth continued her walk alone, crossing field after field at a quick pace, jumping over stiles and springing over puddles with impatient activity, and finding herself at last within view of the house, with weary ancles, dirty stockings, and a face glowing with the warmth of exercise.

I wondered how long did it take for Elizabeth to reach Netherfield. A little over an hour?

So, how is your Sunday so far? Any exciting exercise? Or reading your favourite book? Or watching a long-awaited movie at the local theatre? Whatever it has been, I hope you enjoy this weekend.