Jane Austen Quote of the Week 285

James Austen

I wish to draw your attention to a section of my site "The Loiterer" where we discussed "The Passionate, Evocative Passages in Jane Austen's novels".  We did a collection for each of her novels.  And to (sorta) prove that she was "passionate" Ashton quoted her brother, James Austen thusly:

On such subjects no wonder that she shou'd write well,
In whom so united those Qualities dwell;
Where 'dear Sensibility', Sterne's darling Maid,
With Sense so attemper'd is finely portray'd
Fair Elinor's self in that Mind is exprest,
And the Feelings of Marianne live in that Breast,

At the bottom of that page is a link to each of the other novels.  Here is the first page for the passages from Emma:  Passionate Passages

We certainly enjoyed collecting the passages, so do read as much as you wish and time permits.

Yrs aff'ly,

Linda the Librarian

Tom Lefroy Quote of the Week 44

The past few weeks I have been having some difficulties at work, sometimes the injustice of working very hard with little recognition just becomes too much. I saw this quote from page 195 of Tom Lefroy's memoir and it seemed to summarise my feelings quite closely:



"Although the distaste for political life which led to his at first declining the representation of the university still continued, it never prevented his entering with individual interest and zeal into the duties of his post"


I think that sometimes even with the distaste for aspects of our jobs it should not cause us to let ourselves down, we should be proud to exhibit drive and commitment even in adversity. I feel grateful for the reminder.

James McAvoy as Tom Lefroy

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 284

Since today as I type is October 31 and Halloween, I thought it appropriate to quote something scary from Jane.  I found this in Northanger Abbey, Chapter 21.  Catherine has found "An immense heavy chest!" And she goes on thusly:

Her fearful curiosity was every moment growing greater; and seizing, with trembling hands, the hasp of the lock, she resolved at all hazards to satisfy herself at least as to its contents. With difficulty, for something seemed to resist her efforts, she raised the lid a few inches; but at that moment a sudden knocking at the door of the room made her, starting, quit her hold, and the lid closed with alarming violence. This ill–timed intruder was Miss Tilney’s maid, sent by her mistress to be of use to Miss Morland; and though Catherine immediately dismissed her, it recalled her to the sense of what she ought to be doing, and forced her, in spite of her anxious desire to penetrate this mystery, to proceed in her dressing without further delay.

We shall be passing out candy to 'trick or treaters' tonight, so everyone have a Happy Halloween!

Yrs aff'ly,

Linda the Librarian

Pic: Jane Austen pumpkin