Jane Austen Quote of the Week 291

The aftermath of a massive storm in Somerville, Massachusetts, in 2005 (the Guardian.com)

I have two weather-related quotes for last weekend, which I should have posted earlier had I not forgotten that it had been my turn instead, and thus I was busy having other fun (head down in shame...).

First, about snow storm. Massachusetts is having a snow blizzard at the moment, such that Governor Charlie Baker imposed on state-wide travel ban. Not sure if Mississippi is hit as well, but dear Linda, I hope you are safe and sound! 

The related quote would be from Emma, Chapter 15:

Mr. John Knightley now came into the room from examining the weather, and opened on them all with the information of the ground being covered with snow, and of its still snowing fast, with a strong drifting wind; concluding with these words to Mr. Woodhouse: 

"This will prove a spirited beginning of your winter engagements, sir. Something new for your coachman and horses to be making their way through a storm of snow."

Poor Mr. Woodhouse was silent from consternation; but every body else had something to say; every body was either surprized or not surprized, and had some question to ask, or some comfort to offer. Mrs. Weston and Emma tried earnestly to cheer him and turn his attention from his son-in-law, who was pursuing his triumph rather unfeelingly.

"I admired your resolution very much, sir," said he, "in venturing out in such weather, for of course you saw there would be snow very soon. Every body must have seen the snow coming on. I admired your spirit; and I dare say we shall get home very well. Another hour or two's snow can hardly make the road impassable; and we are two carriages; if one is blown over in the bleak part of the common field there will be the other at hand. I dare say we shall be all safe at Hartfield before midnight."

Emphasizes of my own. 

But of course the Knightleys and the Dashwoods still ventured out back to Hartfield, and it was good that they made it. Don't try to do that tonight in Boston tho, not advisable!

This stormy snowy condition, my dear friend, is of such contrast with where I live now in North Queensland Australia. We won't get snow, but we are hoping so much for the rain. Alas, we have been trapped in a hot weather pocket for a week now without some respite (okay, a huge rain on last Thursday, but that was it). What I'd give for a downpour rain now...

The related quote would be from Jane Austen's letter dated 18 September 1796:

“What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.”

Indeed. My poor hair...

We have air-conditioner (or heater for Massachussetts until they have power outage), which Jane Austen would have loved to have. On that note, I shall return to my quarter for some cool air-con...

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 289

The late Mollie Sugden (1922-2009) who played Mrs Goddard in Emma 1972

This quote is taken from Emma, Chapter 3:

Mrs. Goddard was the mistress of a School -- not of a seminary, or an establishment, or any thing which professed, in long sentences of refined nonsense, to combine liberal acquirements with elegant morality upon new principles and new systems -- and where young ladies for enormous pay might be screwed out of health and into vanity -- but a real, honest, old-fashioned Boarding-school, where a reasonable quantity of accomplishments were sold at a reasonable price, and where girls might be sent to be out of the way and scramble themselves into a little education, without any danger of coming back prodigies. Mrs. Goddard's school was in high repute -- and very deservedly; for Highbury was reckoned a particularly healthy spot: she had an ample house and garden, gave the children plenty of wholesome food, let them run about a great deal in the summer, and in winter dressed their chilblains with her own hands. It was no wonder that a train of twenty young couple now walked after her to church. She was a plain, motherly kind of woman, who had worked hard in her youth, and now thought herself entitled to the occasional holiday of a tea-visit; and having formerly owed much to Mr. Woodhouse's kindness, felt his particular claim on her to leave her neat parlour hung round with fancy-work whenever she could, and win or lose a few sixpences by his fireside.

Pardon the long quote, but I could not help but love the description of Mrs. Goddard and even she must have a "holiday" even if it is only for a tea visit.  The way I found this "holiday" mention was because I wanted to see Jane use the word in some context.  So, I am happy now that Jane did have "Holidays".  Hope everyone had a lovely Holiday Season.

Yrs aff'ly,

Linda the Librarian

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 274

I hope you have all had a good week.


This week I realised that I have been working really hard with little thought for myself and no time taken to relax and reflect. I always seem to be chasing my tail rather than actually stopping and enjoying the moment. It led me to consider what I love and what makes me relax. Music is the best remedy to any stress, and the best tool to relax both the body and the mind, and make you happy. I was thinking about Emma and dancing and I found this quote from Chapter 38:


"In another moment a happier sight caught her -- Mr. Knightley leading Harriet to the set! Never had she been more surprised, seldom more delighted, than at that instant. She was all pleasure and gratitude, both for Harriet and herself, and longed to be thanking him; and though too distant for speech, her countenance said much, as soon as she could catch his eye again.
    His dancing proved to be just what she had believed it, extremely good; and Harriet would have seemed almost too lucky, if it had not been for the cruel state of things before, and for the very complete enjoyment and very high sense of the distinction which her happy features announced. It was not thrown away on her, she bounded higher than ever, flew farther down the middle, and was in a continual course of smiles."


It of course helps if you are with a partner who can dance! This point in the novel is one of the turning points for Emma and Mr Knightley.





Have a calm weekend, and take some time for yourselves to do what you love.




Pic: Emma and Mr Knightley

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 240

In the UK this week we have had excellent weather and an abundance of strawberries. I was making an Eton Mess this afternoon and thought I would use a quote from Chapter 42 of Emma which is uplifting and really makes me smile:

"Mrs. Elton, in all her apparatus of happiness, her large bonnet and her basket, was very ready to lead the way in gathering, accepting, or talking—strawberries, and only strawberries, could now be thought or spoken of.—"The best fruit in England—every body's favourite—always wholesome.—These the finest beds and finest sorts.—Delightful to gather for one's self—the only way of really enjoying them.—Morning decidedly the best time—never tired—every sort good—hautboy infinitely superior—no comparison—the others hardly eatable—hautboys very scarce—Chili preferred—white wood finest flavour of all—price of strawberries in London—abundance about Bristol—Maple Grove—cultivation-beds when to be renewed—gardeners thinking exactly different—no general rule—gardeners never to be put out of their way—delicious fruit—only too rich to be eaten much of—inferior to cherries—currants more refreshing—only objection to gathering strawberries the stooping—glaring sun—tired to death—could bear it no longer—must go and sit in the shade."

 

Pic 1:  Mrs Elton from Emma (1996)
Pic 2: Strawberries

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 237

My quote for this week is taken from chapter 11 of Emma.

"Mr. Elton must now be left to himself. It was no longer in Emma's power to superintend his happiness or quicken his measures. The coming of her sister's family was so very near at hand, that first in anticipation, and then in reality, it became henceforth her prime object of interest; and during the ten days of their stay at Hartfield it was not to be expected--she did not herself expect-- that any thing beyond occasional, fortuitous assistance could be afforded by her to the lovers. They might advance rapidly if they would, however; they must advance somehow or other whether they would or no. She hardly wished to have more leisure for them. There are people, who the more you do for them, the less they will do for themselves."

My job at the moment involves mentoring and supporting young people and this quote always sticks in my mind but particularly at this time in the work that I am doing - Jane Austen's words are just so wise. We must provide people with the tools and advice to enable them to help themselves rather than simply act to do these things for them.

I hope you all have a lovely week.

Pic: Mr Elton and Harriet- costumedramas

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 233

My apologies for the late instalment this week (well, last weekend for most of the world now). I have internet problem at home, and I have to do the quote now at the office (shuuussshhh...).

Emma (Romola Garai) and Knightley (Jonny L. Miller) 2009

Anyway, I love the relationship between Mr Knightley and Emma in ‘Emma’. To me, Mr Knightley is the most realistic gentleman you can have for our current era. He does apply to the Regency era as well, of course. His chemistry with Emma is apparent through their banters.

However, I do have a dose of complain to Mr Knightley, and very critical gentlemen like him. They don’t know how to do romance at all! I mean, take a look at this passage from Chapter 1:

Mr. Knightley, in fact, was one of the few people who could see faults in Emma Woodhouse, and the only one who ever told her of them: and though this was not particularly agreeable to Emma herself, she knew it would be so much less so to her father, that she would not have him really suspect such a circumstance as her not being thought perfect by every body.

"Emma knows I never flatter her," said Mr. Knightley, "but I meant no reflection on any body. Miss Taylor has been used to have two persons to please; she will now have but one. The chances are that she must be a gainer."

Point taken, Knightley. And it’s actually admirable that you can say those things unrestrained to Emma; God knows the girl needs it. But now and then, Knightley, it’s okay to say something romantic to Emma. And of course when he does, Emma melts right away.

But I take it, a Knightley-type of person will only reserve his romantic comments or gestures just for very special occasions. And for girls, those occasions can be too far in between. People like Knightley need to balance their objective remarks with romantic gestures every now and then. And I don’t mean once in a blue moon or once in a year. It should be more often than that.

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 219 by Linda

Emma and Harriet with winter muffs to repel cold (but not effective to get rid of Mr Elton), from this site

 

Tis the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere when we are liable to catch a "cold".  As  a matter of fact our family has had our share of those illnesses.  This has prompted me to look into Jane's Emma where we find dear Mr. Woodhouse lamenting on such things.  In Chapter 29 we find Mr. Woodhouse saying:

 

"Oh! no," said he; "it would be the extreme of imprudence. I could not bear it for Emma! Emma is not strong. She would catch a dreadful cold. So would poor little Harriet. So you would all. Mrs. Weston, you would be quite laid up; do not let them talk of such a wild thing. Pray do not let them talk of it. That young man (speaking lower) is very thoughtless. Do not tell his father, but that young man is not quite the thing. He has been opening the doors very often this evening, and keeping them open very inconsiderately. He does not think of the draught. I do not mean to set you against him, but indeed he is not quite the thing!"

 

My point being that such "colds" have been happening many hundreds of years.  My hope is that our dear readers who may catch one will find it few and very light.   I do hope that we will some day do as Rachel does and practice more "natural" cures as well as keeping our immune systems in tact so as to not be bothered with them at all.  Oh, dear, am I beginning to sound like Mr. Woodhouse?  My apologies!

 

Yrs aff'ly,

Linda the Librarian

 

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 213

I've been in a cupcake-frenzy since last year. This week alone, I baked two batches of cupcakes: lemon cupcake with lemon Swiss meringue buttercream and red velvet cupcake with strawberry swiss meringue buttercream. Thus, I tried to find a quote about cake in one of Jane Austen's books, and what better place to find it than Emma? 

The wedding cake Mr Woodhouse despised so much in Emma 2008

True to form, Emma brought me many cake-related paragraphs, particularly in relation to Mr Woodhouse. Poor Mr Woodhouse. He wouldn't approve my cupcake-frenzy at all! Just have a look at what he thought of the wedding cake (that were supposed to be eaten anyway) during Miss Taylor's wedding (Volume I Chapter 2, from this site):

There was no recovering Miss Taylor--nor much likelihood of ceasing to pity her; but a few weeks brought some alleviation to Mr. Woodhouse. The compliments of his neighbours were over; he was no longer teased by being wished joy of so sorrowful an event; and the wedding-cake, which had been a great distress to him, was all eat up. His own stomach could bear nothing rich, and he could never believe other people to be different from himself. What was unwholesome to him he regarded as unfit for any body; and he had, therefore, earnestly tried to dissuade them from having any wedding-cake at all, and when that proved vain, as earnestly tried to prevent any body's eating it. He had been at the pains of consulting Mr. Perry, the apothecary, on the subject. Mr. Perry was an intelligent, gentlemanlike man, whose frequent visits were one of the comforts of Mr. Woodhouse's life; and upon being applied to, he could not but acknowledge (though it seemed rather against the bias of inclination) that wedding-cake might certainly disagree with many--perhaps with most people, unless taken moderately. With such an opinion, in confirmation of his own, Mr. Woodhouse hoped to influence every visitor of the newly married pair; but still the cake was eaten; and there was no rest for his benevolent nerves till it was all gone.

There was a strange rumour in Highbury of all the little Perrys being seen with a slice of Mrs. Weston's wedding-cake in their hands: but Mr. Woodhouse would never believe it.

Five 'cake' words in two paragraphs; all related to Mr Woodhouse' objection of cakes. Well, Mr Woodhouse, you don't know what you're missing! You can always double your walk around the park, you know...

As if it's not enough, Mr Woodhouse, here I post a link to how to make the 2008 Emma wedding cake from Vic (Jane Austen Today). Vic suggested baking 'Mrs Perrot's Pound Cake', the recipe of which can be found in 'Jane Austen's Cookbook' (which I might purchase one day!). Enjoy!
 

Jane Austen Quote Week 195

We should have posted a quote last Saturday/Sunday, but because of a miscommunication on my part, it was delayed. My apologies, dear friends. Here's something from Emma (at the end of Chapter 19) to remind us to stay healthy (because I'm writing this with - excuse me - runny nose and annoying headache). Miss Bates was reading a letter from her niece Jane Fairfax (while Emma was stiffling her yawn):

"Jane caught a bad cold, poor thing! so long ago as the 7th of November, (as I am going to read to you,) and has never been well since. A long time, is not it, for a cold to hang upon her? She never mentioned it before, because she would not alarm us. Just like her! so considerate!—But however, she is so far from well, that her kind friends the Campbells think she had better come home, and try an air that always agrees with her; and they have no doubt that three or four months at Highbury will entirely cure her—and it is certainly a great deal better that she should come here, than go to Ireland, if she is unwell. Nobody could nurse her, as we should do."

Had I not been living abroad, away from the tropics, I would be wondering why a cold can be such a fuss. But apparently, it is so in temperate countries. I had my first Australian cold in 2003, and I was bed-ridden for almost two weeks. Afterwards, reading Jane Austen's fussing about cold makes more sense. It seems that it's more difficult to recover from cold when you're living in a temperate climate.

So what do you do, dear friends, when you have the unfortunate illness? Do you stay in bed with hot chocolate and Jane Austen to read? Or taking camomile tea and as much vitamins as you can get?

I think I will curl down with hot coco cereal and watch Emma tonight (after I finish a short assignment I actually had to hand over yesterday)...I suddenly long to see Jonny Lee Miller's Mr Knightley leaning against the door as he watched Emma talking.

Pic: Tamsin Greig as Miss Bates, from Emma 2009

Jane Austen Quote of the Week - Week 183

This weeks quote is in honour of Valentines Day which is fast approaching us, next Tuesday 14th February.

You know that we, here at the Becoming Jane blog, are always trying to find evidence of the true love between Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy. We are romantic souls who believe...know... its true!

I have chosen a slightly different choice for this weeks quote as it is actually a quote within a quote. From chapter 9 of Emma when Mr Elton has just left 'the' letter with Harriet and Emma. Emma is convinced that the letter was intended for Harriet and she is speaking to encourage Harriet of his true affection for her:

"You and Mr Elton are by situation called together; you belong to one another by every equal match to the match at Randalls. There does seem to be a something in the air of Hartfield which gives love exactly the right direction, and it sends it into the very channel where it ought to flow.

The course of true love never did run smooth ---
A Hartfield edition of Shakespeare would have a long note on that passage."

Jane Austen Quote of the Week - Week 175

This quote is taken from near the beginning of chapter 48 of Emma.
Emma is discussing her feelings about Mr Knightley, and his possible feelings for Harriet.

"Wish it she must, for his sake—be the consequence nothing to herself, but his remaining single all his life. Could she be secure of that, indeed, of his never marrying at all, she believed she should be perfectly satisfied.—Let him but continue the same Mr. Knightley to her and her father, the same Mr. Knightley to all the world; let Donwell and Hartfield lose none of their precious intercourse of friendship and confidence, and her peace would be fully secured.—Marriage, in fact, would not do for her. It would be incompatible with what she owed to her father, and with what she felt for him. Nothing should separate her from her father. She would not marry, even if she were asked by Mr. Knightley.
It must be her ardent wish that Harriet might be disappointed; and she hoped, that when able to see them together again, she might at least be able to ascertain what the chances for it were.—She should see them henceforward with the closest observance; and wretchedly as she had hitherto misunderstood even those she was watching, she did not know how to admit that she could be blinded here."


Last night I was out with friends and we were talking in depth about relationships between fathers and their daughters. This quote leaped out at me and tells us something about the connection between Emma and her father.

I also understand found this quote resonated with me as I have definitely experienced not being able to dedicate myself fully to someone but at the same time not wanting anything to change or anyone else to have them. As selfish as that sounds, and it is, emotions sure can be complicated.


Pic: Simple Delights blog

Jane Austen Quote of the Week - Week 167

I have been away from the blog for a while and it is nice to be back.
Whilst I was away (in India) I did lots of self reflection as you can imagine and I realised just how busy my mind is and how I now endeavour to live my life with more calm. I am sure that will change swiftly with the return to the normal pace of life though.
These thoughts led me to my quote this week taken from Emma.
Emma is out shopping with Harriet and is led to the window as Harriet is "tempted by everything and swayed by half a word."

Emma is amused by what she sees and I like Jane Austen's observation of her mind:

"A mind lively and at ease, can do with seeing nothing, and can see nothing that does not answer."

I think that Emmas mind is always lively but less often at ease, but in standing watching the world she has found some calm and is content. However, sometimes it is just easier if we see nothing as this eliminates the pressure to process and contemplate what we see. I like the "can see nothing that does not answer" line as I think that this illustrates Emma's mental overactivity as she often has a habit of making something out of nothing - we see this throughout the whole novel.

It sure is tiring to have a lively mind. But also rather exciting.

Pic: Emma and Harriet

"Emma" Production - Houston, Texas

If any of you live in Houston, Texas and know the A. D. Players Theatre.
they have an upcoming production of Emma from July 6th - August 28th 2011.

More information about the show is available here.

If any of you do get to see it then please do leave us a comment with your review.



Pic: Theatre website

Jane Austen Quote of the Week - Week 150

In chapter 21 of Emma the marriage of Mr Elton to Miss Hawkins has just been announced by Miss Bates. She says:



"It is such a happiness when good people get together—and they always do."





As I am sure all of you know today has been a very special day here in England (and all around the world) as Prince William married Catherine Middleton. The ceremony was wonderful and from the interviews I have heard and what I watched today, they really do appear to be "good" people. I wanted to use this quote to commemorate such a momentous occasion.




Pic 1: Mr and Mrs Elton
Pic 2: Prince William and Kate Middleton

Jane Austen Quote - Week 142 - From Linda

In Chapter 14 of Emma we find Emma mentally berating Mr. Elton in a very long paragraph, but in the very next paragraph we find her thoughts turning to Mr. Frank Churchill and marriage in our quote for this week:


"Now, it so happened that in spite of Emma's resolution of never marrying, there was something in the name, in the idea of Mr. Frank Churchill, which always interested her. She had frequently thought - especially since his father's marriage with Miss Taylor - that if she were to marry, he was the very person to suit her in age, character and condition. He seemed by this connection between the families, quite to belong to her. She could not but suppose it to be a match that everybody who knew them must think of. That Mr. and Mrs. Weston did think of it, she was very strongly persuaded; and though not meaning to be induced by him, or by anybody else, to give up a situation which she believed more replete with good than any she could change it for, she had a great curiosity to see him, a decided intention of finding him pleasant, of being liked by him to a certain degree, and a sort of pleasure in the idea of their being coupled in their friends' imaginations."

Please pardon me for dwelling on the subject of ‘marriage’ and the ‘how to do it’ ideas, but when you have been around as long as I have, one does learn a little something. And just as Emma has a tendency to do, I find myself wishing to pass on the bits that I did learn.

The crux of the matter is in those underlined words in the quote. I have previously commented on that subject a year ago in my post HERE. You may wish to read that one again to get the context. There are some books now that cover this topic in detail, so I admonish you all to do your ‘homework’ so as to not make any great mistakes and save yourself a lot of heart aches.

Yrs aff’ly,

Linda the Librarian – who’s been there, done that

Pic: Frank Churchill in BBC TV series of Emma (2009)

Jane Austen Quote - Week 140- by Linda

This quote is so very appropriate for this season’s weather conditions that I simply had to use it!

From Emma, chapter 13:

"What an excellent device," said he, "the use of a sheep-skin for carriages. How very comfortable they make it; impossible to feel cold with such precautions. The contrivances of modern days indeed have rendered a gentleman's carriage perfectly complete. One is so fenced and guarded from the weather, that not a breath of air can find its way unpermitted. Weather becomes absolutely of no consequence. It is a very cold afternoon -- but in this carriage we know nothing of the matter. Ha! snows a little I see."


What really struck me is the phrase “contrivances of modern days” – modern days, indeed! And then “snows” – wow, we have certainly had more than our share of snow this season, to be sure. I would love to see their reactions if they were able to see all our ‘modern contrivances’ of today!

Linda the Librarian

Pic: Emma-missvintagegirl blog

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 139

This week's quote is taken from Jane Austen's Letters (Le Fay 1995), p. 305.

Letter 132(D). To James Stanier Clarke

Monday 11 December 1815

Dec: 11.

Dear Sir

My Emma is now so near publication that I feel it right to assure You of my not having forgotten your kind recommendation of an early Copy for Cn H.-& that I have Mr Murray's promise of its being sent to HRH. under cover to You, three days previous to the Work being really out.-

I must make use of this opportunity to thank you dear Sir, for the very high praise you bestow on my other Novels - I am too vain to wish to convince you that you have praised them beyond their Merit.-

I am glad I found this letter, for it reminds me that every step of our success has been made with the help of others. Case in the point: I am to have my pre completion seminar for my postgraduate degree in a few days' time. While I was preparing my powerpoint slides yesterday, I realised that none of these would happen, I would have not been there to write my slides, had my respondents not allowed me to interview them. Had I not have amazing volunteers to help me, amazing supervisors to guide me, caring friends to comfort me... and my partner to catch me when I fell.

I realise now that when I stand to present my findings next Friday, I actually can only do so in the kindness of others. And for that, I sincerely thank them all. And I thank you all, dear friends, for accompanying us Team Jane this far.

Pic: My favourite Emma cover from Wordsworth edition

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 131 by Linda

In Emma, Chapter 12, there is a mystery lurking for me. Maybe someone can shed some light on it for me. It seems that Emma is interjecting something to change the subject in the course of conversation. Here is the quote:

"I did not thoroughly understand what you were telling your brother," cried Emma, "about your friend Mr. Graham's intending to have a bailiff from Scotland, to look after his new estate. But will it answer? Will not the old prejudice be too strong?"

I am in the dark about the meaning of “the old prejudice be too strong”. The only thing I can think of is that the English harbor a prejudice of some kind against the Scottish. I get the sense that this must be the case, but is this really true? And if so, what is the nature of it?

Speaking of prejudices, I grew up with a certain prejudice which I overcame in my later years. What I discovered is that there is some good in the worst of us and some bad in the best of us. Also, wherever I travelled it seems that each group carried a prejudice against another group in the area. I learned to take each person on their own merit instead of simply lumping them all together. That’s my philosophy and I’m sticking to it!

I had to do a bit of research to discover what Emma meant by using the term ‘bailiff’. Wikepedia included this definition which I suspect comes closest to what she was speaking of. “Under the manorial system a bailiff was in charge of superintending the cultivation of the manor.”

So, if anyone can shed some light on this topic, I would be most grateful. And by the way, I am mostly English with one ancestor of Scottish origin and another one of German origin. No wonder I am always fighting with myself. ;-)

Yrs aff’ly,
Linda the Librarian

Pic: Kate Beckinsale's Emma

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 129

This week, I chose a quote from Emma Vol 2 Chapter 16 as spoken by John Knightley to Jane Fairfax:

"Business, you know, may bring money, but friendship hardly ever does."

While I do not say that this quote does not capture the truth, I have to say that the reverse can be truthful, too. I have to say that I've seen people who scored their business deals because they had known their business partner(s) from a friend who attested to their merits. I am not trying to promote nepotism here. However, I do believe that a sincere friendship can invite a good business deal as well, so long as it is conducted in a fair and professional manner. Colonel Brandon offering Edward Ferrar a parish in Sense & Sensibility is a good example of my argument.

Thoughts?

Pic: Audiobook of Emma, read by Prunella Scales

Jane Austen Quote of the Week 125 by Linda

In Emma, Chapter 12, we find this quote:

"Why, pretty well, my dear, upon the whole. But poor Mrs. Bates had a bad cold about a month ago."

"How sorry I am! But colds were never so prevalent as they have been this autumn. Mr. Wingfield told me that he had never known them more general or heavy, except when it has been quite an influenza."

"That has been a good deal the case, my dear; but not to the degree you mention. Perry says that colds have been very general, but not so heavy as he has very often known them in November. Perry does not call it altogether a sickly season."

What I find intriguing about this passage is the talk of “colds” and “influenza”. Without making an extensive research, it amazes me that such afflictions were around in those days. For some reason, I have assumed that they were ‘modern’ afflictions. However, one brief excursion into the book “The English Physician” (1814) found the mention of ‘colds’. Jane’s mention of such everyday events are things that are so easy to overlook. It makes me wonder what else we have missed.

Yrs aff’ly,
Linda the Librarian

Pic: If you please Sir...from the Steampunk Tribune