Category Archives: Letters

July 19, 2012 · 12:22 pm

Pictures of perfection

I love this quote! Austen is writing to her niece, Fanny. Fanny had forced one of her suitors to read her Aunt Jane’s books without telling him who the author was (she wrote them anonymously, and the books only said, “By a Lady”). He, apparently, thought that the young ladies in her stories should have been better behaved. So Austen replies, “Pictures of perfection, as you know, make me sick and wicked.” Which is one of the things I love about her stories. She also told Fanny to fess up to her suitor and not to force him to read any more of her books.

Read more of my thoughts on Darcy’s imperfections over at Darcyholic Diversions.

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Filed under Austen family, Character, Letters, niece Fanny Knight, Writing

July 10, 2012 · 6:34 pm

Handsome…

Thought it would be fun to lighten things up with some images here. (And wanted to try out the new Pinterest buttons I added. Join me over there!)

To be fair, this is not a saying Jane Austen came up with, but one that was in use already, and one she used jokingly in a letter to her sister about their neighbor, James Digweed.

Read about Finding a Good Man (and more) in The Jane Austen Guide to Life.

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Filed under Darcy, Images, Letters, Matthew Macfadyen, Men, On being a gentleman

June 4, 2012 · 7:00 am

Ah, Fame…

“I am very much flattered by your commendation of my last Letter, for I write only for Fame, and without any view to pecuniary Emolument.”

letter to Cassandra
January 14, 1796 [2]

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Filed under Fame, Letters, Money, Writing

June 3, 2012 · 7:00 am

I am tolerably glad…

“I am tolerably glad to hear that Edward’s income is so good a one-as glad as I can at anybody’s being rich besides You & me.”

letter to Cassandra
January 8, 1799 [17]

Edward was Jane’s dear brother who was adopted by wealthy cousins. Cassandra was staying with him at his gorgeous estate Godmersham, in Kent, when this letter was written.

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Filed under Austen family, brother Edward, Envy, Letters, Money, Wealth

· 7:00 am

Lovely (rich) Kent

“People get so horridly poor & economical in this part of the World, that I have no patience with them.-Kent is the only place for happiness.”

letter to Cassandra (Jane’s brother Edward, who had been adopted by wealthy cousins and inherited great estates lived in Kent)
December 18, 1798 [14]

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Filed under Letters, Money, Poverty

June 1, 2012 · 7:00 am

Conspiracy theory

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“The whole World is in a conspiracy to enrich one part of our family at the expence of another.”

letter to Cassandra
May 21, 1801 [37]

Jane was upset that her father’s extensive library had only been valued at 70 pounds. Her brother James and his wife Mary had taken over the Steventon rectory (along with the living) when her father retired to Bath, and ended up with many of the family things.

The rectory no longer exists, but here is a picture of St. Nicholas in Steventon.

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Filed under Austen family, brother James, Letters, Money

May 31, 2012 · 7:00 am

Topaz crosses

“[Charles] has received 30 pounds for his share of the privateer & expects 10 pounds more-but of what avail is it to take prizes if he lays out the produce in presents to his Sisters. He has been buying Gold chains & Topaze Crosses for us;-he must be well scolded.”

letter to Cassandra
May 27, 1801 [38]

Jane’s younger brother Charles was in the navy (along with their brother Frank). You can see the topaz crosses Charles bought his sisters at Jane Austen’s House Museum.

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Filed under Austen family, brother Charles, Generosity, Letters, Money, the Navy

May 30, 2012 · 7:00 am

Vulgar economy

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“The Orange Wine will want our Care soon.-But in the meantime for Elegance & Ease & Luxury . . . I shall eat Ice & drink French wine, & be above Vulgar Economy.”

letter to Cassandra
July 1, 1808 [55]

Jane was writing from Godmersham (pic above), her brother Edward’s home, which was certainly above Vulgar Economy.

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Filed under Economy, Letters, Money

May 26, 2012 · 7:00 am

Oh, to be respectable

“The Rich are always respectable.”

letter to Cassandra
June 22, 1808 [53]

Jane was joking (as always), because she had just received a gift of money from her brother Edward’s adoptive mother (it’s complicated…), Mrs. Knight.

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Filed under Letters, Money, Wealth

May 24, 2012 · 7:00 am

Which makes me long for more

“You will be glad to hear that every Copy of S.&S. is sold & that it has brought me £140-besides the Copyright, if that should ever be of any value.-I have now therefore written myself into £250.-which only makes me long for more.”

letter to her brother Frank about the success of Sense and Sensibility
July 6, 1813 [86]

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Filed under Greed, Letters, Money, Sense and Sensibility, Writing