“They were in love with him; yet there it was not love. It was a little fever of admiration…”
Of Louisa and Henrietta Musgrove’s feelings toward Captain Wentworth
Persuasion, volume 1, chapter 10
Category Archives: Persuasion
What do you call a crush?
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Filed under Capt. Wentworth, Henrietta Musgrove, Louisa Musgrove, Love, Persuasion
Cold politeness
“His cold politeness, his ceremonious grace, were worse than anything.”
Anne of Capt. Wentworth
Persuasion, volume 1, chapter 8
Filed under Anne Elliot, Capt. Wentworth, Persuasion, Uncertainty in love
The ruins of a face
“Once she felt that he was looking at herself, observing her altered features, perhaps, trying to trace in them the ruins of the face which had once charmed him…”
While Anne sits at the piano during dancing after dinner at the Musgroves
Persuasion, volume 1, chapter 8
Thanks to Mollands for the CE Brock illustration. Of course, that is Mr. Musgrove with Anne at the piano, and not Capt. Wentworth!
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Filed under Anne Elliot, Beauty, Capt. Wentworth, Persuasion
The West Indies
I love this quote, and I’m not entirely sure why. Perhaps because I love Fiona Shaw’s performance as Mrs. Croft in the 1995 BBC version of Persuasion.
“I have crossed the Atlantic four times, and have been once to the East Indies and back again, and only once; besides being in different places about home: Cork, and Lisbon, and Gibraltar. But I never went beyond the Streights, and never was in the West Indies. We do not call Bermuda or Bahama, you know, the West Indies.”
Mrs. Croft to Mrs. Musgrove about her travels with her Admiral husband
Persuasion, volume 1, chapter 8
This goes out to my sister, who just celebrated her tenth anniversary with a cruise to Bermuda.
Filed under Mrs. Croft, Persuasion, Travel
Fine ladies & rational creatures
“But I hate to hear you talking so like a fine gentleman, and as if women were all fine ladies, instead of rational creatures. We none of us expect to be in smooth water all our days.”
Mrs. Croft to her brother Frederick Wentworth about his hesitancy to have a woman aboard his ship
Persuasion, volume 1, chapter 8
Filed under Capt. Wentworth, Mrs. Croft, On being a lady, Persuasion
Wentworth on resolution of character
"Let those who would be happy be firm."
Captain Wentworth to Louisa Musgrove, advice he would later realize was slightly foolish
Persuasion, volume 1, chapter 10
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Moralists and preachers
I’m on a Persuasion kick just now. So here’s another quote — and another picture of Lyme, this one of the Cobb.
“When the evening was over, Anne could not but be amused at the idea of her coming to Lyme to preach patience and resignation to a young man whom she had never seen before; nor could she help fearing, on more serious reflexion, that, like many other great moralists and preachers, she had been eloquent on a point in which her own conduct would ill bear examination.”
Persuasion, volume 1, chapter 11
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Filed under Anne Elliot, Capt. Benwick, Hypocrisy, Patience, Persuasion
The sea-air always does good
I am back! The beach was wonderful, and I lingered and gazed as one deserving to look at the ocean. It is a healing place. Our last few days, the water turned to brilliant blues and greens-almost Caribbean. I’ve never seen it like that in North Carolina. It was gorgeous. Would like to post a pic, but I forgot my camera, so I’m waiting for a CD from Brenda. But here is a picture of Lyme-which, unfortunately, was anything but Caribbean when I was there-gray, cold and rainy. In July. Ugh!
Today’s quote is again from Persuasion:
“Oh, yes! I am quite convinced that, with very few exceptions, the sea-air always does good. There can be no doubt of its having been of the greatest service to Dr. Shirley, after his illness, last spring twelve-month. He declares himself, that coming to Lyme for a month did him more good than all the medicine he took; and that being by the sea always makes him feel young again. Now, I cannot help thinking it a pity that he does not live entirely by the sea.”
Henrietta Musgrove, hoping old Dr. Shirley will retire and give the parish to her cousin Charles Hayter, which would enable them to marry
Persuasion, volume 1, chapter 12 (emphasis mine)
Filed under Henrietta Musgrove, Lyme, Persuasion, the Sea
Returning to the sea
I am heading out today for a week in Cape Hatteras, NC — one of my favorite places in the world. JA Quote of the Day will return on Monday, June 4.
“The party from Uppercross passing down by the now deserted and melancholy looking rooms, and still descending, soon found themselves on the sea-shore; and lingering only, as all must linger and gaze on a first return to the sea, who ever deserve to look on it at all . . .”
on arriving in Lyme
Persuasion, volume 1, chapter 11
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Filed under Lyme, Persuasion, the Sea
Large fat sighings
Today’s quote is completely un-PC. It’s written of Mrs. Musgrove in Persuasion, when she is sad about the son they shipped off to sea because he was completely unmanageable. He died at sea, and Captain Wentworth’s appearance has her thinking of him.
“Mrs. Musgrove was of a comfortable substantial size, infinitely more fitted by nature to express good cheer and good humour than tenderness and sentiment . . . Captain Wentworth should be allowed some credit for the self-command with which he attended to her large fat sighings over the destiny of a son, whom alive nobody had cared for.
Personal size and mental sorrow have certainly no necessary proportions. A large bulky figure has as good a right to be in deep affliction as the most graceful set of limbs in the world. But, fair or not fair, there are unbecoming conjunctions, which reason will patronize in vain-which taste cannot tolerate-which ridicule will seize.”
Persuasion, volume 1, chapter 8
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Filed under Grief, Mrs. Musgrove, Persuasion, Ridicule
The Jane Austen Guide to Life: Thoughtful Lessons for the Modern Woman (May, 2012)
A Walk with Jane Austen: A Journey into Adventure, Love, and Faith