Category: jane austen

If Pride and Prejudice feels like Spring, Persuasion definitely feels like Autumn, which is puzzling seeing that both books start in Autumn (both Mr Bingley and Admiral Croft are said to settle in Netherfield Hall and Kellynch Hall respectively at Michaelmas, that is the end of September). Anne loves the autumn scenery too – Anne’s object was, not to be in the way of anybody; and where the narrow paths across the fields made many separations necessary, to keep with her brother and sister. Her pleasure in the walk must arise from the exercise and the day, from the view of the last smiles of the year upon the tawny leaves, and withered hedges, and from repeating to herself some few of the thousand poetical descriptions extant of autumn, that season of peculiar and inexhaustible influence on the mind of taste and tenderness, that season which had drawn from every poet, worthy of being read, some attempt at description, or some lines of feeling. She occupied her mind as much as possible in such like musings and quotations.

Persuasion is my second favourite Jane Austen book and I just couldn’t resist picking it up again this January. Reading both books back to back highlighted their differences but also their similarities. Here are the quotes that stood out to me the most, as well as a few of my notes, in reading order.

‘He had distinguished himself, and early gained the other step in rank, and must now, by successive captures, have made a handsome fortune. She had only navy lists and newspapers for her authority, but she could not doubt his being rich.’ – Anne of Captain Wentworth. This book is absolutely about longing. In Pride and Prejudice, we barely see Lizzie yearn for Darcy and he falls for her first so it’s a matter of waiting for them to resolve their differences. In Persuasion, Anne is always longing for Wentworth, pining for him and the reader has no notion of his feelings in return. It’s heartbreaking to think of Anne quietly going through the newspapers for any mention of Wentworth and keeping track of his progress from afar.

‘She had been forced into prudence in her youth, she learned romance as she grew older‘

‘The Baronet will never set the Thames on fire, but there seems to be no harm in him.’ Admiral Croft of Sir Walter. This is a hilarious quote.

Note on the difference between Anne and Louisa/Henrietta – ‘Henrietta and Louisa were living to be fashionable, happy, and merry. Anne always contemplated them as some of the happiest creatures of her acquaintance; but still, she would not have given up her own more elegant and cultivated mind for all their enjoyments.‘ I’ve said it before with Lizzie but this is another example of one of Jane Austen’s heroines thinking herself superior to lighthearted girls of her acquaintance. I don’t know how I feel about that if I’m being honest. She also wonders later on whether Wentworth thinks Louisa’s stubborness is such an advantage after she dismisses everybody’s warnings and falls. There are several instances when seeing the heroine for the gem she is is presented as the one thing that’s important – people who overlook Anne are always villains. ‘Lady Russell had only to listen composedly, and wish them happy, but internally her heart revelled in angry pleasure, in pleased contempt, that the man who at twenty-three had seemed to understand somewhat of the value of an Anne Elliot, should, eight years afterwards, be charmed by a Louisa Musgrove.’

‘She must now submit to feel that another lesson, in the art of knowing our own nothingness beyond our own circle‘ Anne of the Musgroves, of whom she’s very fond but you do feel her loneliness in this book. She was desperate to talk about how distressed she was at having to move to Bath but the Musgroves dismissed the whole move in a few quick remarks, leaving Anne forlorn. They’re not unkind at all but this is a case where the heroine never really enjoys the comforts of home anywhere she goes. Another quote about loneliness is to be found when Anne sits at the piano at the Musgroves and they expect her to entertain them but never think of her as being quite accomplished, never appreciate her and take her for granted. ‘She knew that when she played she was giving pleasure only to herself.’

‘I do believe if Charles were to see me dying, he would not think there was anything the matter with me‘ I do love the comedic relief that is Mary.

Note on Anne and Wentworth – again, about the longing. This is a very physical book. Anne years for Wentworth’s presence so much she’s always aware of where exactly he is in any one room. There’s a scene where she’s keenly aware that only Mrs Musgrove separates them on the sofa. I think the tension in this book is incredible. This happens numerous times besides – when Wentworth frees her from little Charles’s overwhelming attentions when he’s injured, when Wentworth places her in the carriage after their group walk (‘he could not see her suffer, without the desire of giving her relief‘). Physical contact and proximity to that contact is everywhere in this book.

Note on the Crofts – I adore them. They’re the best couple of the book and Anne also admires them very much. Admiral Croft’s lack of pretense and no-nonsense attitude with not a hint of self-possession and Mrs Croft’s love of the sea and of adventures when following her husband on his campaigns. They’re up there with the Gardiners of Pride and Prejudice. They’re quite a model for Anne. ‘As long as we could be together, nothing ever ailed me. Women may be as comfortable on board, as in the best house in England. 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.’ Let’s hope Frederick is busy taking notes.

A scenic tour – in Pride and Prejudice, we’re treated to a tour of Pemberley and its grounds. Here, Lyme is granted special attention. It’s a beautiful description. After securing accommodations, and ordering a dinner at one of the inns, the next thing to be done was unquestionably to walk directly down to the sea. They were come too late in the year for any amusement or variety which Lyme, as a public place, might offer. The rooms were shut up, the lodgers almost all gone, scarcely any family but of the residents left; and, as there is nothing to admire in the buildings themselves, the remarkable situation of the town, the principal street almost hurrying into the water, the walk to the Cobb, skirting round the pleasant little bay, which, in the season, is animated with bathing machines and company; the Cobb itself, its old wonders and new improvements, with the very beautiful line of cliffs stretching out to the east of the town, are what the stranger’s eye will seek; and a very strange stranger it must be, who does not see charms in the immediate environs of Lyme, to make him wish to know it better. The scenes in its neighbourhood, Charmouth, with its high grounds and extensive sweeps of country, and still more, its sweet, retired bay, backed by dark cliffs, where fragments of low rock among the sands, make it the happiest spot for watching the flow of the tide, for sitting in unwearied contemplation; the woody varieties of the cheerful village of Up Lyme; and, above all, Pinny, with its green chasms between romantic rocks, where the scattered forest trees and orchards of luxuriant growth, declare that many a generation must have passed away since the first partial falling of the cliff prepared the ground for such a state, where a scene so wonderful and so lovely is exhibited, as may more than equal any of the resembling scenes of the far-famed Isle of Wight: these places must be visited, and visited again, to make the worth of Lyme understood.

Note on Mr Elliot – every Jane Austen book has got a mystery, almost always a secondary character who’s a little bit of a puzzle is attached to somebody the reader and the heroine would never suspect when the character’s true colours are revealed. Wickham attaches himself to Lydia, Sir Elliot to Mrs Clay.

‘My idea of good company, Mr Elliot, is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company.’ Hear, hear.

Note on Anne and Wentworth – For all of Anne’s measured and composed behaviour (she has the coolest head, can be relied on always), what attracts her in Wentworth is how open and warm he is. How he always says exactly what he thinks with no calculations. I couldn’t agree with her more. ‘Mr Elliot was rational, discreet, polished, but he was not open. There was never any burst of feeling, any warmth of indignation or delight, at the evil or good of others. This, to Anne, was a decided imperfection. Her early impressions were incurable. She prized the frank, the open-hearted, the eager character beyond all others. Warmth and enthusiasm did captivate her still. She felt that she could so much more depend upon the sincerity of those who sometimes looked or said a careless or a hasty thing, than of those whose presence of mind never varied, whose tongue never slipped.‘

‘It was agitation, pain, pleasure, a something between delight and misery.‘

I loved this hilarious passage that shows that Jane Austen’s isn’t much moved by sensibility – ‘Prettier musings of high-wrought love and eternal constancy, could never have passed along the streets of Bath, than Anne was sporting with from Camden Place to Westgate Buildings. It was almost enough to spread purification and perfume all the way.‘

The Letter – My god, the letter. It’s so good. Nothing to add here.

“I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone, I think and plan. Have you not seen this? Can you fail to have understood my wishes? I had not waited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I think you must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instant hearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of that voice when they would be lost on others. Too good, too excellent creature! You do us justice, indeed. You do believe that there is true attachment and constancy among men. Believe it to be most fervent, most undeviating, in

F. W.

“I must go, uncertain of my fate; but I shall return hither, or follow your party, as soon as possible. A word, a look, will be enough to decide whether I enter your father’s house this evening or never.”

I decided in December to make Pride and Prejudice my first book of the new year. I’ve read Jane Austen’s novels countless times but she’s one of several authors I’d like to revisit entirely this year. I couldn’t wait to go back to Regency England! Rereading classics often acts as a mirror for me – they haven’t changed, but what I take away from them changes dramatically the older I become. I loved rereading this so much this time around. I always think of Pride and Prejudice as both my favourite and the lightest of Jane’s novels and it is, but I found a lot of things which are very far from the ‘bright, light and sparkling’ reputation it has got too (the Bennets’ marital and family relationship is one, see below) but also lots of absolutely lovely things in what is such a wonderful, perfect book. I was struck this time around at Darcy’s incredible behaviour throughout. He falls for Elizabeth at first sight and the whole book he does nothing but try to endear himself to her despite her family’s gossiping personality, despite knowing that Lydia might be ruined, despite, afterwards, knowing that Wickham will be his brother-in-law. I also deeply loved the Gardiners this time around, who really act as substitute parents to Elizabeth when her own fall short. The dialog is so fresh, quick, witty. Lizzie is so sharp and lively, she’s an absolute joy.

Here are, in reading order, things which stood out to me, from mere notes to myself to quotes I really enjoyed.

‘You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion for my poor nerves. You do not know what I suffer’ – Mrs Bennet

‘The business of her life was to see her daughters married. Its solace was visiting and news.’ – about Mrs Bennet

‘She had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous.’ – about Lizzie Bennet

‘With a book, he was regardless of time.’ – about Mr Bennet

‘To be candid without ostentation or design – to take the good of everybody’s character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad, belongs to you and you alone’ – Lizzie to Jane

‘Will you give me leave to defer your raptures till I write again? At present, I have not room to do them justice.’ Darcy to Miss Bingley

‘How pleasant it is to spend an evening in this way! I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.’ – Miss Bingley

‘headstrong, foolish girl’ – about Lizzie Bennet

Note on Charlotte – Charlotte’s marriage to Mr Collins (but three days between his proposal to Lizzie and his proposal to Charlotte!) is very hard on the Bennets. Mrs Bennet has a falling out with the Lucases who she feels will turn her out the minute Mr Bennet dies. Lizzie and Charlotte’s friendship suffers. Lizzie responds to her letters ‘for the sake of what had been, rather than what was.’

Note on Mrs Gardiner – Mrs Gardiner, sensing a rapprochement between Lizzie and Wickham, warns her off him because of his lack of fortune.

‘Handsome men must have something to live on, as well as the plain.’ Lizzie to Mrs Gardiner about Wickham

‘A tour of pleasure’ Mrs Gardiner about their visit to the Lakes

‘My dear, dear aunt, she rapturously cried. What delight! What felicity! You give me fresh life and vigour. Adieu to disappointment and spleen. What are men to rocks and mountains? Oh what hours of transport we shall spend!’ Lizzie about their visit to the Lakes

‘I like her appearance. She looks sickly and cross. She will do for him very well.’ Lizzie about Miss De Bourgh and Darcy, which I thought was pretty mean.

‘Music is of all subjects my delight.’ – Lady Catherine

Note on the Bennets’ marriage – Lizzie blames her family very much for Lydia’s elopement and speaks several times of her parents’ faults and how the burden of these faults falls on the rest of the family -, her, Jane, and the Gardiners –

Had Elizabeth’s opinion been all drawn from her own family, she could not have formed a very pleasing opinion of conjugal felicity or domestic comfort. Her father, captivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good humour which youth and beauty generally give, had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind had very early in their marriage put an end to all real affection for her. Respect, esteem, and confidence had vanished forever; and all his views of domestic happiness were overthrown. But Mr. Bennet was not of a disposition to seek comfort for the disappointment which his own imprudence had brought on, in any of those pleasures which too often console the unfortunate for their folly of their vice. He was fond of the country and of books; and from these tastes had arisen his principal enjoyments. To his wife he was very little otherwise indebted, than as her ignorance and folly had contributed to his amusement. This is not the sort of happiness which a man would in general wish to owe to his wife; but where other powers of entertainment are wanting, the true philosopher will derive benefit from such as are given. Elizabeth, however, had never been blind to the impropriety of her father’s behaviour as a husband. She had always seen it with pain; but respecting his abilities, and grateful for his affectionate treatment of herself, she endeavoured to forget what she could not overlook, and to banish from her thoughts that continual breach of conjugal obligation and decorum which, in exposing his wife to the contempt of her own children, was so highly reprehensible. But she had never felt so strongly as now the disadvantages which must attend the children of so unsuitable a marriage, nor ever been so fully aware of the evils arising from so ill-judged a direction of talents; talents, which, rightly used, might at least have preserved the respectability of his daughters, even if incapable of enlarging the mind of his wife. And later here – She was wild to be at home—to hear, to see, to be upon the spot to share with Jane in the cares that must now fall wholly upon her, in a family so deranged, a father absent, a mother incapable of exertion, and requiring constant attendance; and though almost persuaded that nothing could be done for Lydia, her uncle’s interference seemed of the utmost importance, and till he entered the room her impatience was severe.

‘obstinate, headstrong girl!’ – Lady Catherine

‘I send no compliments to your mother’ – Lady Catherine

‘Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?’ – Lady Catherine

Note on Lady Catherine and Lizzie – Lizzie spends a lot of time at Rosings visiting the Collinses, Lady Catherine, Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam. It’s even more shocking then that she should dismiss Lady Catherine’s questions so harshly when she comes and visit Lizzie to ask about rumours of an engagement between her and Darcy. Lady Catherine indeed is outraged that Lizzie should flaunt the rules of hospitality thus.

Note on Charlotte – Lady Catherine learns of Darcy’s proposal from ‘gossiping Lucases’. This reread made me like Charlotte a little less, not from marrying Mr Collins, but from her lack of loyalty to Lizzie after her marriage (it’s several times implied that whatever Lizzie tells her in letters, she tells Mr Collins or her family, who in turns tell Lady Catherine).

‘Your family owes me nothing. Much as I respect them, I thought only of you.’ Darcy to Lizzie. I must say his behaviour throughout the book is impeccable. He’s too proud and needs to come out of his shell but endearing himself to Lizzie by being kind to her family (saving Lydia from ruin, his genuine affection for the Gardiners, introducing them to the apple of his eye, his sister) is a wonderful move. He fell first and enemies to lovers were born here.

‘Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.’ Lizzie to Darcy

‘I am the happiest creature in the world. Perhaps other people have said it before, but none with such justice.’ Lizzie to Darcy