Jane Austen Quote of the Week 214
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| This BJ scene is not about Anna Austen, but it reminds me of Jane's editing skill as Cassandra (Anna Maxwell Martin) examined a heavily-edited letter from Jane |
This time, the quote is taken from Deidre le Faye’s ‘Jane
Austen’s Letters’, p. 267. The quote popped up as an example to the
relationship of Jane Austen and her niece Anna
Austen (later AA Lefroy) who also aspired to be a writer. The letter was
dated mid July 1814. Due to its funny abbreviations, I crossed check it with
Pemberley’s Brabourne
version to understand what is what (e.g., G.M. was actually Grandmama!). If
she was like this in the non-mobile phone era, imagine how she would abbreviate
her text in modern era, this Jane Austen!
My dear Anna – I am very much obliged to you for sending your MS. It has entertained me extremely, all of us indeed; I read it aloud to your G. M. [Grandmama] - & At C. (Aunt Cass), and we were all very much pleased. The spirit does not droop at all. Sir Tho:- Lady Helena and St. Julian are very well done, & Cecilia continues to be interesting in spite of her being so amiable. – It was very fit you should advance her age. I like the beginning of D. [Devereux] Forester very much, a great deal better than if he had been very Good or very Bad. A few verbal corrections are all that I felt tempted to make – the principal of them is a speech of St. Julian to Lady Helena – which you see I have presumed to alter. – As Lady H. is Cecilia's superior, it wd not be correct to talk of her being introduced; Cecilia must be the person introduced – And I do not like a lover speaking in the 3rd person; - it is too much like the formal part of Lord Orville, & I think it not natural. If you think differently, however, you need not mind me. – I am impatient for more - & only wait for a safe conveyance to return this book.- Yours affectly, J.A.Miss AustenSteventon
I like the way Jane supervised her niece in the art of
writing. I’d imagine Jane Austen would be a thorough (and I mean, thorough)
supervisor for English literature!
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1 comment:
First of all: thank you for this excellent site! I was wondering if you by any chance happen to know what classical piece is played in the background when Tom and Jane meet in the woods for the first time after his engagement, when they kiss and he lays out the proposal of them running away together? I absolutely love this piece, and after having listened through the soundtrack CD and discovered that it isn't there, my disappointment is absolute... I would forever be thankful.
/Amanda from Sweden
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