What gift would you leave for Jane Austen?

July 5, 2011 by Vic

Gentle Readers, Chris Stewart from Embarking on a Course of Study, has often contributed posts to this blog. She will be visiting England soon. Lucky Chris! Before leaving, she asks you a question, a quite interesting one:

Next month I’m heading to England for a visit to London, which includes a too-brief pilgrimage to places associated with Jane Austen, including the Jane Austen House Museum, where I’ll be taking a writing class after I tour the house. The JAHM has a blog that you can follow and in catching up on the posts, I read one from April that talks about how much making a pilgrimage to Jane’s house means to most people who visit (myself included; I can’t wait!). One very special surprise, is that some visitors leave a gift or message for Jane that the staff finds later.

“It seems that for many people being in her home is part of an ongoing relationship that they develop with her as not only an author of their favourite books but also as a woman. Recently Isabel and I have found a few gifts and offerings to Jane and the house. I found a carefully made fan of hearts hung on a door handle in The Austen Family room. Each heart has a name of a character from Sense and Sensibility and they rotate to align with different people.”

Isn’t that wonderful? For pictures of the gifts and letters they’ve found, and to leave a comment about what you would leave in Jane’s house were you to visit (and find out what I’ll be leaving – you know I’m going to do it, it’s such a great idea!), go to my blog: Embarking on a Course of Study http://www.embarkingonacourseofstudy.com

Chris Stewart
Get to the Heart of Your Writing
Mentoring, Workshops, Editing, Critique: http://www.therealwriter.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ChrisStewartTheRealWriter
Poets & Writers Profile: http://www.pw.org/content/christine_stewart

Posted in jane austen, Jane Austen's World, Travel, Visited | Tagged Chris Stewart, embarking on a Course of Study | 6 Comments

6 Responses

on July 5, 2011 at 13:12 Anna

How lucky you are to visit Austen country this summer! I look forward to reading your updates from Chawton and the other places you visit. Hope you have a great trip!
on July 5, 2011 at 15:23 janice

a sachet seems appropriate. a lovely lace hankie. an orange studded w/cloves.–something appropriate to that era and a gift that might be given by a new friend. something hand made is best. a simple embroidery?
on July 5, 2011 at 18:57 LaurenG

A lavender bag with her initial embroidered on it. Another option: some writing paper or a beautifully bound blank book for her next manuscript.
on July 5, 2011 at 21:35 Karen Field

I like the lace hankie idea, only I’d embroider JA in my best stitches on it.
on July 6, 2011 at 01:09 Delia Iglesias

Hello! I really recommend the Jane Austen Walkling Tour which you can take Sat and Sun at 11 am in Bath and the visit to the Jane Austen Centre and the Gift Shop where yoy cant buy anything about Jane Austen…a must!!!!
on July 6, 2011 at 18:28 Vidya

A box of fine tea with something personal written with it. I wish I was going to this tour!