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Review – She Played and Sang: Jane Austen and Music by Gillian Dooley

Posted in Chawton Cottage, Jane Austen's music, Jane Austen's World, tagged , , , , on March 4, 2024| 3 Comments »

Book CoverIn the introduction, author Gillian Dooley reveals her primary reason for writing a book about music in Austen’s life – that of exploring the “rhetorical link between writing and making music, especially given the musicality of her prose” (P 3). This statement reveals the book’s direction. She quotes Robert K. Wallace in Jane Austen and Mozart:

“the classical and neoclassical value of balance, equilibrium, proportion, symmetry, clarity, restraint, wit, and elegance that are typical of Austen’s novels and of Mozart’s piano concertos are typical as well of the music that Austen played on her square piano” – P 3

In pages 4-8, Dooley describes the connection between music and Austen’s writing with examples in her novels, such as Sense and Sensibility and Mansfield Park. Mind you, we are still in the introduction, which is rich with information.   

The Jane Austen  music manuscripts

Jane Austen's Music Books

Screen shot of an online search

These manuscripts consist of more than 500 separate playable pieces of eighteen albums, which can be found on the Internet Archive. Four of the surviving music books contain manuscripts in Austen’s hand (P 24). Dooley discusses the “160 or so” pieces of music that she meticulously copied by hand (listed in Appendix 2). These most likely represented the memorable music that meant more to her than the other pieces she played and sung as well.

The section that describes the Austen family music collection includes a wider range of musical tastes. When the Austens moved from Steventon to Bath in 1801, they brought along with them a large music collection, although there is no record of its details. Of the eighteen albums that we now know of, it was determined that seven belonged to Austen, and that the remaining 11 albums belonged to the extended family (P 87). Dooley mentions their names, including Eliza née Hancock, who married Henry Austen; Elizabeth Bridges, who married Edward Austen Knight; Louisa and Cassandra Austen Knight, Edward’s youngest daughters, and more.

Movie music vs. Austen’s preferences

I’ve tried over the years to find if the music played in the films based on Austen’s novels represent her actual taste in music, or the music popular in her time. Much to my chagrin, my feeble attempts took time, and I suspect that I still got much of the information wrong. So I embarked on a quick search in Dooley’s book.

I’ve long favored the earthy music and folksy ballads included in Emma 2020, which spoke to my heart. Was my instinct correct about these folk pieces’ connection to Austen’s musical tastes? Dooley provides some important insights. 

One question I had was about Haydn’s and Mozart’s influence in her repertoire. Dooley mentions Haydn:

“In the later decades of the eighteenth century Franz Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) was far better known in London than Mozart. Adjacent to the Mozart duet in Austen’s album are three of Haydn’s English canzonets, in a hand which has been attributed to Elizabeth Austen, née Bridges, Edward’s wife. It is very similar indeed to Austen’s own handwriting … the presence of these songs, even if copied in Elizabeth’s handwriting, in Austen’s manuscript book indicates that she knew them and perhaps sang them.” 

While Austen knew of Haydn, she was fond of the composer Ignaz Pleyel, who was his student, and she had a number of Pleyel’s pieces. As an aside, Dooley mentioned that Mozart’s music played a minor role (P 43) in her collection of music, which surprised me. 

Over the years, Austen’s letters indicated that she shared musical information with friends and family, and that she planned to play country dances for her young relatives, some of whom recalled her singing for the family years later. She did not perform  for company or in public, (PP 70-71). It was said that she had a fine singing voice.

“Most of the English nursery rhymes among the manuscripts are unattributed and the only one which uses the tune familiar today is ‘Dickory, dickory dock’. They appear towards the middle of the book and were probably copied by Austen to sing for the amusement of her young nieces and nephews” (P 64). 

On a personal note, I favor songs, old or modern, that tell a story. Austen, it appears, recorded many such songs, such as Irish and Scottish folk songs. One song mentioned by Dooley was familiar to Austen, but was not recorded in her manuscript. Still, ‘Anna’ is representative of her tastes:

“ ‘Anna: A favorite Scotch song with variations for the piano forte composed by J. L. Dussek’.  The Dussek variations are not to be found in any of her surviving music books. This Scottish folk song, which is more usually titled ‘Shepherds I have lost my love’, was well known at the time, appearing in musical arrangements by several other composers including Joseph Haydn and Ignaz Pleyel. Austen would have been familiar with the tune – she had a copy of an arrangement for [a] piano duet by Thomas Billington in one of her composite volumes of printed music. The song lyrics are not included in the Dussek and Billington versions, but Austen might still have known them.

Shepherds, I have lost my love;

Have you seen my Anna?

Pride of ev’ry shady grove,

Upon the banks of Banna!

I for her my home forsook,

Near yon misty mountain;

Left my flock, my pipe, my crook,

Greenwood shade, and fountain.

Never shall I see them more

Until her returning;

All the joys of life are o’er,

From gladness chang’d to mourning.

Whither is my charmer flown?

Shepherds, tell me whither?

Ah! Woe for me, perhaps she’s gone

For ever and for ever. – P 74

This story melts my heart. I grew up loving folk songs and this one is right up my alley. You can listen to it in the YouTube video below. The fact that the song has some connection to Austen makes it even sweeter for me. 

But what of the waltz? Was it not introduced during Austen’s time? Did she not mention it? Indeed she did, but here’s the rub – Dooley explains that the waltz was controversial, even considered scandalous in some quarters:

“Those whose opposing opinions were recorded were either the jealous lovers of the female partners in a waltz who felt that the dance allowed other men to take liberties, or the authors of advice manuals for young women. The very fact that these opinions were voiced suggests that the waltz was already common and the opposition was therefore not universal at all … it is implied that the ‘irresistible waltz’ played by Mrs Weston in Emma (Volume II, Chapter 8) accompanied a ‘longways country dance set in waltz time, not waltzing in pairs’, which would have been more controversial. There are several waltz tunes from the 1790s in the ‘Juvenile songs and lessons’ album, but it seems likely that they were played to accompany country dances rather than the ‘turning waltz’ that was not widely danced in England until late in Austen’s lifetime.” – P 51

Poignantly, Dooley includes Caroline Austen’s memory of her Aunt Jane’s last four songs when “she had nearly left off singing” (P 229).

The book’s final pages (starting at P 235) includes a bibliography, two appendices, notes, and an index. Appendix Two covers an annotated list of manuscripts in Austen’s hand (PP 238 – 292). Information contained at the end is quite extensive and provides a wealth of information. 

In my estimation, this book is a keeper and will be kept on my shelf of reference materials. It’s an interesting read, but, more importantly, it fills a gap in our knowledge of the music Austen loved, copied,  and sang. Dooley brought to mind how important reading out loud was to Austen and the people of her time, and how important music was in an era when family and local musicians provided wonderful entertainments for their families and communities.

More on the topic

Publisher ‏: ‎ Manchester University Press (March 5, 2024)

Language ‏ : ‎ English

Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 344 pages

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1526170108

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1526170101

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Happy Birthday, Cassandra Austen!

Posted in Cassandra Elizabeth Austen, Chawton Cottage, Jane Austen's family, Jane Austen's letters, Jane Austen's life, Jane Austen's World on January 9, 2023| 3 Comments »

On January 9, 1773, Jane Austen’s older sister Cassandra Austen was born – 250 years ago – and we Austen fans are celebrating her life worldwide!

The two Austen sisters were nearly inseparable, from the time Jane was born until she passed away. She was the yin to Austen’s yang . . . or to put it in Regency terms, she was the darning needle to Jane’s stockings, the saucer to her tea cup. If you love Jane, then you would have undoubtedly loved Cassandra!

A Friend and Companion

When Jane was born, her father famously wrote: “We have now another girl, a present plaything for her sister Cassy, and a future companion.”

Reverend Austen was right on both counts. When the girls were young, Jane was extremely attached to Cassandra. So much so that when Cassandra went away to school, Jane was allowed to go as well. Not because she was necessarily ready for school, but because, as their mother said, “if Cassandra’s head had been going to be cut off, Jane would have hers cut off too.”

As they grew up, the sisters became the closest of companions and the dearest of friends. Of particular note, Cassandra is known for her sketches and watercolor paintings, particularly those believed to be of Jane and those that accompany Jane’s History of England.

Excerpt from the History of England by Jane Austen, illustrated by Cassandra Austen, the British Library.

Cassandra and Jane

Much of what we know about Austen’s personal life is largely due to the letters Jane wrote to her sister. Though Cassandra destroyed many of Jane’s letters after her death, there is still much we can find out about the two sisters through reading Jane Austen’s letters. Cassandra’s own letters about Jane’s illness and death provide a tender glimpse into the love and closeness of the Austen sisters.

I have lost a treasure, such a sister, such a friend as never can have been surpassed. She was the sun of my life, the gilder of every pleasure, the soother of every sorrow; I had not a thought concealed from her, and it is as if I had lost a part of myself… I thank God that I was enabled to attend her to the last…

Cassandra Austen to Fanny Knight, July 18, 1817
Jane Austen by Cassandra

A Year of Cassandra

To honor Cassandra’s life and legacy, Jane Austen’s House Museum launched its “Year of Cassandra,” during which the museum will feature special events and exhibitions to celebrate her life.

If you’re like me and you want to be part of this special celebration but don’t live close enough to participate in person, the Museum is planning a “Cassandra-themed” Virtual Tour of the museum in March. The tour description is as follows: “Find out about Cassandra’s life at Chawton Cottage and discover objects related to her on a lively, fact-filled tour that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home.” You can find the details HERE.

Cassandra’s Orchard

Of special note is the commemorative orchard being planted in Cassandra Austen’s honor, which has been named “Cassandra’s Orchard.” The name itself certainly makes me want to visit Chawton Cottage again one day soon, but the descriptions are even more intriguing:

Jane’s letters to her are filled with references to plants, flowers and fruits from the orchard, now sadly lost from the grounds of the House.

We will recreate this lost orchard, using dwarf varieties suitable for growing in containers. There will be a tree for every novel, and donors’ names will be recorded on plaques for each tree. The orchard will provide blossom in the spring, delicious shade in the summer, and fruits in the autumn. We will underplant the trees with plants for pollinators, turning this empty space into a haven for people and wildlife alike.

Jane Austen’s House Museum
Cassandra’s Orchard, Photo courtesy of Jane Austen’s House Museum.

More About Cassandra

I’ve been following along with the progress of the Cassandra’s Orchard project, and I was delighted when the museum announced in December (on Jane’s birthday) that it had reached its fundraising goal. I can just imagine what a wonderful addition this little orchard will make to Jane Austen’s house.

I’m thankful for Cassandra Austen because I know that having someone who believes in you, supports you, and challenges you intellectually is important in every person’s life – but especially in the lives of writers, artists, and creatives. The very fact that she was so loved by Jane means that Cassandra must have been quite a remarkable person.

If you’d like to know more about Cassandra Austen’s life, Vic here at Jane Austen’s World has built quite the catalog of articles over the years. You can access those articles HERE. Of particular note is the article entitled, “Cassandra Austen: Jane’s confidante, supporter and helpmate” that is well worth your time.

More links about this topic:

RACHEL DODGE teaches college English classes, gives talks at libraries, teas, and book clubs, and writes for Jane Austen’s World blog. She is the bestselling author of The Little Women Devotional, The Anne of Green Gables Devotional and Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen. Her newest release is The Secret Garden Devotional! You can visit Rachel online at www.RachelDodge.com.

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Segmented Sleep: A common Phenomenon Before the Industrial Revolution

Posted in 18th Century England, Chawton Cottage, Jane Austen's World, Sleep in 18th + 19th c, Steventon, tagged , , on January 4, 2023| 8 Comments »

“[They] thrive by sleep, not long but deep”
– Welsh saying*

Recent research shows that until 200 years ago our sleep patterns followed two cycles every night. “Each block of sleep would be around four hours, with most people staying awake for two to four hours in between.” (Sleep in the 1800’s…, 2014).

In many societies interrupted sleep was so common that it was considered normal. The first awakening occurred around midnight, three to four hours after nightfall, when people in Western cultures generally went to bed due to lack of light, for most of the populace did not have the means to afford expensive candles. 

Two decades ago Roger Ekirch, a university distinguished professor in the department of history at Virginia Tech, researched sleep habits in Europe and America. He discovered many references to biphasic sleep in over 500 original sources from centuries past, such as diaries, medical texts, literature, prayer books, and even a crime report: He found descriptions written in English, Italian, French, and Latin. Sleep documentation also existed in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Latin America, with some referring back to Ancient Greece. Ekirch would uncover over 2,000 preindustrial sleep documents in his searches.

Richard Westhall, Tate
The Dream, Richard Westhall, 1765-1836
A Woman Ministering to Another, Three Weeping Children. Young: Night Thoughts null Richard Westall 1765-1836, Tate Gallery

According to sources, some individuals took the quiet time of first wakefulness to complete tasks, such as those of housewives or servants, or to write letters, or record their dreams. Others ate a small snack, chatted with a guest or spouse, read, prayed, attended to necessary bathroom needs, or made love. Individuals followed their own nightly rituals, be it alone or with someone else. 

“…it was suggested that fertility among laborers was increased due to the midnight wakefulness; men who came home physically exhausted were more likely to have enjoyment, and successful intercourse, if there was a rest period after the day’s troubles.” – The History of Sleep Before the Industrial Revolution (historycooperative.org)

Although there were many references to segmented sleep in the past, knowledge of this once common phenomenon was largely lost to the modern world. Interrupted or biphasic sleep was not practiced everywhere. The diaries of Samuel Pepys and James Boswell indicate that both men slept uninterrupted. Studies the world over mentioned a variation of sleep patterns and practices. While hunter-gatherers in Tanzania, Namibia, and Bolivia slept through the night, a rural society in Madagascar practiced segmented sleep. – (The Atlantic)

The Industrial Revolution changed sleeping patterns for Western Europeans. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, lamps filled with whale oil, kerosene, or coal gas lit streets, factories, and homes many hours beyond sunset. This increase in light both outside and inside homes and establishments affected daily habits. 

“Following experiments with coal-gas for lighting in the 1790s, gas lights now illuminate streets, house, factories and commercial properties.” –  P. 42, A Visitor’s Guide to Jane Austen’s England. 

Sue Wilkes, author of the Visitor’s Guide, discussed an 1817 article in Ackermann’s Repository that mentions improved lights in a variety of city settings, including factories. The new brilliantly lit lamps were used

“for lighting Halls, Staircases, Dining-Rooms, Drawing-Rooms, Counting-Houses, Banking-Houses, Public-Offices, Churches, Chapels, Ball-Rooms, Public Places, etc.” – Wilkes, A Visitor’s Guide,  p 42

Lamp-lit city streets (by 1807 in London and 1820 in Paris) promoted increased travel and crowd participation in nightly entertainments, including operas and gambling clubs. 

Not everyone was so affected. People living in the rural countryside and small villages still scheduled nightly events to coincide with the full moon to guide their way along unlit lanes. When visiting friends in an adjoining village, the gentry and pseudo gentry (like the Austens) would remain as overnight guests after a long event like an assembly ball, rather than to return home in the dark of the night. Thus, sleeping habits changed more slowly in areas with far flung villages – but even the people in these regions would change their bedtime behavior by the mid 19th century. 

For many, sleep transformation was sadly a result of economic necessity. Poor country folk, who were displaced from their common lands and denied access to growing their own food and feeding their animals, flocked to cities where factory owners recruited cheap labor. Their employers found no profit in 8 hour work days, and so laborers returned home after working from 10-14 hours a day, 6 days per week. They stumbled into beds for a few hours of sleep before waking and returning to work. The laborers (which included men, women and children) had no choice but to change their sleep habits. 

Yet was one long, uninterrupted sleep period possible in a factory city? The cheaply built houses (tenements) for the poor, described in excruciating detail by Ian Mortimer in his book, The Time Traveller’s Guide to Regency Britain, were located in narrow streets and had thin walls that let in the incessant noise of clattering wagons, loud conversations, and barking dogs. The squalid, overcrowded conditions, overpowering stench of rotting food, putrid effluence of backed up privies, and the constant infestation of lice and bed bugs in uncomfortable beds prevented sound sleep. Most likely these poor factory ‘slaves’ stumbled out of beds still tired. 

Sleep patterns for aristocrats and the very rich varied vastly, for these groups had the luxury of choice. For them, the cost of candles did not factor as a deterrence against staying up at all hours. They could choose to go to bed early or to stay up until dawn and sleep uninterrupted into the afternoon. Their comfortable and very expensive beds and beddings contributed to a sound night’s sleep. Unfortunately, the servants suffered. They remained at their stations to prepare their employers for bed at a moment’s notice, and arose early to anticipate their every need when they awakened. 

According to Ekirch, by the mid-1800s, prolonged uninterrupted sleep and early rising was practiced in England and America. The second leisurely sleep was now reduced to stealing a few extra minutes of shut eye before getting ready for the day. 

Jane Austen fans and scholars know that she and her sister Cassandra were practically inseparable. Anna Lefroy wrote that the two sisters shared a small sitting room that

“Opened into a smaller chamber in which my two aunts slept. I remember a common-looking carpet with its chocolate ground, and painted press with shelves above for books, and Jane’s piano…but the charm of the room…must have been…the flow of native wit, with all the fun and nonsense of a large and clever family.” (W.& R.A. Austen-Leigh, Jane Austen: Her Life and Letters, 1913.

I wonder if in rural Steventon, Jane and Cassandra experienced biphasic sleep. If so, I imagine them awakening at midnight, chatting and giggling, or discussing Jane’s progress in writing, before falling asleep again. In Chawton Cottage, where the Austen women finally settled down after years of moving from house to house after Rev. Austen’s death, the two women shared a cramped bedroom. They must have been happy, for Jane’s writing blossomed. 

There’s something magical about that first awakening in the stillness of the night. At times, when this happens to me, I go to the computer and write a few lines for this blog, or read before dropping off to sleep again. Perhaps our ancestors knew something that we’ve lost over time.

____________

*(‘They’ substituted for ‘men’)

Sources:

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Jane Austen in a Box

Posted in Chawton Cottage, Christmas, Jane Austen gifts, Jane Austen's World, Regency, Regency Life, Regency Period, Regency style, Regency World on October 10, 2022| 4 Comments »

I just received my first Jane Austen Box from Regency Marketplace, and the minute I opened it, I knew I had to share it with all of my friends here at Jane Austen’s World. This is a beautiful Jane Austen-themed experience not to be missed–and it comes right to your own front door!

Special thanks to @regency_marketplace for sending me the “Autumn At Chawton Cottage” box this month so I could fully experience it for myself! This delightful box is filled to the brim with cozy Autumn and Jane Austen-themed items! I can’t wait to put on my cute new socks and have a cup of tea!

Box Full of Surprises

Each Jane Austen Box features a range of products from items of historical interest to lovely items you can incorporate in your everyday life, edibles and fine teas to Jane Austen inspired products. All boxes also include some form of book — expand your library!!

Categories include, but are not limited to:

  • Fine Teas
  • Books
  • Candles
  • Edibles
  • Wearables
  • Items of Historical Interest
  • Jane Austen Inspired Products
  • Bath and Body
  • Home Decor
  • Writing Accessories
  • Booklovers Paraphernalia
  • And More!

Subscription boxes are delightful because there are so many surprises held within each box. Regency Marketplace does a lovely job of keeping the mystery alive. They give hints and a theme for each box, but they never show what specific items are coming in each new box. That makes it even more exciting to open when it comes in the mail!

Unboxing

One of the most exciting parts about getting any kind of subscription box is the actual unboxing. When it arrived, I was so impressed with the packaging and the beautiful box. When I opened it and saw the pretty tissue and the sticker, I almost couldn’t bring myself to open it. I snapped a picture because it felt like my birthday and Christmas had arrived all at once.

If you’d like to watch an unboxing video of me opening the box, you can view it HERE. I had a blast (and it was my first time making a video reel like it). Here’s a peek inside:

Stay Tuned

The Winter Jane Austen Box will be available for Pre-Order October 15th – November 15th, and boxes will ship in early December. Regency Marketplace offers free shipping in the US. (International flat rate shipping is also available.) These luxurious boxes sell out quickly, so mark your calendars to reserve one for yourself or for a friend.

Enjoy this box for yourself, or gift one to a friend or family member for the holidays this year! Once the Winter Theme is announced, I will post a reminder to place your orders and a coupon code.

Sample of a previous Jane Austen Box

About Regency Marketplace

Regency Marketplace is run by the lovely Christina Denton. It was envisioned many years ago as a beautiful oasis for all things Regency and Jane Austen: a place where one could escape from the breakneck pace of today’s world, and enter into an era of elegance, charm, and wit.

A lifelong love of Jane Austen and the Regency Era is the guiding influence behind Regency Marketplace. As a family-run company, they work hard to source the best products for their discerning customers and fellow Janeites! They focus on celebrating the grace and beauty of an Era so distinct that it still captivates us two hundred years later.

Is this something you would like to receive as a gift? Would you buy it for yourself or for someone else as a lovely surprise?

RACHEL DODGE teaches college English classes, gives talks at libraries, teas, and book clubs, and writes for Jane Austen’s World blog. She is the bestselling author of The Little Women Devotional, The Anne of Green Gables Devotional and Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen. Her new release is The Secret Garden Devotional! You can visit Rachel online at www.RachelDodge.com.

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Comfort in Jane Austen

Posted in Chawton Cottage, English Garden, Film adaptation, Jane Austen Films, Jane Austen's enduring popularity, Jane Austen's World, Janeites on March 15, 2022| 29 Comments »

When the world is topsy-turvy and my heart is heavy, many of us find comfort in the beauty of Austen’s novels, in the richness of the movie adaptations, and even in the thought of the lovely Hampshire countryside, secluded and beautiful, tucked away and secure.

The world inside Austen’s novels never changes. The familiar scenes and characters are always there and waiting. Elizabeth and Darcy never fail to spar and flirt in the drawing room in Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Woodhouse continues to eat his porridge and worry comfortably over the weather in Emma. And at the end of Persuasion, Captain Wentworth always sits down to write his letter to Anne Elliot.

Perhaps that’s why many of us (and why so many others throughout history) have found solace and comfort within the pages of Austen’s novels, especially during times of turmoil. And why her novels have been reprinted and translated and enjoyed around the world by so many people for over 200 years.

Familiar Faces

I find similar comfort in the film adaptations. When I sit down to watch a Jane Austen movie (or even have one playing in the background as I do chores), I love knowing just what to expect. I can’t wait to hear the music I love, listen to the accents and voices of characters and actors I adore, and watch the ever-amusing (and always touching) storylines unfold.

Sense and Sensibility, 1995.
Pride and Prejudice, 1995.
Emma, 2009.

The comfort and familiarity of Austen movies keeps us coming back for more, year after year. There are always new adaptations to enjoy and critique (because there’s nothing better than debating this Emma over that Emma with Austen friends).

Familiar Sights

And then there’s the comfort of Jane Austen’s actual world. Although I know Hampshire is a real place with its own fair share of regular, everyday life activities and stormy days, both figurative and literal (such as when Storm Eunice brought down many trees on the Chawton estate and in Mingledown Woods just last month), the England described in Austen’s novels never fades.

Jane Austen’s House Museum, 2022.

I think the charm of the setting in her books is another reason so many of us as lifelong students and fans of Austen love to learn about her life, her family, and the places where she lived and wrote. During the height of the pandemic, we all did what we could to support the historic sites in England and watched for updates whenever possible. We dreamed of the day when we might get to visit those precious sites again or for the first time. Many of us even took virtual tours so we could “be” there.

Benches Along the Way

That’s probably why I was so overjoyed when I saw the good news a few weeks ago that the bench my local JASNA regional group sponsored had been installed in the Chawton House Gardens. In fact, the entire bench project fundraising is now complete! (I know many of you have contributed in various ways to the care and keeping of the historic sites as well.) Here is a snippet of the announcement:

“This month, we are pleased to announce that thanks to the wonderful support of the North American Friends of Chawton House (NAFCH), we have received the final 17 benches donated through the ‘Share a Bench with Jane’ scheme, just in time for our Spring Flowers season.“

Photo: Chawton House. Bench, 2022.
Location 22: at the head of the Pride and Prejudice Rose Walk.

If you’d like to see all of the bench locations, you can find them HERE.

As I read through the announcement and looked through the photos, I was comforted. I thought about how peaceful it would be to sit on a bench and enjoy the garden around me. I even thought about how I should install a bench in my own small garden area.

And then I came to this lovely quote that was included in the announcement from Chawton House:

“Although the recent storms have caused significant damage to parts of the estate, these latest additions mean that visitors to Chawton House will still be able to rest among the spectacular displays of snowdrops and daffodils as we move into a warmer season.”

Isn’t that an encouraging thought? I made me think. Though storms come in this life, there are benches along the way where we can rest. When the journey is long, it’s important to stop and sit. And though some winter seasons are particularly difficult, spring always comes and bright new flowers always bloom.

Signs of Spring

I’ll leave you with that lovely thought and a few photos of the “snowdrops and daffodils” mentioned above. I hope that each of you is finding comfort in the glimpses of beauty around you, in friends and family, in faith and home, in lending a helping hand to others when you can, and in the enjoyment of Jane Austen.

Photo: Chawton House. Snowdrops, 2022.
Photo: Chawton House. Daffodils, 2022.
Photo: Chawton House. Daffodils and Snowdrops, 2022.

Your turn: What is it about Jane Austen’s novels and life that brings you comfort? Why do you think people continue to turn to her work in life’s difficult seasons?

RACHEL DODGE teaches college English classes, gives talks at libraries, teas, and book clubs, and writes for Jane Austen’s World blog and Jane Austen’s Regency World magazine. She is the bestselling author of The Anne of Green Gables Devotional: A Chapter-By-Chapter Companion for Kindred Spirits and Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen. Her newest book The Little Women Devotional just released and is available now! You can visit Rachel online at www.RachelDodge.com.

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