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Another Idealized Image of Jane?

August 25, 2007 by Vic


Online Texts and Journals, University of Pennsylvania

In closely viewing this rendering, I sense a “Victorian” influence around the lips and eyes. I am going on nothing more than my gut instinct and background in art.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged |

On Becoming a Gentleman: Lord Chesterfield’s Letters to his Son

August 25, 2007 by Vic

Next to good-breeding is genteel manners and carriage, and the best method to acquire these is through a knowledge of dance. Now to acquire a graceful air, you must attend to your dancing; no one can either sit, stand or walk well, unless he dances well. And in learning to dance, be particularly attentive to the motion of your arms for a stiffness in the wrist will make any man look awkward. If a man walks well, presents himself well in company, wears his hat well, moves his head properly, and his arms gracefully, it is almost all that is necessary.

One can imagine that Mr. Darcy’s and Mr. Bingley’s deportment and good breeding in Pride and Prejudice reflected the etiquette and manners described by Lord Chesterfield in his letters to his sons dating from 1737. Although Samuel Johnson derided these letters for teaching “the morals of a whore and the manners of a dancing-master,” their collections were published and became well known during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Influenced by his own neglect as a child, Lord Chesterfield began to write the letters to Philip, his illegitimate son by a Dutch governess, when the boy was only five years old. When Philip turned twenty-five, Lord Chesterfield’s godson (another Philip) was born. Lord Chesterfield continued to send advice to this boy as well. Though quite illuminating about a father’s expectations of his son’s deportment, these letters were private and were never meant to be read publicly. (Bartleby.com) However, Lord Chesterfield’s advice remains fascinating, and much of what he related in them still holds true today. Regardless of what one might think of the information contained therein, the letters provide a fascinating insight into the manners and etiquette of the a gentleman in the 18th century:

Many people lose a great deal of their time by laziness; they loll and yawn in a great chair, tell themselves that they have not time to begin anything then, and that it will do as well another time. This is a most unfortunate disposition, and the greatest obstruction to both knowledge and business. At your age, you have no right nor claim to laziness; I have, if I please, being emeritus. You are but just listed in the world, and must be active, diligent, indefatigable. If ever you propose commanding with dignity, you must serve up to it with diligence. Never put off till tomorrow what you can do to-day.

Read the letters and about Lord Chesterfield in the following links:

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Prinny’s Carlton House Set

August 23, 2007 by Vic

I’ve written posts about the Prince Regent and his lavish lifestyle before. Click here, here and here to read a few of them. The Prince’s association with Jane Austen is minor but crucial: He admired her novels, and she dedicated Emma to him.

The conventional wisdom is that Austen tried to squirm out of the tribute to the Prince. Was it “incumbent on [her] to shew her sense of the Honour” by dedicating her forthcoming novel to His Royal Highness? she asked Clarke. “It is certainly not incumbent on you” to do so, he responded, “but if you wish to do the Regent that honour either now or at any future period, I am happy to send you that permission which need not require any more trouble or solicitation on your Part” (16 November 1815). – Colleen A. Sheehan, Jane Austen Society of North America

Aside from his admiration of Jane Austen, this extravagant, dissolute prince was known for sponsoring major building and park projects that transformed London, including the renovations of Carlton House in London and the sumptuous Pavilion at Brighton. Both were designed in the neoclassical and Gothic styles we’ve come to associate with the Regency era’s furnishings, fashion, and architecture.

Carlton House, sumptuously decorated in the height of fashionable Francophile taste in line with the prince’s Whig sympathies by the important architect Henry Holland (1745–1806), was the setting for a series of the extravagant parties which the prince so loved to give, culminating in the famous Carlton House fete in 1811 on his appointment as Regent. The dazzled Thomas Moore wrote to his mother about this fete, detailing the delights of the indoor fountain and the artificial brook that ran down the centre of the table, and concluding, ‘Nothing was ever half so magnificent. It was in reality all that they try to imitate in the gorgeous scenery of the theatre’ (quoted in Hibbert, 1973, p.371). (A Prince at Seaside, Learning Space)

(Image from Old London Maps)

You can view some of the rooms at Carlton Hose, such as the crimson drawing room, in this link to Decorative Arts and Design History in this link.


Blue Closet, Carlton House, The Royal Collection

The Prince Regent’s friends were also known as the ‘Carlton House Set.’ Read a detailed description of the Prinny’s high roller friends in this link: The Prince Regent and His Set from the Georgian Index.

From left to right depicted are the Earl of Sefton, The Duke of Devonshire, Lord Manners, “Poodle” Byng, Byng’s poodle (name unknown), and the Duke of Beaufort.

Post script: Today is the one-year anniversary of this blog! Since early April of this year, over 20,000 of you have dropped by to visit, and I want to thank you for your support.

Posted in jane austen, Jane Austen's World, Regency Life, Regency style, Regency World | Tagged , , , |

Seen on the Blogosphere: Jane Austen Musicals

August 19, 2007 by Vic


Rounds enjoy a wonderful tradition in music. One of my favorites is “Row, row, row your boat.” My most recent favorite round is the information going around the blogosphere about Jane Austen musicals. Here then are a few items of interest.

  • Jane’s Austen’s Emma Becomes a Musical, San Francisco Chronicle: Pride and Prejudice, the musical is mentioned at the end of this article: In Mill Valley, composer-lyricist Rita Abrams and author Josie Brown have put “Pride and Prejudice” to music and are using their Web site, http://www.prideandprejudicemusical.com, to attract a theatrical producer. The complete song available this week is Changing World, when Jane falls ill and must stay at Netherfield. The song is sung by Bingley and Jane, who are falling in love, and Darcy, who is bewitched by Elizabeth’s fine eyes, and Elizabeth, who is hopeful for Jane. It’s a lovely tune, full of the pathos of falling in love with a little fear and trepidation.



Posted in Music review |

Becoming Jane

August 17, 2007 by Vic

This weekend I am going to see Becoming Jane, which has finally come to our city. In my small Janeite group people are skeptical about the film. “What are the chances that Hollywood’s take on her life will be accurate?” asked one. “I don’t see how they can make an entire movie about a minor youthful romance,” said another. “I didn’t like that last (2005) interpretation of Pride and Prejudice,” remarked a third, “so I don’t hold out much hope that this movie will be any better.”

“Anne Hathaway?”” I asked, my artist’s sensibilities slightly ruffled and offended at this mismatch of visual cues. Seeing Anne’s dramatic, gorgeous features disguised as Jane Austen, and watching her romp about the country side like a frisky young filly and making moon eyes at the actor playing Tom Lefroy in previews, well, it all seems anachronistic to me. In fact, to my eyes, watching Anne as Jane is like watching a parrot disguising itself as a thrush. Both birds are beautiful in entirely different ways.

I like my Jane Austen just as she is, thank you, no more and no less. In fact, I rather like the quiet, mysterious side of her and I don’t need to see her life glammed up by Hollywood types whose main mission in creating a film is the bottom line. So I will see this movie with some trepidation.

Nevertheless, I’ll try to see Becoming Jane with open eyes, since so many people are reporting that they like it and because it has garnered a number of good reviews, but something deep inside tells me to remember as I watch, “It’s only a movie.” As for my review of Becoming Jane, don’t expect to see it soon. I intend to see the film twice and will take my time digesting what I have seen before writing my opinion.


Links to Becoming Jane

Did you intend to jump onto the Becoming Jane bandwagon, only to have stumbled across my quiet site? Here are some important links:

  • Becoming Jane Fansite: An unabashed fan site of the film that contains an enormous amount of information about the movie and actors, and speculations about Jane’s romance with Tom.

Posted in Movie review |

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