Top Ten Random Bits of 2019
Continuing with a bit of a retrospective. Which posts here have been the most popular of 2019?
May I offer for your reading pleasure…
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To Be an officer and a Gentleman
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Don’t Serve Coffee from a Chocolate Pot
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Rectors and Vicars and Curates
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Wedding Ceremonies in Jane Austen’s day
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Looking out for a Young Woman’s Future
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Wedding Dresses in Jane Austen’s Day
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Joining the Gentry
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Making Introductions in Jane Austen’s World
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Chocolate Cups and Trembleuse Saucers
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To Be An Accomplished Lady
Once again you have given us a lot to think about.
1. Officer and a gentleman: I think Wickham could have made this work… had he been so inclined. He wouldn’t have to go to war… all he had to do was behave himself.
2. In describing the china, I keep seeing that scene in Northanger Abby with Catherine holding that large cup when they were before the fire. I wondered if it was chocolate or coffee.
3. Curates: I don’t think Sir Walter Elliot thought much of curates. His comment about the Somerset family was a good indicator. Not a gentleman in his opinion.
4. I don’t think I’ve read a story where the term ‘marriage lines’ was used in the text. Wow! I can see where that would be important.
5. The whole time I was reading this account of a woman’s future, I kept thinking of Mrs. Dashwood and then she was mentioned. That whole business seemed to place Mr. Dashwood in the same light as Mr. Bennet. He should’a, could’a, would’a, didn’t provide for his family.
6. **** The title was Wedding Cakes except the link took us to Wedding Dresses. Poor Mr. Woodhouse and his aversion to cake.
7. Joining the Gentry was a hard business. Poor Caroline was trying so hard to separate herself from the stench of trade. Her best hope was acceptance and intermarriage.
8. Introductions. Poor Mr. Collins… what a boob. General Tilney asked Thorpe to introduce him to Catherine Morland but did not ask to be introduced to M/M Allen. I thought that was interesting.
9. I love the pictures of the beautiful china. I agree completely that the china with the phoenix and dragons would be a lovely gift to D&E from the Blue Order Office. Yeah, that was a great find and a great idea.
10. Boarding Schools: didn’t Jane Austen and her sister have problems with going to a school that wasn’t so great. Didn’t they have to come home due to illness? Seems like I remember reading something like that.
Thanks for this insightful post. I love the research in these items.
J.W. Garrett, you did such a good job summarizing, that I will only comment on Mr. Collins. He definitely messed up on introductions due to his feelings of inflated self-importance.
Maria Grace, Your industry amazes me. Thanks for sharing all your research, your time, your hard work and knowledge with us. I don’t find time to read everything but I do know that it will be a wealth of information when I do.