A gentleman’s education set him apart from lesser men, even in his early life. What did that education look like? In all well-regulated states, the two principal points in view in the education of youth, ought to be, first, to make them good men, good members of the universal society of mankind; and in the next place to frame their minds in such a manner, as to make them most useful to that society to … Continue reading →
So, we know that Mrs. Bennet set an excellent table, but what would it have been like having dinner at Longbourn? You are all a’twitter as you have been invited to take dinner with the Bennets at Longborn today. But being a gal of the 21st century, it’s a little difficult to know what to expect, but never fear. I’m here to help! One of the important things to realize about the Regency era is … Continue reading →
#37 Belly Rubs Anyone who has ever lived with cats understands that belly rubs are a dangerous and often uncharted territory. Cats are not like dogs, make no mistake. When a dog rolls over and shows you a belly, it is clear, your sworn duty as a human being is to pet and pat said belly. Clear and simple. No confusion there. But when a cat shows you its belly it is an entirely … Continue reading →
What made circulating libraries so important to not just Jane Austen, but Georgian era women in general and what was the role of the humble Regency era novel in the whole affair? James Fordyce, in his Sermons to Young Women, counsels strongly against novels, the very sort of books offered by local and easily accessible circulating libraries. (Despite the face he had not read them, of course. But I digress…) He declared: What shall we … Continue reading →
The Temple of Muses–jaw dropping bookseller of Jane Austen’s time. The Temple of Muses Billed as the “Cheapest Bookseller in the World,” the Temple of Muses enjoyed a reputation as being one of the biggest booksellers of the day. Run by Lackington Allen & Company at No. 32, Finsbury Place South, in Finsbury square from 1778-1798, the book store would publish catalogs ranging from twelve thousand to over thirty thousand titles. (Kind of makes the … Continue reading →