They didn’t say that…did they? Modern sounding Regency era expressions
Modern sounding Regency era expressions that would throw most readers (and writers) for a loop
Continue reading →Category Archives: Regency Life
The Pianoforte of Jane Austen’s day
What was the pianoforte and how did it feature in Austen’s works? The pianoforte so often featured in Jane Austen’s works was essentially the same instrument we know today as the piano. The instrument first came into being about 1700, by Bartolomeo Cristofori of Padua who cared for the harpsichords of the Florentine court. He developed an instrument similar to a harpsichord that allowed the instrument to be played both soft and loud (the meaning … Continue reading →
The Gentlemanly Professions
What options did the younger sons of the gentry have when choosing a profession.
Continue reading →Naval Officers: Self-made gentlemen
Naval service was different than the other branches of the military, and naval officers different than army officers.
Continue reading →Regency era Holiday Gift Giving
Gift giving in Jane Austen’s Day. What might she have given or received for Christmas? Though gift giving was not the primary focus of the Christmastide season, gifts were commonly exchanged. St. Nicholas Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Twelfth Night were the most likely days for gift exchange. Old traditions called for gifts to be exchanged on New Year’s Day. Many gifts exchanged were gifts of obligation between unequal parties. Landowners and the well-off … Continue reading →