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For the discussion of all things Austen, and a great deal more.
Can anyone recommend a good Jane Austen forum? - 4 months ago
I mean, one which has a current, lively discussion, preferably with hundreds of followers, treating Jane Austen as a serious writer. Since Austen Underground went underground, I can't find one. Dwiggie is good, but it has about four regular readers. There are numerous sites catering for such deep questions as "Who is JA's hunkiest hero?" or "What do you think of the latest Netflix adaptation?",by alibom32378 - Tea Room
Re: Are there two (or even three) sketches of Addisonian hyper-pigmentation? - 4 months ago
Since posting the above I have had the opportunity to look at the Byrne sketch under similar conditions, ie, high magnification with moderate de-noising. This also shows evidence of hyper-pigmentation with some differences of pattern: (1) the whole of the forehead is darkened in Byrne, but the dark patch extends below the right eye, lower than in JSC. On the upper eyelid, the abrupt transitionby alibom32378 - Tea Room
Are there two (or even three) sketches of Addisonian hyper-pigmentation? - 4 months ago
Has anybody noticed that the Cassandra (CEA) sketch and the Stanier Clarke (JSC) sketch BOTH show evidence of Addisonian hyper-pigmentation? High-resolution images of these sketches are disappointingly difficult to find online, but do your best. Bring them up side-by-side on your screen and use heaps of magnification. Experiment with noise reduction, if your viewer has it; it helps a lot. I wby alibom32378 - Tea Room
Was James Stanier Clarke trying to seduce Jane Austen? - 4 months ago
On 15 November 1815 Jane Austen writes to James Stanier Clarke to clarify the protocol governing the dedication of Emma to HRH (Letter 125). Clarke responds next day with the required information (Letter 125, 16 Nov), and ends with a very interesting postscript: "P.S. I am going for about three weeks to Mr Henry Streatfeilds , Chiddingstone Sevenoaks - but hope on my return to have the honour ofby alibom32378 - Tea Room
Richard Musgrove - 5 months ago
If you are familiar with Jane Austen's letters, you will know that she had a bit of a thing about the name Richard. Of one acquaintance with that name, she notes that his marriage is postponed, presumably until he has found himself a better christian name. Another time, she suggests that she would accept any John or Thomas rather than a particular Richard. All three are contemporary south-of-Enby alibom32378 - Tea Room
Re: Was Charlotte Lucas Gay? - 5 months ago
I thank the authors of the two replies which my post has received so far - but forgive me if I express the opinion that they don't quite address the issue I raised. For example, we know that Charlotte is 'content' with her lot. We expect her to be, because Lizzie tells us she is a rational person, and she undestands that marriage to Mr Collins is the best hand life is going to deal her. She undby alibom32378 - Tea Room
Re: Something JA (bless her) did not understand about sex... - 5 months ago
I'm sorry, Alida, but as a matter of medical science, you are wrong. Many men begin to suffer age-related impotence from their 40's on. The problem may be intensified by various environmental factors, many of which you can probably guess, for example: lack of exercise; unhealthy diet; smoking; excessive alcohol consumption; and (whisper it) emotional abuse perpetrated by a spouse - somethinby alibom32378 - Tea Room
The Mansfield Park Silhouette - 5 months ago
Is the MP silhouette an image of Jane Austen? I've found scattered arguments for and against. There are many data to evaluate but, like a good jigsaw puzzle, it's not initially obvious how they fit together. I'd like to suggest a way they might form a coherent picture. I'd appreciate your comments and any relevant links you might be aware of. Arguments in favour: 1. The Missing Piece We poby alibom32378 - Tea Room
Rational Woman - 5 months ago
Most Janeites know that Jane Austen's favourite authors included Burney, Edgeworth, Johnson, Richardson. There is one author whose influence, I contend, has been generally understimated, acknowledged only by a few of the more perceptive commentators, and directed the course of Jane Austen's creative thinking all of her life. I refer to Mary Wollstonecraft. Jane Austen was familiar with 'A Vindiby alibom32378 - Tea Room
Re: Lady Susan - is it worth reading? - 6 months ago
Postscript. Why should we regard Lady Susan as a product of the mature Jane Austen? Because she wrote out a whole fair copy on paper watermarked c.1806. This would have entailed a considerable investment of effort and expensive notepaper. Had she wished to make only minor alterations - delete or add a few letters, edit some others - a cut-and-paste approach would have been more efficient and eby alibom32378 - Tea Room
Was Charlotte Lucas Gay? - 6 months ago
I posted this message, originally, on another website which is now defunct. Comments were few. I post it again here in the hope of fresh commentary. Did Jane Austen conceive of Charlotte Lucas as a lesbian? The next time you dip into P&P, carefully examine every conversation, every transaction, every authorial comment involving Charlotte, and ask yourself: could this woman be in love with Elby alibom32378 - Tea Room
Something JA (bless her) did not understand about sex... - 6 months ago
Mr Knightley fell in love with Emma when she was 13 years old. He was 30 at the time. In most jurisdictions today, that is pedophilia; but we overlook that, because it was no such thing in Jane Austen's time, when the legal age for female marriage was 12. This was only pragmatic; a girl might become pregnant at that age; there had to be a path to respectability, and avoidance of the taint ofby alibom32378 - Tea Room
Re: Lady Susan - is it worth reading? - 6 months ago
Whew! Only just now noticed that this site lists replies in most-recent time order, which is opposite to other forums I have been used to. Please carry on, while I pour myself another glass of Chardonnay.by alibom32378 - Tea Room
Re: Lady Susan - is it worth reading? - 6 months ago
Sorry, I seem to have accidentally posted my reply twice, due to crappy internet speeds in my area. Apologies to all. Moderators, please feel free to delete the duplicate. I will take the opportunity to apologise also to Sunnnie - I did not observe that there are three n's. Jane Austen would not have made the same mistake.by alibom32378 - Tea Room
Re: Lady Susan - is it worth reading? - 6 months ago
Sorry, should have put three n's.by alibom32378 - Tea Room
Re: Lady Susan - is it worth reading? - 6 months ago
Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! Lady Susan is grossly understimated. You rightly point out, Sunnie, that it is very different to the six narrative novels. The traditional Janeites have never understood it; it makes them squirm; they are only too happy to relegate it to the Juvenilia, where they can safely ignore it and pretend it isn't the real "Auntie Jane". Let's not be polite about it: Lby alibom32378 - Tea Room
The Cassandra Sketch - 6 months ago
The Cassandra sketch is famously the only frontal image of Jane Austen we have. A number of commentators have said this Jane is seriously annoyed. She resents being made to sit still while her sister draws her likeness. Defensive, cross, she folds her arms and stares sulkily into the distance. Apple sauce. It is too far out of character, for both women. Would Cassandra force her sister to sitby alibom32378 - Tea Room
Do NOT underestimate Eliza de Feullide! - 6 months ago
There is a consensus among Jane Austen commentators that Eliza de Feullide was a mental lightweight, an airhead; "vain and frivolous" and "giddy" are adjectives I have seen. What a sad failure of critical judgement that is! A woman who - risking the guillotine - bluffed her way out of Revolutionary France, with a lame-duck English husband in tow! An assignment worthy of James Bond himself. Sheby alibom32378 - Tea Room