Our Jane Austen Party

Welcome to my second annual

 Jane Austen Party

The house has been decorated…….I brought down all the heart garlands that you’ve seen in my studio.

  I was still in the bustle of preparations as my guests arrived.  We had lovely food, heavenly cocoa, and sweet punch. After eating we presented a dramatic reading, ‘The Visit’ by Jane Austen, from her juvenile works. We also read two short scraps, also from Jane’s juvenile writings, which can be found below.

We then danced a bit. Needing more room than the piano room can offer, this year we pulled furniture out of the family room and had room for five couples to stand up together. Our English country dancing was relatively successful, even if our space was still rather confined.

 

Visitors brought their own additions to paste into ‘Emma and Harriet’s book of Love Poems’. After the book was assembled we all admired it, guessed at some of the riddles, and then had a drawing to see which lucky participant would win it.

 

 

 

 

  Pictures of the book’s ‘courtship’ page I made, and below are more pictures of the event, thanks to a few lovely young ladies who were very willing to pose for us. I’m regretting that I didn’t get pictures of the whole group. I had some enthusiastic friends and family here to enjoy the day, I just didn’t pick up my camera often enough. But here are just a few more. Thanks for visiting!

    

Two short works by Jane Austen:

THE ADVENTURES OF
MR. HARLEY

A short, but interesting Tale, is with all imaginable Respect inscribed to Mr. Francis William Austen, Midshipman on board his Majesty's Ship the Perseverance by his Obedient Servant

THE AUTHOR

MR. HARLEY was one of many Children. Destined by his father for the Church & by his Mother for the Sea, desirous of pleasing both, he prevailed on Sir John to obtain for him a Chaplaincy on board a Man of War. He accordingly cut his Hair and sailed.

In half a year he returned & set-off in the Stage Coach for Hogsworth Green, the seat of Emma. His fellow travelers were, A man without a Hat, Another with two, An old maid, & a young Wife.

This last appeared about 17, with fine dark Eyes & an elegant Shape; in short, Mr. Harley soon found out that she was his Emma & recollected he had married her a few weeks before he left England.

A Tour through Wales --
in a Letter from a young Lady --

MY DEAR CLARA

I HAVE been so long on the ramble that I have not till now had it in my power to thank you for your Letter. -- We left our dear home on last Monday month; and proceeded on our tour through Wales, which is a principality contiguous to England and gives the title to the Prince of Wales. We travelled on horseback by preference. My Mother rode upon our little pony, & Fanny & I walked by her side or rather ran, for my Mother is so fond of riding fast that She galloped all the way. You may be sure that we were in a fine perspiration when we came to our place of resting. Fanny has taken a great many Drawings of the Country, which are very beautiful, tho' perhaps not such exact resemblances as might be wished, from their being taken as she ran along. It would astonish you to see all the Shoes we wore out in our Tour. We determined to take a good Stock with us & therefore each took a pair of our own besides those we set off in. However we were obliged to have them both capped & heelpeiced at Carmarthen, & at last when they were quite gone, Mama was so kind as to lend us a pair of blue Satin Slippers, of which we each took one and hopped home from Hereford delightfully --

I am your ever affectionate

Elizabeth Johnson.

(Thank you for visiting my tea party! –Lynnae)