For the Love of Austen

“IT is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of someone or other of their daughters.” - Pride and Prejudice

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Jane Austen. What a legend. Today I had the opportunity to take a sneak peek into my biggest hero's beautiful, yet very short life. I got to go to the house that she shared with her mother and sister in Chawton. This is the house in which she spent the last eight years of her life. This is the house in which Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey, and Sense and Sensibility were revised and then Published. This is also the house where Persuasion, Emma, and Mansfield Park were entirely written. This house holds so much literary history. In a house like that, full of so much history you cannot help but just stand there and look around in silence. As I looked at her writing desk I couldn't help but grieve the fact that we were not alive at the same time. I also grieved the fact that even if we were around at the same time we would not have actually known each other. As I walked around her house and went into her bedroom I could not help but tear up a little bit. A dream come true to be able to walk around JANE AUSTEN'S house. I still cannot believe it.

Jane Austen's Headstone

After spending a good three or so hours at Miss Austen's abode we moved onto Winchester, one of my favorite towns. But this town is also the final resting place of Jane. I got to go to Winchester Cathedral; I saw an 11th century bible that was hand-written by a single benedictine monks, and I got to see where Jane Austen is buried. I saw her headstone and the memorial for her. What a beautiful and emotional day. My respect and admiration for Jane Austen grows more and more everyday. I am so thankful for my sister, who introduced me to the works of Miss Austen at a young age. My life has never been the sam.e.

I would now like to end this post by quoting my favorite Jane Austen novel, Persuasion. If you have yet to read it, I HIGHLY recommend it.

With all the love and Jane Austen Novels in the world,

A Jane Austen Fanatic Xx

'I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone, I think and plan. Have you not seen this? Can you fail to have understood my wishes? I had not waited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I think you must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instant hearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of that voice when they would be lost on others. Too good, too excellent creature! You do us justice, indeed. You do believe that there is true attachment and constancy among men. Believe it to be most fervent, most undeviating, in
F. W.

'I must go, uncertain of my fate; but I shall return hither, or follow your party, as soon as possible. A word, a look, will be enough to decide whether I enter your father's house this evening or never.'

-Persuasion

Welcoming 2013: Natalie Style

Every year I choose not to make New Year’s resolutions because I know that I am incapable of making them last all year, or even until the end of January. There is that little problem, and then the fact that I do not like to label anything that I do. So instead of making a New Year’s resolution this year, I have one goal for 2013. Hopefully this goal is attainable. I think it will be.

My goal for 2013 is to read all the books on my Kindle. I do not know about you, but since I bought my Kindle I have this bad habit of getting the free classic books, and never reading them. I have 125 books on my kindle so far and I think I have read maybe 10. Pathetic, I know. So here I go: My goal for 2013, reading all the books on my Kindle. I will try to blog when I finish a book. I hope if you made a New Year’s resolution or 2013 “goal” that you will be able to stick with it until the end of the year. Just think, only 362 days left.

With all the Love and Books in the World,

Natalie Xx