| There are times when I think Jane Austen and | | | | together in society, that are not written down. |
| her character Lizzie Bennet (Pride and Prejudice) | | | | Many of Jane's letters were destroyed after her |
| are more similar than one might at first think. In | | | | death by well-meaning relatives, leaving us bereft |
| letters to her sister Cassandra, Jane reveals | | | | of perhaps hundreds of juicy quotes that should |
| instances of caustic observations and remarks | | | | have both appalled and delighted us. This is an |
| (aimed at provoking a few gleeful snickers) which | | | | unmitigated shame. But here are more: |
| are reminiscent of Miss Bennet, and almost | | | | "I expect a very stupid Ball, there will be nobody |
| downright nasty. Jane was not only a family wit, | | | | worth dancing with, & nobody worth talking |
| however, but subscribed to THE " family wit"--the | | | | to but Catherine; for I believe Mrs. Lefroy will not |
| justification behind the tongue-in-cheek | | | | be there; Lucy is to go..." |
| observations that we all so love in JA. This | | | | " I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it |
| justification, I believe, found its expression in Mr. | | | | saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal." |
| Bennet and Lizzie--but I get ahead of myself. | | | | On another occasion Jane is writing some very |
| It is not surprising that Jane disliked some of her | | | | welcome news regarding the future promotions |
| acquaintance-- don't we all? But the degree to | | | | of her and Cassandra's two brothers who are |
| which she is unsympathetic makes us wonder if it | | | | serving in the Navy: She starts with: "I have got |
| was just to garner a laugh, or if her antipathies | | | | some pleasant news for you which I am eager to |
| ran even deeper-a surprising conjecture for one | | | | communicate,...." and then shares the news. Her |
| who showed such great depth of understanding | | | | next sentence is just so, well--Jane. She says, " |
| of human frailty in her novels. Let me share a | | | | There! I may now finish my letter and go and |
| few of the little pokes she took at others, which, | | | | hang myself, for I am sure I can neither write nor |
| mean in nature or not, do make one laugh. Jane, | | | | do anything which will not appear insipid to you |
| ever the wit, is fabulously expressive. | | | | after this." |
| "Lizzie Bond is just apprenticed to Miss Small, so | | | | It was important to her to be amusing, |
| we may hope to see her able to spoil gowns in a | | | | informative or entertaining, besides merely |
| few years." | | | | keeping in touch with her much-loved sibling. The |
| JA 1 Dec, 1798 to Cassandra | | | | Austens were intelligent people, and goodness of |
| "Mrs. Hall, of Sherborne, was brought to bed | | | | character, though expected, was not emphasized |
| yesterday of a dead child, some weeks before | | | | to the point where it would discourage such |
| she expected, owing to a fright. I suppose she | | | | delectably sassy thoughts. To some degree, this |
| happened unawares to look at her husband." | | | | was a reflection of the times, as letter writing |
| "I believe I never told you that Mrs. Coulthard and | | | | was considered an art, and wit a virtue. But Jane |
| Anne, late of Manydown, are both dead, and both | | | | is not trying to form the perfect letter; she is |
| died in childbed. We have not regaled Mary with | | | | writing to her sister with whom she was intimate |
| this news." [Mary was Jane's sister-in-law, who | | | | and honest. |
| was expecting at the time. Not to tell her was a | | | | Intimations of Eternal Wit |
| kindness, but the way she words it here is | | | | Intimations of the Austen's familial influence of |
| definitely a "poke."] | | | | attitudes are seen in the Bennet family when |
| Note that she doesn't say, "sad news", or "poor | | | | Lizzie is in her father's study, and Mr. Bennet is |
| Mrs. Coulthard and Anne." This is the real Jane, | | | | vastly amused by a letter which purports that Mr. |
| speaking unguardedly to her sister and making no | | | | Darcy is planning to offer for Elizabeth. "Are you |
| effort to "sound nice" for anyone else. She would | | | | not amused?" he asks, expecting his daughter to |
| probably have told the news quite differently to | | | | join in his appreciation of what he believes to be |
| other ears. But this is the point: that within Jane's | | | | ignorant misinformation. Listen carefully to his next |
| family, one was quite expected to be a bit, well, | | | | words: "Is that not what we live for?" he asks, |
| cynical. Would the word, 'jaded' be going too far? | | | | completely in earnest. "To laugh at others and in |
| Perhaps. Jane wanted to amuse her sister in her | | | | our turn, be laughed at as well?" Lizzie nods |
| letters, and no doubt Cassandra is shaking her | | | | weakly in agreement--she has always agreed with |
| head with us, a knowing smile on her lips as she | | | | this in the past--but she is not at all in the state |
| reads, but there is a very real streak of | | | | of mind to either laugh or be laughed at, anymore. |
| unrepentant glee in JA's treatment of some | | | | This penchant for garnering a laugh at other's |
| people. | | | | expense is so ingrained that when Mr. Darcy visits |
| Here's another snippet: | | | | Lizzie (after the scandal involving Lydia and |
| "Charles Powlett gave a dance on Thursday, to | | | | Wickham is famous), she guesses that he has |
| the great disturbance of all his neighbours, of | | | | come "to triumph over her." No other motivation |
| course, who, you know, take a most lively | | | | seems possible to her, when in fact, Mr. Darcy is |
| interest in the state of his finances, and live in | | | | there to do anything but. |
| hopes of his being soon ruined." | | | | Back to our author. At the end of a letter to her |
| In this case it is Mr. Powlett's neighbors that Jane | | | | sister which she has written on Christmas Day, |
| takes a stab at, but it must be noted that she | | | | 1798, Jane says, "You deserve a longer letter |
| does so with such sarcasm as to underscore her | | | | than this; but it is my unhappy fate seldom to |
| exaggeration. She is having fun while she writes, | | | | treat people so well as they deserve.... God bless |
| and one can only imagine all the little such gems | | | | you!" |
| and observations the two sisters shared when | | | | And yet, Jane, we love you anyway. |