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12.20.2013

Book Beginnings: Love and Friendship by Jane Austen


This is a meme hosted by Rose City Reader.  They ask that you post the first line(s) to the book you are currently reading and share some feelings on the book.  I'm tweaking this a bit and I'm going to share first lines of books/stories, written by, about, or in the theme of Jane Austen.

My pick for this week is not a book in itself, but it is one of my favorite works from Jane's collection of Juvenilia.

Letter the First from Isabel to Laura

How often, in answer to my repeated intreaties that you would give my Daughter a regular detail of the Misfortunes and Adventures of your Life, have you said "No, my freind, never will I comply with your request till I may be no longer in Danger of again experiencing such dreadful ones."

Surely that time is now at hand. You are this day 55. If a woman may ever be said to be in safety from the determined Perseverance of disagreeable Lovers and the cruel Persecutions of obstinate Fathers, surely it must be at such a time of Life.

Isabel.

Letter 2nd Laura to Isabel

ALTHO' I cannot agree with you in supposing that I shall never again be exposed to Misfortunes as unmerited as those I have already experienced, yet to avoid the imputation of Obstinacy or ill-nature, I will gratify the curiosity of your Daughter; and may the fortitude with which I have suffered the many afflictions of my past Life, prove to her a useful lesson for the support of those which may befall her in her own.

Laura.

And so begins this story.  You can find the full text at The Republic of PemberleyJane Austen's Love and Friendship

6 comments:

  1. ENJOY your book...thanks for sharing. I am not a Jane Austen Fan, but this sounds good.


    Enjoy your weekend.

    There is a free download of A Christmas Carol on my blog courtesy of Atria Books if you want to stop by.

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My Book Beginnings

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    1. I suggest people try her Juvenilia. It's slightly different than her later works since she was a teenager when she wrote them. I also find them funny but still with her wit.

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  2. I've enjoyed reading Jane Austen, but I have to be in the right mood! If there's a lot going on in my life, I want to shake her and say, "Get on with it!" But when there's time to savor the writing, it's definitely worthwhile. I enjoyed your post today.
    My Book Beginnings/Friday 56 post features MAGGIE'S TURN.

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    1. I feel the same way, I'm not always in the right frame of mind to read her work. I have the Jane-A-Day: Five Year Journal and I will say having that little bit of Jane each day is enough.

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  3. This is great! Thanks for participating. And for posting on facebook with a hashtag -- extra points!

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Hi Janeites! Thank you for visiting our website. We invite you to comment on our content. Of course, Lady Catherine would believe us all to behave like gentlemen and ladies, so please let us not disappoint her.

Also, please leave comments in English, as only Lady Catherine, had she ever studied a foreign language, would be a great profient enough to read such comments. (Merci! Arigato! Gracias!)