Visitors to Jane Austen Country
The Hindu has a charming article (despite some slightly tortured syntax) about traveling to Jane Austen’s House Museum in Chawton, Hampshire.
At a cursory level Chawton house represents just the home of a simple writer. A deeper exploration reveals an insightful peak into the private world the author resided in. Viewing all the mementoes, the memorabilia, the flotsam and jetsam of the writer made the narrative theme of her stories come alive. I could almost imagine Emma or Elizabeth (two of Austen’s liveliest heroines) come bounding down the steps or airing their point of view.
We were bemused by the discussion of lunch at the pub across the road:
What could be termed as Chawton High Street had six or seven shops and a bar incongruously named “Gray Fares Bull”. Most from the museum gravitated there. There was raucous cacophony inside the bar. It was clear that the talks centred on Jane Austen. Somebody was reading aloud from Emma. Another argumentative voice lamented why Mansfield Park did not get its due. Yet another voice aggressively dismissed all the movies based on Austen’s books as candyfloss where the wit and irony of the writer were completely lost.
Inevitably, we got drawn into the vigour of the infectious moment. Fortunately, I had my slim folder of favoured readings. One of our group members read an extract from Pico Iyer’s lyrical essay titled “Jane Austen in Calcutta” (The essay was a review of Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy). An elderly English teacher remarked that words of writers do not need visas and immigration stamps; they travel ever so effortlessly.
We almost had lunch at the pub; we will definitely have to stop in there next time! (There’s also a tea room, Cassandra’s Cup, but sadly it was closed the day we visited.)
May 28th, 2006 at 12:32 pm
I am a rookie at the computer. In what book by Kipling are The janeites mentioned. ( I know that this is not the page to ask this, but could not figure out how to go about)
May 28th, 2006 at 8:19 pm
“The Janeites” and a sweet poem called “Jane’s Marriage” are in Debits and Credits by Kipling.
May 28th, 2006 at 8:21 pm
Hi. For future information, you could post at the Molland’s forum if you have a general question. We do prefer to keep discussions on the blog as on-topic as possible.
The answer to your question is that it is not in a book but a short story by Kipling called “The Janeites.” It was first published in the magazine The Storyteller and later included in the anthology Debits and Credits and I think it might be in some other collections as well. Or you could read it online.
May 28th, 2006 at 8:21 pm
Heh. Simultaneous posting.
May 29th, 2006 at 5:57 am
Oh Mags – thanks! I’ve been trying to find an online version of that story for ages!