“Strawberries, and only strawberries, could now be thought or spoken of”
Alert Janeite Heather L wrote to tell us that the July issue of Smithsonian magazine has an article about a horticulturist developing new species of strawberries, that unsurprisingly (and quite appropriately) quotes from Emma.
From the 16th to the mid-19th centuries, the musk strawberry—known as moschuserdbeere in Germany, hautbois in France and hautboy in England—was widely cultivated in Europe. In Jane Austen’s Emma, guests at a garden party rave about it: “hautboy infinitely superior—no comparison—the others hardly eatable.”
That was Mrs. Elton, we think, in one of the many truly brilliant passages in that novel.
Mrs. Elton, in all her apparatus of happiness, her large bonnet and her basket, was very ready to lead the way in gathering, accepting, or talking–strawberries, and only strawberries, could now be thought or spoken of.–”The best fruit in England–every body’s favourite–always wholesome.–These the finest beds and finest sorts.–Delightful to gather for one’s self–the only way of really enjoying them.–Morning decidedly the best time–never tired–every sort good–hautboy infinitely superior–no comparison–the others hardly eatable–hautboys very scarce–Chili preferred–white wood finest flavour of all–price of strawberries in London–abundance about Bristol–Maple Grove–cultivation–beds when to be renewed–gardeners thinking exactly different–no general rule–gardeners never to be put out of their way–delicious fruit–only too rich to be eaten much of–inferior to cherries–currants more refreshing–only objection to gathering strawberries the stooping–glaring sun–tired to death–could bear it no longer–must go and sit in the shade.”
Yes. Brilliant.
June 25th, 2006 at 6:35 am
Oh I so love strawberries and they are such a sexy fruit don’t you think?