“When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.”
The ever-Alert Baja Janeite sent us a link to purchase Jane Austen-related accoutrements for your dollhouse: a miniature Pride and Prejudice and The Life and Works of Jane Austen (with illustrations!!!). We cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library (even that of a dollhouse family) in such days as these.
(And parenthetically, check out the Bath Circus Dollhouse–wow! Gorgeous, and correspondingly expensive, but again–wow!)
March 26th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
I just checked this site for dogs. Although eight different breeds are available, a pug is not one of them!
March 26th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
When i read the title for this blog i just thought Oh My God! Thats exactly what i always say… i HAVE to have a great library in my house. hope it actually happens! =D
March 27th, 2008 at 6:45 am
I do have my Jane Austen Action Figure on my bookshelf. She’s next to my Bobby Nystrom and Mike Piazza bobbleheads.
March 27th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Julie,
You can see it at:http://edificeref.info/?p=36
There is a bobblehead Jane Austen figure as well. Just in case you want to complete your collection!
March 27th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
My Jane Austen action figure sometimes hangs out with my Bruce Wayne and Superman action figures. She’s learning how to use her poison-tipped quill pen to fight crime with the boys.
Also, I am madly in love with the Bath Circus dollhouse.
March 27th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
I too love the title pitty it is a Caroline Bingley quote. If it was from Lizzy it would be priceless but since it came from those lips we have to take it as a skeptic. But I will be needing some of those books for my own library! : )
March 28th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Are you sure? I thought that was a Darcy quote?
March 28th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Yup, it’s that great book-lover, Miss Bingley: it’s in Chapter 11 of P&P:
Miss Bingley’s attention was quite as much engaged in watching Mr. Darcy’s progress through his book, as in reading her own; and she was perpetually either making some inquiry, or looking at his page. She could not win him, however, to any conversation; he merely answered her question, and read on. At length, quite exhausted by the attempt to be amused with her own book, which she had only chosen because it was the second volume of his, she gave a great yawn and said, “How pleasant it is to spend an evening in this way! I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! — When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.”
March 28th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Not a Darcy quote. Darcy already has a fine library that is the work of several generations. It’s Caroline who tells Charles that she wants one.
March 28th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
My Jane Austen action figure stands on one of my bookshelves next to my Doctor Who action figure and his K-9 pal. It’s no Pug, but still adorable for a tin can on wheels
March 28th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Here is a copy of the section, right?
“I am astonished,” said Miss Bingley, “that my father should have left so small a collection of books. — What a delightful library you have at Pemberley, Mr. Darcy!”
“It ought to be good,” he replied, “it has been the work of many generations.”
“And then you have added so much to it yourself, you are always buying books.”
“I cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library in such days as these.”
“Neglect! I am sure you neglect nothing that can add to the beauties of that noble place. Charles, when you build your house, I wish it may be half as delightful as Pemberley.”
That looks like Darcy’s line to me. I suppose it doesn’t really matter, but I hate being wrong.
March 28th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
I believe that this is the section that the line comes from. It is in chapter 11:
“Miss Bingley’s attention was quite as much engaged in watching Mr. Darcy’s progress through his book, as in reading her own; and she was perpetually either making some inquiry, or looking at his page. She could not win him, however, to any conversation; he merely answered her question, and read on. At length, quite exhausted by the attempt to be amused with her own book, which she had only chosen because it was the second volume of his, she gave a great yawn and said, `How pleasant it is to spend an evening in this way! I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! — When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.’”
March 28th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
I took the quotation in the title from Chapter 11, as Maria L. and Ashley have pointed out (had to rescue Maria’s comment from the spam filter–sorry!), and then the “neglect of a family library” from Chapter 8, which was the part that Tina quoted. Sorry for the confusion! But they are two different scenes, yes.
March 28th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Mags, I am wounded my comment ended up in the spam file. Quoting Austen must be a very dangerous thing indeed…