In Defense of Mrs. Elton
He had gained her with such delightful rapidity - the first hour of introduction had been so very soon followed by
distinguishing notice; the history which he had to give Mrs. Cole of the rise and progress of the affair was so glorious
- the steps so quick, from the accidental recontre, to the dinner at Mr. Green's, and the party at Mrs. Brown's - smiles
and blushes rising to importance - with consciousness and agitation richly scattered - the lady had been so easily
impressed - so sweetly disposed - had, in short, to use a most intelligible phrase, been so very ready to have him, that
vanity and prudence were equally contented.
Emma
Before Mrs. Darcy's Dilemma, Diana Birchill took pen in hand to defend her favorite Austen character, Mrs. Augusta
Elton. She, like Jane Austen, felt Emma to be a character that no one but the author "could much like". She felt that
Augusta was misrepresented. Misunderstood. Her firm and decisive nature, her wish of pleasing those she was with taken as
pretension and ill-breeding. Deciding to right past wrongs, Ms. Birchill has written a trilogy of books describing Mrs.
Elton's Courtship, defending her actions in Highbury, and finally, relating her adventures abroad amongst the "Heathen
Americans".
While Birchill's dialogue might fail in a few places, her prose is amusing and explanations, ponderable. Two of these
books are available to read online, free of charge. The third, the recently published, Mrs. Elton in America can
be purchased from Amazon.co.uk. To learn more about the author and her
other works, visit her website: Diana Birchill.com.
The Courtship of Mrs Elton
Augusta Arrives in Bath
Frank Churchill first saw Miss Woodhouse in February; and February was also the month which witnessed the meeting of Mr.
Elton and Augusta Hawkins in Bath. There was little hope of finding much society in Bath at such a season, but even in
the short and gloomy days of February, Augusta figured to herself that she would be more in company, and seen by more
persons of elegance, than could happen at her uncle's lodgings in Birmingham, or in the retirement of Maple Grove. If a
young woman does not find a husband at home, she must venture father afield; and fortunate it was for Augusta, that in
her eight or nine years of young ladyhood, she had contrived a network of friends and acquaintances who were all alive
with eagerness to welcome her, as the most desirable guest there could possibly be. Any fee for such service as they
provided was trifling, hardly worth mentioning; and Augusta would have paid much more than the sum she gave to Mrs.
Partridge, for the privilege of making her home in Bath during the tedious winter weeks that must intervene until she
might have hopes of the spring campaign.
Mrs. Partridge was upon the watch, and as soon as Augusta was fairly seated in her front parlour, and the man-servant had
conveyed her trunk upstairs to the best bedroom, her hostess was ready to recite her catalogue of personages in Bath who
might be worth the attentions of a Miss Hawkins. Mrs. Partridge was a plump, bustling body, whose widowed state did not
prevent her from being fond of gossip. If she was reduced to making shift to live by the expedient of taking in a boarder
or so, they were never given that name, and were always of the very best sort; and now that she had married off her
daughter, Miss Clara, to a fine gentleman who served in an attorney's office, and was known to Miss Hawkins' uncle, she
had no more pressing business than to find a husband for Miss Hawkins herself.
This triumphant daughter, Mrs. Jeffreys, was also arrived to welcome Miss Hawkins, together with her two bosom friends,
the Miss Milmans, the younger of whom was in that happy and superior state of being engaged before her elder sister. The
whole party greeted their visitor with cries of delight, and urged that she would refresh herself by drinking a dish of
tea; but it was hardly brought, before the important subject of matrimonial affairs had already been fairly thoroughly
canvassed...
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In Defense of Mrs. Elton
Mrs Elton has been so kind as to send us a letter which we offer as a foreward to her book:
A LETTER FROM MRS. ELTON
I see how it is, upon my word! I am to be so absolutely popular among you all, that I am never to have a disengaged day.
I thought it would be that way; I told Mr. E., when Mrs. Birchall awoke us, that this was treating me as ought to be
done, as I am the chaperon of the party. Diana is a sweet girl, and knows very well what is due to Me; but I very much
fear that she is nobody at all, herself - a mere Newbie. I cannot find that she has been on this list since before
Thanksgiving, whereas I have been here since 1814. She does not even pretend to have ever been acquainted with The
Creator. There is a note in The Letters that Miss Austen - dear Jane - did know a Robert Birchall, but he was a mere
music-publisher in New Bond Street, and even if poor Diana's husband is a descendant of his (which I very much doubt),
they would not be people one could visit, you know. And there is no saying who she was before her marriage, though much,
to be sure, may be suspected. However, I must not cavil at the person who has brought me back, for I have lived long
enough in the world to know its worth, and I do not chuse to leave it again. That Miss Moody, though, is not quite the
thing. She is more Miss Woodhouse's friend than I could like.
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Mrs. Elton in America
Mrs. Elton goes farther! Crossing the Atlantic Ocean with her caro sposo and children, she enjoys high comedic adventures
in Boston and New York society, makes a sobering visit to a Southern slave state, and sojourns among the Comanche
Indians. It’s no wonder her trip to America is the talk of Highbury…
Jane Austen Centre Contributor Ellen Moody calls it, "A polished virtuoso performance...it will surely entertain lovers
of Austen's work and women's travel writing alike."
List Price: £11.50
Publisher: Egerton House Publishing
ISBN: 1905016018
Laura Boyle creates custom made hats, bonnets, reticules and other Regency Accessories for Austentation a Regency Fashion
History site and Boutique.
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