In the 18th and 19th centuries, women were extremely limited in their options, and one false step could literally ruin them. In MY LADY SCANDALOUS The Amazing Life and Outrageous Times of Grace Dalrymple Elliott, Royal Courtesan, by Jo Manning, we read of a woman whose choices were frequently (to say the least) unconventional. There is no doubt that Grace Dalrymple’s life story is extremely colorful, ranging from her love life to her time in France where she may have obtained useful information for her country. However, what made this book fascinating to me were the many notes, sidebars, quotes, illustrations and comments that illuminate Mrs. Dalrymple’s story. This book is full of historical snippets, anecdotes and explanations that bring many of the personalities, and the era itself, to life. It also highlights just how limited the choices were that women had, and how devastating the wrong choices could be. Grace’s life was frequently not a particularly comfortable life, and she died alone, in obscurity. Her story certainly provides some insight to the difficulties that someone like Eliza or Young Eliza in SENSE AND SENSIBILITY would face as a result of their poor decisions. (Very few rose to the heights (?) that Grace did in her hey-day, after all.) It is very well-written, and is an excellent source of period information for any one interested in the Georgian period.
Sincere Appreciation
I believe that one of the most satisfying things is to share an appreciation of something you love with someone else. Both people get the opportunity to express just what aspects of the loved object is pleasing and why, which leads to a thoroughly enjoyable conversation. A case in point is a book by Richard Jenkyns, titled A FINE BRUSH ON IVORY An Appreciation of Jane Austen. In his acknowledgements, Mr. Jenkyns indicates that this book stems, at least in part, from conversations he had had. This is a very readable book, in which he discusses various questions about Jane Austen’s writing. This is not a detailed comprehensive analysis of each of Austen’s works, but is a fluid essay on aspects on her writing, characters, etc. that apply to all. I enjoyed Mr. Jenkyn’s book enormously because it made me think about why I enjoy Austen’s books so much. I have subsequently reread PERSUASION, and believe that my pleasure in this story has been enhanced by the thought process generated by reading A FINE BRUSH ON IVORY. I highly recommend it.