Tag Archives: Cassandra

An aunt is a ‘person of consequence’

CassandraAusten-FannyKnight

CassandraAusten-FannyKnight (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jane was close to her siblings and her siblings’ children. Her first nieces, Fanny and Anna, held a special place. Fanny was “almost another sister”.

Jane Austen took being an aunt seriously. When writing to a younger niece Caroline, in her later life she says, Continue reading

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Filed under Family, Uncategorized

What about Cassandra’s first and only love?

English: Silhouette of Cassandra Austen (1773-...

English: Silhouette of Cassandra Austen (1773-1845), sister of Jane Austen (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

More successful  than Jane’s first love but with a tragic outcome was Jane’s sister Cassandra‘s  love affair with Tom Fowle. Tom was a friend of the family having spent time as a pupil in Mr George Austen’s school. In some ways these young adults grew up together. The school was part of the house and George Austen’s pupils  joined the Austen family, both the brothers and the sisters in family life.

Cassandra became engaged to Tom in 1792, but there was no money and so rather than a marriage, Continue reading

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Filed under Romance and Marriage

Jane and the Prince Regent

Prince Regent, Future George IV / Prince régen...

Prince Regent, Future George IV / Prince régent, futur George IV (Photo credit: BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives)

An interesting story about Jane, highlighting her modern credentials, is her diplomatic wrangling of dedicating Emma to the Prince Regent. Apparently he had enjoyed the previous Austen books, had copies in his homes and was happy for Jane to dedicate her next novel to him. Jane could not politely refuse to dedicate her book to the Prince Regent when it was suggested. But she was unequivocal Continue reading

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Filed under Feminism