Category: Persuasion (novel)

EP90: The Thing About Captain Wentworth's Letter with Margaret H. Willison

5/21/2024

Anne Elliot has just received a very important letter, and we are all overcome. This episode we're joined by guest Margaret H. Willison of Not Sorry Productions as we unpack Captain Wentworth's letter to Anne, aka the letter to end all letters. If you have ever been half agony, half hope, this episode is for you.

Thank you so much to Margaret for joining us for this discussion! You can follow her on Instagram @MrsFridayNext and subscribe to her newsletter at twobossydames.substack.com. You can learn more about everything mentioned by Margaret at the following links:

Ep81: The Thing About Gold Paper

12/14/2023

This episode we're closing out the year with a visit to the homey confines of Uppercross Hall. There's a large group of children assembled, and festive merriment is afoot. Break out your favorite scissors and your glue of choice — it's time to get crafty with gold paper.

We'll be back with a new episode in 2024!

Selected Sources

Burgess, Miranda. “Jane Austen on Paper.” European Romantic Review 29, no. 3 (May 4, 2018): 365–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/10509585.2018.1465696.
Clarke, Hewson, and John Dougall. The Cabinet of Arts: Or, General Instructor in Arts, Science, Trade, Practical Machinery, the Means of Preserving Human Life, and Political Economy. T. Kinnersley, 1817.
Dyer, Serena. Material Lives: Women Makers and Consumer Culture in the 18th Century. London ; New York: Bloomsbury Visual Arts, 2020.
Ketzer, Roswitha. “Metallic Paper: Its Manufacturing Process and Comparing Analysis.” Journal of Paper Conservation 21, no. 1 (January 2, 2020): 12–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/18680860.2020.1716928.
Saint Louis University Special Collections. “Dutch Gilt Paper · The Binder’s Art.” Special Collections Past Exhibits. Accessed November 29, 2023. https://pius.slu.edu/special-collections-exhibits/exhibits/show/binder-s-art/decorative-papers/dutch-gilt-paper.

From Ketzer's article: Nine pamphlets with gold paper covers (The British Library, RB 23.a.4296, RB 23.a.4292, RB 23.b.455)

EP80: The Thing About the Pump-Room

11/30/2023

There's nothing like a refreshing drink of mineral water under the watchful gaze of Beau Nash to get your day off to the right start. This episode we're headed to the pump-room in Bath to partake of the finest water on offer. And we promise that we actually do wash our glasses. Please exit on the left, and don't forget to tip your pumper.

Also, we have merch! Check out www.redbubble.com/people/aboutausten/shop to see the current offerings.

Selected Source

Eighteenth-Century Political Participation & Electoral Culture. “Bath: Constituency (Borough).” ECPPEC. Accessed November 18, 2023. ecppec.ncl.ac.uk/case-study-constituencies/bath/.
Haddon, John. Bath. London: Batsford, 1973.
Historic England. “Grand Pump Room, Non Civil Parish - 1394019.” Accessed November 18, 2023. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1394019.
Lane, Maggie. A Charming Place: Bath in the Life and Times of Jane Austen. Bath: Millstream Books, 1988.
———. Jane Austen’s England. London: Hale, 1996.
Lynch, Deidre. “Notes.” In Persuasion, by Jane Austen, edited by James Kinsley. Oxford World’s Classics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.
Murray, Venetia. An Elegant Madness: High Society in Regency England. New York: Penguin, 2000.
Nicolson, Nigel. The World of Jane Austen. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1991.
Savage, J. The Original Bath Guide, Considerably Enlarged and Improved, Comprehending Every Species of Information That Can Be Required by the Visitor and Inhabitant, Etc. J. Savage; Meyler & Son, 1811.
The Historic & Local New Bath Guide: Forming a Complete Pocket History of Bath (with a Map). J. Browne, 1802.
The Improved Bath Guide; Or, Picture of Bath and Its Environs. Wood & Cunningham, 1809.
Thicknesse, Philip. The Valetudinarians Bath Guide: Or, the Means of Obtaining Long Life and Health. 2nd ed. London: Dodsley, Brown, Pratt, and Clinch, 1780.

Ep75: The Thing About Sir Walter's Looking-Glasses

9/15/2023

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest baronet of all? Sir Walter is busy gazing at his own image, so we're here to chat 18th-century mirrors. Join us this episode as we reflect upon the significance of Sir Walter's many looking-glasses and have ourselves a glasswork gabfest.

Selected Sources

Auerbach, Nina. “O Brave New World: Evolution and Revolution in Persuasion.” ELH39, no. 1 (1972): 112–28. https://doi.org/10.2307/2872293.
Brodey, Inger Sigrun. “Persuasion and Persuadability: When Vanity Is a Virtue.” Persuasions 15 (1993): 235–44.
Hadsund, Per. “The Tin-Mercury Mirror: Its Manufacturing Technique and Deterioration Processes.” Studies in Conservation38, no. 1 (1993): 3–16. https://doi.org/10.2307/1506387.
Kaplan, Laurie. “Sir Walter Elliot’s Looking-Glass, Mary Musgrove’s Sofa, and Anne Elliot’s Chair: Exteriority/Interiority, Intimacy/Society.” Persuasions On-Line25, no. 1 (2004). https://www.jasna.org/persuasions/on-line/vol25no1/kaplan.html.
Maxwell, Christopher. “People in Glass Houses: The Polished and Polite in Georgian Britain.” In In Sparkling Company: Reflections on Glass in the 18th-Century British World, 39–68. Corning, NY: The Corning Museum of Glass, 2020.

Ep66: The Thing About Anne's Bloom

4/27/2023

What is bloom? And can you purchase it at Sephora? This week we're taking a look at the broader historical and cultural context surrounding Anne's bloom in Persuasion. If you have ever had your bloom restored by a brisk walk on the Cobb, this episode is for you.

Selected Sources

Charmantier, Isabelle. “Linnaeus and Race.” The Linnean Society, September 3, 2020. https://www.linnean.org/learning/who-was-linnaeus/linnaeus-and-race.
Eddleman, Stephanie M. “Past the Bloom: Aging and Beauty in the Novels of Jane Austen.” Persuasions 37 (2015).
King, Amy M. Bloom: The Botanical Vernacular in the English Novel. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.
Lynch, Deidre. “Introduction.” In Persuasion, by Jane Austen, edited by James Kinsley. Oxford World’s Classics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.
Müller-Wille, Staffan. “The Love of Plants.” Nature 446, no. 7133 (March 2007): 268–268. https://doi.org/10.1038/446268a.
Sturrock, June. “Dandies, Beauties, and the Issue of Good Looks in Persuasion.” Persuasions 26 (2004).

Ep59: The Thing about the Bath Assembly Rooms

1/21/2023

Catherine Morland has arrived in Bath, and she is ready to be introduced to a man with a keen knowledge of muslin. This episode we explore both the Upper and Lower Assembly Rooms, including breaking down the role of the Master of Ceremonies, aka Bath's best matchmaker.

Selected Sources

Berg, Maxine. Luxury and Pleasure in Eighteenth-Century Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.
Byrne, Paula. “‘The Unmeaning Luxuries of Bath’: Urban Pleasures in Jane Austen’s World.” Persuasions 26 (2004): 13–26.
Chambers, Ephraim. Cyclopedia: Or, an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences. Vol. 1. London, 1728.
Kingsbury, Pamela D. “Assembly Rooms.” In Oxford Art Online, by Pamela D. Kingsbury. Oxford University Press, 2003. https://doi.org/10.1093/gao/9781884446054.article.T004633.
Lane, Maggie. A Charming Place: Bath in the Life and Times of Jane Austen. Bath: Millstream Books, 1988.
New Bath Guide or Useful Pocket Companion for All Persons Residing at or Resorting to This Ancient City. Bath: R. Cruttwell, 1791. https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_New_Bath_Guide_Or_Useful_Pocket_Comp/y65ayAEACAAJ?hl=en.
Stabler, Jane. “Cities.” In Jane Austen in Context, edited by Janet Todd, 204–14. Cambridge University Press, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316036525.020.
Thompson, Allison. “The Rules of the Assembly: Dancing at Bath and Other Spas in the Eighteenth Century.” Persuasions On-Line 31, no. 1 (2010). https://www.jasna.org/persuasions/on-line/vol31no1/thompson.html.

Ep55: The Thing About Mrs. Croft at Sea with guest Maria Petrillo

11/21/2022

It's the Napoleonic Wars, and you're married to an admiral of the Royal Navy. This episode we're joined by guest Maria Petrillo of the Mystic Seaport Museum to discuss the intrepid Mrs. Croft and what it was like to be a woman living on board a naval ship in Austen's time.

Thank you so much to Maria for joining us for this episode! You can find her on Instagram @maria_anne18. You can learn more about the Mystic Seaport Museum by visiting www.MysticSeaport.org, and you can follow them on Instagram @mysticseaportmuseum.

Ep52: The Thing About Bath's Baths

10/13/2022

Grab your floating potpourri and come along for this dip into the history of Bath and its waters, as this episode we are diving into the baths in Bath. If you have ever wished that towel service was included, this episode is for you.

And, as promised, here is a snippet from the 1987 Northanger Abbey when Catherine attends the baths.

Selected Sources:

Historic UK. “Bath.” Accessed September 27, 2022. https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/Bath/.
Bradely, Ian. “Why Is 18th-Century Bath Considered the Model for Modern Day Spas?” Literary Hub (blog), January 22, 2021. https://lithub.com/why-is-18th-century-bath-considered-the-model-for-modern-day-spas/.
Lane, Maggie. A Charming Place: Bath in the Life and Times of Jane Austen. Bath: Millstream Books, 1988.
———. Jane Austen’s England. London: Hale, 1996.
Le Faye, Deirdre. Jane Austen: The World of Her Novels. London: Frances Lincoln, 2003.
Stabler, Jane. “Cities.” In Jane Austen in Context, edited by Janet Todd, 204–14. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316036525.020.
The Original Bath Guide, Considerably Enlarged And Improved ; Forming An Indispensible Pocket Companion For The Visitor And Inhabitant. Meyler, 1818.
“The Roman Baths in Bath- A Deep Dive into Britain’s Ancient History - World History Encyclopedia.” Accessed September 27, 2022. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1427/the-roman-baths-in-bath--a-deep-dive-into-britains/.
Tillyard, S. K. Aristocrats: Caroline, Emily, Louisa, and Sarah Lennox, 1740-1832. London: Chatto & Windus, 1994.

Ep49: The Thing About the Bath Paper with guest Barbara Heller

9/24/2022

We are joined this week by guest Barbara Heller to discuss the Bath paper aka the Bath Chronicle. We cover Sir Walter's favorite “Arrived Here” column, as well as diving into other details of the paper of choice for Regency Bath society.

Barbara also chats with us about her new edition of Persuasion and her process for curating the various letters and ephemera included with the novel. Thank you so much to Barbara for joining us for this episode! You can find her website at www.barbaraheller.org and follow her on Instagram @barbarahellerletters.

Episode content warning: Brief passages from the Bath Chronicle are read where accidental death is mentioned, including that of a child (starting around minute 5:45).

Ep44: The Thing About Gowland with guest Dr. June Oh

7/28/2022

Sir Walter is offering free beauty consultations, but we have some serious questions about this Gowland product that he won't stop recommending. Thankfully, guest Dr. June Oh is here to help us sort substance from scam. If you have ever regretted a cosmetic purchase, this episode is for you.

Thank you so much to June for joining us for this episode! You can find her on Twitter @JuneOh_.

Note: While Sir Walter refers to the product in question as Gowland, it was frequently marketed and advertised as Gowland's or Gowland's Lotion. We have stuck with Austen's spelling for our title but use the names interchangeably in the episode.

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