Thursday, July 28, 2005

Words I Learned from Jane

Alacrity-speedy willingness
Acquiescence-agreement
Volubility-speaking incessantly
Deportment-demeanor
Officious-domineering
Tractable-easily handled, docile
Invective-strongly attacking words
Censure-reprove, harsh criticism
Diffidence-shy, lacking self confidence
Forward-bold in manner, presumptuous
Verdure-green vegetation

I love summer's verdure. I have indulged my sunny days in the gardens of Mansfield Park. Perhaps on another, I can wrap myself in the stylized foilage of Emily Carr.

One of the possible results of growing up with censure is diffidence. Invective speech can cause fear in a child that even as an adult is hard to leave behind.

The acquiescence of a tractable character is easier to obtain than with a officious one. The domineering person dismisses others' ideas while the tractable person is easily convinced. Officiousness dearly seeks the company of the manageable.

To some, I am voluble. I speak non-stop. That I could speak with alacrity would be surprising to others. They see only the quiet and diffident deportment. They could not imagine that I am capable of being forward, as I am with my close friends, speaking sometimes when I ought not.

I hope I do not forget these felicious words; they are fun to play with.

5 comments:

L'envoi said...

Pray tell, Carol, what thinks you in one or two sentences of the Austen proposition:

"It is a truth univerally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

Recently, there was a broadcast on the cable telly, "Mansfield Park." Did you see it?

Austen is still widely read these days in English lit classes. Come cruch times, students are still downloading her major novels from my Austen website.

Anonymous said...

Do you have an Austen website???
Yes, I have internet connetion!! More on that later.

Regarding your quote-I love Jane's satire. Of course, every rich man must want a wife or so thinks the available woman.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I have not seen "Mansfield Park" on tv but plan on renting the British movie (1990's) again now that I am finished the novel. Perhaps this is the same version.

Anonymous said...

My Jane Austen Books Website

This Austen website was written with the IE browser HTML language way before the advent of the Firefox browser. It is then, best to view the site with the IE browser. If viewed with Firefox, the index will not "glide" over the background picture thus diluting the intended effect of the design. A petty vanity on this programmer's part, to be sure.

Also, the user of the Firfox browser may not have the right plug-in installed to play the embedded MIDI file.

As for your response to the Austen proposition, "Touché!" :)

L'Envoi

Carol said...

Hello l'envoi,
Thanks for sending me your Jane Austen site. I am so pleased to find another fan of hers especially one with a male viewpoint.
I loved the music on your site too.
I didn't download any of the novels for I have almost all of them listed, but I have only read Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield...
We watched the movie tonight. It starred Frances O'Connor as Fanny. That reminds me, a movie review...