1 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:17,920 Speaker 1: You're listening to Part Time Genius, the production of Kaleidoscope 2 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 1: and iHeartRadio. Guess what, Mango? What's that? Well? 3 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 2: All right, let's say I invite you over for ice 4 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 2: cream and give you a dessert spoon to eat it with. 5 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:33,199 Speaker 2: I also offer you coffee from a coffee urned. So 6 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:34,919 Speaker 2: who would we be celebrating here? 7 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,200 Speaker 1: Mango? Can I have another clue? 8 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:40,159 Speaker 2: Sure, if you don't want a coffee, I'll serve you 9 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:43,480 Speaker 2: tea with a tea ladle, which. 10 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:46,199 Speaker 1: Sounds nice, but I still have no idea what you're 11 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: talking about. 12 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 2: You get one more clue, Mega, You know I never 13 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 2: get more than three clues. So I'm throwing this party 14 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 2: for someone who's two hundred and fiftieth birthday just so 15 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 2: happens to be on December sixteenth. 16 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:59,279 Speaker 1: Jane Austen nailed at mango, You're so smart. 17 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 2: According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Austin was the first 18 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:05,480 Speaker 2: person to use these terms in writing. She didn't necessarily 19 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 2: coin them, but she definitely helped codify them. For example, 20 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:11,320 Speaker 2: the dessert spoon first appeared in a letter she wrote 21 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:13,959 Speaker 2: back in eighteen oh eight. Apparently no one had ever 22 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 2: bothered writing about dessert spoons before. In fact, the OED 23 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 2: credits her with around two hundred different words, and they 24 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 2: run the gamut from the verb to chaperone. The noun 25 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 2: existed before that, but she verbed it. Have you ever 26 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 2: verbed something? 27 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:27,400 Speaker 1: I have? 28 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 2: Pretty impressively. So to the phrase if I've told you once, 29 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 2: I've told you one hundred times, which I think is 30 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 2: like the eternal mom phrase. Right, that's pretty amazing that 31 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 2: what Austin actually wrote was if I have spoken once 32 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 2: to Rebecca about that carpet. I am sure I have 33 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 2: spoken at least a dozen times, but you know it's 34 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 2: the gist. 35 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, that carpet. Second, well, thank you to Jane Austen 36 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 1: for all of those terms. But uh, you know, I 37 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: definitely used the if I've told you once a bit, 38 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: quite a bit, but I don't really talk about coffee 39 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 1: earns something. 40 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 2: No, not me either, but it's just nice to know 41 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 2: they're out there. But today we have eight more facts 42 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 2: about the Great Jane Austin in honor of her two 43 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 2: hundred and fiftieth birthday, So let's dive in. Hey, their 44 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 2: podcast listeners, welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm Will Pearson, 45 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 2: and as always i'm here with my good friend Mangesh 46 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 2: hot Ticketter and over there in the booth just brooding 47 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 2: on a more as our friend and producer Dylan Fagan, 48 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 2: just brooding. 49 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: It is remarkable how you fit that more backdrop into 50 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: that booth, and also just how brooding he looks. He 51 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,079 Speaker 1: really does it well, so will. Today is a very 52 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 1: special birthday celebration of Jane Austen. And I'm cure, are 53 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:02,639 Speaker 1: you a fan? Like, were you familiar with her work 54 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 1: before we started working on this episode? 55 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 2: Don't you feel like there was sort of mandatory two 56 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 2: three Jane Austen titles in AP English. 57 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: I don't know that I could recite much. 58 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 2: From them at this point, but I know we read 59 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 2: a decent amount, how about you. 60 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean I have definitely skimmed Jane Austen. I 61 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: don't know if I've read Jane Austen, but my mom 62 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 1: was a huge fan, so she and my sister had 63 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:29,519 Speaker 1: not only read everything, but like also watched every single 64 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 1: PBS and BBC adaptation and there's so many of them, 65 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 1: and then all the movies of course, and then the 66 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 1: variations like A Clueless and whatever. 67 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, but I do feel like she's one of those 68 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 2: authors that you read too young in life. 69 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: Right, Yeah, let's make a commitment. 70 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 2: Let's return to Jane Austin after this episode in our sixties, 71 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 2: right exactly. 72 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 1: But I actually remember this one time. I was in Washington, 73 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 1: DC and I was riding the Metro and I saw 74 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 1: this guy who had clearly just worked out and was 75 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 1: coming from the gym. And he looked roided up to me, 76 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 1: and he was like wearing a tank top, and he 77 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 1: looked really gruff, and he was like tatted up, and 78 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: he seemed so intimidating. But I could tell he was 79 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: reading a book. And you know, I'm a curious cat. 80 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 1: There are also like so many people on the train 81 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: that I was like kind of like poking around trying 82 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:20,600 Speaker 1: to figure out what he was reading. And I finally 83 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 1: caught a glimpse of the cover and it was Emma. 84 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:27,559 Speaker 1: But it's perfect. You're totally profiling this guy a picture. 85 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 2: You actually like climbing up over his muscles to see 86 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:30,480 Speaker 2: the book. 87 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: I remember thinking I like this guy more now. Yeah, 88 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 1: you know, anyway, let's get back to the fact. So 89 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 1: one thing I did not realize is that Jane Austen 90 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:45,040 Speaker 1: only completed six novels in her lifetime, oh way, and 91 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:49,280 Speaker 1: four of these were actually published anonymously, but she finished 92 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: all her books in the same location, a place called 93 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 1: Chotten Cottage. Chotten Cottage is located, unsurprisingly in Chotten, Hampshire, 94 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: which is a small village. It's around fifty miles or 95 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,919 Speaker 1: so sod of London, and Jane lived there with her mom, 96 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: her sister and her friend for eight years. This was 97 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 1: from eighteen oh nine until she died at the age 98 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:10,920 Speaker 1: of forty one in eighteen seventeen. 99 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:13,480 Speaker 2: Now I noticed you said finished her novels there. Does 100 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 2: that mean she started them somewhere else? 101 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: She did. She wrote the first drafts of three of 102 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,919 Speaker 1: her novels, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility in north 103 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: Anger Abbey at Steventon House, the country home where she 104 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 1: was born, but she finished those and also Mansfield Park, 105 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 1: Persuasion and Emma all at Chotten and Shotten is actually 106 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: a must visit spot for Austin fence. It is maintained 107 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:39,280 Speaker 1: as her house museum and much of it has been 108 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: restored to look like it would have been in the 109 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: early eighteen hundreds. The museum also holds many of Jane 110 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:48,280 Speaker 1: Austin's possessions like her jewelry, the first editions of her books, 111 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:52,160 Speaker 1: and one of my favorite things is the twelve sided 112 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:54,359 Speaker 1: wooden table where she worked at. 113 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 2: Gotta Love a Good Dodeca Gone Right, And besides writing 114 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:01,560 Speaker 2: these novels and letters at that she probably also used 115 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:04,360 Speaker 2: it to copy down some of her favorite piano scores. 116 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 2: You know, the Austin family and especially Jane, they were 117 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 2: super into music. In twenty fifteen, scholars at the University 118 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 2: of Southampton digitized most of the Austin family music books 119 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 2: collection and made them available to the public. So they're 120 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 2: around twenty volumes of music, and seven of them belonged 121 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 2: specifically to Jane, including titles like Songs and Duets and 122 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 2: Juvenile Songs and lessons for young beginners who don't know 123 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 2: enough to practice. That sort of reminds me of Derek 124 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:34,920 Speaker 2: Zulander's Well was School for kids who don't read good 125 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 2: sort of thing. This one's probably a little better than that. 126 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 2: But she actually copied out by hand. 127 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: That's amazing. So this means she actually played piano. 128 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 2: She did, and this was a pretty common thing at 129 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 2: the time, like the piano was considered an instrument that 130 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 2: a woman of certain statures should know how to play, 131 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 2: you know, to entertain a husband or potential guest. Jane, however, 132 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:57,039 Speaker 2: did not play for company, but she did like to 133 00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 2: practice in the morning before anybody else woke up. 134 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:03,480 Speaker 1: So what sort of stuff was she jamming on before 135 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 1: anyone could wake up to hear it? Well? 136 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,480 Speaker 2: The family collection includes a lot of popular composers at 137 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 2: the time, like friends Joseph Hayden, as well as you 138 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 2: know folk songs like the Groves of Sweet Myrtle with 139 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 2: lyrics by Scottish poet Robert Burns. There's also some naval songs, 140 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 2: which makes sense. Jane had two brothers who served in 141 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:24,560 Speaker 2: the British Navy, and a song called Crazy Jane that 142 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 2: scholars believe may have been actually a family joke. Now, 143 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 2: Jane may have played nursery rhymes for her nieces and 144 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 2: nephews and sang for them too. According to her family, 145 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 2: she had a really nice singing voice, so even if 146 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 2: she didn't perform them in public, music was a big 147 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 2: part of her life. Some experts actually say it influenced 148 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 2: her writing too, like the rhythm of her language. You 149 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:46,280 Speaker 2: can imagine that being the case. 150 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, I believe that it's so funny though, like that 151 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 1: she has a nice singing voice, like I've never thought 152 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:54,800 Speaker 1: about Jane Austen's voice. Yeah yeah, And she could have 153 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 1: like a terrible singing voice or ara, like, it wouldn't 154 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 1: have been something I thought about. Worn out. But you know, 155 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 1: I'm going to dedicate this next fact to Dylan, who's 156 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 1: still over there rooting bad. It's terrible, But it turns 157 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 1: out that mister Darcy, the love interest of Elizabeth Bennett 158 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 1: and Pride and Prejudice, may have been inspired by a 159 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 1: real life nobleman that Jane knew. So as a side note, 160 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 1: I know mister Darcy is a beloved figure, So let 161 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 1: me just issue the big caveat that all of this 162 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 1: is conjecture and it's really on the part of Jane 163 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 1: Austen scholars. So I should also say there have been 164 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 1: many possible contenders for this honor through the years, including 165 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 1: a young, good looking and absolutely broke Irish law student. 166 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: His name was Thomas Lefroy, whom Jane met in the 167 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: late seventeen hundreds. It is unclear if they ever dated 168 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 1: in the current sense of the term, like they made 169 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 1: have gone on walks with things like that, but they 170 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: definitely exchanged flirtatious letters, and whatever their situationship was. It 171 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: ended when Lefroy married a rich heiress instead. 172 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:01,760 Speaker 2: Oh wow, Well, I'm not sure he deserved her anyway. 173 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 1: I know I don't think you did. More recently, doctor 174 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 1: Susan Law, a writer and Austin aficionado, came to believe 175 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 1: that Darcy may have been based on a guy named 176 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: John Parker, more commonly known as Lord Boringdon. Now Jane 177 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: knew Lord Boringdon through his second wife, Francis, who was 178 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 1: a close friend of hers, but the word, at least 179 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 1: in Southern England was that everyone kind of knew Lord 180 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: Boringdon because of his very scandalous first marriage. 181 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 2: Okay, so you're saying Lord Boringdon was actually pretty interesting. 182 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:37,959 Speaker 1: He definitely had a reputation as a ladies man. Before 183 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,200 Speaker 1: he got married, he had a long and open affair 184 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 1: with a married woman named Lady Elizabeth Monk, but she 185 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 1: wouldn't leave her husband for him. So Boringdon, who was 186 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: in his thirties at this point, went ahead and married 187 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 1: an eighteen year old named Augusta Faine. But after a 188 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: couple of years he started cheating on Augusta with a 189 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 1: ballerina he'd met, and meanwhile, Lady Elizabeth was also back 190 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 1: in the picture because she was still unwilling to fully 191 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:04,319 Speaker 1: cut things off with Lord Boringdon. 192 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 2: Man, that's pretty juicy, And. 193 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: It actually gets juicier because young Lady Augusta, she's aware 194 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:14,320 Speaker 1: her husband is, you know, Tom catting about, so she 195 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 1: starts having an affair with a guy named Sir Arthur Paget. 196 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 1: And in a weird twist, Paget's brother is married to 197 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:25,959 Speaker 1: one of Lady Elizabeth's daughters. But even more scandalous than 198 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: that is that Paget is a college buddy of Lord Boringdon's. 199 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:32,680 Speaker 2: Now I'm trying to keep up with this and to say, like, 200 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 2: how weird that twist is, But I gotta be honest, 201 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 2: I'm getting a little bit lost here. So how about 202 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 2: you just tell me if there's a happy ending to this? 203 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 2: There is? 204 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 1: Okay, good, Well, after finding out about Augusta's affair, Lord 205 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: Boringdon divorced her, which was fined by her. She actually 206 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 1: got married to Sir Paget three days later, and a 207 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 1: couple of months after that, Boringdon marries Jane's friend Francis, 208 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 1: and to everyone surprised both of these marriages actually last. 209 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 2: All right, so you were talking about how Lord Boringdon 210 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 2: could actually be the inspiration for mister Darcy. Right, but 211 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 2: if you remember, like, they don't sound anything alike. So 212 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 2: how is that? 213 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, so the academics admit they don't have any actual 214 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 1: proof of this, Like this Darcy comparison is based mostly 215 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,680 Speaker 1: on his appearance, even though the physical description of mister 216 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 1: Darcy in the books is pretty minimal if you remember so. 217 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 1: Austin actually writes quote that he drew the attention of 218 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 1: the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features and 219 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 1: noble maine. Apparently Lord Boringdon had all of those qualities, 220 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 1: and because Jane was good friends with his second wife, 221 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:38,480 Speaker 1: she probably spent time with him and could have used 222 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 1: this experience to inform her depiction of mister Darcy's a lore. 223 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:45,319 Speaker 1: But here's a bonus Darcy fact for all of you 224 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: Darcy lovers out there. Colin Firth made a huge splash 225 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 1: literally when he played the role in the nineteen nineties 226 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:54,800 Speaker 1: BBC mini series. There is a famous scene where he 227 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:57,840 Speaker 1: goes swimming in the lake, and just last year, that 228 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 1: same costume he wore in that scene sole at auction 229 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:02,720 Speaker 1: for twenty thousand pounds. 230 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:04,959 Speaker 2: Wow, that's a lot of money for some like wet 231 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:08,320 Speaker 2: used clothes, but just goes to show people are passionate 232 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 2: about these characters. All Right, we have to take a 233 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:12,840 Speaker 2: quick break, but when we come back, we'll talk about 234 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:16,440 Speaker 2: Jane Austen's famous fans, the last piece she wrote, and 235 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 2: so much more. 236 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 1: So stay tuned, Welcome back to Part Time Genius, where 237 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:39,320 Speaker 1: we're celebrating Jane Austen's two hundred and fiftieth birthday. Yes, 238 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:43,760 Speaker 1: and before we get back into Jane Austin facts, I 239 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:46,079 Speaker 1: want to share one of the greatest facts a listener 240 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 1: just sent us. Remember you can get an official Part 241 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 1: Time Genius membership card for free if you send us 242 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 1: your name, your address, and a fun fact. So Christine 243 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,679 Speaker 1: and Washington wrote in to tell us that according to 244 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 1: microbiologist Peter Gurgis, the number of microbes in the world 245 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:06,240 Speaker 1: is ten to the twenty seventh power, and if you 246 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 1: laid them all end to end, they'd be one hundred 247 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:10,680 Speaker 1: and five light years. 248 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:13,880 Speaker 2: Wow, Christine, that's so impressive that you laid them all 249 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 2: in to end. 250 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:16,720 Speaker 1: That's it. Those numbers are so big they. 251 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 2: Actually kind of make my brain hurt, but I actually 252 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 2: love it when people send us facts and cite their sources, 253 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 2: So so good on you, Christine. 254 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 1: I think the ven diagram of people who've listened to 255 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 1: the show and people who appreciate footnotes is definitely a 256 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 1: total circle. So anyway, Christine, your membership card is on 257 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:34,439 Speaker 1: the way, and if you want one to all you 258 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:38,320 Speaker 1: other listeners, email us at high Geniuses at gmail dot com. 259 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 1: That's Hi Geniuses at gmail dot com. You can also 260 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 1: dm us on Instagram or blue Sky, or leave a 261 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 1: voicemail at three O two four oh five five nine 262 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 1: two five. We cannot wait to hear from you and 263 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 1: will Just so you know, we have friends of the 264 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:57,120 Speaker 1: show in Malaysia who sent us a photo of not 265 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 1: only the membership cards but also the atomic fire we 266 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:03,360 Speaker 1: sent them, oh and they said it was too spicy 267 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 1: for the kids, but. 268 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 2: Made it all the way in Malaysia. That's fantastic. Good job, 269 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:09,040 Speaker 2: and I love fireballs. 270 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:10,640 Speaker 1: I've ever mentioned that before, I don't think so. 271 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,360 Speaker 2: All right, So back to Jane Austin. You know, one 272 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 2: of the things that really struck me when I was 273 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 2: doing the research for this episode was that despite her 274 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 2: novel's popularity, she didn't make that much money from book 275 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 2: sales while she was alive. In fact, one scholar estimated 276 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 2: that Austin made around six hundred and thirty one pounds 277 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:31,480 Speaker 2: before tax or five hundred and seventy five pounds after tax, 278 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 2: which would work out to about fifty six thousand dollars 279 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:37,880 Speaker 2: in today's money. Now. Obviously, since then the books have 280 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 2: sold a lot more, but it's safe to say that 281 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 2: writing did not make Jane rich in her lifetime. Part 282 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,240 Speaker 2: of the reason for this is that she died quite young. Now, 283 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 2: I remember, she was only forty one, and her debut novel, 284 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 2: Since Insensibility, wasn't published until eighteen eleven, just six years 285 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 2: before she died, and her last two novels were published posthumously, 286 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 2: which means she was only alive to see four books 287 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 2: published over the course of six years. 288 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: You know, I get all that, but I'm still kind 289 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 1: of surprised that there was such little money involved. 290 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, like many writers, she had a couple of 291 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 2: less than favorable deals, particularly for her most popular book, 292 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 2: Pride and Prejudice, which was first published in eighteen thirteen, 293 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:20,360 Speaker 2: and for whatever reason, she agreed to a one time 294 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:23,880 Speaker 2: payment of only one hundred and ten pounds. The publisher, 295 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 2: of course, made a lot more money than that, but 296 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 2: by the time she died, her publisher had made more 297 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:32,080 Speaker 2: than four times what they'd paid for that book. Luckily, 298 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 2: she made better deals with her other novels. Instead of 299 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 2: a flat fee, she was able to get a percentage 300 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 2: of her profits. But there was one other snag to this. 301 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 2: The profits for her fourth novel, Emma, were tied to 302 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 2: a reprint of her third novel, Mansfield Park, and although 303 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 2: Mansfield Park's first edition sold well, the second edition did not. 304 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 2: Because of that, she wound up only making about thirty 305 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 2: eight pounds on Emma, and she died before she could 306 00:15:56,960 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 2: see any additional money from that. 307 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 1: That is insane. You know, it's funny. They seem like 308 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 1: such unglamorous and contemporary problems like negotiating contracts and tracking 309 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 1: book sales. But you know, lucky for us, that did 310 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 1: not stop Austin from writing, especially because it's fun to 311 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:17,280 Speaker 1: see how her fan base has grown, Like did you 312 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 1: know that Dwayne Wade, the NBA star is a huge 313 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 1: fan Musician BB King and Kelly Clarkson, they are just massive. 314 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: Jane Austin fans. I did not know that. No. Kelly 315 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 1: Clarkson is such a big fan that she bought one 316 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 1: of Austin's rings at auction in twenty twelve, but the 317 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: Brits weren't happy about it, leaving the country. In fact, 318 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:41,240 Speaker 1: so much so that after Clarkson won this auction, the 319 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:44,560 Speaker 1: UK government put a temporary ban on the rings export, 320 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 1: which gave enough time for other fans, presumably British ones, 321 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 1: to raise enough money to buy the ring from Clarkson 322 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 1: and give it to Jane Austen's House museum, where it 323 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 1: still is today. You know, it's also impossible to overstate 324 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 1: the impact Jane Austin had on English culture. Her books 325 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 1: were actually given to British soldiers in World War One 326 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:06,679 Speaker 1: to help recover from PTSD. Oh interesting, yeah, and along 327 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:10,199 Speaker 1: similar lines. After Rodyard Kipling's son was killed in the 328 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:13,679 Speaker 1: First World War, he actually read Austin's novels to his 329 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:16,320 Speaker 1: wife and daughter as a bit of levity and solace 330 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 1: during their grief. And in nineteen twenty four Kipling wrote 331 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:22,399 Speaker 1: a short story called The Jay Knights. It's about a 332 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:25,439 Speaker 1: soldier serving in France during World War One. He finds 333 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:28,080 Speaker 1: out about this secret club, the Society of the Jay Knights, 334 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:31,160 Speaker 1: which he can join, but he's only allowed entry after 335 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 1: he reads every single one of Austin's novels. So he 336 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:37,320 Speaker 1: starts reading them, and he really isn't into it at first. 337 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:40,639 Speaker 1: He has this great line where he says her books quote, 338 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:45,200 Speaker 1: weren't adventurous, nor smutty, nor what you'd even call interest in. 339 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 1: But he gets through them all. He passes the Society's 340 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:54,520 Speaker 1: tests and he is officially accepted. But the companionship he 341 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:58,040 Speaker 1: finds in the society, plus all their conversations about Jane Austin, 342 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,639 Speaker 1: actually helped him get through the dilace. And then when 343 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:04,440 Speaker 1: their bases attack, the guy gets wounded and he's struggling 344 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:07,600 Speaker 1: to board this crowded hospital train and he meets a 345 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:10,800 Speaker 1: nurse and quotes Jane Austen to her and she recognizes 346 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:12,880 Speaker 1: it and then takes pity on him and gets him 347 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:15,520 Speaker 1: on the train. And so Jane Austen in this book 348 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:19,200 Speaker 1: saves his life. Wow. Yeah. Towards the end of the story, 349 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:22,440 Speaker 1: he says, quote, I read all her six books now 350 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:25,479 Speaker 1: for pleasure. You take it for me, brethren. There's no 351 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:27,960 Speaker 1: one to touch Jane when you're in a tight place. 352 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:31,120 Speaker 2: That's actually pretty sweet, even though it's a funny quote. 353 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:31,439 Speaker 1: I mean. 354 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:33,280 Speaker 2: One of the things that soldiers might have been drawn 355 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:37,040 Speaker 2: to was Austin's distinctive style of writing, especially her use 356 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:40,760 Speaker 2: of something literary scholars call free indirect discourse. You know, 357 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 2: it's one of those styles that you may be familiar 358 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 2: with now you may see it pretty frequently. She didn't 359 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:49,240 Speaker 2: invent this style, but actually she was one of the 360 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:52,919 Speaker 2: first writers to use it, so, you know, consistently and effectively, 361 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 2: and that's when you know it really pulls you into 362 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 2: the inner lives of her characters. Actually read one paper 363 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,200 Speaker 2: that described it as kind of like a kind of 364 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:04,959 Speaker 2: ventriloquism by the narrator. So it allows Austin, as the 365 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:07,919 Speaker 2: third person, omniscient narrator, to dip in and out of 366 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:11,399 Speaker 2: the character's inner dialogue and thoughts, which makes you feel 367 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 2: like you understand them and know them a little bit better. 368 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 2: Here's actually an example from Emma, which is about a 369 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:19,440 Speaker 2: young woman who has, you know, shall we say, an 370 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 2: unwarranted confidence in her ability to read a romantic situation. 371 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 2: And so early on there's this scene where Emma and 372 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:29,160 Speaker 2: a guy named Frank are alone together We the readers 373 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:31,680 Speaker 2: already know that Emma thinks Frank is in love with her, 374 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 2: but we also understand Emma may not be seeing everything 375 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 2: so clearly. So Austin, you know, kind of plays with this. 376 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:42,119 Speaker 2: So here's what she says. He stopped again, rose again 377 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:44,879 Speaker 2: and seemed quite embarrassed. He was more in love with 378 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:47,760 Speaker 2: her than Emma had supposed. And who can say how 379 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 2: it might have ended if his father had not made 380 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 2: his appearance. 381 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:54,439 Speaker 1: So it's kind of subtle, and that bit more in 382 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:57,399 Speaker 1: love with her than Emma had supposed. Like that's Emma's voice, 383 00:19:57,400 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 1: not the narrators. 384 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:01,399 Speaker 2: That's exactly right, and like all of our own inner voices, 385 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:05,639 Speaker 2: it doesn't always assess the situation accurately, because later in 386 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:07,919 Speaker 2: the novel, Emma will learn that no, Frank is not 387 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 2: in love with her. And even if we the readers 388 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:12,399 Speaker 2: already know this, we get to be part of the 389 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:15,200 Speaker 2: drama as she starts to kind of figure this out. 390 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:18,359 Speaker 2: Free and direct discourse lets us empathize with a character 391 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 2: but laugh at them a little bit at the same time. 392 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:23,480 Speaker 1: Well, on a sado topic, we should talk about how 393 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:27,239 Speaker 1: Jane Austen died. And the thing is even today, no 394 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:31,679 Speaker 1: one knows the cause. Her sister destroyed most of Jane's letters, 395 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:34,679 Speaker 1: anything that talked about medical stuff, So all we have 396 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:37,600 Speaker 1: to go on are some known symptoms, and one of 397 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:40,439 Speaker 1: them was discoloration of her skin, plus some of the 398 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:43,960 Speaker 1: contextual clues. Over the years, many scholars have aligned with 399 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 1: the belief that she died from Addison's disease, which is 400 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:50,520 Speaker 1: an autoimmune disease that affects your adrenal glands, but other 401 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 1: speculations have ranged from tuberculosis to various cancers including hotgkin 402 00:20:55,119 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 1: lymphoma or lupus, or even complications from drinking raw milk. 403 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:02,400 Speaker 2: I mean, that's not the laugh at it, but that's 404 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:05,399 Speaker 2: a really wide assortment of potentially fatal conditions here. So 405 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:06,760 Speaker 2: I don't know that we really know. 406 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:09,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, we didn't really narrow it down, and these are 407 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:12,320 Speaker 1: obviously all theories. But one possibility that stuck out to 408 00:21:12,359 --> 00:21:14,440 Speaker 1: me was arsenic poisoning. 409 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 2: Oh really, all right, like an Agatha Christie novel. So 410 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 2: where does that theory come from? 411 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:21,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, So, about a decade or so ago, the British 412 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 1: Library was given three pairs of Jane Austen's eyeglasses, or 413 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:27,159 Speaker 1: at least the family says they were hers, right, and 414 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 1: they were found in her desk. The library was surprised 415 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:32,760 Speaker 1: to learn that each pair had a different prescription and 416 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:36,080 Speaker 1: quite a bit stronger than the last, meaning if these 417 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 1: are the glasses of one person, it suggests that Austin's 418 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:42,080 Speaker 1: vision deteriorated really rapidly in the last couple of years 419 00:21:42,119 --> 00:21:45,200 Speaker 1: of her life. The library spoke to an optometrist who 420 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:47,879 Speaker 1: also took a look and said, well, one reason that 421 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:51,600 Speaker 1: her vision got so bad so quickly could be cataracts, 422 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 1: and that's odd for someone who's so young. And something 423 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 1: that can cause that is arsenic poisoning. 424 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,399 Speaker 2: I mean, I get that, but that also feels like 425 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 2: a lot of hypothesizing. 426 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:04,919 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, the library was quick to add that 427 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 1: they weren't suggesting she'd been murdered, but also, arsenic was 428 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 1: found in water and medication, even wallpaper back then, so 429 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:16,520 Speaker 1: arsenic poisoning actually wasn't that uncommon for the time, and 430 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:20,320 Speaker 1: it also comes with unusual facial pigmentation. So it's a theory. 431 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 1: It's not a sure thing. That said, I'm sure it 432 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,880 Speaker 1: could inspire like a really great bestseller if someone took 433 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:27,159 Speaker 1: it up. 434 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:30,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's true, all right, we got one fact left. 435 00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 2: So to close this out, I want to tell you 436 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:35,399 Speaker 2: about the very last thing she wrote. Wasn't a story 437 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:38,200 Speaker 2: or even a letter. It was actually a poem. 438 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:40,959 Speaker 1: So what was the poem about? All right? Well? 439 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:45,240 Speaker 2: Jane died on July eighteenth, eighteen seventeen, in Winchester, which 440 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 2: is a town near Chawton. She and her sister had 441 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:50,120 Speaker 2: rented a room there to be closer to medical care. 442 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:53,760 Speaker 2: July fifteenth, just a few days before she died, happened 443 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:56,439 Speaker 2: to be a big day for Winchester. It was not 444 00:22:56,480 --> 00:22:59,640 Speaker 2: only the feast day of Saint swithin the patron saying 445 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:03,680 Speaker 2: of winch Chester Cathedral. It was also the Winchester Races, 446 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:06,479 Speaker 2: which sound pretty fun and fancy, and you know, these 447 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 2: folks would come dressed up in their nicest clothes and 448 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:12,880 Speaker 2: parade around town. Besides the horse races, there were fairs, 449 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 2: There were balls, public breakfasts, lots of musical performances, just 450 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 2: this big celebration. But there was also this religious element 451 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:23,919 Speaker 2: to it, and Jane wrote about that juxtaposition in her poem. 452 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 2: She wrote about Winchester's crappy summer weather because there's a 453 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:30,880 Speaker 2: superstition that if it rains on Saint Swithin's day, it'll 454 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:34,960 Speaker 2: rain for forty more days, which sounds very Groundhog Day like, 455 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 2: exactly right, except worse and way more British, I guess. So. Anyway, 456 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:41,960 Speaker 2: in the poem, Saint Swiften shows up in Winchester and 457 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:45,360 Speaker 2: is annoyed that everyone's more focused on the festivities than 458 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,399 Speaker 2: on him, so he curses the city with bad weather, 459 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:51,159 Speaker 2: effectively raining on their parade. So I'll read you a 460 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:55,440 Speaker 2: few lines which he writes from Saint Swithin's perspective. All right, 461 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 2: here it is these races and revels and dissolute measures 462 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:02,040 Speaker 2: with which you're debasing a name. Bring Plaine, let them stand. 463 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:02,920 Speaker 2: You'll meet with. 464 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:05,919 Speaker 1: Your curse and your pleasures set all for your course. 465 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 2: I'll pursue with my reign. 466 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:10,720 Speaker 1: You know, I'd have thought Jane Austen would be more 467 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 1: interested in all the like flirting and fun at the 468 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:17,560 Speaker 1: social festivities than the religious aspect of this thing. Although 469 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:19,920 Speaker 1: I mean, I guess her dad was a clergyman. 470 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 2: Right, Yeah, her dad and her grandfather actually they were 471 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 2: both Church of England clergy so you're right, there's not 472 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:28,199 Speaker 2: much explicitly religious content in her novels, but it was 473 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 2: a big part of her life. Her family went to 474 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 2: church and prayed together. Jane read the Bible and other 475 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:35,639 Speaker 2: common religious texts of the day, and some of the 476 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:38,199 Speaker 2: values she upholds in her novels fit right in with 477 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 2: the Enlightenment era church, things like honesty, charity, duty, and 478 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:46,320 Speaker 2: good character. So if you ever visit Winchester, do Jane 479 00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 2: Austin a favor. Don't get so caught up in the 480 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:50,360 Speaker 2: fun that you forget Saint Swiften. 481 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:55,080 Speaker 1: Oh I'll never forget so that either ever. Again. We 482 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 1: are taking a break next week for Christmas, so we'll 483 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:00,720 Speaker 1: be sharing a fun holiday themed episode from the vault, 484 00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:03,720 Speaker 1: but be sure to tune in on December thirtieth for 485 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: the forty fourth annual Part Time Genius Awards. Forty four. Yeah. 486 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 1: It is one of our favorite traditions and has been 487 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:15,480 Speaker 1: for a very long time apparently, and a great way 488 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:18,200 Speaker 1: to close out the year, so please don't miss it. 489 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:21,200 Speaker 1: This episode was written by the wonderful of Marissa Brown. 490 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:25,240 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, Marissa, and from Will Dylan, Gabe, 491 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:40,800 Speaker 1: Mary and myself. Thank you so much for listener. Part 492 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:43,919 Speaker 1: Time Genius is a production of Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio. It 493 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 1: is hosted by my good pal will Pearson, who I've 494 00:25:47,040 --> 00:25:50,680 Speaker 1: known for almost three decades now. That is insane to me. 495 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:56,520 Speaker 1: I'm the Utaco host, Mangeshatikular aka Mango. Our producer is 496 00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 1: Mary Phillips Sandy. She's actually a super producer. I'm going 497 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:03,720 Speaker 1: to fix in post. Our writer is Gabe Lucier, who 498 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:06,320 Speaker 1: I've also known for like a decade at this point, 499 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,520 Speaker 1: maybe more. Dylan Fagan is in the booth. He is 500 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:13,119 Speaker 1: always dressed up, always cheering us on, and always ready 501 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 1: to hit record and then mix the show after he 502 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 1: does a great job. I also want to shout out 503 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 1: the executive producers from iHeart my good pals Katrina and 504 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:25,720 Speaker 1: Norvel and Ali Perry. We have social media support from 505 00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:28,880 Speaker 1: Calypso Rallis. If you like our videos. That is all 506 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:33,560 Speaker 1: Calypso's handiwork for more podcasts from Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio. Visit 507 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:37,959 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or tune in wherever you 508 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:40,800 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows. That's it from us here 509 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:43,800 Speaker 1: at Part Time Genius. Thank you so much for listening.