Travels with Lady Anne
Some time ago the mailbox contained the lovely biography of Lady Anne Barnard by Stephen Taylor entitled Defiance: in the U.S. the subtitle is “The Extraordinary Life of Lady Anne Barnard“; in the U.K. its subtitle is the more enticing “The Life and Choices of Lady Anne Barnard“. I love, too, the cover art – which includes a depiction by Lady Anne of life aboard ship.
But as my blog, Two Teens in the Time of Austen, deals so much with original letters and diaries, my main comments today will be about three volumes – available on the used book market – that have arrived in the past week or two.
These volumes, published by the Van Riebeeck Society, cover the the years this valiant, diary-keeping Scotswoman spent in South Africa. The dust jacket on the U.S. edition mistakes Lady Anne’s date of birth, which is 1750, making her nearing the age of 50 when she undertakes to follow her husband to the Cape of Good Hope.
The first volume (VRS second series No. 24) are Lady Anne’s own “revised” diaries, and are therefore called The Cape Journals of Lady Anne Barnard, 1797-1798, edited by A.M. Lewin Robinson (with Margaret Lenta and Dorothy Driver), published in 1994 (for 1993). This is broken into three “journals,” which includes the sea journey (thus the drawing on the U.K. cover of Defiance); the “residence” ; and a tour into the “interior of Africa”. Extras include a literary assessment of Lady Anne’s work.
The two further volumes (VRS second series Nos. 29 & 30) publish her extant diaries: The Cape Diaries of Lady Anne Barnard, 1799-1800 (vols. 1 and 2), edited by Margaret Lenta and Basil Le Courdeur (1999 for 1998; and 1999).
This far-away land is a fairly new departure for me — though for a later traveler to Africa, see the published diaries of Mabel Hall-Dare, a relation to the Smiths & Goslings.
I am looking forward to spending some down-time with the warm-hearted Lady Anne Barnard. Whether you start with Taylor’s biography, or end with it, the quartet makes for weeks of reading.
Chatsworth: the Boardgame?
I’ve recently come across this wonderful blog – all about an Oxfam Volunteer’s “finds” amid the “incoming”. Great fun – only makes me wish I could drop by and buy!
http://oxfamwilmslow.wordpress.com/2012/07/11/the-chatsworth-game/
The link above is for the Chatsworth boardgame, but do check out some other blog posts: a Hansard volume (I hate politics, but LOVE this write-up); some journals going for a song, some sheet music ditto.
Must admit to a HAUL of great items from the Oxfam Bookstore in Winchester in 2007… Newly retooled and just reopened, they had some great offerings. The Wilmslow Volunteer’s picks give a great indication of just what passes through Oxfam doors all over the UK.
UPDATE: in revisiting the site, I’ve had a look at the “rules of the game” — It DOES sound great fun: There is the general rule of “Take any Path. Do not retrace your steps” and then a series of variants to the game: THE GRAND TOUR (“start from the Orangery”); RACE; AFTERNOON TOUR (in which you can visit the Maze!); HIDE AND SEEK (with its talk of “the hidden player”); CHASE; and DIVERSIONS.
The “rules” end with this invitation: “Derive lasting pleasure by creating your own games in the exciting gardens of Chatsworth House…”
Austen First Editions
While looking for something totally different (isn’t that usually the case!?!), I came across a listing for quite a number of Austen early editions that are for sale. Yow! the prices:
15 volumes, complete; Variously in first, second and third editions, in uniform 19th century half vellum: $39,327.46
(with a supposed shipping cost, from UK to US, of only $6.52!)
- 2nd edition for Sense & Sensibility (1813); Pride & Prejudice is a 3rd edition (in 2 vols??) (1817); Mansfield Park, 2nd edition; Emma, 1st edition; Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, 1st edition. Owners name: JH Calcott/1845 is written in all volumes. Provenance of the collection, written in various hands, in Vol. 1 of Northanger Abbey! Spans the years 1818 (when purchased in Edinburgh) to 1949. Bound in Oxford in 1896. “Viewing” by appointment only.
A first edition Pride & Prejudice (1813), 3 vols. Previous owners name seems to read Catherine Bouverie: $41,785.42
Another copy of P&P; described as in handsome calf covers, with morocco-covered spines : $48,000
Another copy of P&P: $75,000
I leave you to look over the used books listings yourself.
Two Teens in the Time of Austen 