302 Jane in Love - The Story of Jane Austen and Thomas Lefroy

The History of Literature

Jacke Wilson

History, Books, Arts

4.6 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 25 January 2021

⏱️ 89 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In the Christmas holidays of 1795-96, a young Irishman named Thomas Lefroy left his legal studies in London to visit some relatives who lived in the countryside. While staying with them, he attended a series of provincial balls that also happened to be attended by the Austens, including the 20-year-old Jane Austen. "I am almost afraid to tell you how my Irish friend and I behaved," Jane later wrote to her sister Cassandra. "Imagine to yourself everything most profligate and shocking." What transpired between these two young people? How did it end? And could it have been the inspiration for Pride and Prejudice, the novel that famously introduced a charming young woman to a mysterious outsider at just such a ball? In this episode, Jacke takes a look at what we know - and what we tantalizingly don't - about the young Jane Austen and her dalliance with Thomas Lefroy. Help support the show at patreon.com/literature or historyofliterature.com/shop. (We appreciate it!) Find out more at historyofliterature.com, jackewilson.com, or by following Jacke and Mike on Twitter at @thejackewilson and @literatureSC. Or send an email to [email protected]. New!!! Looking for an easy to way to buy Jacke a coffee? Now you can at paypal.me/jackewilson. Your generosity is much appreciated! The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at www.thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature. *** This show is a part of the Podglomerate network, a company that produces, distributes, and monetizes podcasts. We encourage you to visit the website and sign up for our newsletter for more information about our shows, launches, and events. For more information on how The Podglomerate treats data, please see our Privacy Policy. Since you're listening to The History of Literature, we'd like to suggest you also try other Podglomerate shows surrounding literature, history, and storytelling like Storybound, Micheaux Mission, and The History of Standup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	The History of Literature Podcast is a member of the Podglamorate Network and LIT Hub Radio.
0:07.0	Hello in 1865 an Irish writer known for his ghost stories published a satirical
0:18.0	pamphlet lampooning the politics and politicians of his day. He poked fun in particular at the country's Chief Justice,
0:26.0	who, his critics said, was too old to be an effective judge
0:30.0	and was hanging on to his position
0:32.0	even though he could no longer carry out his duties
0:35.0	simply because his conservative party was not in power
0:38.0	and he did not want to be replaced by a wig.
0:41.0	And so, said Lefanu, we are judged by a man who once rode on a mastodon, hunting the Megathirium.
0:51.0	Harsh words.
0:52.0	That was the scene in Dublin in 1865 and the object of the
0:56.5	ridicule was a 90 year old jurist named Thomas Lefroy and we might not care so much about him now, at least here on the history of literature, except for one thing.
1:08.0	Seventy years earlier, back when he was a student, Chief Justice Lefroy had had an encounter with an Englishwoman
1:15.9	whom we very much do care about.
1:18.6	At the age of 19, just as he was turning 20, Thomas or Tom as he was turning 20.
1:23.0	Thomas or Tom as he was known then was studying law in London.
1:28.0	For Christmas break, he went to visit some relatives who lived in the country outside of London and it was then in 1795 as it turned into 1796 that his relatives took him to a few social events for the holidays.
1:43.0	And I'm starting to get anxious, just thinking about it.
1:46.0	It was then...
1:48.0	Forgive me, a little breathless, the suspense here is killing me.
1:52.0	It was then that our man Tom met and
1:55.6	flirted with and stirred the heart of an English woman who lived nearby and whose family
	...

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