A Quiz

I am of the opinion that is is time for a quiz. 'You will be quizzed  famously!' (...sorry, John Thorpe there for a minute) Are you up for a contest? Do you have sporting blood in your veins? Answer that question in the affirmative and then answer as many of the below questions as you can, and feel free you use your book.

Yes, this is an open book test. Boy, I am a nice teacher. All of these q. s pertain to Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey which some of you just read, so perhaps it's still fresh? We shall see... The contest will be open for at least a week so everyone has time to put down their most profound and scholarly answers... or whatever you've got.

All of these questions are taken from So You Think You Know Jane Austen?: A Literary Quizbook by John Sutherland & Deirdre Le Faye. And I have it, so I already know all of the answers. Yes, I looked at the back of the book. I'm sorry. Not really.


Questions:

1) How many children do the Reverend Mr and Mrs Morland have? How many of their Christian names do we know?

2) Where did Henry go to university?

3) What are the 'friends of Henry's solitude' at Woodston?

4) What aspect of Catherine's walk does General Tilney particularly admire?

5) What do we know of Henry's complexion and what does this mean?

6) What color dress (as Mrs Allen's needle-sharp eye notes) does Miss Tilney 'always wear'?

7) Who says, 'after all the romancers may say, there is no doing without money'?

8) For what does the General rebuke Fredrick on the day the rest of the family leave Bath?

9) Why, having just arrived at Bath (to arrange accommodations for himself and his father and his sister) does Henry suddenly leave, and what should we deduce from his departure?

10) On the trip to Northanger Abbey we are informed that Catherine has a 'new writing desk'. What may we deduce from it?

11) Why does Catherine not, as she plans, steal out at midnight to investigate the 'mysterious apartments' in which, she is convinced, the General's poor wife is secretly incarcerated?

12) Why does Jane Austen specifically tell us that Catherine has a 'charming game of play with a litter of puppies just able to roll about' in Henry's stable-yard at Woodston?

13) In the company of Henry and Eleanor, General Tilney clearly seems to think that Catherine is the Allens' heiress (basing this on John Thorpe's misinformation). Are Eleanor and Henry similarly deceived as to Catherine's wealth and handsome prospects?

14) Catherine thinks Isabella is now engages to Captain Tilney and that the Captain will gallop back to his father (as James rushed back to Fullerton) for paternal permission. Henry's guess is that his brother's marrying Isabella is 'not probable'. Has he know this from the first?

15) Why has Catherine, even before the General's wrathful return, suggested that she should, perhaps, leave?

16) Why is Henry not at Northanger Abbey when Catherine is summarily banished?

17) How long is it before Henry appears at Fullerton to propose?

18) How long do Henry and Catherine have to wait for parental consent?

John Sutherland & Deirdre Le Faye suggest that if you score over 15, good for you! If you scored over 10 but under 15, skim the novel again. Over 5 but under 10, reread the novel. Under 5, throw the book away and watch TV.

(aerial view of Bath)

Wodehouse contest winner

Just a short break from Sarah Emsley's book to announce the winner of the Wodehouse contest. Drum roll please...and the winner is- Drew and Lydia! Congratulations! Your prize will be- well, what else- a Wodehouse book! Is there anything better? Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Wodehouse contest

Well, it's not the Great Sermon Handicap, but I thought it high time for a bit of sport. So grab the jigger, shaker, and the necessary tissue restoratives and give these "Wodehouseians" a gander. (You may look in any Wodehouse book if you are in need of assistance.)

WORD BANK:

Aunt Dalhlia
Empress of Blandings
singing
Stilton Cheeswright
silence
Hertwigstien
Galahad Threepwood
Scripture Knowledge
Lady Hermione Wedge
Aunt Agatha
cricket
Spinoza
heroics
golf
Vanessa Cook

1) Which character (character, in every sense of the word) does the following describe? "After the life he had lead he had no right to burst with health, but he did. Where most of his contemporaries had long ago thrown in the towel and retired to cure resorts to nurse their gout, he had gone blithely on, ever rising on stepping stones of dead whiskeys and sodas to higher things. He had discovered the prime grand secret of eternal youth - to keep the decanter circulating, to stop smoking only when snapping the lighter for his next cigarette and never to retire to rest before three in the morning."

2) Who is it that "...eats broken bottles and is strongly suspected of turning into a werewolf at the time of the full moon?"

3) What is it that Bertie thinks a Trappist monk specializes in?

4) Who is it that is described as looking like a cook? And when perturbed, looking like a "cook who smells something burning?" (This is the same character whom Gally has seen "spanked by the Nanny with a hairbrush.")

5) This person frequently addresses Bertie as "a young blot," and is also known for having a voice of great volume (going back to hunting days).

6) Bertie frequently refers to a prize he won at school. What is it?

7) Which philosopher is Jeeves often reading?

8) What character is described as having a "friendly face", likes potatoes, and is adored by Lord Emsworth?

JA quote contest at an end

The JA quote contest is at an end. The answers are as follows,

1) "Where people wish to attach, they should always be ignorant. To come with a well-informed mind is to come with an inability of administering to the vanity of others, which a sensible person would always wish to avoid. A woman, especially, if she have the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can." ~Northanger Abby This is Jane Austen's teasing voice (or is it Henry Tilney's?) in reference to Catherine attracting Henry.

2) "...for he was in the room again, and though feeling it would be a great honour to be asked by him, she thought it must happen. He came towards their little circle; but instead of asking her to dance, drew a chair near her, and gave her an account of the present state of a sick horse, and the opinion of the groom, from whom he had just parted." ~ Mansfield Park Grace was correct. This is between Fanny and her cousin Tom.

3) "...and be the conclusion of the present suspense good or bad, her affection would be his forever. Their union, she believed, could not divide her more from other men than their final separation." ~Persuasion These are Anne's thoughts on marriage to Wentworth.

4) " ...the perturbation of her feelings was every moment increasing. She was quite amazed at her own discomposure...and more than commonly anxious to please, she naturally suspected that every power of pleasing would fail her. She retreated from the window, fearful of being seen; and as she walked up and down the room, endeavouring to compose herself, saw such looks of inquiring surprise from her friends, as made everything worse." ~Pride & Prejudice This is Elizabeth when she hears that Darcy is coming to pay her a call.

Therefore, the winner is...SARAH! I am impressed with the bravery of all of you in competing against Sarah on this one. I really, really am. You all showed that you would not be daunted by a crazy JA fan. I really can't applaud you enough. And you never know, maybe next time she will be too busy to speed read the completed works.

Ruth, you got 3 out of 4. Way to go! Bess, you guessed all of the right titles (your ordering was just a bit off). Thanks all for playing. It was quite a diverting amusement.

Sarah's prize is a Wodehouse book called, Full Moon. I have been in the mood to read little else besides ol' Plum lately. I hope you enjoy it (apologies for the front cover being worn). The description on the back of the book reads, "As the full moon waxes over Blandings Castle, young love flounders in the Ninth Earl of Emsworth's shrubbery, and Landseer is commissioned to paint the prize pig's portrait." (Oh yeah, this is going to be good.)


Note: Images used are from sarahemsley.com
(Sarah Emsley, "The Jane Austen Playgroup")

JA quote contest

Those of you who have not been able to make it to the customary dog races may be feeling the need to bet your shirt on something. Here is your chance. Below are 4 quotes from 4 of the 6 novels of Jane Austen. They are numbered for your voting convenience. Simply tell us which quote is from which book. (You may thumb through her books if you think it might help.)




1) "Where people wish to attach, they should always be ignorant. To come with a well-informed mind is to come with an inability of administering to the vanity of others, which a sensible person would always wish to avoid. A woman, especially, if she have the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can."

2) "...for he was in the room again, and though feeling it would be a great honour to be asked by him, she thought it must happen. He came towards their little circle; but instead of asking her to dance, drew a chair near her, and gave her an account of the present state of a sick horse, and the opinion of the groom, from whom he had just parted."

3) "...and be the conclusion of the present suspense good or bad, her affection would be his forever. Their union, she believed, could not divide her more from other men than their final separation."

4) " ...the perturbation of her feelings was every moment increasing. She was quite amazed at her own discomposure...and more than commonly anxious to please, she naturally suspected that every power of pleasing would fail her. She retreated from the window, fearful of being seen; and as she walked up and down the room, endeavouring to compose herself, saw such looks of inquiring surprise from her friends, as made everything worse."

congrats!

Listen with your ears flapping. The poetry contests are now at an end (finally). I had no idea I had so many poetry connoisseurs among my acquaintance! The last lively round, as you no doubt know, was between a lovely lady in her prime and a competitive young man. (Let's drop the Lydia veil, shall we? Lydia is not known for leaving comments involving the phrase, "self respecting homo sapiens".) I must say, I didn't think it was possible to get these ladies to strive for the prize to quite this extent, but with Drew as your opponent, well, it rather spurs one on.

Dash it! It looks as if I will have to loose a few doubloons to the postmaster. Congratulations, Drew (and Lydia:))! From the collar upward, you stand alone.

Bess, I am reluctantly compelled to hand you the mitten. However, you will receive a 2nd place prize. I don't know what yet, but something between the Poetry and Prose book and the piglet postcard. (I was not prepared for so many winners!) I will post your prize soon.

round 3

Well Anna, nice try, but it looks as if
this third round will be between the family.
For being a winner in the first round, however, you have won this
lovely postcard which reads, "hogs and kisses from Arkansas".






Now, back to business. I must remind my contestants (Lydrew and Bess) no looking stuff up. Now with that said, which one of our poets wrote:

A mirror on the waters, is the mind,
Yet the soul lies beneath, though it may sleep.

Bess, I'm rooting for you on this one. Otherwise, I have to pay shipping. Don't let me down.

poetry contest

So what do you win if you correctly guess the poems besides the smashing title of "poetry scholar"? Isn't that enough? Or maybe "poetry expert" would be more to your liking. With a snazzy description like that, you will fit right in with all of the celebrities putting these types of titles after their names.

Lately, I was thumbing through bon appetite magazine and slapped my eyes on, Gwyneth Paltrow actress, lifestyle guru. Not sure what that means, exactly. Perhaps I could say of my daughter- student, organic gardener. She will be going into the fourth grade, and did in fact coax out not a few watermelons this summer.

But I digress, back to the prize. The proud winner of this contest will receive a lovely blue hardback of English Romantic Poetry and Prose. This gem contains not only quite a few selections from Keats, it also features Wordsworth, Sir Walter Scott, Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron and lots more.

This book has had a previous owner, and therefore has acquired some character all its own. She wrote a note after the title The Sensitive Plant (a poem by Shelley). Her pencil marking reads, is Shelley. So now it says, The Sensitive Plant is Shelley. Am I the only one who thinks this is funny?

There is also a stanza near the back of the book by a Winthrop Mackworth Praed (I don't believe I've had the pleasure.) entitled Stanzas on Seeing the Speaker Asleep in His Chair. Does that not sound great or what?

However, before I get all carried away, I must tell you that there is to be a tie breaker. The winners are, Lydia and Drew, Anna, and Bess. So winners, look over the two poems below and cast your votes again. Attribute one poem to each author or both poems to one. Hopefully, this time to break the tie.

#1
I watched a steady flame up-climb the sky-
(A flame no doing, surely, of my own)
And linger like a sunset in your eye,
(For love it is not possible to own).
If I could climb the jade-bright hills of Mourne,
I might have once wished you forever young
To bring a cup of dew out well forlorn,
For once I wanted beauty, ever sung.
Somewhere twixt a draught of Lethe's cup
'Tween air the honeysuckle tints with sleep,
I caught your sunrise going dancing up,
Now new morn, sleepless nights and days to keep.
I listen for this faerie tune you weave,
Just as you are, the one to never leave.


#2
Time's sea has been five years at its slow ebb,
Long hours have to and fro let creep the sand,
Since I was tangled in thy beauty's web,
And snared by the ungloving of thy hand.
And yet I never look in midnight sky,
But I behold thine eyes' well memoried light;
I cannot look upon the roses dye,
But to thy cheek my soul doth take its flight;
I cannot look on any budding flower,
But my fond ear, in fancy at thy lips,
And hearkening for a love-sound, doth devour
Its sweets in the wrong sense: - Thou dost eclipse
Every delight with sweet remembering,
And grief unto my darling joys dost bring.