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"Jane lies in Winchester—blessed be her shade!
Praise the Lord for making her, and her for all she made!"
Praise the Lord for making her, and her for all she made!"
-- by Rudyard Kipling from The Janeites
"We are reading Clarentine, & are surprised to find how foolish it is. I remember liking it much less that at the 1st & it does not bear a 3d at all. It is full of unnatural conduct & forced difficulties, without striking merit of any kind."
Jane's letter to Cassandra, February 8 and 9, 1807
But Jane's novels were full of natural conduct and unforced difficulties, with merit of every kind, and we have enjoyed them now for 200 years.
So let us all drink a cup of tea today in her honor, and raise our teacups in a toast to "Jane!" And praise the Lord for making her!
Happy birthday Jane!