Jane Actually

quote: “I can no more forget it [
Sense and Sensibility
], than a mother can forget her suckling child.”
    She turned to look at the quotes. “Yes, those are a little embarrassing two centuries later,” she said with a cock of her head after turning back to the audience. “I cannot express how mortifying it is have to every single silly thing you’ve ever said immortalized in print. But I digress. Any author—at least any author of integrity—always has to attempt something new. And many have thought I was attempting something new with
Sanditon
, or
The Brothers
, as I thought of it. And yes, I was trying something new, just as I tried something new with
Emma
and
Mansfield Park
. And yes, I am well aware that
Mansfield Park
is the novel that many have never finished or even attempted.
    “But after so long a gestation, can I call
Sanditon
my new novel? Can it be still be something to compete with all the continuations and adaptations? That, of course, is for you to decide, but I think it rather good, precisely because I have laboured on it for so long. It has evolved with the decades and the centuries and I blush to call it timeless, even though it remains a product of my life and times.”
    The screens showed a succession of Regency images, including a Cruikshank 3 caricature of the bloated Prince Regent, a cartoon of women wearing wetted muslin gowns, another of John Bull 4 begging for food and the David painting of Napoleon on his horse. 5
    “Even though the world has rushed by me while I was silent, I find that things, the important things like love and honour and decency, remain the same. And yet I can’t deny that some of the innocence I once had is gone. Like Mrs Bennet’s complaint about the Longbourn entail, I have realized that many of the strictures and inequalities of the Regency are inherently unfair and grate on modern sensibilities, and yet I know that those same inequalities remain quintessential elements of a Jane Austen novel.
    “So long-time Janeites, please forgive me if
Sanditon
offers a knowing nod to modern-day readers, while at the same time those of you—and there must be a few—who expected a Jane Austen for the twenty-first century, must be patient.
    “Because I can assure you I have fully embraced the modern world. I tweet, text, post, email and chat with a facility to rival that of any teenaged girl. My friends know I am addicted to social media and electronic devices.”
    A well-known photo appeared on the screens showing a woman in Regency dress lounging by a pool with a cordless phone in her hands.
    “This photo is so last century,” Mary said with a sigh. “Look at the size of that cordless phone. I really must have a new picture taken. But I digress again, a symptom I fear of my dwindling attention span. Now where was I? Oh yes, in keeping with this modern world of instant communication and texted marriage proposals and rejections, I promise that my next novel will be something new, but I assure you it will be recognizably in my hand.
    “However that next novel still waits to be born and to borrow from my father, it will consist of ‘effusions of fancy by a
very
mature lady and consisting of tales in a style entirely new.’ 6 Thank you again for your kind acceptance and recognition, and I humbly remain your servant, Jane Austen.”
    The audience stood and applauded even louder than before, although to Jane, of course, it was silent.
    “Of all the blithest sounds … I would trade everything to be able to hear again,” she said to Mary, but the noise was so much that Mary could not understand her friend’s words. She was grateful when the emcee came onto the stage.
    “Thank you Miss Austen,” she said into her microphone. “Thank you,” she repeated in a louder voice, and then she added, “Really, if you want to ask Miss Austen your questions, you will have to stop.”
    The applause diminished and eventually stopped.
    “Thank you,” the emcee said again. Now we have two microphones set up so please form lines. And our disembodied members can use the AfterNet hotspots to ask questions as well. And please give your first name only.”
    Lines quickly formed behind the microphones and the emcee said, “OK, let’s start with the microphone on my left. Please ask your question.”
    A young woman of not much height wearing a “Dead Leaves!” T-shirt stood on tiptoes to ask her question. “It’s such an honour to address you Miss Austen. I’ve adored