John Brown always gets flattened out into an icon. He understood how easily he could become iconic and used that to its fullest, but we keep stripping him of his humanity, and it is his humanity that made him great. Without that, the rest never would have been.
Author: Serene Sargent
I make jewelry and try to read everything on the US Civil War and Reconstruction that comes out, (thereby knowing many smart people.) I know a bit of law, care about Beatles historiography and love the Nagras. Jane Austen whispered her Emma secrets to me across many miles and 200 years. ✨ My father was Bill Sargent, the Pay Per View Beatles guy. #DYRBRY
A BEATLE DIDN’T SAY THAT! Lewisohn’s lab-created quotes
*REPOST OF THE ORIGINAL TROUBLE-STARTER.* “My personal standard is that If someone represents, ‘A Beatle said this,’ it better damn well be something a Beatle said.”
Who told Lady Catherine??
Who sent Lady Catherine on her wild ride to Longbourn? I always say that Jane Austen never plants a question in our heads without giving us the answer, and she continues to prove me right.
“Is this,” thought Elizabeth, “meant for me?” – Rereading the Turning Point Conversation between Elizabeth Bennet and Colonel Fitzwilliam
Elizabeth’s blush when she says that distance isn’t a problem if money is no object. Even her feigned coolness when she tells Col Fitzwilliam that she’s surprised Darcy doesn’t marry for the convenience of a built-in travel buddy, all take on new shape.
Mrs Weston is pretty. Don’t add that into Frank’s lies (audio with rough transcript)
I’ve now read two people casting shade on what I will admit is Frank’s somewhat greasy way of saying “I didn’t expect to see a young pretty woman” about Mrs. Weston to Emma at first. But I get a little offended at that. I– She’s not that old, and I bet she is pretty. Like, are you telling me you don’t think Mrs. Weston’s pretty?
Emma: “she sends back the arrowroot” (audio with rough transcript)
“If Emma doesn’t know, then her flirting with Frank isn’t something to get that mad about, even with what she said to Miss Bates. Because by the time Emma starts, like, trying to be nice to her and invite her along in the carriage and just– I mean, she sends back the arrowroot. She sends it back. She’s sending a message. She could have just– she could have just been like, even– I mean, sending it back? It’s arrowroot.”
Emma: in on the secret
“But is it possible that you had no suspicion? — I mean of late. Early, I know, you had none.”
“I never had the smallest, I assure you.”
“That appears quite wonderful.”
Jane Austen: Mockingbird
Austen took the skills of an expert impersonator and moved them to the written page.
Branch of the United States League of Gileadites. Adopted Jan. 15, 1851
“Whereas slavery, throughout its entire existence in the United States, is none other than a most barbarous, unprovoked and unjustifiable war of one portion of its citizens upon another portion—the only conditions of which are perpetual imprisonment and hopeless servitude or absolute extermination—in utter disregard and violation of those eternal and self-evident truths set forth…
“My dear Fanny”
Mary is all, “I’m so glad we’re going to be sisters!” and Fanny writes back, “Thank you for the honour of your note. Here is an icicle.’
Exact Words 