I have discussed Methods of Research for Historical Writers some months ago. Among others, I recommended working with Wikipedia to get a quick overview on a topic. I still stick to this advise. Nevertheless, it is always important and useful to double-check on information and to deepen your knowledge by visiting specialised websites and blogs. Therefore, I have edited links to tried and tested websites for you to help you with your research on the Regency period. Continue reading
Writer’s Travel Guide: Kingston Lacy
In this post:
- An English House as an Italian Palace
- A Gentleman Egyptologist
- The Dangers of “Not Being in the Petticoat-Line”
Kingston Lacy is located 3.5 miles from Wimborne Minster, Dorset. From the 17th to the late 20th century it was the family seat of the Bankes family. The Bankes were leading gentry. Their wealth was founded in land and in owning a graphite mine (1).
Kingston Lacy is lavishly decorated and famous for its collection of fine art and antiquities. It owes much of its splendor to William John Bankes (1786 – 1855) and his friend, the architect Charles Barry: They worked hard to make Kingston Lacy resemble an Italian Palace. They imported Carrara marble for the staircase, planned and executed designs for new and lavish interiors, built a loggia on the east side and an elegant terrace on the south side. Poor William John Banks could not enjoy his Italian Palace. Due to a scandal, he had to flee the country to save his life …
Continue reading
Anna and the Mystery of the Triple Minor (part 2) – Free Music Download of “Lady Caroline Lee’s Waltz”
In this post:
- Dance instructions for “Lady Caroline Lee’s Waltz” for you to perform and enjoy
- Free music download: “Lady Caroline Lee’s Waltz” (mp3)
- Free music sheet for “Lady Caroline Lee’s Waltz”
Dear Regency Enthusiast
as promised, here is my post with dance instructions and a free mp3 soundfile for “Lady Caroline Lee’s Waltz”.
Lady Caroline Leigh was a distant relative of Jane Austen. Her son James Henry was a second cousin to Jane. It is easy to imagine that the “Lady Caroline Lee’s Waltz” was danced as part of the evening entertainment when Jane visited James Henry. The music sheet for the “Lady Caroline Lee’s Waltz” was part of Jane Austen’s library. It is, however, still the status quo of the Austen-research to have solely proven she danced the boulangère, and I don’t want to imply anything else.
Dance instructions for “Lady Caroline Lee’s Waltz” for you to perform and enjoy Continue reading
Anna and the Mystery of the Triple Minor (Part 1)
In this post:
The truth about longway dances of Jane Austen’s time
How to perform a longway dance in a historically correct way
Tips for depicting a ball in your novel
Preview: Dance instruction and music to come in part 2
Dear Regency Enthusiast
A couple of weeks ago I took part in a workshop in Old English Country Dances*. First-hand experience of the culture and techniques of the regency era can be very enlightening for writers (see my post on Five Methods of Research). Indeed I came across very helpful facts – and a dark secret of contemporary country dance teaching. Fancy that: All the longway dances from Jane Austen’s time are today deliberately taught historically incorrect. Shocking! Why are the dances usually done incorrectly? How were they really performed? And what should you know to when you write a scene with a ball for your novel? Continue reading
Writer’s Travel Guide: Château de Valençay – The Chef, the Prince and the Golden Cage
In this post:
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Golden Age vs. Golden Cage
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The Spy with the Saucepan?
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An English Adventure
Regency-Explorer-Quiz: Who is “Mr X”?
Regency-Explorer.net is in search of “Mr. X” !
Here is a little quiz for all History Sleuths: Who is the historic person described below? Read all about his appaerance, his characteristics and his life up to the year 1815.
Questions to answer:
Who is X?
Who is A?
Who is B?
What is the name of Y?
What is the name of Z?
Write your answers in the comment field below. There are glory and honour to gain – as well as the fun of solving a quiz.
Enjoy it!
Here is your challenge:
Name: X
Birthday: xx. xx. 17xx / London.
Profession: writer
Appearance:
- Figure: tall, straight and upright in carriage
- Countenance: His steps are short and firm, his approach cheerful, almost dashing
- Hair: black and straight, parted in the centre
- Eyes: brown, brilliant, reflective, kind and gay, with a look of observant humor Continue reading
Managing the Characters – Part 3 of 3: Sample Biography and Quiz
In the first two parts of this series, I wrote about ways to manage the characters of a novel. I discussed
- the details about your characters you should define and
- tools for handling the characters’ data.
I also mentioned that it is useful to write a biography for each character. While it is a lot of work, there are certain benefits.
How does a biography help?
Managing the Characters – Part 2 of 3: Tools and Free Download
Welcome to the second post of this 3-part series about keeping track of your characters – the one with The Free Download. In the previous post, I covered what pieces of information about your characters you could and should define.
You have now created a lot of data for each character. How to handle it? The answer depends on your preferences. Here are some options: Continue reading
Managing the Characters – Part 1 of 3: Attributes
Your novel features many characters. Each of them has individual characteristics of appearance and behaviour. You might easily remember the long dark hair of your heroine and the aquiline nose of your hero. But remembering every bit of information about every character is likely to be a challenge. It is advisable to list those attributes somehow.
Continue reading
Writer’s Travel Guide: Forde Abbey
Forde Abbey is located 3.6 miles from Chard, Somerset. It was founded as Cistercian monastery in the 12th century. Its interior is mostly covered in oak panelling and plasterwork. Thus, those preferring the more splendid Georgian style may be reluctant to visit Forde Abbey. However, it is well worth having a closer look at it.
From 1814 to 1818, you would have met Jeremy Bentham at Forde Abbey. He was known as one of the most important social reformers of his time. He had rented Forde Abbey from its owner. He wrote several books there, turned to radical politics and entertained some of the greatest thinkers of the early 19th century, among them the economist David Ricardo and legal reformer Sir Samuel Romilly.