Afternoon at Donwell Abbey

Here begins a new series of post which I'm entitling 'Surprised By Beauty'. I had set my screensaver to circle through my photos and I had forgotten what lovely screencaps I have obtained from various places and then again what beautiful films have been made of Jane Austen's novels. Surprised By Beauty is a collection of screencaps that feature stunning or just artistic scenes from the adaptations of Jane Austen's novels and perhaps I'll do some from other period films.

Today's screencap is from the A&E Emma starring Kate Beckinsale and Mark Strong. This is actually my favorite adaptation of Emma because of it's simple story line, perfect casting, intimate settings for the scenes (everyone seems to be in everyone else's pocket, mainly in Emma's), and great contry dancing perhaps the best I've seen in a JA adaptation.
Here Emma is enjoying the beauty of Donwell Abbey which unbenonced to her will be her future home (after her father passes on at least). I love how at home she seems to be here and how at home her father is made to feel.

Old-Fashioned Lady

"A policeman asking questions puts people on their guard, but an old lady asking questions is just an old lady asking questions." - Miss Marple

Simple, insightful, sweet and old-fashioned to the bone is Miss Jane Marple. I adore Agatha Christie's writings and Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot I know by heart. In my work with the elderly I've come across many dear hearts but often when reading Miss Marple I have a desire to be a companion to her, what a useful friend she would be!

This is just to tide you over till I'm able to post the first of my special project 'Surprised By Beauty'.

I Love My Love In Secret

My Sandy gied to me a ring,
Was a' beset wi' diamonds fine;
But I gied him a far better thing,
I gied my heart in pledge o' his ring.

Chorus.-My Sandy O, my Sandy O,
My bonie, bonie Sandy O;
Tho' the love that I owe
To thee I dare na show,
Yet I love my love in secret, my Sandy O.

My Sandy brak a piece o' gowd,
While down his cheeks the saut tears row'd;
He took a hauf, and gied it to me,
And I'll keep it till the hour I die.
My Sand O, &c.

-1789, Robert Burns

Love In The Guise Of Friendship

Your friendship much can make me blest,
O why that bliss destroy!
Why urge the only, one request
You know I will deny!

Your thought, if Love must harbour there,
Conceal it in that thought;
Nor cause me from my bosom tear
The very friend I sought.

-Robert Burns, 1788

Painting 1899 by Edmund Blair Leighton (1853-1922) entitled 'Off'.

Degrees of Separation in Period Films

I'm addicted to period films and really have nothing better to do tonight then to mark out degrees of separation between actors and films. I would recommend all of these to you as great films and pieces of literature if you've never seen them before. No pictures this time but have fun anyway!

10 Degrees of Separation
Felicity Jones was in Northanger Abbey with
JJ Feild who was in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby with
Charles Dance who was in Bleak House with
Carey Mulligan who was in Pride & Prejudice with
Rosamund Pike who was in Wives & Daughters with
Justine Waddell who was in Mansfield Park with
Hugh Bonneville who was in Miss Austen Regrets with
Olivia Williams who was in Emma with
Samantha Bond who was in Mansfield Park with
Sylvestra Le Touzel who was in Northanger Abbey with
Felicity Jones!

9 Degrees of Separation
Colin Firth who was in The Importance of Being Earnest with
Dame Judi Dench who was in Cranford with
Simon Woods who was in Pride & Prejudice with
Keira Knightley who was in King Arthur with
Hugh Dancy who was in Daniel Deronda with
Jodhi May who was in The Mayor of Casterbridge with
Ciaran Hinds who was in Persuasion with
Simon Russell Beale who was in An Ideal Husband with
Rupert Everett who was in The Importance of Being Earnest with
Colin Firth!

9 Degrees of Seperation
Jeremy Northam was in The Winslow Boy with
Gemma Jones who was in Sense & Senibility with
Emma Thompson who was in Much Ado About Nothing with
Richard Briers who was in Victoria & Albert with
Jonathan Firth who was in Middlemarch with
Rufus Sewell who was in Amazing Grace with
Ioan Gruffudd who was in The Forsyte Saga with
Corin Redgrave who was in Persuasion with
Sophie Thompson who was in Emma with
Jeremy Northham!