Today is Jane Austen’s birthday, 233 years ago!  To quote her father in his letter to Mrs. Walter on Dec 17, 1775:

“You have doubtless been for some time in expectation of hearing from Hampshire, and perhaps wondered a little we were in our old age grown such bad reckoners but so it was, for Cassey certainly expected to have been brought to bed a month ago: however last night the time came, and without a great deal of warning, everything was soon happily over. We have now another girl, a present plaything for her sister Cassy and a future companion. She is to be Jenny, and seems to me as if she would be as like Henry, as Cassy is to Neddy. Your sister thank God is pure well after it, and sends her love to you and my brother…” (Austen Papers, 32-3)

I have found “A Limerick for Jane Austen’s Birthday” by Lois White Wilcox,  published in Persuasions, No. 14, 1992 ~ this says it all!

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For the 233rd birthday of Jane,   

Let us make it perfectly plain,

T’would be most sagacious

And not AUSTENtatious

To praise her achievements again.

You who see through the fake and the twit,

At your feet (by your fire), we will sit.

As Janeites we’ll boast

It’s our privilege to toast

Our mistress of wisdom and wit!

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We had our Annual Jane Austen Birthday celebration last Sunday [and will write about this shortly] ~ Afternoon Tea and English Country Dancing ~ a fabulous time had by all!