Regency library

Jane Austen grew up in a bookish family. Rev. Austen was a great reader (and writer of sermons) and he read aloud to his children. When her family moved to Bath, Jane’s father sold or gave away over 500 books from his vast library, which must have crammed the parsonage in Steventon. Under her father’s direction, Jane read English, classical and foreign literature by such authors as Samuel Johnson, Samuel Richardson, Henry Fielding, Alexander Pope, George Crabbe, William Cowper, and William Shakespeare. Jane was also encouraged to buy subscriptions to the popular novels written by Frances Burney, Sarah Harriet Burney, Maria Edgeworth and Ann Radcliffe. Rev. Austen’s library at Steventon provided inspiration for the short satirical sketches Jane wrote as a girl and with which she entertained the family. To entertain each other, the close knit Austen family would also read to each other, play games, and produce plays. One imagines that Rev. Austen’s library played an important part in devising these amusements.*

Although Mr. Darcy speaks of the family library as a collection of books, it was far more than that. In the country house of a gentleman like Mr. Bennet, the library is his "Man Cave"-- his haven-- storing books, yes, but also doubling as an office or study where he might retire when confounded by his wife's folly, or a place to meet his esate agent, as Mr. Knightley does, in Emma. Books were expensive, luxuries, and it was a sign of prestige for a home to include a large number of or them. Great Houses might have an entire room designated for the purpose-- a place, which might also host family gatherings and be opened to guests when large parties were arranged.

This 1816 etching by John Britton represents a typical home library during Regency. The library is located at Cassiobury Park and it was used similarly to many other home libraries of the time — it was essentially the most important room of the house and could be easily referred to as a family sitting room. A group of small dogs in the front sufficiently demonstrates the openness of this library to anyone and anything. At the same time, all traditional library features are present and their style is unmistakable. We see built-in bookcases that are architectural in nature. In other such libraries you would often see (apart from the books, obviously) various antiquities and curiosities. Small private museums of this sort had a long history, but in Georgian times and in the early 19th century the trend became very popular. As far as architectural styles, Regency designers preferred neoclassical decor, howver Gothic influences were also quite common at the discretion of individual owners who were inspired by the love of all things Medieval (as interpreted by novelists and poets). The furniture of this particular home library is typical Regency style (note the Grecian chairs), but the general tone has a certain Gothic air."

Original with more pictures