Anne here. I'm heading towards a looming deadline, and so instead of a learned blog, I'm going to play a little game of let's pretend.
It's a cold, wet Regency-era English evening. You're staying in for the night. There's no assembly to attend, no party, no play or concert or any other entertainment provided. You'll have to entertain yourself. Rain is spattering on the windows, and there's wind whistling through the chimneys, but inside the lanterns are lit and a cosy fire is crackling. Nevertheless, a long evening stretches before you. What are you going to do?
Reading?
What would you read? A witty Jane Austen novel, a dramatic tale by Mrs Radcliffe , Sir Walter Scott, an improving tale by Maria Edgeworth, a scary one by "Monk" Lewis or Wilkie Collins, or is poetry your choice tonight? Shelley? Byron's latest, or some classic Shakespeare?
Writing?
Or will you be quietly penning your own tale, or perhaps a letter?
Handicrafts?
Sewing? Would you be doing fine embroidery, or sewing a garment, perhaps? Or maybe you'd be sewing a patchwork quilt like this one Jane Austen and her sister and mother sewed.
Knitting, tatting or knotting?
Or maybe you're a knitter, making mittens, or caps, or a warm woolen scarf or muffler. Or bootees or slippers or socks, perhaps. Or are you a tatter making pretty lace borders. Or a knotter. You might do hairwork, braiding and curling the hair of a loved one (or your own hair, or even your dog's hair) into jewellery or using it to create some kind of picturesque scene.
Working with paper
Perhaps you will pass the evening filigree work (paper quilling) or "Japanning" (papier-mâché.) Both were very popular crafts for ladies in this period. Here's a box entirely decorated with paper filigree and varnished.
Maybe you have artistic leanings and will work on a painting or a drawing, and will sketch your companions as they read or sew. Or perhaps you prefer to sketch your dog or cat. Or does shell work, or feather work or straw work appeals to you more, decorating with, or making pictures and figures from them.
What about paper collage? Mary Delany was noted for her botanical collages.
Would you play music?
Gather around the piano for a happy group singalong?
Play an instrument for the listening pleasure of your companions?
Or just quietly hum to yourself?
Or are you more in the mood to play games?
There were lots of indoor games played in the Regency.
Word games abounded, charades, twenty questions, I spy, and Proverbs.
Card games, many of which are still played today, such as whist, vingt-et-un twenty-one or pontoon), piquet, and others we're not so familiar with, such as commerce or loo.
Then there are board games like Fox and Geese, solitaire, chess, and draughts (checkers), children's games like spillikins (or jackstraws or pick-up sticks) were still popular with adults.
And of course there are noisy group games such as charades or blind man's buff.
Supper time
Around ten o'clock, you'll probably be wanting supper. Your last meal was probably around 4pm (unless you live in Town) so you'll be hungry.
What are you going to eat and drink?
Will it be a casual nursery-type supper, toasting bread over the fire with a long toasting fork, or maybe toasting crumpets and spreading them with butter and honey or jam?
Or will it be something more elegant, like a cup of tea or a glass of wine. And supper set out on a tray, with some sliced cold chicken and ham, a few sandwiches or plain bread and butter, some cakes, cheese and dry biscuits(crackers) fruit or jam tarts, a salad, jelly, almond bread, maybe a biscuit (cookie) or two. It's up to you.
So there you have it. Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to describe how you will pass your evening -- what you will do, with whom (real or imaginary) and what will you have for supper? I'll choose two commenters to win a copy of my upcoming book, THE SUMMER BRIDE. **Note: Two winners have now been selected — Christina, and Karen, and I've emailed them. Thank you all for joinng in the conversation. It's been delightful and I feel so rested with all these lovely quiet evenings in. Anne.