| Many people I've spoken to are uncertain what | | | | For much of the year, but especially during what |
| the Regency actually was. As a writer of | | | | was called the season, one's life was filled with |
| Regency romance I'd like to give you a whimsical | | | | pursuits and pleasures such as: |
| peek. Just for fun, of course. Would you like to | | | | Balls and Card-parties |
| join me as I take a look? | | | | Making house calls in carriages, and having them |
| Since I could never do justice to the period in a | | | | returned |
| short article such as this, I'll be content with giving | | | | Leaving your card and collecting the cards of |
| you word-pictures; Images that you must allow | | | | others |
| to pop into your mind as you read them. Think | | | | Cabriolets and Landaus, Coaches and Curricles |
| you can figuratively close your eyes? Good. Here | | | | Butlers and Housekeepers, Parlour maids and |
| we go! | | | | Postillions |
| Jane Austen, Lord Byron | | | | Fashion and Fops; Dandies and Originals |
| King George III The Prince Regent | | | | Artists and Aristocrats |
| Napoleon Bonaparte The Duke of Wellington | | | | Royalty and Romances |
| Princess Caroline Princess Charlotte | | | | Suppers and Soirees, Illuminations and Exhibitions |
| The War of 1812 The Battle of Waterloo | | | | Concerts and Cotillions |
| Everyone and every thing I just named all have a | | | | Muslins and Milliners |
| common thread; a common denominator, if you | | | | Tailors and Turbans |
| will. They all lived--or occurred (the events)--during | | | | Clubs and Coffee-houses |
| a time in history known as the Regency. | | | | Uniforms and Regiments |
| So what was this thing called a regency? In 1811, | | | | Carlton House and White's |
| the Prince of Wales, (the future George IV) was | | | | Getting a picture? Want some more? |
| appointed regent, which means acting monarch--in | | | | Duels and Seconds |
| place of his father, the beleaguered, suffering old | | | | Hessians and Half-boots |
| king, George III--who was very ill and no longer | | | | Curtseys and Bows |
| mentally competent to rule. That, in short, is what | | | | Dowagers and Dukes |
| necessitated the Regency. And until the good king | | | | Bonnets and Ballrooms |
| died, in 1820, his son was Regent. (His friends still | | | | White gloves and Glass Slippers (no, no, no, just |
| called him "Prinny" but don't tell him I told you so.) | | | | kidding!) |
| Welcome then, to Regency, England. It is | | | | Colonels and Coronets |
| anywhere from 1811 to 1820, and if you'll give me | | | | Hatpins and Ribbons |
| just a few minutes, I think you'll discover that you | | | | This really is fun! I'd like to continue, but I hope |
| like the place. | | | | you've had a taste, (if ever so elusive) of the |
| Why? For the simple reason that there is no | | | | flavour of the Regency. To get a more in-depth |
| other time in history that was quite like it. | | | | feel for what it was, I commend you to books. |
| (If you were unfortunate enough to have been | | | | For research, there are many. For fun and |
| born into the lower classes you might not have | | | | curiosity's sake, there are--what |
| enjoyed it so well; But for the upper classes of | | | | else?--romances.(You knew I'd get to that sooner |
| the day, it was a time of extravagant, if not | | | | or later, didn't you? And this, I believe, is my cue |
| frenetic, living.) | | | | to curtsey my way out! |