Dedication and drollery
February 17, 2008
Oh, that Jane Austen. Can’t tell her what to do. Well, you can if you’re the Prince Regent, but be prepared for some Regency-flavored passive-aggressive compliance.
The Prince Regent liked Jane’s novels so much he sent ’round his own personal librarian to invite (read: politely command) our authoress to dedicate her next novel, Emma, to him. One cannot respectfully decline such an invitation if one is attached to one’s head, so to speak.
Thus, in her own inimitable fashion (and likely after a few choice Regency cuss words), Jane penned a dedication to the original Playboy Prince using all his favorite words, and some of them three times, “His Royal Highness.”
Wonder if he even read the book?
