Bath, England through Jane Austen's Eyes, Bath, England (B)

I have realized that I am slowly turning into a woman who could easily slip into a Jane Austen novel. Alas, I am not becoming one of those spirited, self-assured main characters in the tradition of Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice. Instead, I am displaying all the old-fashion qualities of a mother worried about social graces and fine manners. At eleven years old, my daughter is on the brink of becoming a "young lady," and against her will, I signed her up for etiquette classes (a.k.a. "charm school").

She has learned the proper way to shake hands, when to rise, setting tables, writing thank you notes, replying to invitations, and the ladylike way to sit. (For those of you who are curious: Ladies sit upright with knees turned to the left corner of the chair or toward partner and then right ankle crossed over the left ankle, making an “S” shape. Right hand rests over the left hand, on the lap just above the knees.) In a few weeks, it will culminate in a Cotillion Ball where all the boys and girls dressed in their finery will have to ballroom dance with a partner, switching after each song — presumably being very gracious about the whole thing and not stepping on each other's feet. A ball to look forward to! How grand! I wonder which Jane Austen character my girl will turn out to be. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).