“Imagine a literary retreat that will slip you quietly back into Regency England in a beautiful old mansion where Jane herself would feel at home. Take afternoon tea. Listen to Mozart. Bring your needlework. Share your thoughts at a book discussion of Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility or Emma and how the movies stand up to the books. Attend the talk about the time of Jane Austen. Test your knowledge of Jane Austen, her books, and the Regency period and possibly take home a prize. Take a carriage or sleigh ride.”

Who can resist such an invitation? And what could be more fun than a relaxing weekend of leisurely diversions inspired by that most gracious of authors, Jane Austen? Imagine the pleasure to be had in dressing up in period costumes and trading quips and stories with other devoted readers of Jane’s classic stories. It’s not Bath, but Hyde Park, Vermont. The scene? A lovely restored mansion circa 1800.

When an intrepid entrepreneur restored the Governor’s House, one of her goals was to give her guests a glimpse of a bygone era, one in which time moved more slowly, conversation was a form of entertainment, and life was spiced with tea and sympathy. What better way to bring this era to life than to host Austen-inspired events, including “A Jane Austen Character Weekend” in which each guest chooses to be a character from one of Jane’s novels and then interact with other characters over three days of a luscious literary retreat.

In the spirit of the times, a host of fun activities are offered during these literary weekends, including leisurely English teas, letter writing, an evening of games, fencing, croquet, English Country dancing, long walks, archery, carriage rides, and a picnic. Beam me up, Jane! And write on.