Sydney meeting
Pens and Prejudice
Xavier Shea

The postal service was the internet of the age and enabled social connections to flourish. This talk focuses on the importance of written correspondence in the Austen novels and how this actually took place. It will examine the state of letter writing in the Regency Period: the quills, inks and quality of paper used, how everything was maintained, as well as the style of the letters and the etiquette of sending a letter to ensure it reached the right person. Xavier Shea is a commercial curator and principal of the company Black Swan. He is also a generous patron of the arts and has a keen interest in music and Jane Austen.