Lyme Regis, Friday's 56.

I've been to Lyme Regis walking along the Cobb, the harbour wall that features in Jane Austen's final novel, 'Persuasion'. My copy is from a Folio Society boxed set with wood engravings by Joan Hassall and it is my choice for this week's Friday 56 where Freda's Voice hosts contributions of a sentence or so from page 56 of any book of your choice. Take a look at the books that are featured. And thank you for hosting, Freda!

 Page 56
 'the child was going on so well - and he wished so much to be introduced to Captain Wentworth, that, perhaps, he might join them in the evening; he would not dine from home, but he might walk in for half an hour.' But in this he was eagerly opposed by his wife, with 'Oh, no! indeed, Charles, I cannot bear to have you go away. Only think if anything should happen!'

The high drama that takes place on the Cobb comes later, on pages 106/7 in my edition.
'There was too much wind to make the high part of the new Cobb pleasant for the ladies, and they agreed to get down the steps to the lower, and were all content to pass quietly and carefully down the steep flight, excepting Louisa; she must be jumped down them by Captain Wentworth.' 

'He advised her against it, thought the jar too great; but no, he reasoned and talked in vain; she smiled and said, 'I am determined I will:' he put out his hands; she was too precipitate by half a second, she fell on the pavement on the Lower Cobb and was lifeless!'

This is my favourite Austen with it's quiet central character, Anne Elliot, who thinks that love has passed her by. And it's always interesting to visit places that have been made use of in literature. I would like to have added page 56 of 'The French Lieutenant's Woman' but I can't find the copy of my book. If you have watched the film, with the title character played by Meryl Streep, then you will have seen quite a bit of Lyme Regis and the Cobb because the film was made in the town.