“One Cannot Have Too Large a Party” – Life Advice From Jane Austen

It's my main girl Jane Austen's 240th birthday today, and although she hasn't been around in a good while she's dished out some pretty solid life advice that we can all apply to ourselves in the year 2016.

It's easy to see how her ideas are easily translatable across centuries, for example - you may not have known the 90's classic Clueless was based on her 1815 book Emma.  Here's some of Jane's wisdom that we can take on board in the 21st Century.

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"Surprises are foolish things. The pleasure is not enhanced, and the inconvenience is often considerable.”

I hate surprises too Jane. A surprise birthday party is a hellish idea. Everyone jumping out at you, yelling and you wouldn't even have time to put on a bit of translucent powder to look decent for pictures. I'd say Jane would untag herself in all the photos from parties on Facebook.

"One cannot have too large a party.”

This is true, unless you try and fit 200 people into your semi-detached house and some guy called Niall you don't recognise falls through your back door, ruining your dad's herb garden.

Jane would 100% do body shots. Source: Tumblr

"Vanity working on a weak head, produces every sort of mischief."

Wholeheartedly agree with this. We've all seen that lad at a social gathering who thinks he's the hottest person alive, and while he might believe it's true in theory, in execution it's an utter failure. He wears too much gel in his hair and pronounces vehicle as 'vayhicle'. No thanks.

"There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort."

Glad to hear Jane's also a fan of a night in with fluffy socks and a spice bag. Although in her day she probably wore a wool blanket and ate some kind of posh gruel. I don't want to speculate about her eating habits.

Jane would love curry chips. Who wouldn't? (Source: The Guardian)

"It is very difficult for the prosperous to be humble.”

We all know those rich friends who got accountancy jobs and are forever sharing pictures of their holidays in the Bahamas taken on their rose gold iPhones. I think Jane would be an Android gal myself.

"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of."

I love money too Jane, and it is my dream to make it rain some day as I believe it was yours over 200 years ago.

Source: Giphy

Happy Birthday Jane!