{Elegant} having a seemingly effortless beauty, an ineffable grace, and refinement.

A tribute to Jane Austen from 'Jane Austen: A Life' by Claire Tomalin:
"To the child for whom books were a refuge, offering a world that sometimes made better sense than the one she had to find her way about. To the girl whose imagination took off in startling directions as she began to see the possibilities of telling stories of her own. To the energetic young woman who loved dancing and jokes, and dreamt of a husband even as she apprenticed herself to novel-writing with all the force of her intelligence. To the 25-year-old who decided she did not like people and could not write any more, and who was tempted to make a comfortable, loveless marriage and put the temptation behind her. To the loving sister and aunt who always made time for her family even though she would sometimes have preferred to be left to think and write in peace. To the woman who befriended governesses and servants. To the published author in the glow of achievement and mastery of her art. To the dying woman with the courage to resist death by writing in its very teeth. To the person who on occasion preferred to remain silent rather than cut across the views and habits of those she loved, and who kept notes of what people said about her work, to read over to herself."
 
I cannot say how much Jane Austen’s writings have inspired and influenced me throughout the years, and offered hours of enjoyment in reading her truly delightful stories.