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Sep 30, 2014 · According to an old English joke, when a Victorian girl asked her mother what to do on her wedding night, the mother replied, “Lie still and close your eyes, dear, and think of England.” In contrast, men “needed it,” and even—the dirty curs—enjoyed it.
Nov 27, 2019 · The classic Victorian mother was the legendary British lady whose parting pre-nuptial advice to her daughter was: “Close your eyes — and think of England.” Share this: Email
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Supposedly derived from the 1912 journal of Alice Marion Mills, Lady Hillingdon, now lost. Later apocryphally connected to Lucy Baldwin, wife of Prime Minister Baldwin, and Queen Victoria or described as advice given to Victorian era brides-to-be. First popularized by the 1955 translation of Pierre Daninos's 1954 Les Carnets du Major Thompson, a Fr...
close one's eyes and think of England (third-person singular simple present closes one's eyes and thinks of England, present participle closing one's eyes and thinking of England, simple past and past participle closed one's eyes and thought of England) 1. To accept one's duty patriotically, particularly (idiomatic, euphemistic) to endure unwanted ...
Martin, Gary. "Close Your Eyes and Think of England", Phrase Finder.Tréguer, Pascal. "Close Your Eyes and Think of England", Word Histories.Jocular advice given to women during the course of unwanted or dutiful sex. The expression is thought to have originated in the late 19th century, perhaps based on the unpleasant experiences of British women living in undesirable circumstances or locations throughout the British Empire.
The phrase "Lie back and think of England" refers to the societal expectation that women should endure or submit to sexual activity with their husbands, even if they are not particularly enthusiastic about it.
lie dormant and contemplate the empire. lie motionless and contemplate the monarchy. remain inert and think about the kingdom. remain still and think about the nation. rest quietly and consider the sovereignty. stay immobile and mull over the realm.
Abstract. Captain Frederick Marryat, an English novelist who toured this country in 1837, reportedly observed piano legs modestly covered by little trousers in.
