It is a truth universally acknowledged that Pride And Prejudice is one of Britain's best-loved novels.
Flicking through the visitor book at the modest Jane Austen's House Museum, I find more than one declaration of love for the author's brooding male protagonist.
'Mr Darcy is a misunderstood man,' reads one entry. 'Lydia needs a smack,' rebukes another.
This year, the nation celebrates 200 years since Austen's most famous tome was published, and it seems Darcy and the spirited Elizabeth Bennet remain just as cherished by readers as ever.
As I arrive at the museum, a pretty 17th Century cottage surrounded by the thatched roofs and quiet village green of Chawton on the edge of the South Downs in Hampshire, a group of Americans from the New York State chapter of the Jane Austen Society also sweep in on the trail of their literary heroine.
In a set-up not unlike that of the Dashwoods in Sense And Sensibility, Austen lived with her mother, sister Cassandra and good friend Martha Lloyd in a cottage on her brother's grand estate from 1809 until 1817.
Seeing the tiny table where Austen sat and put her beloved characters on to the page, and the humble bedroom she shared with her sister, is just half the story. It's the knowledgeable volunteers at the museum who truly bring Austen's legacy to life.
They talk of 'Jane' as if she were a treasured niece and indulgently chuckle over the wry letters she wrote and adventures she had.
Seek out Ann Channon, the house manager. There is nothing she doesn't know about Austen and she has tales galore of Colin Firth's visits when he was playing Mr Darcy in the BBC adaptation. The boost to visitor numbers after the series aired in 1995 was so great that it is referred to as The Colin Firth Year.
In the reading room, I flick through copies of Austen novels, sequels, prequels and adaptations. There is even a Dummies' Guide To Jane Austen.
My favourite find, though, is a portrait of Austen's cousin the Rev Edward Cooper. The caption reads: 'Jane Austen's cousin, sermon and hymn writer. In their youth Jane found him "cheerful and amusing" but his growing evangelical zeal made him a less engaging correspondent with the passing of time.' Perhaps he was the inspiration for the awkward Mr Collins?
From the modest cottage, I feel just like Austen herself as I walk to the 'Great House' where her brother Edward Knight (he changed his name after he was adopted as an heir to childless relatives) resided.
The little church at the foot of the drive is where Austen's sister and mother are buried, while Jane's remains (she died at the age of 41) are in Winchester Cathedral. The grand manor house is now the Chawton House Library, celebrating literary works by women writers in honour of its links with the Austens.
There are thousands of unusual works (a book on 16th Century midwifery, anyone?), including first editions, all available for public use. The charitable trust also hosts a series of lectures – including one planned by Simon Langton, who directed the BBC's adaptation of Pride And Prejudice, for the book's bicentenary.
Beyond the grand Armada fireplace in the great room and the tapestries and wood panelling that transport me to a different time, my favourite spot by far is the alcove in the ladies' drawing room.
It is here that Austen sat and watched village life go on at the end of the driveway. I settle down to do the same, watching her American fans weaving among the cottages, the first of many who will make the pilgrimage to Jane's world this year.
Entry to Jane Austen's House Museum costs £7.50 for adults and £2 for children. For information on the bicentenary celebrations, visit
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