Yes Emma did a lot for the really poor but she knew that she fell down in her duty to the "poorer gentry" like Miss Bates. She tried to avoid calling on her, she didn't reaelly show the woman teh respect she deserved and it was the same with Jane. As for Jane and "luxuries", she had plenty of character to "do without them".. She knew that when she became a governess she would not ahve luxuries or even probalby common courtesy most of the time. She knenw that and she was strong enough to face it even giving up her engagement to Frank and knowing that this meant almost certianly being a spinster and governess all her life

Besdies when I speak of mitigating her problems as an impoverished gentlewoman I wasn't speaking of "luxuries".. I meant showing her the courtesy that sEmma should show to a fellow gentlewoman. Visiting Miss B and Jane allowed them to be the hostesses, rahter than "havng them to Hartfield" ALL the time, so that they would be feeling like charity cases. Letting J keep up her piano practice isn't a luxury, it is allowing J to keep her talents honed and giving her a source of pleasure that isn't "luxury".