In Ch. 22 when Fanny and Mary are out walking in the shrubbery, we get the following from Fanny:

"'I am so glad to see the evergreens thrive!' said Fanny in reply. 'My uncle's gardener always says the soil here is better than his own, and so it appears from the growth of the laurels and evergreens in general. - The evergreen! - How beautiful, how welcome, how wonderful the evergreen! - When one thinks of it, how astonishing a variety of nature! - In some countries we know the tree that sheds its leaf is the variety, but that does not make it less amazing, that the same soil and the same sun should nurture plants differing in the first rule and law of their existence.'"

This reminded me of the earlier GR-discussion of the apricot tree. On the surface this is about plants and soil, but between the lines I have a hunch that this is about the Mansfield family as well. The same soil and sun produce different plants...OR the same parents, living in the same house produce children who differ in their approach to life, morals, etc. The Bertram children all have the same parents, have lived by the same rules etc. yet Edmund seems to be very different from the rest.

I also wonder if Edmund is the evergreen (always green and healthy, always pretty much the same), while Tom, Maria and Julia are the trees that lose their leaves (i.e. morals, values)? If this is so, then maybe there is hope for them - after all the trees will all be leafy again next year:)

Any thoughts?