Again, this shows how much thought went into the writing of the novel. JA was thinking on many levels at once: what her characters were likely to do, what could best tell the story, and how she could move the plot forward.

With a letter, Lizzy was not stuck with her first impression of Darcy's words, as she had been at the ball. He was, as it were, able to make his argument to her over and over, not just when she was full of indignation, but when she had returned to her more rational self.