I have had miscellaneous thoughts but have not been able to do the research to back up my ideas and post them. I congratulate you for "going for it" in spite of the lack of novel references. I thank you for your other references, which I've opened and will review so I will reserve comment except for your last point.

I, too, just discovered Jane Austen in the last two years. Perhaps Masterpiece Theatre's The Complete Jane Austen did it for you, too, as it did for me? With that said, I have been taken over by Austen just as you described and feel that discussing all of her characters in this GR has brought me great enrichment. I look forward to further reading and researching in order to appreciate more indepth the Austen genius. Then when the GR comes back around to P&P in the future, I'll be ready (hopefully) to post more lengthy and substantive commentary.