for some reason, Persuasion has never brought out laughter in me, the way the other novels have. I think because other characters have something redeeming in them at times or are of a type that is easy to laugh at. But Sir Walter never has, I think, because right from the beginning you see how much pain he causes. First to his wife by implication and then to Anne. I don't chuckle at all but kind of snort derisively whenever I see some evidence of his shallow selfishness, stupidity and vanity.