This is a comment I actually made to the widower of my dear friend and mentor, when he phoned me to ask my advice. Within months of my friend's unexpected passing, her 50-something husband wished to remarry a woman he knew from work. The furor (esp. among the sibs and mother of my friend), was terrific. But the thought I had, and expressed to the widower, was that his desire to remarry was a testimony to the good marriage he had with his wife.

People are irritated with Benwick's mourning, but are also irritated when he's through with it. Perhaps Benwick's desire to marry is a compliment to Fanny Harville's wonderful character. His experience with her has given him faith and hope in the institution of marriage.