his criticisms of Miss Austen's so-called implausibilities in the plot I just waived off and plunged ahead. None of the criticisms, and I mean none of them, ever diminished this masterpiece of work. What do I say to anybody that casts a likewise critical eye on Jane Austen? They wouldn't do better and they frankly COULDN'T do bette

Saying that there are implausiblities in the plot is not saying that one can do better. There ARE things in Persuasion that are not IMO well plotted such as the whole Clay/SMith/Mr Elliott sub plot...This is part of a critic's job. All novels have weak points, and Austens first work S&S IMO is weaker than her ohter works. Persuasion has soem great strengths, such as a nearly perfect heroine who is nonetheless likeable and the increased depth of emotion that Austne can now work wtih. But I think that due to her ill health, she wasn't able to write for long and perhaps wasn't able to work the Smith plot so that it was more believable.