"Mr. Darcy may hug himself?" Was that a common expression or did Jane coin it? (When they are discussing Darcy's flaws.)

When Mr. Darcy says that "to all this she must yet add something more substantial in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading," do you think he is making a dig at Caroline Bingley (and perhaps an indirect compliment to Elizabeth) since Caroline just made fun of Lizzy for reading? It always struck me as odd that he says this a page or two after Elizabeth picks a book and her choice is so commented upon?

I am sure I am missing something when Mrs. Bennet says, both in the novel and in the movie that they dine with four and twenty families and this is found to be hysterically funny. Is it merely that 24 families is actually very few? How many families would one be intimate with in town? Am I missing the joke?

Isn't Mrs. Bennet sort of correct when she says that Sir William Lucas is her model of good breeding and that those who fancy themselves above their company quite mistake the matter. Darcy has offended every body and most people do like Sir Lucas. I find a great deal of what Mrs. Bennet says more correct than I used to and though I would still weep to have her as my own mother, she is quite smart when it comes to some things--she just has an ineffective way of expressing her ideas. Any body agree?

Logistically speaking, in terms of this group read, may one discuss foreshadowing of future events or must one wait to refer back to them when the actual event takes place. I do not wish to post an inappropriate comment.