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Mr Bennet's farm & horses.   Written by Mandy N (4/30/2007 2:27 a.m.) in consequence of the missive, What tax rate should he have applied?, penned by Tracy W
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I doubt there was any particular rule for Mr Bennet.
The Horse Tax was high, yet the government relied on revenue from landowners. The Bennet's income puts them in the top five percent or higher, of taxpayers in Englnad.
I doubt it is a comment by JA on Mr Bennet's income; As members of the gentry in JA's time got around this high tax by using the same horses for riding, carriage and farm work.

Mr Bennet does not own any good 'horse of all work'.
But keeps the same set of horses pretty busy on Mr Bennet's farm and occasionally running the Bennet ladies into Meryton.
Hence Mr Bennet's comment, his horses 'are wanted in the farm much often than I can get them' (Ch. 7)
Possibly, Mr Bennet's tenants who can't afford the upkeep of a horse may borrow his horses.

As the Bennets have a very comfortable income; I think Mr Bennet could afford more horses for the work around Longbourn, not just pulling carriages.


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