Fanny vs. JA's brothers

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Fanny vs. JA's brothers Written by Maisy (9/17/2006 10:08 a.m.) in consequence of the missive, Gosh, Julie thanks a lot., penned by Reeba

[Thanks for posting these excerpts from Henry's correpsondence, Julie.] :-)

Reeba: Should Fanny's assumptions about the comfort of the Dashwood women on an income far above the Austen women not sound so bad after all? I wonder.

Fanny mentions how little Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters' expenses will be. She gives a detailed list of what they will and will not have. It's clear that Fanny has a grasp of the circumstances the women will be reduced to.

As one who has kept her husband's house, and is now taking over the household of an estate, she obviously has an idea of the costs involved in running a home. She must realize that they will very likely have problems affording costly foodstuffs such as beef and sugar, and also non-food "comforts" that they will probably have to do without.

I imagine that JA's brothers also had an idea of how their mother and sisters would have to live on such a small income. But they weren't all in a position to be as generous as John Dashwood could have been. And did they begrudge their mother and sisters the items of "china, plate, and linen" that were in their possession, upon George Austen's death? ;o)

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Do these words seem familiar to you? JulieW (9/17/2006 9:04 a.m.)

Though there is the distinct difference... Tracy W (9/17/2006 9:45 p.m.)
- Thats not my point( such as it is) JulieW (9/18/2006 2:59 a.m.)
  - If I understood the tone Laraine (9/18/2006 9:03 a.m.)
- 4 people and 3 servants Barbara (9/18/2006 1:46 a.m.)
  - I agree Jan (9/18/2006 1:34 p.m.)
    - Its a comparative poverty, Jan JulieW (9/18/2006 3:27 p.m.)
      - I totally agree that it's relative   Jan (9/18/2006 5:39 p.m.)
        
        Its a trap,"gentility",isn't it?   JulieW (9/19/2006 4:38 a.m.)
        
        Would the effort involved in working be worth it?   Pennie (9/18/2006 10:42 p.m.)
        
        Well JA appears to have regarded her earnings...   Tracy W (9/19/2006 2:13 a.m.)
      - And England was very poor in absolute terms at the time Tracy W (9/18/2006 5:00 p.m.)
      - Thank you Julie, JeannetteF (9/18/2006 3:56 p.m.)
        
        I'qm not sure we are given JulieW (9/19/2006 7:39 a.m.)
    - Money and economies for Mrs. Dashwood Barbara (9/18/2006 2:47 p.m.)
      - Perhaps she had never had to save. Jan (9/18/2006 5:09 p.m.)
    - Good point about the daughters Caroline (9/18/2006 2:19 p.m.)
      - Austenuations, please   Barbara (9/18/2006 2:41 p.m.)
        
        Clarification, please   Caroline (9/18/2006 8:50 p.m.)
        
        Spelling it out.   Barbara (9/18/2006 11:23 p.m.)
        
        okay   Caroline (9/19/2006 12:13 p.m.)
        
        No, that's not what I'm saying   Barbara (9/19/2006 1:21 p.m.)
  - That's the way I think about it Laraine (9/18/2006 8:57 a.m.)
  - Servants not as lavish as they seem Delories (9/18/2006 5:05 a.m.)
    - Excellent perspective, Delories... Elizabeth Sycamore (9/18/2006 9:27 p.m.)
Very familiar... Moni (9/17/2006 10:44 a.m.)
- Similiar cirumstances... Mandy N (9/17/2006 12:38 p.m.)
Thanks for the interesting insight! *nfm* LaurieC (9/17/2006 10:39 a.m.)
Gosh, Julie thanks a lot. Reeba (9/17/2006 9:35 a.m.)
- The opinion of the rich Mary Ellen (9/18/2006 8:44 p.m.)
- Fanny vs. JA's brothers Maisy (9/17/2006 10:08 a.m.)
  - Margaret's education Tina T (9/17/2006 10:21 a.m.)

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