I had a few questions/comments on chapter 7, so thought I'd lump them together here. :-)

JA is particularly to the point on the "narrow compass" of Sir John and Lady Middleton: "Sir John was a sportsman, Lady Middleton was a mother." And then "Lady Middleton had the advantage of being able to spoil her children all year round, while Sir John's independent employments were in existence only half the time." I can picture Sir John roaming the land during the off-season "hunting" for social activities! I wonder how he handled any lengthy stretches of inactivity. By the number of apologies and excuses he gives to the Dashwoods for failing to assemble a large party to greet them, I wonder if he enjoys fussing over such things?

I had a question over the paragraph which ends "though he esteems only those of his sex who are sportsman likewise, is not often desirous of encouraging their taste by admitting them to a residence within his own manor." Does this mean he likes being the alpha-sportsman (for lack of better term) in the neighborhood and so avoids having another sportsman in close competition?