]]He had plenty of time (what, ten years?) to observe that John is a cold-hearted selfish young man greatly influenced by an even more cold-hearted and selfish wife.

] This is my third read of S&S and I continue to find "new discoveries". Althoug JA mentions the old gentleman only in this first part of the novel she delivers (IVHMO) a scathing commentary on the injustices of 16th-17th (1700s & 1800s) century law in regards to what women were allowed to inherit. The secure future of a widow and her female children was precarious to say the least and depended largely on the good will of her in-laws.

I agree heartily here. JA uses the old gentleman for three purposes IMO. 1) As Vicki I states, she uses him to criticize the inheritance system, which is a major theme in her novels.

2) She uses him to show the blindness of people that allows them to see only what they want to see. Though, as Barbara B states, he has had time to see John & Fanny's faults, he hasn't actually seen them. Due to the brown-nosing and manipulation that they no doubt used to get into his good graces, they have concealed their true characters from him. This is also a big theme for JA.