] Maybe I should give up new clothes and new books in favor of having servants.

Thanks! I had gone back and forth on whether the 7,000 was in addition to the 3,000 pounds, which never seemed to me to put them at the poverty line. As you pointed out, they did have the expense of servants, but if servants wages were similar to what they were at the turn of the 20th century, it still would have left them enough to live comfortably if not lavishly (ooops, I sound like Fanny!). It is all relative, after all. Several years ago a woman told me in all seriousness that I had no idea of what it was like for a family of three to scrape along on $98,000.00 a year, which was quite true, as my salary was not in that range. I reminded her that much larger families than hers were struggling to make it on much less, & that I felt fortunate that my son was an adult, and I only had to support myself. I got a completely blank look in return.