Posted by Tora on July 26, 1997 at 21:20:42:
In reply to Re: Mrs. Johnson... posted by Claire on July 25, 1997 at 13:07:50
Mrs. Johnson seems to live vicariously through Lady Susan. She would never do what she does, not only for fear of getting caught, but because deep down she truly believes in the rules of polite society and would be lost without them. The first thing she writes in Letter 9 is "I advise by all means to marry him". She tries to imagine the best scenario possible: "Sir Reginald is very infirm, and not likely to stand in your way long... Manwaring will storm of course, but you may easily pacify him... (Sir James) is so far from having forgotten you, that I am sure he would marry either of you with pleasure..." Mrs. Johnson's focus is on marriage, which in her mind would resolve everything. While Lady Susan "cannot resolve on anything so serious as marriage."
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