The Lady Catherine Game

This is the game that was played during the Friday night reception at Vegas on the Cape. A letter was read from a distraught correspondent seeking advice from Lady Catherine & Company. Each participant drew the name of an Austen character and answered as that character.

We then guessed which character had offered the advice. Below are the responses. How many can you guess?

Dear Lady Catherine & Company,

I am the younger son of a peer. I am about to be betrothed to an excellent young woman of good family and good fortune. However, I love another lady who has nothing to recommend her but herself. She is a gentlewoman, but, alas, has no dowry.

Pray tell me, should I proceed with the betrothal or follow my heart?

Your humble servant,

Bewildered in Bath

1. No dowry? Sadly, you must dump her. My advice is to marry the rich girl immediately!! Go for the gold!!

2. I sympathize with your situation. You are sensitive to the feelings of your first young lady. God looks with blessings upon a marriage of love, commitment and honour. Marry your beloved.

3. Love is NOT love which admits impediments.... You must, of course, follow your heart. Why do you even hesitate? Indeed, sir, I am concerned that you even have the nerve to ask this question, you do not love as you ought! Therefore, I advise you to marry no one until you find your PASSION IS IRRESISTABLE.

4. My first impression tells me to tell you to follow your heart.

5. I suggest you consider your future carefully. You should, of course, be practical - you cannot live on love alone. Having said this much, however, I do not recommend that you marry one lady when you are certain that you love another. If you are certain you feel nothing for the first young lady (your betrothed) and never will, then do not marry without affection.

6. Forget both of them and buy yourself a bloody good steed.

7. Where are your scruples?! What would your life be like living a lie; married to someone only for money. By all means follow your heart. Do not enter into such a deception and marry the one you do not love. I was faced with a similar situation and refused to succumb to great pressure from my family and friends. Wealth and comfort are too high a price. Do not deceive yourself. Marry the woman you love.

8. Do not forget your station as I am sure your dowry-less "love" remembers hers. You have responsibilities and duties to your family and to your soon-to-be fiancee. If youi are still in a quandary, I suggest you refrain from those smelly waters and disappear to the continent for all our sakes.

9. Have you tried the excellent solution that appeared in "The Count of the Castle" or maybe you can find the solution you seek by reading "The Arabian". I am sure if you perused these volumes, they would offer the solution to your problem.

10. I was engaged to an older brother, secretly that is. When he lost his inheritance, I went to the younger brother. You must go with the woman with money as it does make the world go round.

11. You never know where love might blossom. Why, I cared not a jot for my caro sposo when I first met him, but now I think the world of my Mr. E. My advice is to marry the woman of fortune. I do not call myself an expert, but my friends say I can certainly make a match.

12. I suggest that you follow your heart. Although she is a very fine young woman, you do yourself a grave disservice. Besides, it is me you love, you twit.

13. If only you had five or ten thousand a year, I would be happy to see you betrothed to any one of my girls. That not being the case, I advise you to take every opportunity of enjoying yourself! Marry the girl you love and demand that your father take care of you, as he ought.

14. The woman of no fortune who you love will almost certainly to be the natural daughter of a peer and, therefore, an entirely appropriate wife.

15. My dear boy, I know very well the position in which you find yourself. I am sorry to have to tell you, but younger sons very often cannot marry where they wish. As the true object of your affection has no dowry, I am afraid your must marry for money. Try to forget your true love and be a good husband to your betrothed.

16. I believe it to be extremely inconvenient that you would choose to ask this question of me. I have been very ill of late and my sons have requied much of my time. Really, I think it very rude that I should be called upon to answer this question. You really have more time than I, after all....

17. The lady to whom you are about to be betrothed is my dearest friend in the whole world. We are like sisters! I adore her. She has the loveliest new muslin frock. I would do anything for her. What was the question? Oh yes, marry which ever one you want. I am off to the dance, now.

18. My advice would be to marry for love, not to blindly follow duty. You never know - true love only comes once, so do not spend years regretting letting it go.

19. So long as your beloved the requisite charm and an absence of pretence, as I have found in my own lovely young lady, I trust that any lack of fortune shall be compensated with simply pleasures and long walks, free of any excessive expression of rapture for the picturesque.

20. The answer is plain. You must marry your betrothed. A good fortune is always useful. However, you may find it possible to indulge your fancy for the other lady once you are wed.

21. It is my experience that ladies of "good family" are often in inconstant and duplicitous. Have faith in yourself and in your love. Follow your heart.

22. Since your own family will not be able to procure the proper fitting for a man of your position - you are after all included in the book of books! - I must entreat you to abandon this insignificant young lady and improve your future by a proposal of marriage to the lady of fortune, thus enabling yourself to purchase the necessary amount of mirrors and Gowland's excellent lotion.

23. As it is Tuesday, I recommend that you fly on the wings of love and take your dowerless young lady to Gretna Green as soon as may be. There is nothing more lovely than a love match.

24. After consulting with my benevolent benefactress, the ever wise, most generous and gracious, Lady Catherine, I must advise against such folly.

25. I advise you to proceed with the betrothal. The fortune your bride will bring to the marriage will insure your happiness for many more years than the passing emotions of your heart.

26. I too have been bewildered while in the Bath. Maybe a swim the lake will clear your head so you may make the proper decision.

27. It is of the utmost importance that you realize your duty to your family's reputation and standing in society and put aside all thoughts of marriage where a dowery cannot be forthcoming. A lady with nothing to recommend her but herself, no matter how much you love her, is too insecure an arrangement for you and your family's future.

28. Follow your heart. I am the happiest woman in the world. My husband had nothing to recommend himself but his dashing red uniform.