简？奥斯汀（Jane Austen）(1775-1817)was born in Steventon,Hampshire,England.Her education was mainly conducted within her family.She wrote six novels in her life.They center on the lives of young women of the middle class,and every novel ends with a happy marriage or two.As an unmarried woman of very modest financial means,Jane Austen understood the hopes and fears of women who had to rely on marriage and family connections to provide them with a home and means to live.
It is a truth universally acknowledged， that a single man in possessionof a good fortune must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be onhis first entering a neighbourhood， this truth is so well fixed in the mindsof the surrounding families， that he is considered as the rightful propertyof someone or other of their daughters. "My dear Mr. Bennet，" said his lady to him one day， "have you heardthat Netherfield Park is let at last？" Mr. Bennet replied that he had not. "But it is，" returned she; "for Mrs. Long has just been here， and shetold me all about it." Mr. Ben_net made no answer. "Do not you want to know who has taken it？" cried his wifeimpatiently. "You want to tell me， and I have no objection to hearing it." This was invitation enough. "Why， my dear， you must know， Mrs. Long says that Netherfield istaken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that hecame down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place， and was somuch delighted with it that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; thathe is to take possession before Michaelmas， and some of his servants areto be in the house by the end of next week." "What is his name？" "Bingley." "Is he married or single？" "Oh！ Single， my dear， to be sure！ A single man of large fortune; fouror five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls！" "How so？ How can it affect them？" "My dear Mr. Bennet，" replied his wife， "how can you be sotiresome！ You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them." "Is that his design in settling here？" "Design！ Nonsense， how can you talk so！ But it is very likely thathe may fall in love with one of them， and therefore you must visit him assoon as he comes." "I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go， or you maysend them by themselves， which perhaps will be still better; for， as you areas handsome as any of them， Mr. Bingley might like you the best of theparty." "My dear， you flatter me. I certainly have had my share of beauty，but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now. When a womanhas five grown-up daughters， she ought to give over thinking of her ownbeauty." . "In such cases， a woman has not often much beauty to think of." "But， my dear， you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley when hecomes into the neighbourhood." "It is more than I engage for， I assure you." "But consider your daughters. Only think what an establishment itwould be for one of them. Sir William and Lady Lucas are determinedto go， merely on that account， for in general， you know they visit no newcomers. Indeed you must go， for it will be impossible for us to visit him，if you do not." "You are over scrupulous， surely. I dare say Mr. Bingley will be veryglad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of myhearty consent to his marrying which ever he chooses of the girls; thoughI must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy." "I desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit better thanthe others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane， nor half sogood-humoured as Lydia. But you are always giving her the preference." "They have none of them much to recommend them，" replied he;"they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has somethingmore of quickness than her sisters." "Mr. Bennet， how can you abuse your own children in such a way？You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poornerves." "You mistake me， my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. Theyare my old friends. I have heard you mention them with considerationthese twenty years at least." "Ah！ You do not know what I suffer." "But I hope you will get over it， and live to see many young men offour thousand a year come into the neighbourhood." "It will be no use to us if twenty such should come， since you willnot visit them." "Depend upon it， my dear， that when there are twenty I will visitthem all." Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts， sarcastic humour， re-serve， and caprice， that the experience of three and twenty yearshad beeninsufficient to make his wife understand his character. Her mind was lessdifficult to develop. She was a woman of mean understanding， little in-formation， and uncertain temper. When she was discontented， she fanciedherself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married;its solace was visiting and news.
