Bingley, has its foundation in a reality mentioned by Jane Austen at the beginning of Mansfield Park: “there certainly are not so many men of large fortune in the world, as there are pretty women to deserve them.”

5. The speaker is probably Mr. Bennet. The question seems too calm to be asked by the agitated Mrs. Bennet; in addition, she would probably know when the next ball would happen since, unlike her husband, she likes balls and will attend this one. Jane Austen omits explicit identification of the speaker at other points in the novel. She herself commented on this in a letter concerning Pride and Prejudice: “a ‘said he' or a ‘said she' would sometimes make the Dialogue more immediately clear—but ‘I do not write for such dull Elves'” (January 29, 1813). Her quotation alludes to a concluding passage from Sir Walter Scott's poem “Marmion”: “I do not rhyme to that dull elf/Who cannot imagine to himself, …”

6. To-morrow fortnight: two weeks from tomorrow.

7. teazing: teasing, or annoying, irritating.

8. office: duty, service to another.

9. Mr. Bennet's professed scrupulousness here about the forms of introduction stands in humorous contrast to his professed indifference to them in the last chapter, when he suggested that his wife or daughters visit Mr. Bingley on their own.

10. great: large, weighty, important. The description suggests nothing of the quality of the books, for “great” had not yet developed the meaning of extremely good; in fact, Mr. Bennet is probably mocking Mary for the pretentiousness of her reading.

11. make extracts: copy out passages from books. The Encyclopaedia Britannica of the time defines an extract as “something copied or collected from a book or paper.” Such copying would be done as an aid to learning. That Mary appears to do it regularly hints at her character, for much of her conversation consists of mechanical repetitions of phrases and passages she has read, ones that she may have memorized through her making of extracts.

12. This, the first glimpse we have of Mary, provides an excellent summary of her character, for throughout the novel she will strive to speak wisely, and generally fail.

With Mary, all five Bennet girls have been mentioned. They are, from oldest to youngest: Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Catherine/Kitty, and Lydia. At later points in the novel Jane is said to be 22, Elizabeth 20, and Lydia 15; the ages of Mary and Kitty are never stated specifically, but at one point Kitty says she is two years older than Lydia, which would make her 17 and make Mary either 18 or 19.

The names of all five girls are thoroughly ordinary. This is also true of the last names mentioned so far: Bennet, Bingley, Morris, Lucas, Long. Unlike many novelists who try to express their characters' natures through unusual or symbolic names, Jane Austen always selects those names most likely to be found in normal life. This reflects her commitment to strict realism in all social details.

13. ideas: thoughts.

14. This is the first appearance of Lydia, who will later play a crucial role in the novel. The confidence and assertiveness that help determine her later behavior are already evident here.

15. This reveals some of the ritual of social introductions. Mr. Bennet has visited Mr. Bingley (the established inhabitant, rather than the newcomer, making the first overture); Mr. Bingley is expected to return the visit; after that he can be asked to dinner, the initial visits being only brief calls. Jane Austen insisted on getting such matters right: in a letter criticizing a niece's draft of a novel, she focuses on the niece's failure to have her characters adhere to standard social proprieties, particularly as regards rules about visiting (Sept. 9,1814).

Chapter Three

Not all that Mrs. Bennet, however, with the assistance of her five daughters, could ask on the subject was sufficient to draw from her husband any satisfactory description of Mr. Bing-ley. They attacked him in various ways; with barefaced questions, ingenious suppositions, and distant surmises; but he eluded the skill of them all; and they were at last obliged to accept the second-hand intelligence of their neighbour Lady Lucas. Her report was highly favourable. Sir William had been delighted with him.