It’s just as easy to marry a seriously rich man as a merely rich man
Paul Johnson writes a column in Forbes that ruminates on the definition of rich vs. seriously rich, using examples from Jane Austen’s novels.
But none of this answers the question, “When is a person rich?” In Jane Austen’s day–when society was as upwardly mobile (and just as watchful for signs of wealth) as it is today–a tradesman’s success was reached when he “set up his carriage,” something requiring a stable, horses, a coachman, grooms and the vehicle itself. This act marked the point at which a family changed class in a decisive way. An important part of the plot of Emma hinges on news of the decision by Mr. Perry, a local man of business who is rising into gentility, to take this financial step, with its profound social implications. In Austen’s day there were a number of such manifest indicators. To be considered seriously rich, one had to have an income of £10,000 a year. This was Mr. Darcy’s position in Pride and Prejudice. In comparison, Mr. Bingley, who was merely rich, had £4,000 or £5,000 a year.
We think Mr. Johnson might be taking the gentlemen’s respective incomes a trifle too literally, but otherwise he’s spot-on. He seems to be an historian of Austen-era society.
