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HAD Elizabeth's

opinion been all drawn from her own family, she could not have formed

a very pleasing picture of conjugal felicity or domestic comfort. Her

father, captivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good humour

which youth and beauty generally give, had married a woman whose weak

understanding and illiberal mind had, very early in their marriage, put

an end to all real affection for her. Respect, esteem, and confidence

had vanished for ever; and all his views of domestic happiness were overthrown.

But Mr. Bennet was not of a disposition to seek comfort, for the disappointment

which his own imprudence had brought on, in any of those pleasures which

too often console the unfortunate for their folly or their vice. He was

fond of the country and of books; and from these tastes had arisen his

principal enjoyments. To his wife he was very little otherwise indebted,

than as her ignorance and folly had contributed to his amusement. This

is not the sort of happiness which a man would in general wish to owe

to his wife; but where other powers of entertainment are wanting, the

true philosopher will derive benefit from such as are given.

Elizabeth, however, had never been blind to the impropriety of her father's

behaviour as a husband. She had always seen it with pain; but respecting

his abilities, and grateful for his affectionate treatment of herself,

she endeavoured to forget what she could not overlook, and to banish from

her thoughts that continual breach of conjugal obligation and decorum

which, in exposing his wife to the contempt of her own children, was so

highly reprehensible. But she had never felt so strongly as now the disadvantages

which must attend the children of so unsuitable a marriage, nor ever been

so fully aware of the evils arising from so ill-judged a direction of

talents; talents which rightly used, might at least have preserved the

respectability of his daughters, even if incapable of enlarging the mind

of his wife.

When Elizabeth had rejoiced over Wickham's departure, she found little

other cause for satisfaction in the loss of the regiment. Their parties

abroad were less varied than before; and at home she had a mother and

sister whose constant repinings at the dulness of every thing around

them threw a real gloom over their domestic circle; and, though Kitty

might in time regain her natural degree of sense, since the disturbers

of her brain were removed, her other sister, from whose disposition

greater evil might be apprehended, was likely to be hardened in all

her folly and assurance by a situation of such double danger as a watering

place and a camp. Upon the whole, therefore, she found what has been

sometimes found before, that an event to which she had looked forward

with impatient desire, did not, in taking place, bring all the satisfaction

she had promised herself. It was consequently necessary to name some

other period for the commencement of actual felicity; to have some other

point on which her wishes and hopes might be fixed, and by again enjoying

the pleasure of anticipation, console herself for the present, and prepare

for another disappointment. Her tour to the Lakes was now the object

of her happiest thoughts; it was her best consolation for all the uncomfortable

hours which the discontentedness of her mother and Kitty made inevitable;

and could she have included Jane in the scheme, every part of it would

have been perfect. .

"But it is fortunate," thought she, "that I have something to wish

for. Were the whole arrangement complete, my disappointment would be

certain. But here, by my carrying with me one ceaseless source of regret

in my sister's absence, I may reasonably hope to have all my expectations

of pleasure realized. A scheme of which every part promises delight,

can never be successful; and general disappointment is only warded off

by the defence of some little peculiar vexation." .

When Lydia went away, she promised to write very often and very minutely

to her mother and Kitty; but her letters were always long expected,

and always very short. Those to her mother contained little else, than

that they were just returned from the library, where such and such officers

had attended them, and where she had seen such beautiful ornaments as

made her quite wild; that she had a new gown, or a new parasol, which

she would have described more fully, but was obliged to leave off in

a violent hurry, as Mrs. Forster called her, and they were going to

the camp; -- and from her correspondence with her sister, there was

still less to be learnt -- for her letters to Kitty, though rather longer,

were much too full of lines under the words to be made public. .

After the first fortnight or three weeks of her absence, health, good

humour, and cheerfulness began to re-appear at Longbourn. Everything

wore a happier aspect. The families who had been in town for the winter

came back again, and summer finery and summer engagements arose. Mrs.

Bennet was restored to her usual querulous serenity, and by the middle

of June Kitty was so much recovered as to be able to enter Meryton without

tears; an event of such happy promise as to make Elizabeth hope that

by the following Christmas, she might be so tolerably reasonable as

not to mention an officer above once a day, unless, by some cruel and

malicious arrangement at the War-Office, another regiment should be

quartered in Meryton. .

The time fixed for the beginning of their Northern tour was now fast

approaching; and a fortnight only was wanting of it, when a letter arrived

from Mrs. Gardiner, which at once delayed its commencement and curtailed

its extent. Mr. Gardiner would be prevented by business from setting

out till a fortnight later in July, and must be in London again within

a month; and as that left too short a period for them to go so far,

and see so much as they had proposed, or at least to see it with the

leisure and comfort they had built on, they were obliged to give up

the Lakes, and substitute a more contracted tour; and, according to

the present plan, were to go no farther northward than Derbyshire. In

that county, there was enough to be seen to occupy the chief of their

three weeks; and to Mrs. Gardiner it had a peculiarly strong attraction.

The town where she had formerly passed some years of her life, and where

they were now to spend a few days, was probably as great an object of

her curiosity, as all the celebrated beauties of Matlock, Chatsworth,

Dovedale, or the Peak. .

Elizabeth was excessively disappointed; she had set her heart on seeing

the Lakes; and still thought there might have been time enough. But

it was her business to be satisfied -- and certainly her temper to be

happy; and all was soon left again. .

With the mention of Derbyshire, there were many ideas connected. It

was impossible for her to see the word without thinking of Pemberley

and its owner. "But surely," said she, "I may enter his county with

impunity, and rob it of a few petrified spars without his perceiving

me." .

The period of expectation was now doubled. Four weeks were to pass

away before her uncle and aunt's arrival. But they did pass away, and

Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, with their four children, did at length appear

at Longbourn. The children, two girls of six and eight years old, and

two younger boys, were to be left under the particular care of their

cousin Jane, who was the general favourite, and whose steady sense and

sweetness of temper exactly adapted her for attending to them in every

way -- teaching them, playing with them, and loving them. .

The Gardiners staid only one night at Longbourn, and set off the next

morning with Elizabeth in pursuit of novelty and amusement. One enjoyment

was certain -- that of suitableness as companions; a suitableness which

comprehended health and temper to bear inconveniences -- cheerfulness

to enhance every pleasure -- and affection and intelligence, which might

supply it among themselves if there were disappointments abroad. .

It is not the object of this work to give a description of Derbyshire,

nor of any of the remarkable places through which their route thither

lay; Oxford, Blenheim, Warwick, Kenelworth, Birmingham,

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