The Bourgeois Virtues: Ethics for an Age of Commerce

dropping the virtues, 1532–1958 375rural neighborhood]. Considerations of prudence, the variables of propertyand pocketbooks and the profane, are never far from the scene in her novelsor in the actual lives she lived and watched—though in this case Fannywas an heiress in her own right, and “much above caring about money,”Aunt Jane remarks, a little tartly. But variables of solidarity and the Sacreddominate. We are dealing with a beloved niece, not a minor character exhibitedas a Max U-er obsessed with prudence.Plumtre has an “amiable mind, strict principles, just notions, goodhabits....All that really is of the first importance,” though Fanny is worriedthat he needs to get “more lively”—but married to you, Aunt Jane suggests,he will. “And as to there being any objection from his [religious] goodness,from the danger of his becoming even Evangelical,” well, that is no properobjection, is it, Fanny? Not among us daughters and nieces of Anglican clergymen,though we ourselves of course are not inclined to enthusiastic religiosity.“Don’t be frightened by the idea of his acting more strictly up to theprecepts of the New Testament than others.” Later, Fanny rejected John, asindeed “if his deficiencies of manner, etc. strike you more than all his goodqualities” Aunt Jane had urged her to do.” 17Jane talks of virtues up and down, back and forth, on all sides. But notfrom a theory. Her English suspicion of theory allows for ethical complexity.Complexity, but not coherence: grace, understanding, manners, amiability,good habits; each gives its set speech, and then withdraws from the scene.Take, for example, ten pages (1, 22, 65, 70, 125, 207, 228, 233, 241, 244) chosenliterally by random number table from her last novel (publishedposthumously), Persuasion, and consider the ethical loading of the language.The Good: admiration, respect, interest which never failed [thus SirWalter Elliot as he read in the pages of The Baronetage about himself andother worthy knights], precisely, most accurately, ancient, respectable [allironic, as so often in Austen], very handsome [fortune], explicit, responsible,eligible, of a gentleman’s family, most consoling, [his profession] qualified[him], the commonest civility, once so much [to each other], attached,happy, gentle, formidable, right to be done, judged so well, simple, betterthan nothing, renewed spirit, a little smile, a little glow, agreeable, in verygood style, the appearance of a gentleman, finest, most generous, the law ofhonor, sincere, from the heart, favorably, sensible, agreeable, advantage incompany, so pleasantly, so much respect. The Bad: not suited him, cold,suspicious, a little weather-beaten [ironic, of the admiral], shyness, reserve,