Page 648 of 817

When first Mr. Bennet had married, economy was held to be

perfectly useless; for, of course, they were to have a son. This

son was to join in cutting off the entail, as soon as he should

be of age, and the widow and younger children would by that means

be provided for. Five daughters successively entered the world,

but yet the son was to come; and Mrs. Bennet, for many years

after Lydia's birth, had been certain that he would. This event

had at last been despaired of, but it was then too late to be

saving. Mrs. Bennet had no turn for economy; and her husband's

love of independence had alone prevented their exceeding their

income.