Austen's men

[eve_prime]

In the intro to my copy of Northanger Abbey, Sylvia Townsend Warner is quoted. Apparently she liked the way her friend George Plank wrapped packages. She wrote:

“You have the nicest hand with a parcel. I can’t think of anyone to match you in parcelling except perhaps Henry Tilney, to whom I attribute all the graces. Mr. Knightley’s parcels would never come undone, true; but think of all the paper and string involved. Elinor had to do up all Edward’s: Edward required a good deal of buttoning and unbuttoning, though she enjoyed his dependence on her: the butler did all Marianne’s and Colonel Brandon’s. Mr. Darcy did exactly three parcels a year, for Lizzy’s birthday, for New Year’s day, & for their wedding anniversary. The product was excellent, but he took hours to achieve it. And locked the library door.”