feat_summary_path: finished_summaries/shmoop/Sense and Sensibility/section_1_part_0.txt
feat_book_id: Sense and Sensibility.chapter 2
feat_summary_id: chapter 2
feat_summary: {"name": "Chapter 2", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20210421140324/https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/sense-and-sensibility/summary/chapter-2", "summary": "After moving in to Norland, Mrs. John Dashwood and her henpecked husband try to decide how much financial support to give to his sisters. Though John initially has a rather generous plan to give each of the girls a thousand pounds , his wife has other ideas - she complains that to remove a total of three thousand pounds from their young son's inheritance would be too cruel. John protests that it was his father's last wish that he should take care of his half-sisters. Again, Fanny brushes him off, saying that the dying man probably didn't even known what he was talking about. John then lowers the amount to five hundred pounds each - surely that's enough? Fanny agrees that's plenty of money. In fact, to her, fifteen hundred pounds altogether is still too much money to part with. OK, back to the drawing board. John has the idea that perhaps he should give money to Mrs. Dashwood, instead, to benefit the whole family - say, one hundred pounds a year. Once again, Fanny shoots him down; after all, she says cruelly, what if Mrs. Dashwood lives more than fifteen years? Then they would be out more than fifteen hundred pounds in total. John agrees - after all, paying an annuity is such a hassle. In the end, the couple settles on a simple solution: they won't give the Dashwood any money, except for the occasional small gift here and there. After all, they reason, what can a household of four women need any money for? Fanny, of course, has to have the final word - she bemoans the fact that Mrs. Dashwood got all the nice china and furniture from Norland .", "analysis": ""}
text: 
  
  Mrs. John Dashwood now installed herself mistress of Norland; and her
  mother and sisters-in-law were degraded to the condition of visitors.
  As such, however, they were treated by her with quiet civility; and by
  her husband with as much kindness as he could feel towards anybody
  beyond himself, his wife, and their child.  He really pressed them,
  with some earnestness, to consider Norland as their home; and, as no
  plan appeared so eligible to Mrs. Dashwood as remaining there till she
  could accommodate herself with a house in the neighbourhood, his
  invitation was accepted.
  
  A continuance in a place where everything reminded her of former
  delight, was exactly what suited her mind.  In seasons of cheerfulness,
  no temper could be more cheerful than hers, or possess, in a greater
  degree, that sanguine expectation of happiness which is happiness
  itself.  But in sorrow she must be equally carried away by her fancy,
  and as far beyond consolation as in pleasure she was beyond alloy.
  
  Mrs. John Dashwood did not at all approve of what her husband intended
  to do for his sisters.  To take three thousand pounds from the fortune
  of their dear little boy would be impoverishing him to the most
  dreadful degree.  She begged him to think again on the subject.  How
  could he answer it to himself to rob his child, and his only child too,
  of so large a sum?  And what possible claim could the Miss Dashwoods,
  who were related to him only by half blood, which she considered as no
  relationship at all, have on his generosity to so large an amount.  It
  was very well known that no affection was ever supposed to exist
  between the children of any man by different marriages; and why was he
  to ruin himself, and their poor little Harry, by giving away all his
  money to his half sisters?
  
  "It was my father's last request to me," replied her husband, "that I
  should assist his widow and daughters."
  
  "He did not know what he was talking of, I dare say; ten to one but he
  was light-headed at the time.  Had he been in his right senses, he
  could not have thought of such a thing as begging you to give away half
  your fortune from your own child."
  
  "He did not stipulate for any particular sum, my dear Fanny; he only
  requested me, in general terms, to assist them, and make their
  situation more comfortable than it was in his power to do.  Perhaps it
  would have been as well if he had left it wholly to myself.  He could
  hardly suppose I should neglect them.  But as he required the promise,
  I could not do less than give it; at least I thought so at the time.
  The promise, therefore, was given, and must be performed.  Something
  must be done for them whenever they leave Norland and settle in a new
  home."
  
  "Well, then, LET something be done for them; but THAT something need
  not be three thousand pounds.  Consider," she added, "that when the
  money is once parted with, it never can return.  Your sisters will
  marry, and it will be gone for ever.  If, indeed, it could be restored
  to our poor little boy--"
  
  "Why, to be sure," said her husband, very gravely, "that would make
  great difference.  The time may come when Harry will regret that so
  large a sum was parted with.  If he should have a numerous family, for
  instance, it would be a very convenient addition."
  
  "To be sure it would."
  
  "Perhaps, then, it would be better for all parties, if the sum were
  diminished one half.--Five hundred pounds would be a prodigious
  increase to their fortunes!"
  
  "Oh! beyond anything great!  What brother on earth would do half so
  much for his sisters, even if REALLY his sisters!  And as it is--only
  half blood!--But you have such a generous spirit!"
  
  "I would not wish to do any thing mean," he replied.  "One had rather,
  on such occasions, do too much than too little.  No one, at least, can
  think I have not done enough for them: even themselves, they can hardly
  expect more."
  
  "There is no knowing what THEY may expect," said the lady, "but we are
  not to think of their expectations: the question is, what you can
  afford to do."
  
  "Certainly--and I think I may afford to give them five hundred pounds
  a-piece.  As it is, without any addition of mine, they will each have
  about three thousand pounds on their mother's death--a very comfortable
  fortune for any young woman."
  
  "To be sure it is; and, indeed, it strikes me that they can want no
  addition at all.  They will have ten thousand pounds divided amongst
  them.  If they marry, they will be sure of doing well, and if they do
  not, they may all live very comfortably together on the interest of ten
  thousand pounds."
  
  "That is very true, and, therefore, I do not know whether, upon the
  whole, it would not be more advisable to do something for their mother
  while she lives, rather than for them--something of the annuity kind I
  mean.--My sisters would feel the good effects of it as well as herself.
  A hundred a year would make them all perfectly comfortable."
  
  His wife hesitated a little, however, in giving her consent to this
  plan.
  
  "To be sure," said she, "it is better than parting with fifteen hundred
  pounds at once.  But, then, if Mrs. Dashwood should live fifteen years
  we shall be completely taken in."
  
  "Fifteen years! my dear Fanny; her life cannot be worth half that
  purchase."
  
  "Certainly not; but if you observe, people always live for ever when
  there is an annuity to be paid them; and she is very stout and healthy,
  and hardly forty.  An annuity is a very serious business; it comes over
  and over every year, and there is no getting rid of it.  You are not
  aware of what you are doing.  I have known a great deal of the trouble
  of annuities; for my mother was clogged with the payment of three to
  old superannuated servants by my father's will, and it is amazing how
  disagreeable she found it.  Twice every year these annuities were to be
  paid; and then there was the trouble of getting it to them; and then
  one of them was said to have died, and afterwards it turned out to be
  no such thing.  My mother was quite sick of it.  Her income was not her
  own, she said, with such perpetual claims on it; and it was the more
  unkind in my father, because, otherwise, the money would have been
  entirely at my mother's disposal, without any restriction whatever.  It
  has given me such an abhorrence of annuities, that I am sure I would
  not pin myself down to the payment of one for all the world."
  
  "It is certainly an unpleasant thing," replied Mr. Dashwood, "to have
  those kind of yearly drains on one's income.  One's fortune, as your
  mother justly says, is NOT one's own.  To be tied down to the regular
  payment of such a sum, on every rent day, is by no means desirable: it
  takes away one's independence."
  
  "Undoubtedly; and after all you have no thanks for it.  They think
  themselves secure, you do no more than what is expected, and it raises
  no gratitude at all.  If I were you, whatever I did should be done at
  my own discretion entirely.  I would not bind myself to allow them any
  thing yearly.  It may be very inconvenient some years to spare a
  hundred, or even fifty pounds from our own expenses."
  
  "I believe you are right, my love; it will be better that there should
  be no annuity in the case; whatever I may give them occasionally will
  be of far greater assistance than a yearly allowance, because they
  would only enlarge their style of living if they felt sure of a larger
  income, and would not be sixpence the richer for it at the end of the
  year.  It will certainly be much the best way.  A present of fifty
  pounds, now and then, will prevent their ever being distressed for
  money, and will, I think, be amply discharging my promise to my father."
  
  "To be sure it will.  Indeed, to say the truth, I am convinced within
  myself that your father had no idea of your giving them any money at
  all.  The assistance he thought of, I dare say, was only such as might
  be reasonably expected of you; for instance, such as looking out for a
  comfortable small house for them, helping them to move their things,
  and sending them presents of fish and game, and so forth, whenever they
  are in season.  I'll lay my life that he meant nothing farther; indeed,
  it would be very strange and unreasonable if he did.  Do but consider,
  my dear Mr. Dashwood, how excessively comfortable your mother-in-law
  and her daughters may live on the interest of seven thousand pounds,
  besides the thousand pounds belonging to each of the girls, which
  brings them in fifty pounds a year a-piece, and, of course, they will
  pay their mother for their board out of it.  Altogether, they will have
  five hundred a-year amongst them, and what on earth can four women want
  for more than that?--They will live so cheap! Their housekeeping will
  be nothing at all.  They will have no carriage, no horses, and hardly
  any servants; they will keep no company, and can have no expenses of
  any kind!  Only conceive how comfortable they will be!  Five hundred a
  year! I am sure I cannot imagine how they will spend half of it; and as
  to your giving them more, it is quite absurd to think of it.  They will
  be much more able to give YOU something."
  
  "Upon my word," said Mr. Dashwood, "I believe you are perfectly right.
  My father certainly could mean nothing more by his request to me than
  what you say.  I clearly understand it now, and I will strictly fulfil
  my engagement by such acts of assistance and kindness to them as you
  have described.  When my mother removes into another house my services
  shall be readily given to accommodate her as far as I can.  Some little
  present of furniture too may be acceptable then."
  
  "Certainly," returned Mrs. John Dashwood.  "But, however, ONE thing
  must be considered.  When your father and mother moved to Norland,
  though the furniture of Stanhill was sold, all the china, plate, and
  linen was saved, and is now left to your mother.  Her house will
  therefore be almost completely fitted up as soon as she takes it."
  
  "That is a material consideration undoubtedly.  A valuable legacy
  indeed! And yet some of the plate would have been a very pleasant
  addition to our own stock here."
  
  "Yes; and the set of breakfast china is twice as handsome as what
  belongs to this house.  A great deal too handsome, in my opinion, for
  any place THEY can ever afford to live in.  But, however, so it is.
  Your father thought only of THEM.  And I must say this: that you owe no
  particular gratitude to him, nor attention to his wishes; for we very
  well know that if he could, he would have left almost everything in the
  world to THEM."
  
  This argument was irresistible.  It gave to his intentions whatever of
  decision was wanting before; and he finally resolved, that it would be
  absolutely unnecessary, if not highly indecorous, to do more for the
  widow and children of his father, than such kind of neighbourly acts as
  his own wife pointed out.
  
  
  
feat_summary_name: Chapter 2
target: After moving in to Norland, Mrs. John Dashwood and her henpecked husband try to decide how much financial support to give to his sisters. Though John initially has a rather generous plan to give each of the girls a thousand pounds , his wife has other ideas - she complains that to remove a total of three thousand pounds from their young son's inheritance would be too cruel. John protests that it was his father's last wish that he should take care of his half-sisters. Again, Fanny brushes him off, saying that the dying man probably didn't even known what he was talking about. John then lowers the amount to five hundred pounds each - surely that's enough? Fanny agrees that's plenty of money. In fact, to her, fifteen hundred pounds altogether is still too much money to part with. OK, back to the drawing board. John has the idea that perhaps he should give money to Mrs. Dashwood, instead, to benefit the whole family - say, one hundred pounds a year. Once again, Fanny shoots him down; after all, she says cruelly, what if Mrs. Dashwood lives more than fifteen years? Then they would be out more than fifteen hundred pounds in total. John agrees - after all, paying an annuity is such a hassle. In the end, the couple settles on a simple solution: they won't give the Dashwood any money, except for the occasional small gift here and there. After all, they reason, what can a household of four women need any money for? Fanny, of course, has to have the final word - she bemoans the fact that Mrs. Dashwood got all the nice china and furniture from Norland .