Reception history of Jane Austen a responsible land-owner taking care of his family's ancient estate and Emma Woodhouse symbolising wealth cut off from any sort of social role. David Kaufmann in his 1992 essay "Propriety and the Law" argued that Austen was a classical liberal in the mold of Adam Smith, who felt that virtue was best exercised in the private sphere of the family life rather than in the public sphere of politics. Kaufmann rejected the claim that Austen was influenced by Edmund Burke, arguing that for Austen, virtue was not something passed down from time immemorial from a landed elite as Burke would
Becoming Jane Austen bedrock itself. His interpretation of Jane Austen’s character and personality as well as of her fiction impresses the reader with his long and intimate acquaintance with the writer and her works." A paperback edition of the book was published by Continuum on 14 June 2007 The Austen-Lefroy relationship was also used as the basis for "Jane and Tom: The Real Pride and Prejudice", a radio play by Elizabeth Lewis. It was first broadcast on 1 June 2007, starring Jasmine Hyde as Austen and Andrew Scott as Lefroy, along with Penny Downie as Mrs Austen, Jane Whittenshaw as Mrs Lefroy, Rachel