His appearance, however, was not unpleasing, in spite of his being in the opinion of Marianne and Margaret an absolute old bachelor, for he was on the wrong side of five-and-thirty;
This scene shows Marianne and Margaret's critical views on the physical appearance and age of eligible bachelors. Despite the girls' opinions of Colonel Brandon as an unattractive bachelor, his age as an eligible companion was not uncommon during this period due to his stature in society. According to Shoemaker, "In general, the gap in marriage ages increased higher up the social scale. There was a five-year gap among the London middle-class in the early eighteenth century, which extended to as much as ten [years] among the wealthiest groups, such as merchants, the gentry, and the aristocracy" (Shoemaker, Gender in English Society 1650-1850, 92).




. For the lawyers that "drove about" in these carriages, Austen is suggesting the connection of carriages relating lawyers to wealth and fashion.
An example of an early 19th century cottage, this one being the birthplace of author Thomas Hardy





