[Eric]

Austen is nothing if not subtle. If anyone is up for it, reading about Austen, espescially femminist critical studies, helps to bring her closer to this century. She is not parochial. In fact, in subtle ways, she is definitely subversive. All of her works, like Shakespeare's problem plays ( Measure for Measure comes immediately to mind), are not to be taken at face value. Now I think I will go outside for a beer and watch my igloo melt. Burrrrp!