Tag: Jane Austen

Both Prior and Gibbs agree that ultimately virtue orients us toward one end, to “love God and enjoy Him forever.” Loving God is difficult; it too requires our attention in a culture that is constantly distracting us. And while virtue brings about human flourishing that can be observed from the outside, loving God requires us to remember who we are on the inside. It is the place where we are to be good alone … in the presence of One.

The invaluable works of our elder writers, I had almost said the works of Shakespeare and Milton, are driven into neglect.

Even in a democratic age, where social classes are fluid and poorly demarcated, the gentleman is characterized by these five attributes.

If we are witnessing the passing of the gentlemen, there is much to lament. Perhaps it’s time for the gentleman to make a comeback.

Austen provides something for which young people—even the jaded ones—secretly long.