Language In Clarissa, Evelina And Pride And Prejudice

deference by every other person, when my papa
himself, generally so absolute, constantly pays
it to him. . . . (L5 54)
James, Jr., proposes that Clarissa and Arabella get
hefty portions (allotments of money offered instead of
dower by the family of the prospective bride). Clarissa,
additionally, is offered a large jointure as a temptation
to marry Solmes. Clarissa writes, "Such terms, such
settlements" (L8 61) ! The beauty of portions and
jointures was that they involved money as well as
property not in tail; thus, representative males from
both families could negotiate and agree on amounts rather
than have the future husband's family be at the mercy of
a bride's family to proffer an unknown amount of money or
an extraordinary parcel of land for dower. Solmes
sweetens the deal by making a jointure of his estate,
allowing Clarissa to inherit most of his property at his
death, should he die first. Ironically, had she married
Solmes and then become a widow inheriting his property,
she would have inherited much more than a dairy house.
Her family saw no problem with her inheriting land in
that way; she was just not allowed to inherit land away
from James, or while she was still young and unmarried.