Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune : How Younger Sons Made Their Way in Jane Austen's England

by Muir, Rory

United Kingdom, Great Britain

Published 01/09/2023 by YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS in the United States.

Paperback | 400 pages, 8 pp colour illus.

A portrait of Jane Austen's England told through the career paths of younger sons-men of good family but small fortune

In Regency England the eldest son usually inherited almost everything while his younger brothers, left with little inheritance, had to make a crucial decision: what should they do to make an independent living? Rory Muir weaves together the stories of many obscure and well-known young men, shedding light on an overlooked aspect of Regency society. This is the first scholarly yet accessible exploration of the lifestyle and prospects of these younger sons.