Jim,
It was never my point that Austen disliked love matches! Just following passion without regard to reason and prudence. In the case of Miss Francis Ward, she not only married badly in a material sense, but she obviously chose a man of poor character. I am quite sure that if Anne had married Wentworth at first, even if he had been wounded, he would not have become a drunkard and fool, such as Mr. Price became. There are two aspects of making a prudent match--that of having some financial support, but also that of choosing someone of good and trustworthy character. I think Jane always held the second to be the most important, but the first could not be ignored either. And love, a real love based on respect and esteem, is very important! But acting on only infatuation and lust--which is all that most people mean when they talk of being in love--is exceedingly unwise, and those who are carried away by their passions never benefit from it in the end.
It was never my point that Austen disliked love matches! Just following passion without regard to reason and prudence. In the case of Miss Francis Ward, she not only married badly in a material sense, but she obviously chose a man of poor character. I am quite sure that if Anne had married Wentworth at first, even if he had been wounded, he would not have become a drunkard and fool, such as Mr. Price became. There are two aspects of making a prudent match--that of having some financial support, but also that of choosing someone of good and trustworthy character. I think Jane always held the second to be the most important, but the first could not be ignored either. And love, a real love based on respect and esteem, is very important! But acting on only infatuation and lust--which is all that most people mean when they talk of being in love--is exceedingly unwise, and those who are carried away by their passions never benefit from it in the end.