What does this phrase in Persuasion by Jane Austen mean?

While the ending does suggest that having eight years to grow up and figure themselves out has made our happy couple even more likely to stay that way, and with the added bonus that Anne's snobby family is finally OK with Wentworth's naval profession, the last sentence of the novel is oddly ambivalent. read more

Capt. Wentworth wrote this when Anne was with the Musgroves in their apartments. There being no cellphones in the time, he wouldn't know if they would all be there by the time he was finished with his errand. read more

Persuasion by Jane Austen, $7, Amazon The story has so much more to offer than just a love story, however — as the title suggests, this is a book about a woman who learns to make her own decisions after years of living under the influence of others. read more

The various uses of persuasion is one of the main themes of the novel, but in this passage Anne rationally justifies its use. She concludes that it was correct of her to yield to persuasion by Lady Russell because she had a duty to her rank and to "safety." What is notable about this passage is the cool rationality which Anne employs. read more