“Colonel Brandon . . . was silent and grave. His appearance however was not unpleasing, in spite of his being in the opinion of Marianne and Margaret an absolute old bachelor, for he was on the wrong side of five and thirty; but though his face was not handsome, his countenance was sensible, and his address was particularly gentlemanlike.”
Sense & Sensibility, volume 1, chapter 7
Oh, that there were more bachelors of five and thirty with a sensible countenance and gentlemanly spirit. (I suspect that still sounds very old to some of my readers, but I am determined to believe it is not.)
The Jane Austen Guide to Life: Thoughtful Lessons for the Modern Woman (May, 2012)
A Walk with Jane Austen: A Journey into Adventure, Love, and Faith
The older I get, the more I favor Colonel Brandon above all of Jane’s heroes. I like his quiet steadfastness, and I suspect he gets handsomer every time Marianne sees him.