These source-exact passages are selected from the public-domain text and paired with concise reading commentary.
it is better to spend money in finding out how men can make the most of the land which supports them all, than in keeping dogs and horses only to gallop over it.
His manners, she thought, were very dignified; the set of his iron-gray hair and his deep eye-sockets made him resemble the portrait of Locke.
Read interpretation
This observation reveals Dorothea’s early tendency to romanticize Mr. Casaubon, equating his physical appearance with intellectual greatness. (Chapter 3: CHAPTER II.)
“Surely,” said Dorothea, “it is better to spend money in finding out how men can make the most of the land which supports them all, than in keeping dogs and horses only to gallop over it. It is not a sin to make yourself poor in performing experiments for the good of all.”
Read interpretation
This impassioned declaration from Dorothea Brooke establishes her idealistic, altruistic values and highlights the sharp contrast between her priorities and the trivial, self-serving concerns of the other dinner party guests. (Chapter 3: CHAPTER II.)
Read interpretation
Dorothea’s earnest argument emphasizes her profound belief in using wealth and privilege for the practical betterment of society rather than idle amusement. (Chapter 3: CHAPTER II.)