Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune: How Younger Sons Made Their Way in Jane Austen’s England by Rory Muir is a fascinating look at the problem of employment for “gentlemen,” a rather loosely defined term, in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century in England. Because the bulk of any inheritance would go to the first son and because some provision needed to be made for any daughters, the younger sons were most often left to find a way to support themselves. If they wished to marry, and could not find one of those elusive heiresses of Regency Romance fame, they needed a profession that would earn them adequate income to support a family. Unfortunately, professions were not easy to come by, not if the young man wanted to hang on to any claim to being a “gentleman.”
This monograph explores the options: the Church, Medicine, the Law, Banking and Commerce, Civil Office, the Navy, the Army, and India. The pros and cons of each, as well as examples of young men in each of the professions, are well-described. There is a wealth of detail, including average salaries and expenses. It’s well-researched with notes and a bibliography to explore. If you’ve ever wondered what happened to all those younger brothers, this book goes a long way to explaining their plight.
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