Prominent portions of the conversation of chapter 6 revolve around the need for a woman to "fix the object of her affection" as quickly as possible by being obvious in her affection, "shew(ing) more affection than she feels" (pt 2), "mak(ing) the most of every half hour in which she can command (a man's) attention" (pt 3), etc. One assertion goes so far as to say that a woman should be so forward-moving in her efforts, that "It is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life" (pt 4).
Might something be said in defense of Jane and how she sets a slower pace for her whole encounter with Bingley? Though Jane "yields to the preference which she had begun to entertain for (Bingley) from the first, and was in a way to be very much in love," is there not something to be said for her act of concealing these feelings? (Jane maintains her "composure of temper and a uniform cheerfulness of manner" (pt 1).) Particularly, is there not something to be said for Jane and what she has done because "she cannot even be certain of the degree of her own regard, not of its reasonableness. She has known him only a fortnight"?
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