] I get the impression that Catherine's education,and the development of her abilities as a result of that education, is fairly average, but not, in itself, to be much faulted. It may not be fit for a heroine, but it seems reasonably good for everyday life. How does it compare to, say, the education of the Bennet sisters, or the Bertrams?

Rather better than the Bennet girls, mainly because Mrs Morland has a much better approach than Mrs Bennet. Elizabeth says that `We were always encouraged to read, and had all the masters that were necessary.' This seems to be the Morland approach too. Where Mrs Morland evidently gives the girls a good start before leaving them to shift for themselves, we may doubt Mrs Bennet's assiduity in that first start.

The Bertram girls have a governess, who teaches them all the `right' things, and to recite properly. Mrs Morland has a go at teaching Catherine to recite, but seems to give it up as a bad job.

In general, I reckon Mrs Morland's is a very good approach: ensuring that the kids have the basics, and then letting them get on with it. I suspect that this may have been the approach of Mrs Austen.