Harping on Harps

Lady with a Harp: Eliza Ridgely, 1818.Thomas Sully, oil on canvas. National Gallery of Art.Inspired by an article in Persuasions, I have been dwelling on the role the harp plays in Austen’s novels. The essay points to the instrument as an indicator of social status, as only the quite wealthy had both the leisure to learn and the ability to afford one. I was further struck by how Austen, with