The Economist's recent article on Jane Austen and money is thoughtful and enjoyable. It shows how wealth shaped both her life and her novels. Austen demonstrates that money alone cannot bring happiness, but it is essential for security and social standing. The article gives concrete examples, like the sums needed for a carriage, servants or a proper household, linking them to characters such as Emma, Marianne, and Miss Bates. Like Adam Smith, Austen recognised that wealth could advance society but did not guarantee virtue or happiness. The Bank of England’s £10 note, replacing Darwin with Austen, wryly signals the cultural shift from evolution to economics as a defining lens on life. Indeed.