“and Benwick's attachment to her was, indeed, profound.”
Why it's great
Profound is admitted first, so the later refusal to recover has somewhere to stand.
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Formal
Use it yourself
His attachment to her was, indeed, profound.
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He Does Not Recover, Explained
Persuasion · 2007
Chapter 6 of 7 · 2'32"
On the surface this is polite surprise at a wedding. Louisa Musgrove is to marry James Benwick, and both say they were astonished. Underneath, the blessing curdles. "With all my soul, I wish them happy" is not the last word. "A man cannot recover from such a passion." "He ought not" and "He does not" come after, with no name.
Key moments
Start here, then watch the full scene- 0:31–1:57
❝ Monologue · 6 lines A Man Who Cannot Recover
86s
He Does Not Recover, explained
What happens
In Bath, two people trade names and news. One is lodging with the Admiral in Queen's Square, and Louisa Musgrove is to marry James Benwick. A wish for their happiness is followed by Benwick's profound attachment to Harville's sister. Someone tells Anne the carriage is outside and apologizes for having kept her waiting. Captain Wentworth is named to Mr Elliot, and a concert at the Pump Rooms is mentioned.
What's really going on
"With all my soul, I wish them happy," then "and yet..." leaves the blessing open. Louisa is then called good, amiable, and sweet-tempered, and set beside Harville's sister, "a very superior woman," to whom Benwick's attachment "was, indeed, profound." "A man cannot recover from such a passion" is spoken of such a woman. "He ought not" and "He does not" come next, still without a name for the man. Someone then tells Anne, "I cannot say how grieved I am to have kept you waiting, but the carriage is outside." Captain Wentworth is named to Mr Elliot, and a concert at the Pump Rooms that night is mentioned.
Key lines & what they mean
- “and Benwick's attachment to her was, indeed, profound.”
- In this exchange it describes Benwick's attachment to Harville's sister: deep, and of real weight, not a light fondness.
- “A man cannot recover from such a passion”
- The line treats such a passion as something a man cannot recover from. He ought not and He does not follow, without naming who He is.
Theme
- Heartbreak — Benwick's attachment is called profound, and the next lines say a man cannot recover from such a passion.
- Marriage — Louisa Musgrove is to marry James Benwick, and the talk also turns to an attachment called profound.
What this chapter teaches
Teaching points
Review right after watchingMy level2/6
A1–C2 is the CEFR scale. Cards above the level you pick fade, and playback will not auto-pause on them.
Language points
Click a card to jump to its moment in the videoGolden lines
A great line in its own right — why and how to use it“A man cannot recover from such a passion”
Why it's great
Cannot recover refuses the idea that a deep attachment simply fades.
Register
Formal
Use it yourself
A person cannot recover from a loss like that in a season.
Monologue
One character carrying the scene — shadow the whole passage❝ A passion he will not leave
Harville's sister was a very superior woman, and Benwick's attachment to her was, indeed, profound. A man cannot recover from such a passion with such a woman. He ought not. He does not.
Three steps turn one superior woman into a passion he must not leave.
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Questions, then the linesWhat lines follow "A man cannot recover from such a passion"?
The next line is "with such a woman." Then come "He ought not." and "He does not." The lines mark no speaker, and they never name who He is.
Where does "and yet" lead after "With all my soul, I wish them happy"?
Right after "and yet," Louisa is called good, amiable, and sweet-tempered. Harville's sister is then called "a very superior woman," and Benwick's attachment to her "was, indeed, profound."
What follows the apology to Anne?
Someone says, "I cannot say how grieved I am to have kept you waiting, but the carriage is outside." Captain Wentworth is then named to Mr Elliot, and someone adds, "My cousin Mr Elliot." A concert at the Pump Rooms that night is mentioned.
What does someone say time will do to Louisa and Benwick?
They will grow more alike. Captain Benwick will gain high spirits and cheerfulness, and the line left hanging on "and she will" is finished as a relish for morbid poetry. The reply is "Just so."