I think we may be wandering away from the original points a little Agnes. My first post points weren't arguing with anything ( indeed they weren't arguing at all, just wondering ) Darcy made his comments "when they next met" , ie, after the assembly (stated in text) which was effectively before he even knew her at all, he looked at her only to criticise and had made comments to that effect to his company. This is quite clearly stated in the book text. . I found that (still do, ) rather odd behaviour for a gentleman of first circle class level. That was my only point there.
As for Mrs Phillips, I'm thinking on reflection that the description of vulgarity two hundred years ago (and in upper middle class circles) may have had a slightly different take on what we use the term for today. Nothing Mrs Phillips did marked her out in any way as much different than Mrs Bennet- crass and hardly self effacing to the point of being almost idiotic, Mrs Long, a renowned gossip, Lady Lucas - very quick to start taking stock of Longbourne and how long Mr Bennet would live when Charlotte became engaged to Mr Collins (a buffoon of a man by anyone's account), or even Lady Catherine herself who was a pompous self-important and at times ill-mannered know all with a daughter who hardly spoke to anyone.
Compared to these I hardly find Mrs Phillips particularly vulgar at all. That's what I found a little odd.
Thank you for your answers and I'll be content to leave it there unless you wish to take it further? .
Jim.
