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Miss Manwaring
Charles is Lady Susan's brother-in-law (the older brother of her late husband) and Catherine Vernon’s husband. Prior to the events of the novella, Lady Susan tried to prevent Charles from marrying Catherine—and while Catherine still resents her for this, Charles seems to have forgiven her. As a result, when Lady Susan invites herself to visit the Vernons at their lavish estate, Churchill, Charles is much more open-minded and accepting of her than Catherine is. In fact, he comes off as downright gullible, giving Lady Susan money and allowing her to stay with them despite her reputation as a liar and manipulator. Charles’s rather foolhardy acceptance of Lady Susan into his home is what allows the events of the story to unfold: when Catherine’s brother Reginald comes to visit the Vernons as well, Lady Susan is able to seduce him (all the while having an ongoing affair with Mr. Manwaring). And while the Vernons seemingly have a happy marriage, it’s telling that Catherine is never able to directly confide in Charles about her suspicions of Lady Susan—likely because, in the polite society of the novella, women are held to a higher standard of propriety and discretion than men are. Though Charles doesn’t play a particularly active role in the novella, his naïvely rosy view of Lady Susan is what sets the story in motion and enables her web of lies.
Charles Vernon Quotes in Lady Susan
The Lady Susan quotes below are all either spoken by Charles Vernon or refer to Charles Vernon. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Letters 1–10 Quotes
I was certainly not disposed to admire her, though always hearing she was beautiful; but I cannot help feeling that she possesses an uncommon union of symmetry, brilliancy and grace. Her address to me was so gentle, frank and even affectionate, that if I had not known how much she has always disliked me for marrying Mr Vernon, and that we had never met before, I should have imagined her an attached friend. One is apt I believe to connect assurance of manner with coquetry, and to expect that an impudent address will necessarily attend an impudent mind; at least I was myself prepared for an improper degree of confidence in Lady Susan; but her countenance is absolutely sweet, and her voice and manner winningly mild. […] She is clever and agreable, has all that knowledge of the world which makes conversation easy, and talks very well, with a happy command of language, which is too often used I believe to make black appear white.
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Letters 11–20 Quotes
Frederica is too shy, I think, and too much in awe of me, to tell tales; but if the mildness of her uncle should get anything from her, I am not afraid. I trust I shall be able to make my story as good as hers. If I am vain of anything, it is of my eloquence. Consideration and esteem as surely follow command of language, as admiration waits on beauty. And here I have opportunity enough for the exercise of my talent, as the chief of my time is spent in conversation.
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Letters 21–30 Quotes
I hope you will excuse this liberty, I am forced upon it by the greatest distress, or I should be ashamed to trouble you. I am very miserable about Sir James Martin, and have no other way in the world of helping myself but by writing to you, for I am forbidden ever speaking to my uncle or aunt on the subject; and this being the case, I am afraid my applying to you will appear no better than equivocation, and as if I attended only to the letter and not the spirit of Mama's commands, but if you do not take my part, and persuade her to break it off, I shall be half-distracted, for I cannot bear him. No human being but you could have any chance of prevailing with her. […] I do not know how to apologize enough for this letter, I know it is taking so great a liberty, I am aware how dreadfully angry it will make Mama, but I must run the risk.
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At that moment how great was my astonishment at seeing Reginald come out of Lady Susan's dressing room. My heart misgave me instantly. His confusion on seeing me was very evident. Frederica immediately disappeared. ‘Are you going?’ said I. ‘You will find Mr Vernon in his own room.’ ‘No, Catherine," replied he. ‘I am not going. Will you let me speak to you a moment?’
We went into my room. ‘I find,’ continued he, his confusion increasing as he spoke, ‘that I have been acting with my usual foolish impetuosity. […] Frederica does not know her mother—Lady Susan means nothing but her good—but she will not make a friend of her. Lady Susan therefore does not always know what will make her daughter happy. Besides I could have no right to interfere—Miss Vernon was mistaken in applying to me.’ […] I made no remarks however, for words would have been vain.
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Charles Vernon Character Timeline in Lady Susan
The timeline below shows where the character Charles Vernon appears in Lady Susan. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Letters 1–10
Letter I. Lady Susan writes to her brother-in-law Charles, asking if she can take him up on a previous invitation to stay at his...
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...to see her given how close she and Alicia are. Lady Susan is coming to Charles’s estate in London, which is her last resort—she doesn’t like Charles and she’s scared of...
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...She has a grudge against Lady Susan because of her bad behavior when Catherine and Charles were first engaged; unfortunately, Charles is always overly kind to Lady Susan and accepted her...
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Unlike Charles, Catherine isn’t looking forward to Lady Susan’s visit. While Charles believes Lady Susan’s apologies, Catherine...
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Letter V. Lady Susan writes to Alicia that she has arrived at Charles’s estate, called Churchill. While Charles has treated her well so far, she’s miffed by Catherine’s...
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...the time, since he would have been selling the estate to his younger brother. Besides, Charles was about to get married and have children, so Lady Susan wouldn’t have benefitted from...
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...was never going to like Lady Susan, anyway, and at least Catherine’s feelings haven’t kept Charles from giving Lady Susan money. Charles is gullible and rich, but he has no idea...
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Since even Catherine nearly believes Lady Susan’s act, it makes sense that Charles has bought into it completely: he believes that Lady Susan left the Manwarings’ voluntarily, still...
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...Reginald won’t be coming home because he plans to stay at Churchill to hunt with Charles. Catherine’s mother shouldn’t tell Catherine’s father, Sir Reginald, but here’s what actually happened: Lady Susan...
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Letters 11–20
...Susan neglected her late husband, flirted with other men, and spent extravagantly during her marriage. Charles presents her in a better light than she deserves—she did try to break up his...
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However, Reginald now understands that Lady Susan acted out of love for Charles: she heard a nasty rumor about Catherine, so she was looking out for his best...
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...school. Catherine attributes this to Frederica’s “perverse” nature, which Lady Susan is always talking about. Charles has gone off to London to persuade the boarding school to keep Frederica, but if...
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...is actually a little too upset about the situation, but she’s nervous that she’s misjudging her—Charles believes Lady Susan’s distress is genuine. Lady Susan begged Catherine to be harsh on Frederica...
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Letter XVII. Catherine writes to her mother, saying that Charles has returned with Frederica; her boarding school wouldn’t allow her to stay. While Lady Susan...
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...believes that the wedding will likely happen soon—and she expressed her hope that Catherine and Charles would approve of the match. Appealing to Catherine’s maternal side, Lady Susan said that someday...
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Letters 21–30
...upset about her engagement to Sir James, and she’s forbidden to speak to Catherine or Charles about it. Writing to Reginald is probably no better, since she’s taking advantage of a...
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...Susan. Lady Susan managed to convince him that Sir James was a good match, and Charles and Catherine can’t think otherwise either, since Frederica is forbidden from speaking to them.
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Frederica went on to confess that she was forbidden to speak to Charles and Catherine about her engagement, so she wrote to Reginald. She at first thought that...
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Their sudden marriage would especially upset Charles, whom Lady Susan admires, as well as De Courcys. She would be doubly miserable if...
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Letters 31–41
...to Churchill specifically to bring her to London, and Catherine was unable to stop her. Charles thinks that Frederica will be treated well, but Catherine disagrees, and she’s sorry to say...
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Conclusion
...after hearing everything about Lady Susan’s affair from Reginald. Catherine managed to convince the easygoing Charles to take them to London, where they saw Lady Susan; Catherine was disgusted by her...
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