Come Upon the Town

"The good news quickly spread through the house; and with proportionate speed through the neighbourhood. It was borne in the latter with decent philosophy. To be sure it would have been more for the advantage of conversation, had Miss Lydia Bennett come upon the town..." (Austen 287).

This is a comment on the gossiping nature of the town society. Lydia and Wickham are found and are to be married reasonably happily, without too much of a fuss, and live poorly, although comfortably. The town, although they are happy for her, and a bit disappointed, it seems, that there is not more to gossip about. They would have had more to talk about had Lydia "come upon the town," or become a prostitute. Austen is pointing out their selfishness and stupidity here: they would rather something bad happen to someone for the sake of their conversation than for her to be happy and healthy.