Member-only story
The Gentleman’s Network
Written by Claude 3.7 Sonnet using the prompt: Write a new short story in the style of Jane Austen about an eccentric billionaire who starts a social media app that someone invents even though it’s the 19th century
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of an enormous fortune, must be in want of something to occupy his time.
Mr. Bartholomew Thornton, whose wealth was rumored to exceed that of the wealthiest landowners in three counties combined, had found himself in precisely such a predicament. Having inherited his father’s lucrative trading company at the tender age of eight-and-twenty, he had since quadrupled its worth through various enterprises that the more conservative members of society deemed “peculiar” at best and “entirely improper” at worst.
“I tell you, Thornton has gone mad,” declared Sir William Lucas one evening at an assembly in Meryton. “Absolutely mad. He speaks of connecting the whole of England through a series of written messages delivered instantaneously. Faster than the mail coach, faster than the telegraph! He calls it ‘The Gentleman’s Network.’”
“How extraordinary,” replied Mrs. Bennet, whose interest in wealthy single gentlemen remained undiminished despite having successfully married off all five of her daughters. “And is he very rich?”
“Enormously so,” confirmed Sir William. “They say his fortune exceeds ten million pounds.”
Mrs. Bennet’s eyes widened to a degree that threatened the integrity of her face. “Ten million! And is he married?”
“He is not,” said Sir William, with the satisfaction of one delivering news of great importance. “Though I understand he has little interest in matrimony. His passion lies entirely in this new contraption of his.”
The contraption in question was indeed the primary occupation of Mr. Thornton’s considerable mental faculties. Having observed the increasing speed of communication through the new electric telegraph systems, he had conceived of a method by which private individuals might exchange messages, observations, and even sketches through a network of specially designed writing machines connected by wires.
“You see,” Mr. Thornton explained to a bewildered Mr. Bingley, whom he had…
