LADY BRACKNELLTo speak frankly, I am not in favour of long engagements. They give people the opportunity of finding out each other's character before marriage, which I think is never advisable.

Summary

Lady Bracknell expresses her strong disagreement with prolonged engagements, as she believes they enable individuals to discover each other's true nature before marriage, which she considers to be unwise. Her statement suggests that she believes people's true character may be at odds with the facade they present initially, and that it is preferable to bypass this period of discovery entirely. Lady Bracknell's perspective implies a skepticism towards the possibility of lasting relationships formed through extended engagements, emphasizing the importance of making informed decisions without extensive premarital investigation.