Given the resounding lack of opportunity in the colonial realm, people like me (talented yet lazy) never really were provided with the opportunities of success.  Sure I could've done the American colonial thing (economic) but that would've taken (most of the time) real work.  I've heard from friends of equal disposition that the opportunities they've had (quality of life if you discount being killed) overseas in the "hot spots" have been pretty good though in the last four or five years.

The problem with life today is that whereas a middle class guy like Dickens had all sorts of people propping up his infrastructure, these days its not really possible to the same scale nor cost.

Elspeth Huxley's family were hard working planters trying to make a go of it--very different altogether from the decadent Happy Valley Set. She said in her second book, "The Mottled Lizard" that she later heard about the wild goings of the Happy Valley Set, "but to us they were just people."

"White Mischief" was a good movie, but it took considerable liberties with the actual story although I don't remember the particulars. Of course, anything starring Greta Scacchi is well worth looking at. I am always surprised she didn't become a much bigger star. I can recall lying in bed with an old flame of mine around 1990 and asking her what movie star/celebrity she would most like to have sex with. She gave me the name of some actor I wasn't familiar with. I then said my choice would be Greta Scacchi. She replied, "Oh, she's so gorgeous I'd like to have sex with her too"--a sexy, sassy comment, I thought!