The characters in these stories may be drawn from the upper-crust of the English society. But they have one thing in common with 21st century start-ups: everyone is desparate for money.
Both plots are driven by the need of hard cash: the leading men needs it to marry the women of their dreams. Founders now need the same to escape the 9-5 and make their lives complete.
Even the side plots are all about bets: on horses, on trophy pigs, on the length of sermons (cf. Great Sermon Hanidcap). Venture capitalists of a simpler age.