Confusing Classic Conventions

[Jane's Ire]

Does anyone have any idea why some writers used to leave out place names and instead use a letter with several dashes? (Ex: I came home from S----)

I see it quite a bit in the classics (the Brontes, Jane Austen), and never in new fiction, but am curious as to why they didn't just use a place name either real or made up?

Thanks!

[soundofmusic]

Well, I recall that Scott Fitzgerald was thrown out of alot of his little circles because he used the real names of places and thinly disguised persons

[OrphanPip]

It was often to protect the author from libel suits when writing about real people, and sometimes it was used by the author to artificially give the impression of trying to protect themselves from lawsuits when writing about fake people. It could also be used to give a sense of lack of identity or individuality to a character or place.

[Jane's Ire]

Thanks!