Jane Austen Quotes
-
'My fingers,' said Elizabeth, 'do not move over this instrument in the masterly manner which I see so many woman's do. They have not the same force of rapidity and do not possess the same expression. But then I have always supposed it to be my own fault - because I would not take the trouble of practicing. It is not that I do not believe my fingers as capable as any other woman's of superior execution.' Darcy smiled and said, 'You are perfectly right.'
-
I should infinitely prefer a book.
-
They were within twenty yards of each other, and so abrupt was his appearance, that it was impossible to avoid his sight. Their eyes instantly met, and the cheeks of each were overspread with the deepest blush. He absolutely started, and for a moment seemed immoveable from surprise; but shortly recovering himself, advanced towards the party, and spoke to Elizabeth, if not in terms of perfect composure, at least of perfect civility.
-
You are mistaken, Mr. Darcy, if you suppose that the mode of your declaration affected me in any other way, than as it spared the concern which I might have felt in refusing you, had you behaved in a more gentlemanlike manner.
-
...but for my own part, if a book is well written, I always find it too short.
-
It's been many years since I had such an exemplary vegetable.
-
Nobody is healthy in London, nobody can be.
-
Silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way.
-
...for he is such a disagreeable man, that it would be quite a misfortune to be liked by him.
-
What one means one day, you know, one may not mean the next. Circumstances change, opinions alter.
-
Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast.
-
It is very often nothing but our own vanity that deceives us.
-
I will not say that your mulberry trees are dead; but I am afraid they're not alive.
-
Stupid men are the only ones worth knowing after all.
-
For what do we live, but to make sport by subjecting our neighbors to endless discretionary review for minor additions?
-
One has not great hopes from Birmingham. I always say there is something direful in the sound...
-
…she felt depressed beyond any thing she had ever known before.
-
But there are some situations of the human mind in which good sense has very little power.
-
if a woman doubts as to whether she should accept a man or not, she certainly ought to refuse him. If she can hesitate as to `Yes,' she ought to say `No' directly. It is not a state to be safely entered into with doubtful feelings, with half a heart.
-
She would have liked to know how he felt as to a meeting. Perhaps indifferent, if indifference could exist under such circumstances. He must be either indifferent or unwilling. Has he wished ever to see her again, he need not have waited till this time; he would have done what she could not but believe that in his place she should have done long ago, when events had been early giving him the indepencence which alone had been wanting.
-
It is a shocking trick for a young person to be always lolling upon a sofa.
-
A woman of seven and twenty, said Marianne, after pausing a moment, can never hope to feel or inspire affection again.
-
A man who has nothing to do with his own time has no conscience in his intrusion on that of others.
-
Your countenance perfectly informs me that you were in company last night with the person, whom you think the most agreeable in the world, the person who interests you at this present time, more than all the rest of the world put together.