Jane Austen

“It makes me very nervous and poorly,to be thwarted so in my own family, and to have neighbours who think of themselves before anybody else. However, your coming just at this time is the greatest of comforts, and I am very glad to hear what you tell us, of long sleeves.”

“In nine cases out of ten a woman had better show more affection than she feels.”

“Oh! certainly," cried his faithful assistant, "no one can be really esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half-deserved.""All this she must possess," added Darcy, "and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading.”

“But Elizabeth was not formed for ill-humour; and though every prospect of her own was destroyed for the evening, it could not dwell long on her spirits; and having told all her griefs to Charlotte Lucas, whom she had not seen for a week, she was soon able to make a voluntary transition to the oddities of her cousin, and to point him out to her particular notice. The first two dances, however, brought a return of distress; they were dances of mortification. Mr. Collins, awkward”

“I could not be happy with a man whose taste did not in every point coincide with my own. He must enter in all my feelings; the same books, the same music must charm us both.”

“Esteem him! Like him! Cold-hearted Elinor! Oh! worse than cold-hearted! Ashamed of being otherwise. Use those words again, and I will leave the room this moment.”

“Absence with the conviction probably of her indifference, had produced this very natural and desirable effect.”

“His feelings are warm, but I can imagine them rather changeable.”

“I do suspect that he is not really necessary to my happiness.”

“I do not find myself making any use of the word sacrifice.”

“How often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation!”

“A person, be it a man or a woman, who has not been exposed to the great wonders of literature, must be intolerably stupid.”

“Of music! Then pray speak aloud. It is of all subjects my delight. I must have my share in the conversation if you are speaking of music. There are few people in England, I suppose, who have more true enjoyment of music than myself, or a better natural taste. If I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficient.”

“it does not often happen that the interference of friends will persuade a young man of independent fortune to think no more of a girl.”

“my courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate me.”

“Elinor saw, and pitied her for, the neglect of abilities which education might have rendered so respectable; but she saw, with less tenderness of feeling, the thorough want of delicacy, of rectitude, and integrity of mind, which her attentions, her assiduities, her flatteries at the Park betrayed; and she could have no lasting satisfaction in the company of a person who joined insincerity with ignorance; whose want of instruction prevented their meeting in conversation on terms of equality, and whose conduct toward others made every shew of attention and deference towards herself perfectly valueless.”

“Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility.”

“Let him have all the perfections in the world, I think it ought not be set down as certain that he must be acceptable to every women he may happen to like himself.”

“It was foolish, it was wrong, to take so active a part in bringing any two people together.”

“Every body else had something to say; every body was either surprised or not surprised, and had some question to ask, or some comfort to offer.”

“A young woman, if she fall into bad gands, may be teazed, and kept at a distance from those she wants to be with; but one cannot comprehend a young man's being under such restraint, as not to be able to spend a week with his father, if he likes it.”

“I never have been in love; it is not my way, or my nature; and I do not think I ever shall.”

“That is the case with us all, papa. One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.”

“A man always imagines a woman to be ready for anybody who asks her.”

“[…] no man can be a good judge of the comforts a woman feels in the society of one of her own sex […]”

“The older a person grows, Harriet, the more important it is that their manners should not be bad,—the more glaring and disgusting any loudness, or coarseness, or awkwardness becomes. What is passable in youth is detestable in later age.”

“The sooner every party breaks up, the better.”

“I am certainly the most fortunate creature ever existed!”

“A man who has been refused! How could I ever be foolish enough to expect a renewal of his love? Is there one among the sex, who would not protest against such a weakness as a second proposal to the same woman? There is no indignity so abhorrent to their feelings!”

“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.”

“Having never fancied herself in love before, her regard had all the warmth of first attachment, and from her age and disposition, greater steadiness than first attachments often boast; and so fervently did she value his remembrance, and prefer him to every other man, that all her good sense, and all her attention to the feelings of her friends, were requisite to check the indulgence of those regrets, which must have been injurious to her own health and their tranquility.”

“Where the heart is really attached, I know very well how little one can be pleased with the attention of any body else.”

“My dear Mr. Bennet," said his lady to him one day, "have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?”

“I can feel no sentiment of approbation inferior to love.”

“Do not be in a hurry, the right man will come at last”

“The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it.”

“I should not mind anything at all.”

“I am not romantic, you know; I never was.”

“I thank you again and again for the hounour you have done me in your proposals, but to accept them is absolutely impossible. My feelings in every respect forbid it. Can I speak plainer? Do not consider me now as an elegant female, intending to plague you, but as an rational creature, speaking the truth from her heart.”

“You could not make me happy, and I am convinced that I am the last woman in the world who would make you so.”

“I am not one of those young ladies who are so daring to risk their happiness on the chance of being asked a second time.”

“When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.”

“I am not a great reader and I have pleasure in many things.”

“Well, said Anne, 'I certainly am proud, too proud to enjoy a welcome which depends so entirely upon place.”

“Persuasion is not at command; but pardon me, if I cannot even endeavour to persuade him. I have myself told him that Miss Thorpe is engaged. He knows what he is about, and must be his own master.''No, he does not know what he is about,' cried Catherine; 'he does not know the pain he is giving my brother. Not that James has ever told me so, but I am sure he is very uncomfortable.''And are you sure it is my brother's doing?''Yes, very sure.''Is it my brother's attention to Miss Thorpe, or Miss Thorpe's admission of them, that gives the pain?''Is it not the same thing?''I think Mr. Morland would acknowledge a difference. No man is offended by another man's admiration of the woman he loves; it is the woman only who can make it a torment.”

“I shall be sure to say three dull things as soon as ever I open my mouth, shan’t I? (looking round with the most good-humoured dependence on every body’s assent)— Do not you all think I shall?” Emma could not resist. “Ah! ma’am, but there may be a difficulty. Pardon me— but you will be limited as to number—only three at once.”

“She had nothing to wish otherwise, but that the days did not pass so swiftly. It was a delightful visit;—perfect, in being much too short.”

“With such a worshipping wife, it was hardly possible that any natural defects in it should not be increased. The extreme sweetness of her temper must hurt his.”

“A very narrow income has a tendency to contract the mind, and sour the temper. Those who can barely live, and who live perforce in a very small, and generally very inferior, society, may well be illiberal and cross.”

“Emma has been meaning to read more ever since she was twelve years old. I have seen a great many lists of her drawingup at various times of books that she meant to read regularly through—and very good lists they were—very well chosen, and very neatly arranged—sometimes alphabetically, and sometimes by some other rule. The list she drew up when only fourteen—I remember thinking it did her judgment so much credit, that I preserved it some time; and I dare say she may have made out a very good list now. But I have done with expecting any course of steady reading from Emma. She will never submit to any thing requiring industry and patience, and a subjection of the fancy to the understanding.”