Jane Austen Quotes (569 Quotes)

I know you do; and it is that which makes the wonder. With your good sense, to be so honestly blind to the follies and nonsense of others! Affectation of candour is common enough-one meets with it everywhere. But to be candid without ostentation or design-to take the good of everybody's character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad-belongs to you alone. And so you like this man's sisters, too, do you? Their manners are not equal to his.

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.

Mr. Darcy began to feel the danger of paying Elizabeth too much attention.

She began now to comprehend that he was exactly the man who, in disposition and talents, would most suit her. His understanding and temper, though unlike her own, would have answered all her wishes. It was an union that must have been to the advantage of both: by her ease and liveliness, his mind might have been softened, his manners improved; and from his judgement, information, and knowledge of the world, she must have received benefit of greater importance.

This is an evening of wonders, indeed!

Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.

Cold-hearted Elinor! Oh! Worse than cold-hearted! Ashamed of being otherwise.--Marianne Dashwood

I will be calm. I will be mistress of myself.

To her own heart it was a delightful affair, to her imagination it was even a ridiculous one, but to her reason, her judgment, it was completely a puzzle.

And have you never known the pleasure and triumph of a lucky guess? I pity you. I thought you cleverer; for depend upon it, a lucky guess is never merely luck. There is always some talent in it.

I always deserve the best treatment because I never put up with any other.

Men of sense, whatever you may choose to say, do not want silly wives.

There is one thing, Emma, which a man can always do if he chooses, and that is his duty; not by manoeuvring and finessing, but by vigour and resolution. - Mr. Knightley

You have another long walk before you.

I am very strong. Nothing ever fatigues me, but doing what I do not like.

Nobody meant to be unkind, but nobody put themselves out of their way to secure her comfort.

Varnish and gilding hide many stains.

Every body allows that the talent of writing agreeable letters is peculiarly female.

She hated herself more than she could express.

A lady, without a family, was the very best preserver of furniture in the world.

How she might have felt had there been no Captain Wentworth in the case, was not worth enquiry; for there was a Captain Wentworth: and be the conclusion of the present suspense good or bad, her affection would be his forever. Their union, she believed, could not divide her more from other men, than their final separation.

She had received ideas which disposed her to be courteous and kind to all, and to pity every one, as being less happy than herself.

When the evening was over, Anne could not be amused…nor could she help fearing, on more serious reflection, that, like many other great moralists and preachers, she had been eloquent on a point in which her own conduct would ill bear examination.

Are you consulting your own feelings in the present case, or do you imagine that you are gratifying mine?

Elizabeth received them with all the forbearance of civility

How earnestly did she then wish that her former opinions had been more reasonable, more moderate!

I must have my share in the conversation…

It may be easily believed that however little of novelty could be added to their fears hopes and conjectures on this interesting subject by its repeated discussion no other could detain them from it long during the whole of the journey. From Elizabeth's thoughts it was never absent. Fixed there by the keenest of all anguish self-reproach she could find no interval of ease or forgetfulness.

Mr. Darcy said very little, and Mr. Hurst nothing at all. The former was divided between admiration of the brilliancy which exercise had given to her complexion, and doubt as to the occasion's justifying her coming so far alone. The latter was thinking only of his breakfast.

She had a lively, playful disposition that delighted in anything ridiculous.

This was a lucky recollection -- it saved her from something like regret.

Without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want.

Edward Ferrars was not recommended to their good opinion by any peculiar graces of person or address. He was not handsome, and his manners required intimacy to make them pleasing. He was too diffident to do justice to himself; but when his natural shyness was overcome, his behaviour gave every indication of an open, affectionate heart.

If her case was pitiable, his was hopeless. His imprudence had made her miserable for a while; but it seemed to have deprived himself of all chance of ever being otherwise.

When I fall in love, it will be forever.

At Christmas every body invites their friends and thinks little of even the worst weather.

I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like

Mr. Knightley seemed to be trying not to smile; and succeeded without difficulty, upon Mrs. Elton's beginning to talk to him.

There was no being displeased with such an encourager, for his admiration made him discern a likeness before it was possible.

You must be the best judge of your own happiness.

I fancy Miss Price has been more used to deserve praise than to hear ità

None but a woman can teach the science of herself.

We do not look in great cities for our best morality.

Every young lady may feel for my heroine in this critical moment, for every young lady has at some time or other known the same agitation.

She mediated, by turns, on broken promises and broken arches, phaetons and false hangings, Tilneys and trap-doors.

A man does not recover from such devotion of the heart to such a woman! He ought not; he does not.

I am not fond of the idea of my shrubberies being always approachable.

She hoped to be wise and reasonable in time; but alas! Alas! She must confess to herself that she was not wise yet.

Woe betide him, and her too, when it comes to things of consequence, when they are placed in circumstances requiring fortitude and strength of mind, if she have not resolution enough to resist idle interference ... It is the worst evil of too yielding and indecisive a character, that no influence over it can be depended on. You are never sure of a good impression being durable; everybody may sway it. Let those who would be happy be firm.

Arguments are too much like disputes.