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Jane Austen

Jane Austen Biography

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“Elizabeth had never been more at a loss to make her feelings appear what they were not. It was necessary to laugh, when she would rather have cried. Her father had most cruelly mortified her, by what he said of Mr. Darcy's indifference, and she could do nothing but wonder at such a want of penetration, or fear that perhaps, instead of his seeing too little, she might have fancied too much.”

IndifferenceDarcyElizabethFancied Too Much
Book:Pride and Prejudice
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“Every line, every word was -- in the hackneyed metaphor which their dear writer, were she here, would forbid -- a dagger to my heart. To know that Marianne was in town was -- in the same language -- a thunderbolt. -- Thunderbolts and daggers! -- what a reproof would she have given me! -- her taste, her opinions -- I believe they are better known to me than my own, -- and I am sure they are dearer.”

PainHeartbreakLettersJane Austen
Book:Sense and Sensibility
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“Between Barton and Delaford, there was that constant communication which strong family affection would naturally dictate;—and among the merits and the happiness of Elinor and Marianne, let it not be ranked as the least considerable, that though sisters, and living almost within sight of each other, they could live without disagreement between themselves, or producing coolness between their husbands.”

LoveHappinessFamilyMarriageSisters
Book:Sense and Sensibility
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“Her tears fell abundantly--but her grief was so truly artless, that no dignity could have made it more respectable in Emma's eyes--and she listened to her and tried to console her with all her heart and understanding--really for the time convinced that Harriet was the superior creature of the two--and that to resemble her would be more for her own welfare and happiness than all that genius or intelligence could do. It was rather too late in the day to set about being simple-minded and ignorant; but she left her with every previous resolution confirmed of being humble and discreet, and repressing imagination all the rest of her life.”

EmotionAcceptanceSmartStupidityDrama Queen
Author:Jane Austen
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“...it is poverty only which makes celibacy contemptible to a generous public! A single woman, with a very narrow income, must be a ridiculous, disagreeable old maid! the proper sport of boys and girls, but a single woman, of good fortune, is always respectable, and may be as sensible and pleasant as any body else. And the distinction is not quite so much against the candour and common sense of the world as appears at first; for 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.”

PovertyEmmaSingle Women
Book:Emma
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“At this rate, I shall not pity the writers of history any longer. If people like to read their books, it is all very well; but to be at so much trouble in filling great volumes, which, as I used to think, nobody would willingly ever look into, to be laboring only for the torment of little boys and girls, always struck me as a hard fate; and though I know it is all very right and necessary, I have often wondered at the person's courage that could sit down on purpose to do it." "That little boys and girls should be tormented," said Henry, "is what no one at all acquainted with human nature in a civilized state can deny; but in behalf of our most distinguished historians, I must observe that they might well be offended at being supposed to have no higher aim; and that by their method and style they are perfectly well qualified to torment readers of the most advanced reason and mature time of life. I use the verb 'to torment,' as I observed to be your own method, instead of 'to instruct,' supposing them to be now admitted as synonymous.”

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Book:Northanger abbey
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“Non posso più ascoltare in silenzio. Devo parlarle usando i mezzi a disposizione che ho in questo momento. Lei strazia la mia anima. Provo a un tempo agonia e speranza. Non mi dica che è troppo tardi, che quei preziosi sentimenti son per sempre svaniti. Mi offro nuovamente a lei col cuore che è suo ancor più di quando lo ha quasi spezzato otto anni e mezzo fa. Non osi più dire che gli uomini dimenticano prima delle donne, che l'amore di un uomo muore più rapidamente. Ho amato solo lei. Posso essere stato ingiusto, debole, schiavo di risentimenti, ma mai incostante. Lei sola mi ha indotto a venire a Bath. Penso solo a lei, per lei sola faccio progetti per l'avvenire. Non se n'è accorta? È possibile che non abbia compreso i miei desideri? Non avrei atteso neppure questi dieci giorni se solo avessi potuto leggere nei suoi sentimenti, come lei, penso abbia visto in fondo ai miei. Quasi non riesco a scrivere. Ogni istante sento qualcosa che mi soggioga. Lei abbassa la voce, ma io so distinguerne toni che altri non saprebbero cogliere. Creatura troppo buona, troppo eccelsa! Lei ci rende davvero giustizia. Lei crede veramente che gli uomini possano provare vero amore ed essere costanti. Mi creda, in me questi sentimenti sono i più fervidi, i più incrollabili.”

Romantic
Book:Persuasion
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“You are mistaken, Mr Darcy, if you suppose that the mode of your declaration affected me in any other way, than as it spared me the concern which I might have felt in refusing you, had you behaved in a more gentleman-like manner." She saw him start at this, but he said nothing, and she continued, "You could not have made me the offer of your hand in an possible way that would have tempted me to accept it." Again his astonishment was obvious; and he looked at her with an expression of mingled incredulity and mortification. She went on. "From the very beginning, from the first moment I may almost say, of my acquaintance with you, your manners impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain for the feelings of others, were such as to form that ground-work of disapprobation, on which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike; and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed upon to marry." "You have said quite enough, madam. I perfectly comprehend your feelings, and now have only to be ashamed of what my own have been. Forgive me for having taken up so much of your time, and accept my best wishes for your health and happiness.”

RefusalPride And PrejudiceMr DarcyFitzwilliam DarcyLizzie Bennet
Book:Pride and Prejudice
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“If you will thank me," he replied, "let it be for yourself alone. That the wish of giving happiness to you might add force to the other inducements which led me on, I shall not attempt to deny. But your family owe me nothing. Much as I respect them, I believe I thought only of you." Elizabeth was too much embarrassed to say a word. After a short pause, her companion added, "You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever." Elizabeth, feeling all the more than common awkwardness and anxiety of his situation, now forced herself to speak; and immediately, though not very fluently, gave him to understand that her sentiments had undergone so material a change since the period to which he alluded, as to make her receive with gratitude and pleasure his present assurances.The happiness which this reply produced was such as he had probably never felt before, and he expressed himself on the occasion as sensibly and as warmly as a man violently in love can be supposed to do.”

ProposalPride And PrejudiceMr DarcyElizabeth BennettSecond Proposal
Book:Pride and Prejudice
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“But above all, above respect and esteem, there was a motive within her of good will which could not be overlooked. It was gratitude. -- Gratitude, not merely for having once loved her, but for loving her still well enough, to forgive all the petulance and acrimony of her manner in rejecting him, and all the unjust accusations accompanying her rejection. He who, she had been persuaded, would avoid her as his greatest enemy, seemed, on this accidental meeting, most eager to preserve the acquaintance, and without any indelicate display of regard, or any peculiarity of manner, where their two selves only were concerned, was soliciting the good opinion of her friends, and bent on making her known to his sister.”

LoveRomanceKindnessPrideMr DarcyRegencyElizabeth BennetPride Prejudice
Book:Pride and Prejudice
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“What made you so shy of me, when you first called, and afterwards dined here? Why, especially, when you called, did you look as if you did not care about me?" "Because you were grave and silent, and gave me no encouragement." "But I was embarrassed." "And so was I." "You might have talked to me more when you came to dinner." "A man who had felt less, might.”

LoveAffectionBook QuotesPride And PrejudiceMr DarcyElizabeth Bennet
Book:Pride and Prejudice
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“Mr. Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien, and the report which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year. The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening.”

Mr Darcy
Book:Pride and Prejudice
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