Jane Austen Quotes

She [Mary I] married Philip King of Spain, who in her sister's reign, was famous for building Armadas.

Let us have no ranting tragedies. Too many charactersNot a tolerable woman's part in the play.

A very short trial convinced her that a curricle was the prettiest equipage in the world.

But are they all horrid, are you sure they are all horrid? [Referring to Gothic novels, fashionable in England at the beginning of the 19th century, but frowned upon in polite society.]

I have often observed that resignation is never so perfect as when the blessing denied begins to lose somewhat of its value in our eyes.

Lady Middleton ... exerted herself to ask Mr. Palmer if there was any news in the paper. 'No, none at all,' he replied, and read on.

it is a shocking trick for a young person to be always lolling upon a sofa.

“It is not everyone,” said Elinor, “who has your passion for dead leaves.”

Catherine had never wanted comfort more, and he [Henry] looked as if he was aware of it.

...I will not allow books to prove any thing." "But how shall we prove any thing?" "We never shall.

I do not find it easy to talk to people I don't know.

I encourage him to be in his garden as often as possible. Then he has to walk to Rosings nearly every day. ... I admit I encourage him in that also.

I have never yet known what it was to separate esteem from love

If there is any thing disagreeable going on, men are always sure to get out of it.

And what am I to do on the occasion? -- It seems an hopeless business.

I have had to contend against the unkindness of his sister, and the insolence of his mother; and have suffered the punishment of an attachment, without enjoying its advantages.

To begin perfect happiness at the respective ages of 26 and 18 is to do pretty well.

The sooner every party breaks up the better.

To take a dislike to a young man, only because he appeared to be of a different disposition from himself, was unworthy the real liberality of mind

For what do we live, but to make sport by subjecting our neighbors to endless discretionary review for minor additions?

I take no leave of you, Miss Bennet: I send no compliments to your mother. You deserve no such attention. I am most seriously displeased.

It was for the sake of what had been, rather than what was.

Is there not something wanted, Miss Price, in our language - a something between compliments and - and love - to suit the sort of friendly acquaintance we have had together?

You shall not, for the sake of one individual, change the meaning of principle and integrity.

Women are the only correspondents to be depended on.

Life could do nothing for her, beyond giving time for a better preparation for death.

If I could not be persuaded into doing what I thought wrong, I never will be tricked into it.

There seemed a gulf impassable between them.

It was a gloomy prospect, and all that she could do was to throw a mist over it, and hope when the mist cleared away, she should see something else.

People that marry can never part, but must go and keep house together. People that dance only stand opposite each other in a long room for half an hour.

She looked back as well as she could; but it was all confusion. She had taken up the idea, she supposed and made everything bend to it.

We certainly do not forget you, so soon as you forget us. It is, perhaps, our fate rather than our merit. We cannot help ourselves.

... strange things may be generally accounted for if their cause be fairly seached out.

Every impulse of feeling should be guided by reason; and, in my opinion, exertion should always be in proportion to what is required.

I can safely say, that the happiest part of my life has been spent on board a ship.

Walter Scott has no business to write novels, especially good ones. He has fame and profit enough as a poet, and should not be taking the bread out of other people's mouths.

Goldsmith tells us, that when lovely woman stoops to folly, she has nothing to do but to die; and when she stoops to be disagreeable, it is equally to be recommended as a clearer of ill-fame.

A Mr. (save, perhaps, some half dozen in the nation,) always needs a note of explanation.

One can never have too large a party.

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.

Did not you? I did for you. But that is one great difference between us. Compliments always take you by surprise, and me never.

Nay," cried Bingley, "this is too much, to remember at night all the foolish things that were said in the morning.

Men were put into the world to teach women the law of compromise.

A man would always wish to give a woman a better home than the one he takes her from; and he who can do it, where there is no doubt of her regard, must, I think, be the happiest of mortals.

All the world is good and agreeable in your eyes.

I am sure of this, that if everybody was to drink their bottle a day, there would be not half the disorders in the world there are now. It would be a famous good thing for us all.

No: the years which had destroyed her youth and bloom had only given him a more glowing, manly, open look, in no respect lessening his personal advantages. She had seen the same Frederick Wentworth.

He certainly is very agreeable, and I give you leave to like him. You have liked many a stupider person.

I love you. Most ardently.

A family of ten children will be always called a fine family, where there are heads and arms and legs enough for the number.