Quotes from Jane Austen

Yes, here I am, Sophia, quite ready to make a foolish match. Anybody between fifteen and thirty may have me for asking. A little beauty, and a few smiles, and a few compliments to the navy, and I am a lost man.

Now, how were his sentiments to be read? Was this like wishing to avoid her? And the next moment she was hating herself for the folly which asked the question.

And while the abilities of the nine–hundredth abridger of the History of England, or of the man who collects and publishes in a volume some dozen lines of Milton, Pope, and Prior, with a paper from the Spectator, and a chapter from Sterne, are eulogized by a thousand pens — there seems almost a general wish of decrying the capacity and undervaluing the labour of the novelist, and of slighting the performances which have only genius, wit, and taste to recommend them.

I am ill-qualified to recommend myself to strangers.

I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with your ladyship. You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer.

She was obliged to recollect that her seeing the letter was a violation of the laws of honour, that no one ought to be judged or to be known by such testimonies, that no private correspondence could bear the eye of others

I have faults enough, but they are not, I hope, of understanding. My temper I dare not vouch for. It is, I believe, too little yielding—certainly too little for the convenience of the world. I cannot forget the follies and vices of others so soon as I ought, nor their offenses against myself. My feelings are not puffed about with every attempt to move them. My temper would perhaps be called resentful. My good opinion once lost, is lost forever.

Jemima has just told me that the butcher says there is a bad sore throat very much about. I dare say I shall catch it; and my sore throats, you know, are always worse than anybody's.

But a week must pass; only a week, in Anne's reckoning, and then, she supposed, they must meet; and soon she began to wish that she could feel secure even for a week.

To be sure, you knew no actual good of me—but nobody thinks of that when they fall in love.

She had only meant to oppose the too common idea of spirit and gentleness being incompatible with each other.

Mi spazientisce oltremisura quando fanno finta di chiedermi, di darmi una scelta, e nello stesso tempo si rivolgono in modo tale da obbligarmi a fare quella cosa… di qualsiasi cosa si tratti!

never had she so honestly felt that she could have loved him, as now, when all love must be vain.

The worst of Bath was the number of its plain women. ... He had frequently observed, as he walked, that one handsome face would be followed by thirty, or five-and-thirty frights.

That little boys and girls should be tormented is what no one at all acquainted with human nature in a civilized state can deny.

It exactly answers my idea of a fine country, because it unites beauty with utility

I believe, there is scarcely a young lady in the united kingdoms, who would not rather put up with the misfortune of being sought by a clever, agreeable man, than have him driven away by the vulgarity of her nearest relations.

The enthusiasm of a woman's love is even beyond the biographer's. To her, the hand-writing itself, independent of any thing it may convey, is a blessedness.

What had she have to wish for? Nothing but to grow more worthy of him whose intentions and judgment had been ever so superior to her own.

One does not love a place the less for having suffered in it…

I am only resolved to act in that manner, which will, in my own opinion, constitute my happiness

Nessuna condotta, neppure la più corretta, può sfuggire alla malevolenza della calunnia.

Evlilikte mutluluk tümüyle ÅŸans meselesidir. Taraflar birbirlerini gayet iyi tan?salar da, hatta baÅŸtan çok benzer olsalar da, bu, mutluluklar?na en ufak bir katk?da bulunmaz. Sonradan daima deÄŸiÅŸmek için ç?rp?n?r, baÅŸlar?n? derde sokarlar; hayat?n? birlikte geçireceÄŸin kiÅŸinin kusurlar?n? ne kadar az bilirsen o kadar iyidir.

Nadie puede estimarse realmente perfecto si no sobrepasa en mucho lo que se encuentra normalmente.