Jane Austen Quotes

A truth universally acknowledged

Here's the very first (and often quoted) first line of P&P -- the one this blog began with more than a year ago.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

Pride & Prejudice, Volume 1, Chapter 1

Indeed!  Alas, dear Colin already has a wife...

Image from the lovely Jane Austen Today blog, home of all things related to Austen-mania.  Vote in their polls about the PBS flicks, read reviews, and learn more about all the new films and the actors playing our favorite characters.

Here's the very first (and often quoted) first line of P&P -- the one this blog began with more than a year ago.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

Pride & Prejudice, Volume 1, Chapter 1

Indeed!  Alas, dear Colin already has a wife...

Image from the lovely Jane Austen Today blog, home of all things related to Austen-mania.  Vote in their polls about the PBS flicks, read reviews, and learn more about all the new films and the actors playing our favorite characters.

Pity party with Mrs. B.

This week, the grandaddy of all Austen adaptations (and my personal absolute all-time favorite), Pride & Prejudice.  Whoo-hoo!

So many quotes... not sure where to start.  But I love this line from Mrs. B.

"'Not that I have much pleasure indeed in talking to anybody.  People who suffer as I do from nervous complaints can have no great inclination for talking.  Nobody can tell what I suffer!--But it is always so.  Those who do not complain are never pitied.'"

Dear Mrs. Bennet, talking to Charlotte Lucas after her great disappointment in not getting Lizzy to accept Mr. Collins
Pride & Prejudice, volume 1, chapter 20 (emphasis mine)

Such a great pity party line!

Alison Steadman as Mrs. Bennet. Image copyright BBC.  Watch an interview with Alison on the role of Mrs. B. at the BBC site.

It is by no means certain...

Today's quote is from The Jane Austen info page at The Republic of Pemberley

Mr. Collins and his dreadful proposal...

"You must give me leave to flatter myself, my dear cousin, that your refusal of my addresses is merely words of course. My reasons for believing it are briefly these: -- It does not appear to me that my hand is unworthy your acceptance, or that the establishment I can offer would be any other than highly desirable. My situation in life, my connections with the family of De Bourgh, and my relationship to your own, are circumstances highly in its favor; and you should take it into farther consideration that in spite of your manifold attractions, it is by no means certain that another offer of marriage may ever be made you. Your portion is unhappily so small that it will in all likelihood undo the effects of your loveliness and amiable qualifications. As I must therefore conclude that you are not serious in your rejection of me, I shall chuse to attribute it to your wish of increasing my love by suspense, according to the usual practice of elegant females."

Pride and Prejudice, volume 1, chapter 19

Thanks to Mollands for the illustration.

A matter of delicacy

I'm still in North Carolina without my Austen books, so this week I'm pilfering quotes from others. This one is from the wonderful Jane Austen's World blog, in a post about entails and inheritance.  Love that Mr. Bennet!

"About a month ago I received this letter, and about a fortnight ago I answered it, for I thought it a case of some delicacy, and requiring early attention."

Mr. Bennet, on receiving the letter from Mr. Collins about his visit
Pride & Prejudice, volume 1, chapter 13

My own darling child

My boxes of books arrived Friday!

"I want to tell you that I have got my own darling Child from London;--on Wednesday I received one Copy, sent down by Falknor, with three lines from Henry to say that he had given another to Charles & sent a 3d by the Coach to Godmersham."

letter to Cassandra, on receiving her first copy of Pride and Prejudice
January 29, 1813 [79]

(Unfortunately, I left my camera at my parents' this weekend, so I've not been able to take pictures.)

As delightful a creature

"I must confess that I think her as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print, & how I shall be able to tolerate those who do not like her at least, I do not know."

letter to Cassandra, on Pride and Prejudice's Elizabeth Bennet
January 29, 1813 [79]

Such dull elves

"There are a few Typical errors--& a 'said he' or a 'said she' would sometimes make the Dialogue more immediately clear--but 'I do not write for such dull Elves As have not a great deal of Ingenuity themselves.'"

letter to Cassandra on the release of Pride and Prejudice
January 29, 1813 [79]

The "such dull elves" line is a rough quote from Marmion.

A misfortune

"He is such a disagreeable man that it would be quite a misfortune to be liked by him."

Mrs. Bennet on Mr. Darcy
Pride and Prejudice, volume 1, chapter 5

On compliments

"Compliments always take you by surprise, and me never."

Lizzy to Jane
Pride and Prejudice, volume 1, chapter 4

Again a character trait I understand, though perhaps not so admirable.

Mr. Bennet

"With a book he was regardless of time . . ."

Pride and Prejudice, volume 1, chapter 3

An admirable character trait, and one I completely understand.