Though she had been surprised to find that murder was so thoroughly enjoyable, Mrs Bennet did not believe that this reflected any fault or wickedness in her character. She knew she only committed these acts...

When the evening was over, Anne could not but be amused at the idea of her coming to Lyme, to preach patience and resignation to a young man whom she had never seen before; nor...

She ventured to hope he did not always read only poetry; and to say, that she thought it was the misfortune of poetry, to be seldom safely enjoyed by those who enjoyed it completely; and...

take warning from my unhappy End …Beware of fainting-fits…Beware of swoons, Run mad as often as you chuse; but do not faint—”.

Like the dancing.

Hello, Mary.’It was like hearing a note of divine calm after a dissonant passage of music. My confusion died away.

It has the permanent quality of literature.

Jane Austen, who is said to be Shakespearian, never reminds us of Shakespeare, I think, in her full-dress portraits, but she does so in characters such as Miss Bates and Mrs. Allen.

I seem finally to have stopped worrying about Elinor, and age. She seems now to be perfectly normal — about twenty-five, a witty control freak. I like her but I can see how she would...

Now be sincere; did you admire me for my impertinence?””For the liveliness of your mind, I did.

Recuerde sólo en el pasado aquello que le sea grato.

One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life.That word is love.”(Sophocles)by Adam Harford, Duke of Harford,from the last page of “Sophie’s Salvation

Charlotte Palmer is no sillier than Harriet Smith; and yet, how intolerable we should find it to see and hear as much of Charlotte as we do of Harriet! And would Miss Bates have been...

Peter.’ It was the first time I had used his name. ‘You heard me sing tonight, did you not?”Yes, love.’The endearment took my breath away – made me forget what I meant to say. I...

Writing novels is not an illness that need be recovered from. It is my work; it is what I do.

I resolutely refuse to believe that the state of Edward’s health had anything to do with this, and I don’t say this only because I was once later accused of attacking him ‘on his deathbed.’...

The conversation soon turned upon fishing, and she heard Mr. Darcy invite him, with the greatest civility, to fish there as often as he chose while he continued in the neighbourhood, offering at the same...

There is a monsterous deal of stupid quizzing, & common-place nonsense talked, but scarcely any wit.

I have the highest respect for your nerves, they are my old friends.

She closed her eyes, not really hearing the rest of what he murmured against her ear. All she knew was that it echoed everything that was in her heart. He was a surprise. Love was...

Just the omission of Jane Austen’s books alone would make a fairly good library out of a library that hadn’t a book in it.

When I first met him (Michael) at the beginning of the year and found out that I would have to be his lab partner in bio and the year-long series of projects in AP English,...

Mrs Bennet was a great connoissuer of feminine beauty and indeed it must be owned that she herself was a very handsome woman. As to the sweetness of her temper, there was less compelling evidence;...

Anne did think on the question with perfect decision, and said as much in replay as her own feelings could accomplish, or as his seemed able to bear, for he was too much affected to...

Dear, dear Norland,’ said Elinor, ‘probably looks much as it always does at this time of year. The woods and walks thickly covered with dead leaves.’ ‘Oh!’ cried Marianne, ‘with what transporting sensations have I...

Good heaven! My dear Isabella, what do you mean? Can you — can you really be in love with James?

How weird? We’re all dressed like people in a Jane Austen book. I think weird comes with the territory.

After a moment, he added more seriously: ‘I don’t get as angry as m’father used to about things. Or maybe I’, just better at hiding m’feelings.”I fear I’m not very good at hiding my feelings.’He...

For [Jane Austen and the readers of Pride and Prejudice], as for Mr. Darcy, [Elizabeth Bennett’s] solitary walks express the independence that literally takes the heroine out of the social sphere of the houses and...

She was the sun of my life, the gilder of every pleasure, the soother of every sorrow, I had not a thought concealed from her, and it is as if I had lost a part...

For it was a truth universally acknowledged that a single vicar must be in want of a wife.

You either choose this method of passing the evening because you are in each other’s confidence, and have secret affairs to discuss, or because you are conscious that your figures appear to the greatest advantage...

No poseo el talento de otros que pueden conversar con facilidad con quienes nunca han visto. No tengo valor para ello ni puedo adaptarme al carácter de los demás con la facilidad que otros lo...

Lady Catherine quoting Lizzie Bennet:She had the impudence to reply that, whilst these would be heavy misfortunes, your wife must have such extraordinary sources of happiness necessarily attached to her situation, that she could, upon...

Jane Austen’s narrative style seems to me to show (especially in the later novels) a curiously chameleon-like faculty; it varies in colour as the habits of expression of the several characters impress themselves on the...

Ah yes.’ Peter’s tone was scornful. ‘And they must always be paid before the poor tradesmen’s bills, mustn’t they?”They must indeed. They are debts of honour.”Oh, Mary.’ He leant over and kissed me quickly. ‘What...

Vimes thought for a moment and said, ‘Well, dear, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a man with a lot of wood must be in want of a wife who can handle a great...

The visible structure of Jane Austen’s stories may be flimsy enough; but their foundations drive deep down into the basic principles of human conduct. On her bit of ivory she has engraved a criticism of...

Her family had of late been exceedingly fluctuating. For many years of her life she had had two sons; but the crime and annihilation of Edward a few weeks ago, had robbed her of one;...

…the more I know of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love.

Every thing he did was right. Every thing he said was clever. If their evenings at the park included cards, he cheated himself and all the rest of the party to get her a good...

I always liked ‘nothing is so good as it seems beforehand.’ I think that’s the perfect Eliot quote for the moment we head off to a garden party.

To me [Edgar Allen Poe’s] prose is unreadable—like Jane Austin’s [sic]. No there is a difference. I could read his prose on salary, but not Jane’s. Jane is entirely impossible. It seems a great pity...

I will probably die a misunderstood virgin like Ophelia in HAMLET, only I won’t do it by floating down a stream, singing my own mad song. They’ll just find me here, on my bed, on...

I don’t need to see the trail to know you’re at the end of it. My grandfather’s compass may not work, but mine is still true.

I will only add, God bless you.

It raises my spleen more than anything.

She is probably by this time as tired of me, as I am of her; but as she is too Polite and I am too civil to say so, our letters are still as frequent...

Jane Austen would be so proud. Another girl trussed up for a fancy party.””On the contrary, she’d be horrified. All that skin. You’d need about another five yards of material.

I lost the letter in rather embarrassing circumstances. We were to dine at Parramatta Government House that same evening, and Peter had come in early from harvesting the wheat, sitting down in all his dirt...