Quotes by "Jane Austen"

They were within twenty yards of each other, and so abrupt was his appearance, that it was impossible to avoid his sight. Their eyes instantly met, and the cheeks of each were overspread with the deepest blush. He absolutely started, and for a moment seemed immoveable from surprise; but shortly recovering himself, advanced towards the party, and spoke to Elizabeth, if not in terms of perfect composure, at least of perfect civility.

No man is offended by another man's admiration of the woman he loves; it is the woman only who can make it a torment.

Elizabeth's spirit's soon rising to playfulness again, she wanted Mr. Darcy to account for his having ever fallen in love with her. 'How could you begin?' said she. 'I can comprehend your going on charmingly, when you had once made a beginning; but what could set you off in the first place?' 'I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.

Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death.

One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.

How quick come the reasons for approving what we like.

Without music, life would be a blank to me.

...when pain is over, the remembrance of it often becomes a pleasure.

Do not give way to useless alarm; though it is right to be prepared for the worst, there is no occasion to look on it as certain.

Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to each other or ever so similar beforehand, it does not advance their felicity in the least. They always continue to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation; and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life.

Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings.

Stupid men are the only ones worth knowing after all.

I cannot speak well enough to be unintelligible.

It is happy for you that you possess the talent of flattering with delicacy. May I ask whether these pleasing attentions proceed from the impulse of the moment, or are they the result of previous study?

Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride - where there is a real superiority of mind, pride will be always under good regulation.

And pictures of perfection, as you know, make me sick and wicked.

There is one thing, Emma, which a man can always do if he chooses, and that is his duty; not by manoeuvring and finessing, but by vigour and resolution. - Mr. Knightley

Almost anything is possible with time

Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised or a little mistaken.

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