Jane Austen

In nine cases out of ten, a woman had better show more affection than she feels.

It sometimes happens that a woman is handsomer at twenty-nine than she was ten years before.

Every man is surrounded by a neighborhood of voluntary spies.

We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be.

For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors and laugh at them in our turn?

To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love.

To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment.

If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.

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

I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal.

There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart.

My idea of good company is the company of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company.

Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.

Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves; vanity, to what we would have others think of us.

Selfishness must always be forgiven you know, because there is no hope of a cure.

I hate to hear you talk about all women as if they were fine ladies instead of rational creatures. None of us want to be in calm waters all our lives.

she thought it was the misfortune of poetry, to be seldom safely enjoyed by those who enjoyed it completely; and that the strong feelings which alone could estimate it truly, were the very feelings which ought to taste it but sparingly.

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

This is an evening of wonders, indeed!

'My fingers,' said Elizabeth, 'do not move over this instrument in the masterly manner which I see so many woman's do. They have not the same force of rapidity and do not possess the same expression. But then I have always supposed it to be my own fault - because I would not take the trouble of practicing. It is not that I do not believe my fingers as capable as any other woman's of superior execution.' _x000D_ Darcy smiled and said, 'You are perfectly right.'

Laugh as much as you choose, but you will not laugh me out of my opinion.