“Such a letter was not to be soon recovered from. . . . Every moment rather brought fresh agitation. It was an overpowering happiness.”
Persuasion, volume 2, chapter 11
Category Archives: Happiness
An overpowering happiness
Filed under Anne Elliot, Capt. Wentworth, Happiness, Persuasion, Proposals
Parades of happiness
“We have heard nothing fresh from Anna. I trust she is very comfortable in her new home. Her Letters have been very sensible & satisfactory, with no parade of happiness, which I liked them the better for.-I have often known young married Women write in a way I did not like, in that respect.”
letter to her niece Fanny (Edward’s daughter), about another niece, Anna (James’s daughter), who had just married Ben Lefroy
November 18, 1814 [109]
Filed under Austen family, Happiness, Letters, Marriage, niece Anna Austen
Heaven’s last best gift
“I am of a cautious temper, and unwilling to risk my happiness in a hurry. Nobody can think more highly of the matrimonial state than myself. I consider the blessing of a wife as most justly described in those discreet lines of the poet, ‘Heaven’s last best gift.'”
Mansfield Park, volume 1, chapter 4
According to my Oxford World’s Classics edition, Henry Crawford is joking about Milton’s Paradise Lost, in which “Adam describes Eve as God’s ultimate gift; Henry Crawford wittily turns the line to express his preference for deferring wedlock.”
Hmm… I have known many men “of a cautious temper.”
Joseph Beattie as Henry Crawford. ©Jon Hall/ITV plc (Granada International) for Masterpiece™
Filed under Happiness, Henry Crawford, Mansfield Park, Marriage, Other books and writers
To begin perfect happiness
Forgive me for the spoiler, but I’m assuming you all know how the book (or movie) ends! Enjoy tonight.
“Henry and Catherine were married, the bells rang, and every body smiled; and, as this took place within a twelvemonth from the first day of their meeting, it will not appear, after all the dreadful delays occasioned by the General’s cruelty, that they were essentially hurt by it. To begin perfect happiness at the respective ages of twenty-six and eighteen, is to do
pretty well.”
Northanger Abbey, volume 2, chapter 16
Again, thanks to Solitary-Elegance.com for the image.
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Filed under Catherine Morland, Happiness, Henry Tilney, Marriage, Northanger Abbey
Forgiving oneself
“She had nothing to do but to forgive herself and be happier than ever.”
Catherine recovering from her faults
Northanger Abbey, volume 2, chapter 10
I love this quote.
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Filed under Catherine Morland, Forgiveness, Grace, Happiness, Northanger Abbey
Such happiness
“It is such a happiness when good people get together-and they always do.”
Miss Bates
Emma, volume 2, chapter 3
I’m running very late today! I’ve been out at Borders looking for my book, which they don’t have on shelves quite yet. (Apparently, when you’re not JK Rowliing, release dates are a bit malleable.)
But this quote goes out to a dear friend who got engaged this weekend. I’m not sure she’s ready for me to announce it to the blogosphere, so I’ll keep it mum for now.
Filed under Emma, Happiness, Love, Marriage, Miss Bates
A very pleasant evening
“Our ball was chiefly made up of Jervoises and Terrys, the former of whom were apt to be vulgar, the latter to be noisy. . . . I had a very pleasant evening, however, though you will probably find out that there was no particular reason for it; but I do not think it worth while to wait for enjoyment until there is some real opportunity for it.”
letter to Cassandra
January 21, 1799 [18], emphasis mine
Happiness in marriage
“‘Well,’ said Charlotte, ‘I wish Jane success with all my heart; and if she were married to him to-morrow, I should think she had as good a chance of happiness as if she were to be studying his character for a twelve-month. Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the disposition 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 . . .'”
Charlotte Lucas to Lizzy, on Jane’s liking Mr. Bingley
Pride and Prejudice, volume 1, chapter 6 (emphasis mine)
Oh, dear Charlotte.
Filed under Charlotte Lucas, Happiness, Marriage, Pride and Prejudice
Happiness
“Darcy was not of a disposition in which happiness overflows in mirth; and Elizabeth, agitated and confused, rather knew that she was happy, than felt herself to be so . . .”
on Darcy & Elizabeth’s state of mind immediately following their engagement
Pride & Prejudice, Volume 3, Chapter 17
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Filed under Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet, Engagement, Happiness, Pride and Prejudice
The Jane Austen Guide to Life: Thoughtful Lessons for the Modern Woman (May, 2012)
A Walk with Jane Austen: A Journey into Adventure, Love, and Faith