Jane Austen Quotes

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 beautiful girl

Today's quote is taken from Jane Austen Today.  Ms. Place heard it on a Sense & Sensibility podcast she found through the listening sidebar on Old Grey Pony.  How's that for roundabout?

"Called a beautiful girl, truth was less violently outraged than usually happens...."

On Marianne Dashwood
Sense and Sensibility, volume 1, chapter 10

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

Glorying in the sea

"Anne and Henrietta, finding themselves the earliest of the party the next morning, agreed to stroll down to the sea before breakfast. They went to the sands, to watch the flowing of the tide, which a fine south-easterly breeze was bringing in with all the grandeur which so flat a shore admitted. They praised the morning; gloried in the sea; sympathized in the delight of the fresh-feeling breeze--and were silent;"

Persuasion, volume 1, chapter 12

Sent to me by reader friend Bonnie, who says "I love words and those always come back to me each summer when heading to the beach. Jane wrote those sentences almost like worship."

I agree.  I'm still in North Carolina recovering from all the activity of the holiday.  My favorite thing is my daily stroll on the beach, now with my lab Bess in tow, who rolls and runs and buries her little nose in the sand.

Incomprehensible

“Oh! to be sure,” cried Emma, “it is always incomprehensible to a man that a woman should ever refuse an offer of marriage. A man always imagines a woman to be ready for anybody who asks her.”

Emma discussing with Mr. Knightley the face that Harriet Smith has refused Robert Martin
Emma, volume 1, chapter 8

I was reminded of this quote from Laurel Ann's lovely Austenprose blog.  Each day she looks at a different Austen word or phrase.  The illustrations are gorgeous, and I could spend hours on the list of links alone.  Check it out if you haven't already.

Family squabbling

I'm actually headed out today to North Carolina for a long Thanksgiving break.  Can't wait to have everyone together.

Today's quote is from my Jane Austen Society desk calendar:

"Family squabbling is the greatest evil of all. . . "

Mansfield Park, volume 1, chapter 13

I expect a lot of merriment, actually (and an awful lot of eating) and not so much squabbling, except among the little ones, who can't really help themselves.

I'll be taking a break from posting here for the rest of the week, back on Monday.  Happy Thanksgiving to all my US readers!

A great hurry

"I have received a letter from Frank . . . he is in a great hurry to be married, & I have encouraged him in it."

letter to Cassandra
August 24, 1805 [45]

Jane's brother Frank was in the navy--a regular Horatio Hornblower--he married Mary Gibson of Ramsgate the following July.  They had been engaged since 1804, but waited until he won a little more prize money to marry.  They had eleven children before Mary died.

Image from the Jane Austen Centre in Bath. See their Austen family info.

So many dear friends...

"My Uncle & Aunt drank tea with us last night, & in spite of my resolution to the contrary, I could not help putting forward to invite them again this Evening.  I thought it was of the first consequence to avoid anything that might seem a slight to them.  I shall be glad when it is over, & hope to have no necessity for having so many dear friends at once again."

letter to Cassandra
April 23, 1805 [44]

It seems that one of the reasons Jane disliked Bath was the increased social obligations.  She preferred her quiet country life.

The silhouette is of Jane's aunt, Mrs. Leigh-Perrot, from the Jane Austen Society of Australia web site.

Unlucky me!

"My Evening Engagement & walk was with Miss Armstrong, who had called on me the day before, & gently upbraided me in her turn with change of manners to her since she had been in Bath, or at least of late.  Unlucky me! that my notice should be of such consequence & my Manners so bad!"

letter to Cassandra
April 21, 1805 [44]

Evidently Jane met Miss Armstrong in Lyme the previous fall, and concluded that she had "some degree of Sense" but no "Wit or Genius."

Booksigning tonight - Tysons Corner, VA

Just a reminder that I'll be reading and signing books tonight at the Borders in Tysons Corner, VA at 7:30.  If you're in the DC area, I'd love to see you.  More info here.