“The great Mrs. Churchill was no more. . . . Goldsmith tells us that when lovely woman stoops to folly, she has nothing to do but to die; and when she stoops to be disagreeable, it is equally recommended as a clearer of ill fame.”
Emma, volume 3, chapter 9
I’ve been on an Emma kick for the last few weeks. Since tomorrow is Halloween, perhaps we’ll move on to Northanger Abbey.
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