“There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and everyday confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of either merit or sense.”
Lizzy talking to her sister Jane, upon hearing of Charlotte’s wedding and after a letter from Caroline Bingley, hinting at her brother’s supposed indifference
Pride & Prejudice, Volume 2, Chapter 1
Lovely Jennifer Ehle icon is from the icon contest a while back at Jane Austen Today, created by Sands at the web forum A Truth Universally Acknowledged.
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
I think this may have been Lizzie’s - lowest point in the novel. It’s certainly one of, if not the most, cynical statements uttered by an Austen heroine. But it’s nice to be reminded that even optimistic people get discouraged sometimes!
some of this, too, may just come from her need to convince Jane that others may really not have the best of intentions. Coming up against Jane’s eternal optimism would send me running to the dark side as well, even more than would seem necessary just to help even out the scales…
This is probably one of my favorite lines from Pride & Prejudice. I like the idea that she distinguishes love (obviously of her family, for instance) and who she thinks well of — she has a critical mind and isn’t afraid to think of people with a critical and perhaps skeptical view
We Janites on the James have been rereading Jane Austen’s novels, starting with Pride and Prejudice. We are reading Sense and Sensibility next. Your quote brings Lizzie back in all her glorious complexity.
Our blog describes Jane’s world: your blog uses her words to describe her characters. What a nice dovetailing of purposes. I’ve added your blog to mine, as I just love it.
This is actually one of my favorite all-time Austen quotes. I think the sentiment came from Austen herself-she was so sensible of people’s failings. I don’t think she could have written the books she did without that. And yet, usually in her works as well, there is grace for almost every character. The reader is not usually allowed to see only the bad side of someone, except in the worst cases.
So glad to be introduced to the Janeites on the James!
I love this line! I think that is my favourite P&P quote. That’s really the way that I fell about the world.
Great quote. It reminds us how human Jane’s characters are and why we enjoy them so much. I feel for you with the internet problems. It’s no fun.
Great quote. It reminds us how human Jane’s characters are and why we enjoy them so much. I feel for you with the internet problems. It’s no fun.
I particularly love the first 2 lines of this quote.
“….few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well”. So, there is someone whom Lizzy loves, but of whom she doesn’t think well. And at this moment of the story it’s not Mr. Darcy!
How many people do you love, without approving them completely? Love is stronger and bigger!
Thank you Lori for your daily piece of happiness.
Loredana
Hey,
I just got your book as a valentines present from my dad. It’s a good read. I’ve only gotten half-way through the book but I just had to find your blog and say something about it. I’ve been falling deeply in love with Jane Austen! Especially since PBS has been doing remakes of her stories every Sunday night. Yay!
Thanks, Katie! So glad you have found Austen!
Loredana — I always thought that probably Lizzy’s family and some of her neighbors were included in that group — the ones she loves but doesn’t always think well of.
“There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well.”
There are so many quotes in Pride and Prejudice that I agree with, this one is not exception. There are some days that I agree with this more than others, but overall it is a classic quote that lets everyone know that even 200 years ago they had the potential to be ashamed of their friends and family no matter how much they loved them