Jane Austen (1775-1817)

Quotes

• One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.

• Nothing ever fatigues me, but doing what I do not like.

• You must learn some of my philosophy. Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.

• How much I love every thing that is decided and open!

• Human nature is so well disposed towards those who are in interesting situations, that a young person, who either marries or dies, is sure of being kindly spoken of.

• A woman should never be trusted with money.

• The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.

• An artist cannot do anything slovenly.

• I am excessively fond of music, but without the smallest skill or right of judging of anybody's performance.

• Oh! dear; I was so miserable! I am sure I must have been as white as my gown.

• It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.

• Loss of virtue in a female is irretrievable; that one false step involves her in endless ruin; that her reputation is no less brittle than it is beautiful; and that she cannot be too much guarded in her behaviour towards the undeserving of the other sex.

• Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously.... Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.

• I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book! When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.

• No one can be really esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with.

• I have no pretensions whatever to that kind of elegance which consists in tormenting a respectable man.

• How little of permanent happiness could belong to a couple who were only brought together because their passions were stronger than their virtue.

• Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the dispositions 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; and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life.

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

• To be claimed as a good, though in an improper style, is at least better than being rejected as no good at all.