1,664 Quotes by Jane Austen

Every body allows that the talent of writing agreeable letters is peculiarly female.

No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy, would have supposed her born to be a heroine... But from fifteen to seventeen she was in training for a heroine...

I lay it down as a general rule, Harriet, that if a woman doubts as to whether she should accept a man or not, she certainly ought to refuse him. If she can hesitate as to "'Yes,'" she ought to say "'No'" directly. It is not a state to be safely entered into with doubtful feelings, with half a heart.

The wisest and the best of men, nay, the wisest and best of their actions, may be rendered ridiculous by a person whose first object in life is a joke.

How clever you are, to know something of which you are ignorant.

Seguramente si nuestro afecto es recíproco, nuestros corazones se entenderán. No somos un par de chiquillos para guardar una irritada reserva, ser mal dirigidos por la inadvertencia de algún momento o jugar como con un fantasma con nuestra propia felicidad".

Sono poche le persone che io amo per davvero e ancora meno quelle delle quali io penso bene. Più conosco il mondo, più ne sono disgustata; e ogni giorno conferma la mia convinzione dell'incoerenza del carattere umano, e della poca fiducia che possiamo riporre in tutto ciò che può apparire merito o intelligenza.

[…] You are very right in supposing how my money would be spent – some of it, at least – my loose cash would certainly be employed in improving my collection of music and books.” – Marianne Dashwood

You are a good girl, and I have great pleasure in thinking you will be so happily settled. I have no doubt of your doing very well together. Your tempers are by no means unlike. You are each of you so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy, that every servant will cheat you; and so generous, that you will always exceed your income.