Vanity
“Vanity working on a weak head, produces every sort of mischief.” Mr. Knightley, on Emma’s encouraging Harriet Smith to raise her sights too high Emma, volume 1, chapter 8
View ArticleBadly done, Emma
“It was badly done, indeed! You, whom she had known from an infant, whom she had seen grow up from a period when her notice was an honour, to have you now, in thoughtless spirits, and the pride of the...
View ArticleIncomprehensible
“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...
View ArticleI cannot make speeches
Happy Valentine’s Day, dear readers! One of my favorites… Here is Knightley echoing Darcy’s thoughts of the other day: “I cannot make speeches, Emma . . . If I loved you less, I might be able to talk...
View ArticleA lady always does
"What did she say? Just what she ought, of course. A lady always does." Of Emma’s reply to Mr. Knightley, when he proposesEmma, volume 3, chapter 13
View ArticleComplete truth
“Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised or a little mistaken . . .” Of Emma’s conversation with Mr....
View ArticleFlattery, my dear…
“Emma knows I never flatter her.” Mr. Knightley, to Mr. Woodhouse Emma, volume 1, chapter 1 I’m just re-reading chapter 1 in Emma and realizing how many hints Austen gave us.
View ArticleEmma’s reading lists
I love this little bit: “Emma has been meaning to read more ever since she was twelve years old. I have seen a great many lists of her drawing up at various times of books that she meant to read...
View ArticleLoveliness itself
[Mrs. Weston] “She is loveliness itself. Mr. Knightley, is not she?” “I have not a fault to find with her person,” he replied. “I think her all you describe. I love to look at her; and I will add...
View ArticleSome doubt of a return
“I have no idea that she has yet ever seen a man she cared for. It would not be a bad thing for her to be very much in love with a proper object. I should like to see Emma in love, and in some doubt...
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