Quotes by Jane Austen

About Jane Austen:

Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature. Her realism, biting irony and social commentary as well as her acclaimed plots have gained her historical importance among scholars and critics.
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No es el tiempo ni la ocasión los que determinan la intimidad: es sólo el carácter, la disposición de las personas.

Jane Austen

No podría ser feliz con un hombre cuyo gusto no coincidiera punto por punto con el mío. El debe penetrar todos mis sentimientos; a ambos nos deben encantar los mismos libros, la misma música.

Jane Austen

I cannot, I cannot,' cried Marianne; 'leave me, leave me, if I distress you; leave me, hate me, forget me! But do not torture me so. Oh! how easy for those who have no sorrow of their own to talk of extertion!

Jane Austen

...the pleasantness of an employment does not always evince its propriety.

Jane Austen

And Marianne, who had the knack of finding her way in every house to the library, however it might be avoided by the family in general, soon procured herself a book.

Jane Austen

He had just compunction enough for having done nothing for his sisters himself, to be exceedingly anxious that everybody else should do a great deal.

Jane Austen

On every formal visit a child ought to be of the party, by way of provision for discourse. In the present case it took up ten minutes to determine whether the boy were most like his father or mother, and in what particular he resembled either, for of...

Jane Austen

What do you know of my heart? What do you know of anything but your own suffering. For weeks, Marianne, I've had this pressing on me without being at liberty to speak of it to a single creature. It was forced on me by the very person whose prior clai...

Jane Austen

Mama, the more I know of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love.

Jane Austen

Common sense, common care, common prudence, were all sunk in Mrs. Dashwood's romantic delicacy.

Jane Austen

For though a very few hours spent in the hard labour of incessant talking will dispatch more subjects than can really be in common between any two rational creatures, yet with lovers it is different. Between them no subject is finished, no communicat...

Jane Austen

If, however, I am allowed to think that you and yours feel an interest in my fate and actions, it may be the means—it may put me on my guard—at least, it may be something to live for.

Jane Austen

Marianne had now been brought by degrees, so much into the habit of going out every day, that it was become a matter of indifference to her, whether she went or not: and she prepared quietly and mechanically for every evening's engagement, though wit...

Jane Austen

I come here with no expectations, only to profess, now that I am at liberty to do so, that my heart is and always will be yours.

Jane Austen

Marianne would have thought herself very inexcusable had she been able to sleep at all the first night after parting from Willoughby. She would have been ashamed to look her family in the face next morning, had she not risen from her bed in more need...

Jane Austen

To wish was to hope, and to hope was to expect

Jane Austen

Her family had of late been exceedingly fluctuating. For many years of her life she had had two sons; but the crime and annihilation of Edward a few weeks ago, had robbed her of one; the similar annihilation of Robert had left her for a fortnight wit...

Jane Austen

Between Barton and Delaford, there was that constant communication which strong family affection would naturally dictate;—and among the merits and the happiness of Elinor and Marianne, let it not be ranked as the least considerable, that though sis...

Jane Austen

Elinor placed all that was astonishing in this way of acting to his mother's account; and it was happy for her that he had a mother whose character was so imperfectly known to her, as to be the general excuse for every thing strange on the part of he...

Jane Austen

Everybody pretends to feel and tries to describe with the taste and elegance of him who first defined what picturesque beauty was. I detest jargon of every kind, and sometimes I have kept my feelings to myself, because I could find no language to des...

Jane Austen

You are in a melancholy humour, and fancy that any one unlike yourself must be happy. But remember that the pain of parting from friends will be felt by every body at times, whatever be their education or state. Know your own happiness. You want noth...

Jane Austen

Author Bio

  • NameJane Austen
  • DescriptionEnglish novelist
  • BornDecember 16, 1775
  • DiedJuly 18, 1817
  • CountryUnited Kingdom
  • ProfessionNovelist; Writer